If losing CK4 is a big problem, it's only because there are bigger problems

Apologies for the somewhat cryptic title. Allow me to hash this out a bit.

I certainly don't mean to trivialize the role of a running back, be it running the ball (duh), catching the ball out of the backfield, or in pass protection. A back who can do all three effectively can have a significant impact in improving the fortunes of his team in a game or season.

The problem is that Caleb King never consistently proved that he could do any of those things well, and that's what you look for out of your veterans. Consistency. It's the reason why you often see a less talented senior starting over an extremely talented freshman or sophomore.

But, if your would-be senior has never demonstrated that he can stay healthy, stay out of trouble, and play at a high level on a regular basis, well then he's just not much more valuable than a few underclassmen, is he?

The point of this is not to dump on Caleb, though. It's really not. It's simply to point out that I don't believe his presence or lack thereof was ever going to determine the way this season goes for the Dawgs. It's going to come down to Aaron Murray, the performance of the Offensive Line, and the degree to which the defense has progressed.