LSU Football 2012: Selling Every Running Back's Chances of Starting

Perhaps the deepest position on the 2012 LSU football team is at running back.

With six players capable of starting in the backfield, the Tigers will have an intense position battle this fall.

Many believe Spencer Ware and Kenny Hilliard to be the favored candidates because of the way Ware started and Hilliard finished last season, but Alfred Blue had an incredible spring and could be the front-runner come the fall.

Here's an argument for each running back gaining the starting position.

Spencer Ware

Spencer Ware is a physical back that possesses the quickness and acceleration to be a complete running back for LSU.

Ware lost weight going into spring practice, as he was eating better and worked on losing the extra weight that he packed on last season.

A leaner Ware would be beneficial for him starting at running back, because Kenny Hilliard is now the physical specimen that will be called upon in goal-line instances.

Last season, Ware played very well earlier in the season but started to wear down near the end. That could come as a result of the extra weight he put on, but he still managed to gain 707 yards rushing with eight touchdowns.

If Ware can continue to get back to his physique that he had as a freshman, Tiger fans should be treated with beautiful spin moves and ankle-breaking jukes that Ware showcased in the Cotton Bowl against Texas A&M.

Kenny Hilliard

There might not be a more physical back in the SEC than Kenny Hilliard.

Hilliard is strong, quick and athletic, which is the perfect recipe needed to carry a team on his back. He showed glimpses of this later in the season, when his number was called upon more.

He had 336 yards rushing and tied Ware for the most rushing touchdowns on the team with eight. Hilliard had his coming out party in the SEC Championship against Georgia, as he rushed for 72 yards and had three total touchdowns.

Hilliard is a bruiser that can wear down defenses with his vicious running style, and with a stable full of running backs capable of starting, he'll prove to be an advantageous weapon for the Tigers throughout the season.

Alfred Blue

LSU's Alfred Blue is a blue-collar runner.

He doesn't provide the fans with a lot of flash, but he runs the ball hard and is able to shed defenders en route to the end zone.

Of all the LSU running backs last season, Blue had the largest average yards per carry of the running backs with 6.9, and that's with him carrying the ball 78 times.

Blue finished the season with 539 yards rushing and had seven rushing touchdowns. Considering how explosive this backfield is, Blue seems to be the most explosive out of the backfield.

More often than the others, Blue finds himself breaking away from the pack and marching in for a long touchdown run. With Blue continuing to impress through the spring, he's a strong candidate for starting for the Tigers.

Michael Ford

If the Tigers are looking for a running back to change the pace, Michael Ford is the route to go.

Ford is more of a make-you-miss type of back rather than a bulldozer, and his quick legs should allow him to see the field often in 2012.

The season Ford had with the Tigers last season was fantastic, as he led the team in rushing with 756 yards and had seven touchdowns to go along with it.

With most of the LSU running backs utilizing a bruising type of style, Ford should receive a lot of playing time in situations where the Tigers change the tempo.

Terrence Magee

Terrence Magee's role last season was mop-up duty, if that.

With four running backs ahead of him, Magee was unable to see the field that often, but he still managed to sneak 27 rushes in.

Only having 27 carries, Magee was able to rush for 133 yards last season with a touchdown. Magee might not contain the raw physical features that some of the other backs have, but he's a strong runner.

Every time he was given a chance to run the football, he hit the hole hard and showed that he has potential to be a future running back for the Tigers.

How soon will that be? Well, it will be difficult for him to find reps again with so many great running backs, but if he's given the opportunity, Magee could turn some heads and work his way up the ladder.

Jeremy Hill

Jeremy Hill is a dark-horse when it comes to starting for LSU next season because he's a freshman, but wow, does he have some raw natural abilities.

Two years ago, I went to watch Kenny Hilliard play when he was at Patterson High, and they were playing Redemptorist High where Hill was the starting running back.

I went to watch both prospects, and as impressive as Hilliard was, I was more impressed with Hill. Hill was running through, over and around the defense, and I caught my jaw dropping a few times after his runs.

Hill, of course, was delayed in his journey to LSU because of legal problems, but hopefully, he can get his act together and work his way into the starting rotation.