Virginia lost two running backs since the end of last season – one expected, one not – so a seemingly crowded situation became considerably less dense over the past several months. The good news is that two of the top three producers remain for the Cavaliers, while a highly coveted high school recruit joins the fold as well.

The Hoos expected the departure of Perry “Superman” Jones, who finished up his eligibility last fall with 463 yards rushing and 397 yards receiving (team-best 49 receptions) as well as 2 total touchdowns. He also threw another touchdown pass on a successful halfback option play. The loss of Clifton Richardson , however, carried more shock value. Richardson, who spent most of 2012 battling a hamstring injury after a promising 2011 debut, announced his decision to transfer to Liberty after spring practices concluded.

Will the shuffled backfield look featuring Kevin Parks , Khalek Shepherd , Kye Morgan , and Taquan Mizzell be able to produce? A lot of that answer depends on the development of the offensive line, of course, which had an inconsistent go of it in 2012. With all of that in mind, the Sabre’s “Summer Reading” series continues with a look at the backfield.

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