By most standards that apply to running backs, Stanford’s Remound Wright and his beggarly 2.7 yards per carry would qualify as remarkably not robust.

But the same standards that govern Oregon’s Royce Freeman or UCLA’s Paul Perkins – or even Wright’s Heisman-contending cohort Christian McCaffrey -- don’t apply to Wright. Because in fact, 2.7 yards per carry is usually more than double what the Cardinal need out of him.

Wright has carved his niche as Stanford’s short-yardage and goal-line back. And he’s very, very good at it. He’s only rushed for 185 yards this season. But the result has been 13 rushing touchdowns – good for second in the conference behind Freeman (14), tied with Perkins and almost double the total of McCaffrey (7).

“First and foremost he’s got a great, low center of gravity,” said Stanford coach David Shaw. “He’s got powerful legs. He drives his legs on contact. But on top of that, he’s got an unbelievable feel. He’s got to make split-second decisions because we’ll run the same play against the same defense three different times and he’ll do three different things.”

Interesting that Shaw used “three” as an example. The Cardinal take on USC Saturday in the Pac-12 championship game. In their first meeting in September, Wright had three rushing touchdowns. The first one was from 1 yard out. The second was from 1 yard out. And the third one was from … wait for it … 1 yard out.

“They are probably the best short-yardage team in the country,” said USC coach Clay Helton. “They do a tremendous job when you look at them on tape and their pad level and the leverage they got on defenders is incredible. Their pads are always under the defenders pads and usually that means knocking people back.”

Wright first realized he had a knack for the short stuff during his freshman year. During a goal-line drill, he stared across the line of scrimmage at Shayne Skov, Trent Murphy and Chase Thomas – a trio of linebackers who went on to play in the NFL.

Stanford's Remound Wright has a feel for finding the goal line. Matt Cashore/USA TODAY Sports

“I remember being able to slide into the end zone by Shayne Skov,” said the fifth-year senior. “I figured if I could do it against those guys, I could do it against anybody. I think the qualities that make a good short-yardage back are the same qualities that make up a good running back. Make quick decisions, break tackles, a great feel for the blocks.”

Of his 13 rushing touchdowns this year, 10 have come from the 1-yard line. The other three have come from the 2. He also has pair of receiving touchdowns. One of them is from, you guessed it, 1 yard out. He averages a touchdown every 5.3 carries and since the start of last season, he has 24 rushing touchdowns -- all in goal-to-go situations.

He says one of the keys is going into a play without any preconceived notion of how he wants to attack the defense. He’ll never commit before the snap to going over the top, stutter-stepping or submarining. What happens, happens. But usually it’s him face down, or face up, or on his side, or on top of a pile of linemen in the end zone.

“It’s a snap decision every time,” Wright said. “To tell you the truth, I never really see what’s going on. If you were to ask me after a play happened what I saw, I wouldn’t be able to tell you. I literally just feel it. And in that quick second when I feel an open area, I just take it.”

His “feelings” have generated some playful buzz on social media, where folks have taken to calling him a “vulture” and “thief” for stealing touchdowns away from McCaffrey – who leads the nation in all-purpose yards and is in the thick of a Heisman Trophy campaign. Wright seems only mildly offended at the insinuation.

“I don’t ask him to get tackled at the 1-yard line,” Wright said with a laugh. “I want him to punch it in just like everybody else. I’m just doing my job.”

And he’s doing it well. And there’s a good chance he’ll get more opportunities against the Trojans in the title game. The Cardinal will bring in their extra linemen, make their splits nonexistent, and try to punch him into the end zone or pick up another first down.

“A lot of people still try to spread you out on third-and-1, but we don’t,” Shaw said. “We’ll put it on the offensive line. We believe in those guys. We believe in our scheme. We have people who are specialists at what they do. We give them opportunities to do that. I think they like the fact that it’s on their shoulders and they have to move people and they have to create the running lane. And Remound has got to do something on his own. I think he likes putting that on his shoulders that he has to make a play and make the right decision.”