Portland State junior Cory McCaffrey has been a running back since the second grade (well, he played some linebacker and strong safety, too).  And, what a running back he has been!

“Simply the most prolific runner in Oregon High School football history, gaining 8,460 yards—a three year total (at Sisters High School in Sisters, OR)…that total ranks 16th on the all-time national high school list and is more than 3,000 yards better than the next best total in Oregon history,” trumpets his Viking roster biography.

So, it's not surprising that the 5'9”, 180-pounder found himself “surprised and a little confused because I hadn't played wide receiver in high school” to be converted to one during his first two years at PSU.

“He couldn't be a running back in the old system because the running back was primarily a blocking back (in the pass-happy Run and Shoot played by the Vikings during his first two years),” said head coach Nigel Burton.    

Playing in a mostly passing offense “was a bit strange,” he admitted, but it wasn't wasted time.  “It was extremely helpful, but kind of different being a slot.”

Running backs have to do two things, McCaffrey said, find holes and pick the right blockers.  “Running is running.  As a running back, either the hole is there or it's not,” said the player who lead his high school team to the Oregon 4A State Championship game as a senior with a state rushing record of 2,925 yards.

“Being a slot taught me a lot.  I learned a lot more about defenses.  Being a slot, you learn a lot about coverages.  You had to think more,” McCaffrey said.

 And that knowledge has certainly been one of the reasons the former Oregonian Player of the Year was listed first on the running back depth chart a little more than a week before the season opener at Arizona State.

“He's very quick and has excellent acceleration.  He's best in open field,” said PSU Head Coach Nigel Burton.

While the two year detour to wide receiver was instructive, McCaffrey is extremely pleased to be back where he's most comfortable.

“I'm having a blast.  This has definitely been my most memorable fall.  The coaches have really laid it out for us and the defense is looking great, too.  The competition makes it fun.  I have a better chance to excel as a running back because I've been doing that for, what…10 years now.  It's natural for me,” he said.

He's also delighted with Burton's one back system because it gives him some options.  “In Coach Burton's scheme, with some of blocking schemes, the holes are not always the same.  It creates a lot of cut back lanes and holes that open up and close quickly.  That's a challenge,” said McCaffrey, who played one-back formations in high school.

Burton agreed that the system is “good for someone with his skills.  He is a one-back guy.  A one-back system allows him to be more creative.  A two-back system is more structured, more following a blocker.  If he sees something with our system he can go for it.”

As a running back, McCaffrey said he likes having options.

As a runner, he's also obviously glad that the new offense is more balanced.  And he likes the Vikings' chances this year.

“We have a lot of tools and it's all about moving the chains up field play by play.  The other offense was mostly about big plays.  I feel a bit more confident this year in the tools we have,” he said.

McCaffrey is a “bit more confident” to the extent that “I don't see any way not to have a winning season.  We have a lot of newcomers who will help make the picture change this year.  I've really been impressed with a lot of the freshmen who have toughed it out this fall, through injuries and everything being new.”

So, what is it about being a running back that most appeals to McCaffrey? After a couple of false starts about things philosophical, he admitted he enjoys running back more than the other positions with which he's dabbled “because I can score touchdowns.”

And, if he can do that a lot, this year's edition of the PSU Viking football team just may surprise a few folks.