Harney coaching helps running backs

After a non-football injury prevented Evan Harney from playing football this year, University of San Diego head coach Jim Harbaugh invited Harney to help tutor the USD running backs. Harney’s assistance was of use November 12 when two other USD running backs were unable to play and the Toreros relied on backs even lower on the depth chart. An ankle injury kept J.T. Rogan from playing November 12 against Marist while a shoulder injury kept Kevin Herron out of the Marist game. The Toreros still managed 167 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns in the 42-35 win over the Red Foxes. “All the other guys stepped up,” Harney said. “It’s a tribute to the whole team.” Josh Denton would likely be the fourth-string halfback if Harney, Rogan and Herron were healthy. Denton carried the ball 11 times against Marist and gained 53 yards. Theo Nikolakopulos had six rushes for 35 yards. Denton and Nikolakopulos are both freshmen. “I’ve been around them every day,” Harney said. “If I have any advice to offer, I do whatever I can to help.” Jon Polk is the first-string fullback for USD, and during the Marist game he often functioned as a tailback. “We consider him a starter at tailback as well, so we felt good with Jon in there,” said USD head coach Jim Harbaugh. Polk had 17 rushes against Marist and gained 69 yards. Four of those rushes scored touchdowns. The fifth rushing touchdown was scored by quarterback Josh Johnson, whose eight non-sack rushing attempts gained 31 yards. The net total of 167 yards also subtracts a 14-yard loss from a bad snap on a punt attempt as well as the six-yard sack loss. DelVaughn Alexander is USD’s actual running backs coach. Alexander is making his debut with the Toreros this year; he spent the last two seasons as an Oregon State University assistant coach. “DelVaughn Alexander’s done a phenomenal job,” Harbaugh said. Harbaugh notes that Harney has also made contributions to the running game. “Evan’s been in there the entire season and he’s been a captain, he’s been a leader,” Harbaugh said. During the Marist game Denton became the team’s sixth rusher, including Johnson, to gain at least 100 yards on the ground for the season. Rogan had gained 940 yards in ten games before sitting out against Marist. “We try to do what they do best,” Harbaugh said. “We’ve got a lot of production out of the running back position.”