By Jeff White (jwhite@virginia.edu)
VirginiaSports.com
CHARLOTTESVILLE — Any list of the top tailbacks in college football has to include Pittsburgh’s Israel Abanikanda. A 5-foot-11, 215-pound junior, Abanikanda rushed for a program-record 320 yards and six touchdowns last month in Pitt’s win over Virginia Tech, and he’s averaging 5.9 yards per carry this season.
Abanikanda and the Panthers will be at Scott Stadium on Saturday for a noon game against Virginia, one of their rivals in the ACC’s Coastal Division. UVA’s tailbacks include Mike Hollins, a 5-foot-9, 208-pound junior from Baton Rouge, La.
He has yet to stake a claim as one of the conference’s best at his position, but Hollins is coming off perhaps his strongest back-to-back performances as a Cavalier, and first-year head coach Tony Elliott has consistently talked up No. 7’s potential.
Against the Miami Hurricanes on Oct. 29, Hollins had a 64-yard reception and carried twice for 16 times. Last weekend against North Carolina, he rushed 16 times for 75 yards.
Perris Jones, UVA’s starting tailback for most of the season, missed the UNC game with an injury, and he’ll probably focus on special teams against Pitt, Elliott said Tuesday. Hollins, Xavier Brown and Ronnie Walker Jr. split the tailback duties against the Tar Heels, and Elliott expects them to do so Saturday as well.
“I think that was big for Mike,” Hollins said. “Mike’s a guy that when he’s fresh and he’s rolling, he’s good to go. But any tired back is a back that potentially could put the ball on the ground … I expect we’ll roll forward with the rotation. If one of them gets super hot then you feed the guy that’s super hot. Otherwise let those guys complement each other, roll as a committee and keep each other fresh.”
Fumbles were an issue for Hollins early in the season, but he’s improved his ball security since then.
“I try not to think about it [during games],” he said Monday. “I think about it throughout the week during practice. I emphasize ball security throughout practice, watch film and try to make tallies for every time I see the ball poking out, but as long as I focus on it throughout practice, I get to the game and I’m just full speed and I know that I trust my preparation throughout the week.”
Elliott is a former Clemson assistant who’s worked with running backs, and his staff includes offensive coordinator Des Kitchings and running backs coach Keith Gaither….