It’s no secret that a sound ground attack helps balance an offence.

We all know the old school logic of being able to run the ball in order to set up the pass – which, by the way, is far more true to our friends down south than it is here in Canada.

The reality is that running backs have become devalued as football has spread further and further away from the ball. Fewer teams are running it straight downhill at defences and more backs have been forced to deceive in order to find production.

In a Darwinian way, backs are adapting to this new reality. They’re running more routes, showing off better hands, and displaying an improved ability to read blocks and find space after the catch.

Step back from these hardcore modern football assessments and think about what is happening in the CFL this year. The running back is back.

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Okay, maybe not in the way we all remember. Running backs of the 1980s and 1990s on either side of the border were able to control a game but were getting close to thirty touches per contest on the ground. The position is pushing back against 2019’s restrictions and finding a way to stay relevant.

Through the first quarter of the campaign, Calgary Stampeders back Ka’Deem Carey is showing promise that could make him the next big-name dual-threat player out of the backfield.

Carey came to Calgary via the Chicago Bears, who selected him in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He appeared in 14 games as a rookie, but in three seasons with Chicago, he only had one start and 111 carries for 443 yards and two touchdowns before being released due to a wrist injury. The Bears released him at the beginning of the 2017 season.

He sat out the entirety of that year and signed a deal with the Stampeders in October 2018. He spent the tail end of the campaign on the practice roster.

The 26-year-old showed flashes in the NFL but was never assigned the reps required to show he could be “the guy.” Given the chance in Calgary over the last couple weeks, Carey has done more than enough to hold that position. For the season, he has scored three times, including last week against Saskatchewan, when he ran for 63 yards on 13 carries while catching three passes for 36 yards.

In Week 5 against Hamilton, he scored two touchdowns. One of the scores came on special teams, where Carey blocked a punt, corralled the ball, and returned it to the house.

When asked whether he’s ever had a blocked punt score in his career, Carey had a simple answer.

“Never, but I’ve dreamed about it.”

Dream no more. Remember that Darwinian evolution of the running back mentioned earlier? Carey is living that reality now.

However, it’s not just Carey who’s showing out. This year has already proven to be a massive campaign for running backs across the CFL.

Before he went down, Hamilton back Sean Thomas Erlington was the type of swiss army knife that passers like Jeremiah Masoli dream of having on their side.

In Montreal, William Stanback has taken a promising offence with a much improved Vernon Adams Jr. and vaulted them into the conversation as one of the hottest attacks in the league.

The REDBLACKS’ Mossis Madu saved the team from an 0-1 start after Dominique Davis tossed four interceptions against the Stampeders. All Madu did was carry the rock 24 times, control the clock, and churn out 114 yards.

Despite the Argonauts possessing a solid passing attack, we all know the team’s success rides on the usage rate, production, and performance of James Wilder Jr.

Winnipeg has always been a running back-dependent team with Andrew Harris. He continues to amaze as he ages smoothly, crossing the 8,000-yard rushing mark last Friday.

Saskatchewan targeted William Powell in free agency and got their man. Since his arrival, Powell has rushed for 276 yards to help the Riders survive the loss of Zach Collaros while enriching the offensive package of young Cody Fajardo.

Despite all the chatter about Trevor Harris in Edmonton, 31-year-old CJ Gable, who sits second in the CFL with 415 rushing yards, continues to somehow “surprise” people with his burst and aggressive downhill style.

In BC, John White is having a comeback season to remember. After getting some run in Hamilton during the 2018 campaign, White decided to sign with the Lions in free agency, and despite the offensive line issues on the West coast, White has remained productive and one of the few bright spots for an offence striving for balance and efficiency.

What about the defending champs? From Cornish to Messam and beyond, the Stampeders’ formula under John Hufnagel and Dave Dickenson has been consistent: Get the accurate passer to weave their way through a game plan while finding ways to mix in a running attack which takes no prisoners.

The Stampeders began the season with the incumbent Don Jackson and have mixed in return specialist Terry Williams but the next evolution of the Stampeders’ run attack could very well be here.

A year off and a week late, Carey is adding to the 2019 running back relevancy resurgence by finding ways to help the Stampeders battle an extensive six-game injured list, and he could be primed for a big night on Thursday against the Argos.

Sit back and enjoy the show as one of the CFL’s bright new stars shows why he’s worthy of your attention each week.