WASHINGTON – As the Georgetown football team prepares for the 2024 season opener against Davidson on August 31, GUHoyas.com will take an in-depth look at each position with this edition featuring the team's running backs.
 
"Coaching this group is a lot of fun and an amazing challenge because it feels like the potential is limitless," said Running Backs Coach Gary Ramey Jr. "We are throwing a lot of new things at these guys in a quick pace during camp and they are handling it very well. This is a young group with a lot of talent. We have seven guys who are extremely engaged and working hard every day to improve their game, but ultimately we anticipate a lot of guys helping out on our offense."

Ramey joins the Hoyas' coaching staff after spending the last four seasons coaching wide receivers, running backs and tight ends at Bridgewater College in Bridgewater, Virginia.

"Since I started working with this group we have been focusing on responding versus reacting. We are teaching them where their eyes need to be. The eye discipline in the run game is helping them be way more efficient with their touches."

The Hoyas gain valuable veteran leadership with the return of senior Naieem Kearney and junior Mason Gudger. Bryce Cox and Udechukwu Enyerlbe also return for their sophomore seasons as running backs. In the offseason, GU gained three freshmen in Savion Hart, Jayden Sumpter and Jackson Hughes. 

During the 2023 campaign, Kearney played in all 11 games for the Hoyas and totaled 130 rushes for 601 yards and five touchdowns. The West Virginia native recorded his longest rush of 70 yards to earn a touchdown in GU's upset win over then-No. 15 Fordham.  

"Naieem is a really intelligent student-athlete. He has the most experience in the room and is great to have as a leader. He is the one to tell the younger guys what it's like to take two or three hits in a row in a game. I have seen tremendous mental growth in Naieem during our time together."

Gudger returns to the Hoyas lineup after missing the 2023 season after suffering an injury. During his freshman campaign, Gudger returned two touchdowns for 227 yards against Penn (10/8), becoming the second player in Patriot League history to return two touchdowns in the same game which earned him Patriot League Rookie and Special Teams Player of the Week and FedEx Ground FCS National Freshman of the Week.

"It has been great getting to see him in action during camp. When you have a guy with physical gifts like his you are going to find ways to get him involved offensively. He's not just a speed guy he can do a little bit of everything and we're going to utilize him in ways to showcase that speed. He has done a lot of work to develop in the offseason. He takes great notes, asks all the right questions and truly wants to learn."

Last season, Cox saw action in nine games for the Hoyas and totaled seven rush attempts for 30 yards. The Baltimore native also contributed on special teams with four kick returns for 31 yards. Enyerlbe developed throughout spring ball and the offseason to put himself in a position to compete for playing time.    

"Ude and Bryce are great because they are really close friends and I think they are the glue of the room. Bryce is a really serious character and is a perfectionist. He always wants to know what he can do to get better. He wants it really bad and has worked so hard to earn a role in the back field for us. Ude has taken strides during the summer and camp to get himself up to date mentally and his abilities are right there with the other guys so I anticipate him helping out on the offense."

The Hoyas added freshmen Hart, Sumpter and Hughes to the running back unit this season. As the 2023 Minnesota Max Preps Player of the Year, Hart led the state in rushing yards with 2,642 and was second in the state for rushing touchdowns. Sumpter joins GU after receiving the Kevin Kirk Award which awards the best new student with the biggest impact in the community at Chestnut Hill Academy. Hughes led Marist High School with 1344 career rushing yards and 29 touchdowns and was second in career quarterback hurries and third in career tackles for loss. 

"The freshmen have been making the most of their opportunities when it comes to the reps that they get. They are also taking a lot of good mental notes from watching our older guys. Savion is a thoroughbred running back and once he can click with our offense it's going to be scary what he can do. Jayden is a natural runner. He is super smart and can grasp concepts the first time you tell him. He even asks questions that some of the older guys wouldn't think to ask. Jackson is doing great transitioning from being a triple-option fullback in high school to our pro style from the shotgun. He is super smart and the guys really love him."