Pat Narduzzi Compares West Virginia's Clay Ash to a Former Heisman Semifinalist

Rich Rodriguez is going to have to find a new answer (or two) at running back with Jahiem White now out for the remainder of the season with a knee injury. Who steps up is hard to predict, given that none of the other backs have shown much through the first two weeks.

Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi, however, really likes one West Virginia back in particular, and it's not one you would think... Clay Ash. Yes, the former walk-on who emerged as the No. 2 guy at the position behind White out of fall camp. Narduzzi even had quite the comparison for him, too.

"He's a 5'9", 194-pound guy, No. 27. That dude sticks it up in there. He is a physical dude. I can see why Coach Rodriguez likes this kid as their number two tailback. Obviously, Jahiem (White's) got a little more juice, but this other guy has got a different pace. He looks like (Cam) Skattebo. He's a physical dude."

Skattebo is two inches taller and nearly twenty pounds heavier than Ash, and with the lack of production he's had (so far), it's hard to see how that comparison came about. He does play extremely hard and is pretty physical for a guy his size, but he's got to do more in the ground game to earn that type of comparison. I mean, we're talking about a former Heisman Trophy semifinalist here.

In the season opener against Robert Morris, Ash toted the rock five times for 23 yards. In last week's loss to Ohio, he had just two yards on four carries, but did make four catches for 20 yards.

It'll be interesting to see how the division of labor is split up amongst the backs with White out. It wouldn't be all that surprising to see Ash start games, but I would be shocked, however, if he ended up logging the majority of the workload on a weekly basis. Guys like Cyncir Bowers, Tye Edwards, and Diore Hubbard need to step up and produce.