The Contingency -- Running back

Running back

The Men: Brandon Wegher, Adam Robinson and Jewel Hampton

The Contingency: Brandon Wegher, Adam Robinson and Jewel Hampton

Iowa running back in 2010 is all contingency.

It's a three-RB race for somewhere between 25 and 3o carries a game. In 2008, when Iowa had Shonn Greene, the Doak Walker Award winner, Greene averaged 23.6 carries a game. In 2009, with redshirt freshmen Wegher and Robinson combining at No. 1, they averaged 26.4 carries (16.45 for Robinson and 13.5 for Wegher).

Hampton is now a sophomore after redshirting last season with a torn ACL. In 2008, as a true frosh, he spelled Greene and carried 91 times for 463 yards and seven TDs (then a freshman-record broken in '09 by Wegher's eight). Hampton averaged 5.1 yards a carry (Robinson 4.6 and Wegher 4.0).

Wegher caught 13 passes, Robinson 10 and Hampton has yet to catch a pass.

All three missed spring or were limited. Hampton participated, but didn't totally throttle with the knee. Robinson missed all 15 practices after shoulder surgery in February. Wegher missed about a week of spring after a shoulder injury. No surgery, just rehab.

The contingency is washed away in the competition. Is there a scenario where all three split 30 carries? It could come to that. Would they be happy? Probably not. But barring injury -- and all three have been injured -- Iowa should be healthy with three running backs with starter-type beginnings to their careers.

Who moves in in case of injury? Redshirt freshman Brad Rogers would have first shot. The 5-10, 215-pounder nearly dropped the redshirt last season when injuries hit. Incoming freshman Marcus Coker is probably a redshirt, but that could change with injury.

Competition is Iowa's contingency here.

Brandon Wegher's last five games in '09

Indiana -- 25 carries, 118 yards and three TDs

Northwestern -- 19 for 63 with a fumble

Ohio State -- DNP (rib injury)

Minnesota -- 12 for 72

Georgia Tech -- 16 for 113 TD

Adam Robinson's last five games in 2005

Indiana -- DNP (high-ankle sprain)

Northwestern -- DNP (high-ankle sprain)

Ohio State -- 20 for 74

Minnesota -- 12 for 72

Georgia Tech -- 14 for 59

Jewel Hampton's last five games in 2008

Illinois -- 7 for 28

Penn State -- DNP

Purdue -- 3 for 30 TD

Minnesota -- 10 for 50 TD

South Carolina -- 12 for 54