Hayter looks to win tailback job after transferring from Austin
For Kenny Hayter, the Horned Frogs can offer something the Longhorns could not — a chance to start.
By Danny Gillham
Sports Editor

For Kenny Hayter, it was simply a numbers game.At Texas in 2000, Hayter was behind Hodges Mitchell, Victor Ike and Ivan Williams. Another back by the name of Cedric Benson was on his way in.

Playing time looked slim, so Hayter bolted the nationally ranked Longhorns for the run-happy Horned Frogs.

“At the time they wanted to go with a running back by committee situation,” he said. “I felt like I had the ability to start, so I felt it was time to try something else.”

Right now, Hayter is in a heated competition with fellow juniors Ricky Madison and Corey Connally to start at tailback.

Just the fact he has the chance to compete for — and win — a starting job is something Hayter is appreciative of.

A highly-touted recruit out of Cypress Falls High School, Hayter earned honorable mention All-USA by USA Today. He was also selected as first team All-Greater Houston in 1998.

He inked with coach Mack Brown and the Longhorns. However, after only 93 carries in 16 games — and with freshman phenom Benson of Midland Lee arriving in Austin in 2001 — he saw an opening to play had to be sought elsewhere.

“It was pretty much that they were going to play a certain guy,” Hayter said. “Getting an opportunity was something that was hard to do.”

So after a year of sitting out to transfer under NCAA rules, Hayter is poised to fight for the starting job here. At 6 feet tall and 224 pounds, Hayter is bigger than Madison and Connally, but he acknowledges he is not as quick.

“I run well between the tackles and can get outside,” Hayter said. “I don’t have the fast speed like those two guys, but I don’t get caught from behind. Also, I feel I can break tackles well, and get extra yardage.”

Head coach Gary Patterson is excited about the arrival of Hayter to the program.

“He’s a big back, and we think he can do some things,” Patterson said. “It should be real interesting how this competition turns out.”

The chance for Hayter to take the spot is there, as the Horned Frogs are still looking to fill the void left by the graduation of All-American LaDainian Tomlinson in 2000.

Madison took the majority of the handoffs at tailback last season, and led the team with 611 yards on 174 carries. Connally had a breakout performance against Houston, rushing for 199 yards on 30 carries. However a stress fracture in his right leg ended his season on Nov. 18.

“I’m not sure we have plotted much differently than a year ago when we went 10-1,” Patterson said. “Except when you watch the films, if there were two guys there to tackle LT, he would break one, make the other guy miss, and go 80 yards. We have guys that have the capability to make guys miss, and move within the holes. We need that out of our group.”

Hayter said the three runners get along well, but when the pads go on, all that is forgotten.

“We’re all pretty close,” Hayter said. “We help each other, even though we know we are in a battle. It’s kind of like brothers.”

The battle could continue through the season, but Hayter is making a case to start now. In the team’s first two scrimmages, he rushed for 119 yards on 18 carries, scoring two touchdowns.

He will look to parlay that success into a starting job, beginning Monday in Cincinnati.