WASHINGTON – The Georgetown University football team is exactly two weeks away from its season opener when the Hoyas play host to Marist on September 4 at Cooper Field. As the squad works hard in preseason camp, GUHoyas.com will take an in-depth look at each of the team's position groups, with this edition featuring the running backs.
 
The Hoyas bring back the experienced trio of graduate student Jackson Saffold, senior Herman Moultrie III and junior Joshua Stakely, who combined for 1,011 rushing yards in 2019. The three veteran returners found the end zone 12 times, accounting for more than a third of GU's scoring. The unit also adds two talented backs to the group as junior Zaire Webb is converting from defensive back, and freshman Naieem Kearney will look to make an immediate impact.
 
"This is a very talented group," said Assistant Coach Spencer Emerson. "We will be a dynamic backfield who shares the workload. We have several guys who I think could be "the guy" but we are going to work together and keep fresh legs on the field. It will be a collaborative effort on game day. We have three veteran players who all have produced on film, and Herman Moultrie, Joshua Stakely and Jackson Saffold all are older guys who are viewed as leaders not only among the running backs, but by the entire team.
 
"Zaire Webb came over from defense, as a former defensive back and I couldn't be happier with his attention to detail, and how much he's learned so far in camp. He's going to really help this offense. Naieem Kearney is a very athletic freshman who has picked up the offense very fast. He asks all the right questions, and I'm excited for his future this season and in the years to come with our program."
 
Returning Experience

• Moultrie rushed for 379 yards and a team-high seven touchdowns in just seven games in 2019.
• He had two 100-yard rushing games as a sophomore and also had two multi-touchdown performances.
• Stakely finished his freshman campaign with a team-leading 404 rushing yards, and also scored a pair of touchdowns.
• Against Bucknell, he rushed 28 times for 139 yards and a touchdown, the most rushing yards by a Hoya since 2015.
• Saffold rushed for 228 yards and two touchdowns in 10 games as a junior in 2019.
• He is one yard short of 500 rushing yards for his career and has scored four touchdowns, including two in a double-overtime victory over Lehigh in 2018.

 
New Faces

• Webb has appeared in 11 games defensively for the Hoyas in his two years on the Hilltop, registering 3.0 tackles, 0.5 TFL and a blocked punt.
• Kearney was a three-year starter in high school, averaging 15.2 yards per carry as a senior when he was named the WVSSAC Student-Athlete of The Year.

 
The Hoyas open the 2021 season on September 4 when the Blue & Gray welcomes Marist to Cooper Field. Georgetown will play five home games this fall, including three Patriot League matchups and a nonconference tilt against Harvard (September 18). The squad will also travel to Columbia on September 25, looking to keep the Lou Little Trophy after an exciting 24-10 victory in 2019.