UNIVERSITY PARK — Ja’Juan Seider sees plenty of talent and experience when he looks around the Penn State running backs room.

Noah Cain was a breakout performer in 2019 before an injury in the season opener paved the way for Keyvone Lee and Caziah Holmes to contribute as freshmen. Devyn Ford has flashed his immense potential at times.

John Lovett appeared in 42 games with 20 starts in four seasons at Baylor before joining the fold with the Lions as a transfer.

Seider, coach James Franklin and new offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich have options when it comes to finding Penn State’s next running back. But Seider wants to see which players, especially the younger ones, seize the opportunity to carve out more of a role with Cain expected to be sidelined for at least the first half of spring practice.

“You can see their confidence now of feeling like they belong on this team,” Seider said of Lee and Holmes during a Zoom call Wednesday. “Really excited to see what they do this spring. Do they take the next step? Do they fall behind? Because my challenge to them is in this room, we got four or five guys that started a college football game.

“This thing is wide open. Who’s going to compete? Are we going to take a back seat once Noah (comes back)? Or are we going to push Noah for the job? That’s been the (mentality). I tell all the kids, don’t take a backseat to nobody. You compete, and you get what you earn, and I think we’re in a great place overall with the whole room.”

Injuries and turnover have made for an uneven few seasons at running back after Saquon Barkley and Miles Sanders starred at the position. Ricky Slade came and went. Journey Brown, a breakout star in 2019, medically retired last fall. Cain was hurt in Week 1 of the 2020 season after he was hampered by injuries in 2019. Ford, too, missed time with injury.

That opened a door for Lee and Holmes. Lee ended up leading the Lions with 438 yards on 4.9 yards per carry and four rushing touchdowns, including a 134-yard, one-touchdown effort against Michigan. Holmes rushed for 227 yards on 4.5 yards per carry and two touchdowns.

Seider wants to see them compete this spring. Lovett adds plenty of experience to a relatively green room. He rushed for 1,803 yards on 5.1 yards per carry and 17 touchdowns in his four seasons in Waco, including 655 yards on 6.4 yards per carry in 2019. The New Jersey native returns to the eastern half of the country with the opportunity to step in and contribute.

“I think he’s going to bring some explosion to the offense,” Seider said. “You can tell he’s a guy who played a lot of games. Now he’s just trying to find his way. Any time you transfer into a new school, you’re trying to get to know guys. The good thing, we’re starting a new system that all guys learn at the same time, and him being in the Big 12, he’s been a part of one of these offenses a little bit, so he’s going to have a good background of picking this stuff up that we’re doing now.”

Ford is perhaps the most interesting case. So far, his career has been about what he can be as a former four-star recruit and No. 5 running back nationally in the Class of 2019 rather than what he is. Seider wants to see that change.

Ford’s production in two seasons — 119 carries for 568 yards (4.8 yards per carry) and six touchdowns — has been meager. His capability is beyond that, though, and Seider and the rest of the Penn State staff want to see him reach that level.

“He is one of the most talented kids on our team, even as a running back,” Seider said. “But at some point, we got to stop talking about how talented you are, and you got to put it together. You got to put it together for a whole season.”

Seider credited Ford with maturing as he enters his third year in the program, and the coach believes his player’s focus on off-field matters like schoolwork will carry over to the field and lead to improved production. Ford has battled injuries and missed three games last year, too.

“Now, we just got to get it,” Seider said. “We’re all talking about potential. Potential’s nothing if you don’t tap into it. It’s time for him to take the next step.”

Much of the virtual conversation Wednesday evening centered on Cain, who rushed 84 times for 443 yards (5.3 yards per carry) and eight touchdowns as a freshman in 2019. The loss of Brown and Cain left the Lions without their top two running backs after only a few plays last season, and while it provided opportunities for other players to step up, it added some strain on Seider and the position.

Cain has the chance to return to his role as the top back in Penn State’s offense. He thrived at times in 2019. But he missed time because of injury that season, too. Seider wants him to stay healthy in 2021.

Seider, though, also wants to see the other running backs on Penn State’s roster challenge Cain atop the depth chart. And right now, those players have the opportunity to do just that.

“I’m really excited about this whole group,” Seider said. “I think you guys will be, too. I think we got a chance to be pretty good. I don’t know how good yet, but I’m excited about what they’re going to be able to show on this field.”

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