Across the world of music, mythology, and sports, numerous trios have created lasting impacts in their respective realms.

Gunna, Wheezy, and Young Thug came together to create the song “3 Headed Snake.” Lil Durk, Lil Baby, and Polo G did the same on “3 Headed Goat.” Cerberus, the three-headed dog that guards the gates of the Underworld, is a fairly common character in both Greek and Roman mythology. Sports have given us the likes of the Miami Heat Big Three of LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh or the Dallas Cowboys’ trifecta of Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin and Emmitt Smith.

In Tempe, the No. 25 Arizona State Sun Devils have a three-pronged approach of their own, one running back for each pointed piece of Sparky’s pitchfork. The three backs in question, sophomore DeaMonte Trayanum, redshirt senior Rachaad White and redshirt freshman Daniyel Ngata are as talented as any running back room in the country with a comprehensive mix of size, speed and swiftness.

While it’s not a case of cockiness, rather smooth confidence, the three backs know they have the potential to be the best.

I think we have the potential to be one of the best running back rooms in the nation, really,” Ngata proclaimed. “To (achieve) that, we have to stay locked in and go over the small things; our assignments, our alignments. We have to go over all this in the ‘classroom’ together; just keep going over small details to get better.”

If you ask their teammates about the group’s expectations and their status, they will tell you much of the same.

“I believe we probably have the best (running back room) in college football, redshirt junior fullback and captain Case Hatch said. “The way they work, the way they run, the way they practice, they never take a day off.”

The level of commitment from the trio, as well as the entire running back room is similar to the mentality of a professional. That’s exactly what running backs coach Shaun Aguano wants from his guys, especially with the offense’s dependence on the success of the running game after a short, but dominant display in the shortened 2020 season.

“I think they keep the noise out,” Aguano stated. “From a competition level, they stay grounded because of that. They’re all fighting for that one spot, and they know if anybody goes down, the load is going to get heavier. I think they’ve handled themselves professionally, kind out kept out the noise a little bit, and know they need to live up to the expectations that are on them, especially coming from last year.”

In the four games, Arizona State played in 2020, the running backs, plus the fleet feet of junior dual-threat quarterback Jayden Daniels propelled the Sun Devils to first in the Pac-12 in rushing offense. ASU accumulated 1057 yards and 16 touchdowns on 165 attempts, good enough for averages of 6.4 yards per attempt and 264.2 yards per game.

In order to meet those lofty expectations that the number one comes with, Aguano’s unit has attempted to shed the labels created by the defining characteristics of each running back. In 2020, the speedy White was the lightning to the powerful Trayanum’s thunder, while Ngata honed in on his elusiveness in the shadows, applying his skills and tools to gain experience during the Oregon State and Arizona games. Following an offseason in which each back worked on gaining weight, muscle, and speed, as well as eliminating negative aspects of their game, Aguano seeks to make his backs weaponized in all facades, without just one trait to characterize each of them.

“I think a point of emphasis for us is to work on their weaknesses,” Aguano explained. “I don’t want to label them as the big back, the slasher back. We are trying to make sure they are well-rounded, all three of them. They’ve been very good at working on that. I think you’ll see that I can plug in any one of those three at any time, and they’ll get the job done.”

It’s certainly valuable for each back to diversify their skillset to become more comprehensive, but that doesn’t mean they don’t stick to the traits that make them special. Furthermore, they’re not only special in each of their own ways due to their physical abilities; they’re also unique in the way they work as a unit for the betterment of the team and each other.

“We talk about the quality of the reps, not the quantity. The big thing with our group is they are so win-driven, they don’t care much about their stats,” Aguano detailed. “Whoever has the hot hand, they know who that’s going to be. Sometimes on a rotation, they’ll sub each other out, knowing who’s the guy who will have a strength for the personnel.”

The trio of backs know each other’s strengths and weaknesses on account of the tight-knit ties of the position room itself. As their physical skills improved, so did their overall chemistry across the offseason.

“(Our chemistry) has increased a lot since last season,” Ngata detailed. “We talk a lot, hang out outside of football sometimes. The connection is there. We are all comfortable with each other. We give each other tips, try to help one another if we see something wrong… We are just always there to help each other, so that’s a good thing about this room.”

With multiple cards to choose from, Aguano has quite the decision lying ahead of him and ASU’s Sep. 2 opener against Southern Utah. Yet, it’s not so much a question of who he’ll choose, but more so how he’ll be able to get all three backs involved.

“I think because we personnel some groupings and things like that, each one of them will have a chance (at playing time in the same game). I wish we could play with two or three balls at once,” Aguano chuckled.

Complimenting the trio is an experienced ASU offensive line that will pave the way for the running backs’ success, creating gaps in opposing defenses for them to scamper through and take the pigskin to the promised land. The Sun Devil front five return four out of five starters from 2020 while bringing back a 2019 starter in redshirt sophomore LaDarius Henderson at left guard. Aguano, Trayanum, and Ngata all sang the praises of the big boys up front on Tuesday.

“They’ve done a great job of taking up leadership,” Trayanum acknowledged. “(Junior center) Dohnovan West has done a great job taking a leadership role and making sure all the offensive line guys are going (strong). One thing we have all improved on is our consistency. (For the O-line) It’s (about) not having so many false starts, missed assignments, or blocks. It’s going to be fun running behind those guys.”

“I think their communication has gotten a lot better,” Aguano added regarding the front five. “They have a feel for their strengths and weaknesses and how they’re going to play off of it. I think Dohnovan (West) is taking more of a leadership role with making calls. Sometimes linemen can be goofy because they hang around each other all the time and live together. I think this cohesiveness is going to be really good for them this fall.”

Another notable strength regarding the running backs is the extremely effective dual-back set with White and Trayanum on the field at the same time, with the dual-threat Daniels in between them. The Sun Devils kept defenses on their toes with the contrasting skills of the two running backs, and they look to do much of the same with that play concept in 2021.

“There’s a chance you’ll see (the split-back set),” Trayanum admitted. “It just brings so much more diversity to our offense, really.”

“Honestly, good luck stopping it,” Hatch laughed. “With our split back; we switch it up a lot… We have so many different variations that are going to be hard to stop. It doesn’t matter what kind of defense you run, it doesn’t matter what you bring pressure-wise; it’s going to be very hard to stop.”

When the running backs go, the entire offense goes for Arizona State. Their success is paramount to the overall performance of the team. To maintain their health and longevity across the 12-game stretch of the football season, Aguano attempted to treat them like professionals, managing their physical output from afar.

“I fooled around with rest,” Aguano said. “‘Do I lift them all the way through (in workouts)? Do I make them condition a lot in the beginning and then taper off at the end?’ What has worked is making sure they have fresh legs via the rotation and being smart at practice. I give one kid the full load one day, the next one the full load the other day, and rest in between.”

While their rest is essential, Aguano has also made sure to keep the competitive nature of the group alive. The three backs might be friends, helping each other improve on and off the field, but only one will stand in the backfield besides Daniels on the first Thursday in September with a packed Sun Devil Stadium surrounding them. Aguano knows that, and he’s not afraid to feed whichever beast takes the job.

“They know that it’s going to be a long road, and I’m going to keep tread on their tires. They understand the concept of it. If someone gets going, though, I will ride that hand.”

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