2025 Fall Camp Week 3 - Running Backs

STANFORD, Calif. — Christian McCaffrey. Bryce Love. Stepfán Taylor. Tyler Gaffney. Toby Gerhart. Names that Stanford fans grew accustomed to seeing in the backfield a short time ago. A position accustomed to excellence, dating back to names like Tommy Vardell, Brad Muster, and Ernie Nevers.

The history is there. The 2025 Stanford running backs are poised to add their names to the list.

The running back room is one of the deepest position groups, and one where any number of student-athletes could be “the guy” on any given Saturday. That’s a good problem to have, and head coach Frank Reich has been speaking about it all fall camp.

“We have a lot of depth in that room. They are all really smart and really physical players. I love how they are attacking every day.”

Running backs coach Malcolm Agnew has been around a lot of football and a lot of open position battles, both as a coach and in life. Football runs in his blood. His father, Ray, played 11 seasons in the NFL and is a Super Bowl champion. His brothers, Ray III and Keeenan, were also football players. He’s seen competition. He loves the competition he’s witnessing now.

“This is one of the most competitive competitions I’ve been a part of,” Agnew explained. “A lot of guys were young last year, and you could tell. A lot of youthful mistakes that they were making are gone. These guys do a great job of staying together as a room and as a brotherhood, despite the competition.”

Three running backs have been standing out in the room during camp: Sedrick Irvin, Micah Ford, and Cole Tabb. All three of them are relishing the chance to compete, and all three are highly supportive of the room.

“Ask any of us… we love it. Every single day is like our Super Bowl.” – Sedrick Irvin

“We all want that spot, but no matter what decision is made, we don’t care. We’re supportive of whoever is on that field because we know whoever is out there can get it done.” – Micah Ford

“We’re going to keep pushing each other and bring up the room as a whole so that no matter who is in the game, we can execute.” – Cole Tabb

Irvin is the veteran of the group, in terms of years and action on The Farm. Despite only amassing 44 carries over his first two seasons, he has shown he is more than capable of producing. He burst onto the scene in 2023 against Arizona with a 10-carry, 66-yard performance, bolstered by his first collegiate rushing touchdown.

A leadership role was placed on him early in the offseason, according to Agnew. They talked in early 2025 and made it clear: this is his running back room. Irvin needs to lead the group. And he is the perfect guy to do just that.

“Sedrick does a great job with positivity, holding people accountable, and he’s a guy who gives energy,” Agnew mentioned. It’s something that everyone on the team feeds off, and it’s why Agnew holds Irvin in such high regard. 

“If we had 30 Sedricks, we would be a really good football team for a long time.”

Irvin does not take his role lightly, but he is quick to credit the guys around him for developing him into the type of leader he is today.

“Everybody has their own drive. I never have to get in the room and get guys going,” Irvin said. “These guys around me make me want to be a better leader and a better player. I’m grateful for them." 

Most fans know the mark that Micah Ford left on the program as a true freshman. His breakthrough game came at No. 17 Clemson, where he ran for 122 yards on just 15 carries. Ford became the first Cardinal freshman to rush for 100 yards in a game since Kenneth Tolon in 2001. He also showcased his high school quarterbacking days by throwing for two touchdowns, including one in the 127^th Big Game at California.

An elusive yet bruising back, Ford has plenty of skills. One of those is his ability to see the field. Coach Agnew was complimentary of his feel for the different schemes the offense runs, and Ford credits a lot of that to his time as a quarterback in high school. “I understand the pressure of a quarterback,” he explained.

After missing most of his true freshman season, Cole Tabb got a chance to shine at NC State last November and made the most of his debut. He ran the ball 11 times for 72 yards, the most carries in a Stanford debut since Gerhart and the most yards in a debut since McCaffrey. Not bad company.

Healthy during his first complete fall camp, Tabb has made sizable improvements across the board, but most of his focus has been on the work he can do off the field to prepare for the season ahead.

“There’s been a lot of film, so I know what looks to expect and I know how to react to it before I get on the field.”

Don’t count out the remaining backs in the rotation, either. Chris Davis Jr., Tuna Altahir, and Champ Hampton are all part of this competition. Davis and Hampton have been with the program, while Altahir is a transfer from Eastern Washington.

How the carries split up amongst this deep backfield will be based on a variety of factors, but there will be signs, Agnew says.

“At the end of the day, when you see who is out there more, you’ll know this guy has the best blend of trust and playmaking, whether it’s in all situations or a specific situation,” he elaborates. “Are you making plays? Are you trusted? You can’t just be a trusted guy and not make plays. You can’t be a guy that makes plays every fifth play, but you’re busting the other four plays before you have that big play.”

Perhaps a parallel can be drawn between this year’s running back room and the 1999 Stanford running backs. After a few lean years, a trio of running backs factored heavily into Stanford’s ground game. Brian Allen, Coy Wire, and Kerry Carter all had at least 87 carries and helped Stanford reach the Rose Bowl Game for the first time in 28 seasons.

That’s not to say this year’s team is going to follow the same blueprint as that team over a quarter-century ago. But the similarities are there, especially in the backfield, where no bell cow back exists, but the quantity of quality backs is strong.

One of the best backs in Stanford history, Christian McCaffrey, came to a spring football practice in April and spoke to the running backs. His advice was simple: Be the heartbeat of the offense. Be the thunder or the engine of the offense. 

With so many options for who that might be, the Stanford offense should have no problem using a running back to fire up the troops in 2025.