Richmond, VA – The Washington Redskins are currently in the middle of their first training camp under new head coach Jay Gruden and his players are looking really good at many of the skill positions. The coaching and personnel staff have a difficult task to perform in the near future… to reduce the roster to 53 men by 6:00 p.m. August 31.
As training camp progresses, Gruden and his staff are enjoying witnessing the hard work of some very talented football players — both rookies and veterans. This time down at Bon Secours Washington Redskins Training Facility in Richmond, Va. is as much about competition as it is getting into “football shape” and that usually means extraordinary effort by these guys on the field every day.
One of the groups that has several really good players in it is the offensive backfield. And one of the guys working hard to secure a spot is running back Roy Helu, Jr., former Nebraska Cornhusker and fourth-round draft pick of the Redskins in 2011.
Helu’s competition is not anything to be taken lightly. Second-to-fourth-year players Alfred Morris, Evan Royster and Chris Thompson are all good running backs with different skill sets and big upsides. Rookies Lache Seastrunk and Silas Redd are making names for themselves. In the fullback category are starter Darrel Young and rookie Stephen Campbell. Young is one of the best fullbacks in the league.
Like most of the running backs other than Morris, Helu is fighting for to become what is known as a “change-of-pace” back… a complement to Morris who, barring a catastrophic injury, will take the majority of carries.
Though not the power back that Morris is, Helu has a lot to offer his team, both in rushing and receiving out of the backfield. In 2011, he logged 640 yards on 151 carries for a 4.2 yards-per-carry (ypc) average. He made 31 first downs for the team, two touchdowns and — a pretty sure ball handler — only fumbled twice. He also had 379 yards receiving and a 47 yard catch for a touchdown.
In 2012, he was placed on IR late in September after being plagued by a turf toe injury and Achilles’ tendon injuries in both legs.
But in 2013, even with Morris starting, Helu had a 4.4 ypc average. He ran for four touchdowns with just two fumbles in 62 carries — which he did not lose. The running back caught the ball 31 times for 251 yards, nine first downs and an 8.1 yards-per-reception average. And while he’s not DeSean Jackson in terms of speed, he can outrun some linebackers. He ran a 4.40/40 in the combine. He would be a good “change-of-pace” from Morris and, along with Young, a valuable third-down back.
I spoke to Helu after the Fan Appreciation Day practice yesterday and he, without hesitation, spoke highly of the guys in his unit.
“Our group is a great group,” he said. “That’s very cliché, I know but, in terms of a mix of integrity and ball-playing ability and skill, we have a great group. Alfred and his skill set and just the type of man that he is… we have DY [Darrel Young], in my opinion, the best fullback and one of the best players I’ve ever played with… Evan [Royster] has been with us and has been such a complement to whatever our scheme has been. And he’s persevered through a lot. And Chris [Thompson] went through a lot of injury and the type of man that he is and is becoming… I mean, he’s pretty awesome. I could keep going through them all… I mean, we have Redd and we also have Seastrunk… and I think both of them are coming along.
“When you have leadership like we do within our group,” he continued, “it really helps those guys develop a little bit faster as a professional. Overall, that’s why I say we have a great group.”
Something that has been noticeable this season in training camp is the maturity and confidence of some of the second and third-year guys. Players like cornerback David Amerson, wide out Nick Williams, defensive lineman Chris Baker, linebacker Keenan Robinson and offensive lineman Josh LeRibeus all carry themselves differently than in the last year or two. Helu admitted that he feels like a vet now.
The guys on offense that are showing the benefits of a couple of years under their belt now and are fortunate that their new head coach is installing a scheme that is not terribly different than the one former head coach Mike Shanahan had put in. This will make it easier for them to compete.
“It’s a good scheme,” Helu commented about Gruden’s offense, “It’s very similar although there are minor variations in how we pass-protect and also some of our terminology within the routes that we call are a little bit but they’re out of the same system – the West Coast system.”
This running back, like most of the guys on the team, is really looking forward to the New England Patriots coming to town next week for joint practices and a scrimmage or two.
“It’ll be really new and unique for all of us,” Helu commented, “because we’ve never done this for the most part. Only a few of us have ever practiced with other teams. So it’ll be kind of a touch-and-go type of experience.”
Without a doubt, the best part of our conversation was when linebacker Will Compton (also out of the University of Nebraska) walked up to us with his microphone (a Sharpie marker, mind you) to get a “quote” from his teammate about next week’s event with the Patriots. Here is the result, verbatim:
COMPTON: Hey, you gotta give Alfonso [Dennard — cornerback for the Patriots and also out of Nebraska] a shout out.
HELU: Oh yea? OK… (takes a deep breath and then, like a QB at the line of scrimmage)
I want to give a shout out to Alfonso Dennard… YEAH!… Former Cornhusker!
Except, right now he’s a starter on the New England defense as a cornerback… he’s about to get his head ripped off if he tries to get in RG’s face!!! You feel me?
Will Compton’s coming for you too, from the sidelines!!!
What is he, coming to our turf? Are you serious??? Yeah!!
And that… was that.
Hail.