Urban Meyer wasn't kidding when he said opponents can't afford to make a mistake against his running backs.
Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps made their coach look awfully good Saturday for all the preseason hype he gave them. The two speedsters combined for 154 total yards and two touchdowns in a 56-10 street-football like rout against Hawaii.
"It felt just like high school, back in the day," said Rainey, a sophomore, who barely got on the field last season as he dealt with a left shoulder injury.
Rainey scored on a 33-yard scramble and Demps, a freshman, made the entire Warriors defense look silly as he scored almost untouched on a 62-yard sprint - his second play as a Gator.
The running backs and Meyer have said their goal this year is to gain 1,000 yards on the ground collectively. With Saturday's 187-yard performance, they're well on their way.
Demps, who almost made the U.S Olympic team as a sprinter, and Rainey had a race behind their Springs dormitory earlier this summer to determine who's faster. While their sprints ended in a draw, it's certain the duo is faster than anybody on Hawaii's secondary. And that's all that mattered Saturday.
"We kind of like fast people around here, and Demps is fast," Meyer said.
If there are any questions about UF's speed, just ask Hawaii. Receiver Greg Salas put it bluntly when he said, "They are fast."
Rainey and Demps, however, did have some help as the offensive line created gaping holes for their small frames.
On Rainey's touchdown run, receiver Riley Cooper made the final key block before Rainey stepped into the end zone.
"Riley Cooper, that was about a seven-second block clinic he put on," Meyer said.
With runners like Rainey and Demps, seven seconds is just about all they need to get through a hole.
"I was running fast, but I knew I could run faster," Demps said of the 62-yard score.
That's not something the rest of the Southeastern Conference wants to hear.
Even receiver Louis Murphy, who is one of the fastest players on the team, was impressed with Rainey and Demps' performances.
"I wouldn't imagine them doing that in their first game," Murphy said. "It adds another dimension to our offense. We have a lot of depth."
Kestahn Moore will still probably remain the starter at running back, and Emmanuel Moody will get a bulk of the carries when he returns from a sprained ankle. But there's no doubt Rainey and Demps have found a spot in this offense.
"When I see the light, man, my eyes just get big," Demps said.
