Herb Walker Jr. has become a marked man.
The leading rusher in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference with 1,160 yards, the Morgan State redshirt sophomore has drawn renewed focus from opposing defenses. Walker has failed to run for 100 yards in each of his last three starts, averaging 59.3 yards.
He scored three touchdowns in the team's 38-35 decision over Hampton on Nov. 1, but was shut out in a 45-0 loss to North Carolina A&T on Nov. 8 and a 27-24 win against South Carolina State on Saturday.
Coach Lee Hull acknowledged that opponents are trying to force the Bears (6-5 overall and 5-2 in the league) to take the ball out of Walker's hands.
"Defenses are trying to stop the run," Hull said Tuesday during his weekly conference calls arranged by the MEAC. "They're loading the box. They're making us in our read [-option] game try to pull the ball and make the quarterback a runner. We're going to have to throw the ball a little bit more. That's why we've been throwing a little bit more than we have been in the past.
"They are loading the box, and they're trying to stop Herb. When you're a great running back – and I think Herb is the best running back in the conference and probably the best player in the conference – that's what happens."
If redshirt junior quarterback Moses Skillon can repeat his 25 of 43, 289-yard, two-touchdown performance in Saturday's 27-24 win over South Carolina State, that should open more running lanes for Walker. Hull said the key is to be proficient in both the run and pass.
"We want to be balanced," Hull said. "In the beginning of the year, we were heavy [on the] run. We just want to be balanced so that they don't know if we're running or we're throwing. And that will just help Herb with the threat of us being able to pass."
Saturday's opponent, Delaware State (2-9, 2-5), ranks ninth in the conference against the run with opponents averaging 186.7 yards and scoring 13 touchdowns. Coach Kermit Blount said the Hornets might employ a similar strategy to contain Walker.
"We'll give him some eight-man fronts, but at the same time, we still have to play quality defense and make sure that we're not giving up anything over the top," Blount said. "We're just going to line up and play and prepare our team as best as we can."