Buccaneers training camp battle breakdowns: Third running back
Jeremy McNichols
Jeremy McNichols is the man looking to assume the throne held by Charles Sims. Well, he’d probably like the number one job, but baby steps are probably best. McNichols ironically comes from Boise St., the same college that Doug Martin once played for. As much as I want to question someone who played on a blue football field (see above), when you look at the numbers, it’s easy to be convinced:
| Rushing | Receiving | Scrimmage | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Plays | Yds | Avg | TD |
| *2014 | Boise State | MWC | FR | RB | 9 | 17 | 159 | 9.4 | 1 | 15 | 155 | 10.3 | 1 | 32 | 314 | 9.8 | 2 |
| *2015 | Boise State | MWC | SO | RB | 12 | 240 | 1337 | 5.6 | 20 | 51 | 460 | 9.0 | 6 | 291 | 1797 | 6.2 | 26 |
| 2016 | Boise State | MWC | JR | RB | 13 | 314 | 1709 | 5.4 | 23 | 37 | 474 | 12.8 | 4 | 351 | 2183 | 6.2 | 27 |
| Career | Boise State | 571 | 3205 | 5.6 | 44 | 103 | 1089 | 10.6 | 11 | 674 | 4294 | 6.4 | 55 |
When looking for that secondary, “change of pace” back, you look for a guy that can catch the ball out of the backfield. You want his game to be different than that of the starter so the defense gets a different look. That is exactly what you get from a player like McNichols. He is that double threat that will keep a defense guessing.
In that way he is actually similar to Charles Sims. He may just be better. What we will need to see is how quickly McNichols can adapt to the pro game. That first preseason back in 2012, Martin ran the ball 27 times for 97 yards, a 3.6 yards per carry average. We know the big year he went on to have. How will McNichols look? We will soon find out.