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The preference is that Zaire does not have to carry the ball 22 times like he did against LSU. "We've got to gauge that," Denbrock said. "He's a big, physical … 22 may be a little high, but he's going to have to carry the football for us. We're not going to change what we have struc‑ tured to do offensively to protect him, because I don't think he needs protec‑ tion. He's a runner, he knows how to run the ball when he's got it in his hands and how to protect himself. "Not all quarterbacks know that. Some of them kind of have the ability to run but they run straight up and down and take big body shots. If you watch Malik, he runs like a running back." Finding consistent running options beyond the big three of junior Tarean Folston, senior C.J. Prosise and Zaire is another objective. "We'll incorporate the Z receiver into some of those carries: [Amir] Car‑ lisle, CJ [Sanders] and maybe Torii Hunter," Kelly said. "They're a part of our zoom and fly package [a la Prosise last year]. All of those guys will carry the football in some fashion." Unlike last year when there were different packages for quarterbacks Everett Golson and Zaire, it will be more uniform this season, especially after some scrimmage work by No. 2 quarterback DeShone Kizer when he was made "live" to be hit. This in‑ cluded a nimble 12‑yard touchdown run by Kizer off a well‑read quarter‑ back draw. Freshman Brandon Wim‑ bush also would be expected to handle the read option if needed. "There's enough of an ability to run the football there that we don't have to structurally really deviate from where we're going and what we're practic‑ ing right now," Denbrock said. "That's hasn't been the case before — we've had a pocket guy, we've had a runner guy, it's been a mishmash. "Now we've gotten to a place where we have a similar skill set back there, which allows our whole football team to progress. You don't have to spend half the time on this and half the time on this. You can just build a package and work it over and over." The progress of Kizer especially has been uplifting after experiencing nu‑ merous setbacks in the spring. During August camp, Kizer often was the best and most consistent passer, and his progress with the two‑minute offense, making checks up and down the line of scrimmage and knowledge base of the offense left an impression. "THERE'S OBVIOUSLY AN EMPHASIS WITH WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT THE RUNNING GAME IS AT THE FOREFRONT. WE'VE GOT A BIG, POWERFUL GROUP OF GUYS UP FRONT THAT HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF AN EDGE AND A LITTLE BIT OF NASTINESS TO THEM, SO WE'RE GOING TO LEAN ON THOSE GUYS. AND WE'VE GOT A QUARTERBACK THAT CAN DO SOME THINGS WITH THE BALL IN HIS HANDS, WE'VE GOT SOME BACKS … WE'RE STRUCTURED THAT WAY." ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH/WIDE RECEIVERS COACH MIKE DENBROCK