Their names probably will not appear on any Heisman Trophy ballots or on the cover of any national college football magazines. But as a unit, the LSU running backs are among the top in the nation.In 2007, the group was No. 11 in the nation in rushing yards per game. LSU’s 214.14 rushing yards per game was No. 2 in the Southeastern Conference only behind Arkansas’ 286.5.Instead of having a premier back like most teams in the nation, LSU’s strategy is a running back rotation.”Don’t change the recipe on a team that has had success,” said LSU coach Les Miles.LSU’s running back by              committee approach has been instilled in the offense for many years now.Past backfields that consisted of Kevin Faulk, Rondell Mealey and Cecil Collins or the threesome of Justin Vincent, Alley Broussard and Joseph Addai have paved the way for this season’s backs.Former LSU running backs like Faulk and Addai have proven that being patient and sharing the ball in college can still lead to a lucrative NFL career. Faulk has 5,481 all-purpose yards, 22 touchdowns and three Super Bowl championships in nine years with the New England Patriots. Addai has 2,842 all-purpose yards, 23 touchdowns and a Super Bowl championship in two years with the Indianapolis Colts.”It gives you confidence that being patient will get you to the next level,” said sophomore running back Richard Murphy.Constantly recruiting four- and five-star backs, LSU has maintained the ability to reload at the tailback position each year. After losing Hester to the 2008 NFL Draft, underclassmen like four-star Stevan Ridley joined the backfield to help fill the void.”Each time you’re in the game, you have to take the opportunity and run with it,” Ridley said. “When we get the opportunity, we’ll show you what we have.”The backfield’s depth forces many underclassmen to spend time contributing to the team elsewhere. Whether playing on special teams or inspiring a teammate on the sidelines, most players are eager to contribute in any way. “He would play anywhere,” said Ridley’s former high school coach, David King. “If he was asked to play only special teams, he would have no problems.”The backs say they realize the team game is more important than the individual and that getting a win is more important than acquiring statistics.”We don’t get the exposure, but it pays off in the team aspect,” said junior running back Keiland Williams.The veteran backs like Williams, junior Charles Scott, and Murphy will likely see the bulk of the carries this season. Scott said the Tigers’ depth at running back allows them to force opposing defenses to change their plan of attack based on which LSU back is in the game. ”Different players bring different things to the table,” Scott said. Whether it is Williams’ ability to explode out of the backfield and break open long runs — like his 67-yard touchdown run against Virginia Tech — or Scott’s ability to gain much needed yards in close games — demonstrated by his 94-yard, two-touchdown performance at Kentucky — defenses are forced to adjust accordingly. Miles uses this strategy to his advantage by inserting certain backs into games during critical situations and by being able to rotate in a rested pair of legs late in the fourth quarter.The LSU running backs seem to realize the benefit of a running back by committee program.”It keeps you fresh,” Scott said. “We’re not as prone to injury as other schools.”As the 2008 season approaches, Miles will continue to use his running back by committee strategy as the Tigers work toward another SEC West title. – – – -Contact Jarred LeBlanc at [email protected]