Alexander Robinson is coming off of a season that saw him finish second in the Big 12 in rushing despite nagging injuries all season.

However, much of the attention this spring isn’t going to him. It’s going to who will back him up.

Redshirt freshmen James White and Jeff Woody, and sophomore Beau Blankenship have spent this spring locked in a competition for the team’s No. 2 running back position.

“I have no hesitation in putting any of the three guys on field right now, I really don’t,” said running backs coach Kenith Pope. “I think they will be able to help us, no doubt about it.”

Blankenship, White and Woody all bring different styles to the competition. Woody, considered to be the front-runner so far this spring, is the power runner of the three and the only native Iowan. Pope described him as one of the bigger surprises of the group as he came from the more unheralded background.

“He’s a big, physical back and you’d like to have a big, physical back,” Pope said. “That’s really encouraging at this particular point so I hope he continues on with that type of attitude and potential.”

White, the quickest of the three backs, is also the smallest at 184 pounds. The Dallas, Texas native said he chose Iowa State because a back his size could still be successful in the system.

“He’s not a very big guy but the upside to him is he can make guys miss in small quarters,” Pope said.

Blankenship has been described as the most even of the three, possessing speed and power at the same time. He also has the most on-field experience of the three as he was used in some special teams scenarios last season.

“At first when I was out there for kickoffs I was like ‘Man, this is quick’,” Blankenship said. “After a while I realized that it was just football and people were just a little more athletic.”

One of the reasons for the focus on the backup position is Robinson himself. Pope said that he has picked up this spring from exactly where he left off after the Insight Bowl.

“He hasn’t missed a beat. He’s one of our leaders on the field and that’s the thing that really makes us go, his leadership,” Pope said. “It makes it really good when you have a leader like him that can lead by example and those young men can follow him exactly that way.”

On top of working on his own game, Robinson has spent much of spring practice mentoring the other backs in on and off-the-field aspects. The backup candidates have praised him for his calm teaching style during practice and contagious film study habits.

“He’s one of the smartest football players I’ve ever met in my entire life,” Woody said. “He’s potentially the smartest player on the field at any given point.

The competition is bound to get more interesting when two more backs are added to the mix. Incoming freshmen Duran Hollis and Shontrelle Johnson are expected to join the race when they arrive on campus.

“Hopefully one of those two guys come in and pushes these other young guys,” Pope said. “That competition level will make us a better football team.”

Until the freshmen arrive, however, the three will continue to battle it out in practice and the Spring hame on April 17. While it is unclear who will get the job, Pope can count on their strong efforts continuing for the next week.

“Every day you don’t have to worry about getting those guys ready to play,” Pope said. “They come out there every day to try to give you a good day’s work and that’s what it’s all about.”