It might be the passing offense getting the majority of the attention this season for Sacramento State’s football program, but the addition of a balanced running game has allowed the Hornets take a step forward and become an elite offense.

The Hornets average 35 rushing attempts per game, two fewer from a season ago, but have found a way to be far more explosive and effective when they run the ball. The team has increased its’ rushing yards per game from 135.1 last year to 188.5 this season, which has increased their yards per carry average from 3.6 to 5.4.

The key contributors increasing production for the Hornets are sophomore Jordan Robinson and junior De’Jon Coleman. Both are given the majority of the carries out the backfield and give the offense what it sorely lacked; someone to take the pressure off of senior quarterback Garrett Safron.

Robinson in particular is putting up one of the better numbers this season in recent memory with a 5.8 yards per carry average, the best of any Hornet running back since 2004 and averaging 76.1 yards per game. This steady production out of the backfield keeps defenses guessing and has allowed Safron to grow into becoming one of the best players in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) this season.

Safron has always had the ability to run from quarterback position since he took over the full-time starting job three years ago, but he has become a true dual threat this season. The senior upped his rushing totals from last season of 41 yards per game to 73 this year and his yards per carry from 3.5 to 7.3.

His maturation this season in learning when and where to scramble and run has been key to his increased production with running the ball. His 7.26 yards per carry average is ranked 5th in the FCS and is currently the only quarterbavk ranked in the top 20. As he is averaging 10 carries a game this season, the efficiency with his carries have been a big part of the improved running game.

The unheralded heroes of the offensive success of the Hornets this season has been how good the offensive line has been in pass and run blocking. The offensive line has only allowed 12 sacks all season and just six in the last six games. The three Hornet runners, Safron, Robinson and Coleman all having productive seasons also speaks to the impact the line has made this season.

The passing attack has been a strength for the Hornets team in years past, but considerable strides made by Safron as a passer, the coaching staff and the addition of Nnamdi Agude have improved an already strong passing game. The passing attack has just been more explosive in all aspects; more yards per game, more yards per completion and more yards per passing attempt.

In particular, the duo of DeAndre Carter and Nnamdi Agude have been the most effective wide receivers in the FCS.

Agude as a first year starter has established himself as a legitimate big play threat with 17.2 yards per catch and seven touchdown catches this season, both in the top 10 rankings for receivers. His presence on the field makes defenses have to pick and choose who they want to stop between him and Carter.

Agude reaped the benefits of defenses focusing on Carter in the early part of the year, who struggled to gain consistency during the first four weeks and live up to the expectations he set from his 14 touchdowns season a year ago.

It took time for Carter to break out of his slump, but as defenses adjusted to Agude’s production and the improved running game, it opened up the field for Carter and he responded in a big way. He has been one of the best players in the country on either side of the ball during the last month of play with 43 catches, 536 receiving yards and eight touchdowns.

This team does not struggle in areas offensively, but one aspect that they need to get better at is controlling the time of possession more effectively and keeping the other team’s offense off the field. The team is on the field an average of 30:12 per game, which is ranked for 58th in the country. One issue the Hornets have had this season is on defense and controlling the clock; they let games get out of hand and it just becomes a shootout between the offenses at the end of games to see who wins.

The real strength of Sac State this season is having all these offensive weapons to work with. Opposing defenses are unable to focus on stopping one aspect of the Hornet’s offense. Between Safron being in the top 5 for total yardage gained this season, Carter and Agude proving to be the most formidable receiving duo in the FCS and running backs Robinson and Coleman, the team can continuously make adjustments throughout the game.