Arizona Football running back outlook: What to expect from Speedy Luke, Quali Conley as feature backs

In less than six months, Arizona Football's entire running back room got flipped on its head. Newly minted Arizona head coach Brent Brennan and running backs coach Alonzo Carter were left to pick up the pieces, and they patched the hole nicely for the 2024-25 season.

Last year's three-headed monster of starters (and their top backup) are all gone, with Jonah Coleman joining Jedd Fisch up at Washington, Michael Wiley and D.J. Williams signing undrafted free agent deals with the NFL's Washington Commanders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, respectively, and Tucson local fourth-stringer Stevie Rocker transferring to FCS-level Montana.

Even the incoming guys — New Mexico transfer Jacory Croskey-Merritt and freshmen Jordan Washington and Adam Mohammed — have found new homes that aren't in Tucson: Mohammed and Washington both followed Fisch to Montlake and Croskey-Merritt is betting on himself at Ole Miss.

So, who will be the guys in the backfield for Arizona?

Arizona's rushing attack will be a two-man show run by incoming San Jose State transfer Quali Conley and Rayshon "Speedy" Luke, a former four-star recruit who has patiently waited his turn at Arizona for two years.

This won't be a "who's the starter and who's the backup" question; both guys will see a ton of time on the field. This is more of a 1a and 1b question, where Conley profiles better as the 1a and Luke better as the 1b.