The Four Horsemen? Maybe Not, But There’s a Run on Backs at USD : Toreros: Jackson carries the load, but Barksdale, Whitley and Eck pitch in.

In seven years as the University of San Diego football coach, Brian Fogarty has had his share of reclamation projects.

A few of the more successful ones have been at running back, a strength that will be on display tonight at 7:30 when the Toreros (5-1) take on La Verne (1-4) at USD’s Torero Stadium.

Todd Jackson leads the group from his fullback spot, but certainly is not the only threat for USD. Tailbacks Ty Barksdale, Todd Whitley and John Eck all have had fine seasons.

But Jackson has been the main man for two seasons now. He was voted USD’s offensive player of the year in 1988 and, so far, appears a runaway choice this year.

Jackson came to USD looking to play defensive end. He may leave with the Toreros’ career rushing record.

The senior from El Dorado High in Placentia has 1,821 career yards. . He needs to average 64 yards a game to eclipse the record of 2,011 set by Joe Henry from 1977-81. Jackson has averaged 108 yards per game, leading USD with 648 yards rushing.

He also has an outside shot at the single-season mark of 1,177 yards set by Sammy Croom in 10 games in 1972. With three games left in USD’s nine-game schedule, Jackson would need to average 176.

“I was a defensive end and blocking fullback in high school,” Jackson said. “I didn’t run the ball much. When I first came here, my ambition was to play defense. But when I came to camp, I was labeled a running back. I think we had a lot of depth on defense.”

Said Fogarty, “He may have wanted to play defense, but we’ve had him as a running back since he got here. He started the first game of his freshman year.”

As running backs go, Jackson reminds no one of Gale Sayers. He is more of a Mark van Eeghen-type, the former Raider who led the AFC in rushing and set a Raider record in 1977 with 1,273 yards.

“(Jackson) is just a hard-nosed kid and a hard runner,” Fogarty said. “He’s a very intense football player. When you get to know him, he doesn’t seem that way. But when he straps that football helmet on, he’s really very intense.”

Said Jackson, “I try to put the hurt on someone else. I try to deliver the blow instead of taking one.”

Fogarty’s decision to switch to the wing-T offense from the I-back set two years ago made it necessary for USD to have two backs who could switch from halfback to wingback on any given play.

One of those halfbacks, Barksdale, second on the team with 203 yards, had his best game of the season when he rushed 14 times for 85 yards in last week’s 23-17 loss to Occidental.

Before Barksdale came to USD, he had been used primarily as a receiver out of the backfield for Fallbrook High. At first, Fogarty was concerned about Barksdale’s blocking skills. His worries have since been eased.

Each week, USD gives an award to the player with the most devastating block. Barksdale (5-8, 175) has earned three of the six given this year.

Whitely came to USD as the most prolific runner in the history of Massachusetts high school football. In three years at North Andover High, he rushed for 4,774 yards. He broke the previous record in his final game when he gained 300 yards playing on a snow-covered field.

Said Fogarty, “You should see his recruiting film. It’s one big highlight reel.”

As Whitely said: “I was the glory boy with the ego to go with it.”

But in an all-star game following his senior year, Whitely tore up his knee. Soon after, recruiters from schools like Oklahoma State, Boston College and Virginia quit calling.

“After that, I was shellshocked,” Whitely said. “I spent two years listening to doctors tell me I’d never play again.”

Once again, Whitely’s troublesome knee is acting up. He underwent arthroscopic surgery two weeks ago. He is practicing with the team and should be in uniform tonight, but is not expected to play until next week at UC Santa Barbara.

This will be a mini-comeback for Whitely, who attributes his comeback to the camaraderie of Torero teammates.

“If it wasn’t for this team’s character--always encouraging me, always helping me out and spending time with me--I wouldn’t have made it,” he said.

In Whitely’s absence the past two weeks, Eck has filled in nicely, gaining 54 yards on seven carries against Pomona Pitzer and 33 yards on six carries against Occidental. His 5.8 yards per carry leads the team.

Eck, an all-state quarterback from Carson High in Carson City, Nev., was one of nine quarterbacks entering USD last year. Because of that, Fogarty switched him to receiver. Now he is a halfback.

With Eck’s experience at quarterback, Fogarty used him to throw the halfback option earlier this year against Redlands. The result was a 21-yard completion to Ken Jones for a first down.

As far as running the ball, Eck said, “I’m still surprised at what I’ve done this year. I don’t know what coach was thinking having me back there. But then again, it’s real easy to run with the line we have. I mean I’m not just saying that. Anybody can do it behind those guys.”

Torero Notes

Sophomore Dave Bergmann, with his next field goal, will set USD’s single-season record. With 11 this year in six games, he is tied with Robert Lozzi (1981 and ‘82). Bergmann also is the NCAA Division III leader. . . . La Verne Coach Roland Ortmayer is the uncle of Steve Ortmayer, the Chargers’ director of football operations. Ortmayer has been the Leopards’ coach for 42 years and has a 180-174-6 record. Among his rather interesting philosophies--including no headsets, game film or recruiting--he never issues a playbook and has the quarterback design plays in the huddle. “I’m going to make sure there’s no dirt on the field so they can’t draw any plays,” USD linebacker Matt Scholl joked. Said Brian Fogarty, “He has some talented guys and he gives them the opportunity to do their things. His record speaks for itself. That’s his philosophy. If you’ve got too many more wins than losses, than you’re emphasizing it too much. If you have too many less wins, than you’re not emphasizing it enough.”