Donnel Pumphrey, Rashaad Penny comprise potent one-two punch for San Diego State

Lost in the shuffle of Donnel Pumphrey’s pursuit of the NCAA career rushing record is explosive San Diego State backup running back Rashaad Penny.

The junior needs only 5 yards rushing in Saturday’s Las Vegas Bowl against Houston at Sam Boyd Stadium to make the Aztecs the first team to feature a 2,000-yard rusher (Pumphrey) and 1,000-yard rusher in the same season.

“He’s the most quiet 1,000-yard rusher in the country and kick returner,” San Diego State offensive coordinator Jeff Horton said.

The 5-foot-11-inch, 220-pound Penny — who averages 7.9 yards per carry and is tied for eighth in NCAA history in kick return touchdowns with five — has proved the perfect complement to Pumphrey, the Canyon Springs High product who is listed at 5-9, 180 pounds but is closer to 5-8, 160.

“Because he’s small, nobody can see him in the hole,” Penny said. “That’s what I always make fun of him about. But the man runs like he’s 6-2, 220 himself. He plays with an edge.

“At the end of the day, it’s not all about size, it’s about what you have in the heart, and he plays with a big heart.”

The shifty Pumphrey needs 108 yards rushing to break Ron Dayne’s official mark of 6,397 yards. The big Wisconsin back weighed about 100 pounds more than Pumphrey, who is by far the smallest man in stature among the top 10 all-time leading rushers and beyond.

“I take a lot of pride in that,” Pumphrey said. “A lot of the running backs aren’t my size. Usually they’re bigger than me. That’s why I try to play with a chip on my shoulder and play as big as possible. I try to play like I’m 6-1, 240. That’s just how my game is.”

Pumphrey’s size might scare off some NFL teams, but he’s projected to be selected in the middle rounds of April’s draft, and San Diego State coach Rocky Long is convinced he’ll excel at the next level.

“When we first recruited him, we were worried about his size and thought that might be a detriment, but obviously it has not been,” Long said. “The notoriety he got before the season put a price on his head, so to speak … and in the end, he’s still had a really good year.

“That just proves he’s that kind of player, and I truly believe he’s going to play for a long time in the NFL.”

Penny, a junior, is projected to follow Pumphrey to the NFL after replacing him as the Aztecs’ workhorse back next season. The two-time Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Year has 1,790 all-purpose yards and 16 touchdowns this season.

Penny rushed for 208 yards on 10 carries and Pumphrey went for 198 against UNR, while Penny ran for 117 yards and Pumphrey 110 in the win over Wyoming in the Mountain West title game.

“We let them switch each other out,” Horton said. “Donnel’s the best at being unselfish. Against Wyoming, he told Penny to get in there on that fourth-and-1 where he broke it for the 5-yard touchdown. Those guys really work well together.”

The backs are close on and off the field.

“That’s like my little brother, and we just found out we’re cousins,” Pumphrey said.

Indeed, during a recent discussion between family members, the Southern California natives discovered they were actually related.

“Our relationship definitely got closer after that,” Penny said.

Pumphrey is pumped to play his final college game back home in Las Vegas.

“I get to play in front of all my friends and family out here,” he said. “It’s just exciting. This is where it all started. Just to be able to finish my college career here, it’s going to be a fun one.”

The soft-spoken Pumphrey claims the record isn’t really important to him.

“But it’s important for my teammates, and I’ll do anything for my teammates,” he said.

Penny said that’s essentially true.

“Oh, man, I think the team wants it more than him, really, because he’s a real humble guy. He never talks about it, but I think he’s really excited,” he said. “I can’t wait. I know it’s going to be an emotional moment because he deserves it. In our mind, he’s our Heisman winner and our Doak Walker Award winner. And we’re excited for him.”

Penny, who has 995 yards rushing, also is looking forward to joining Pumphrey (2,018 yards rushing, 16 TDs) as a 1,000-yard rusher and then grabbing the baton from him next season, when he’ll team with Aztecs freshman Juwan Washington, who has 433 yards this season.

“There’s still some guys in the stable,” Horton said. “Now we’ve just got to get them to the starting gate, so to speak, and let them out and let them go run.”

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0354. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.