This spring training, Hawaii running back Cam Barfield is bringing the “six pack.”
“Pound for pound, he’s up there as far as strength and some of those more explosive movements,” offensive coordinator/running backs coach Anthony Arceneaux said of 5-foot-10, 185-pound Barfield, who transferred from Boston College in January 2024. “Now that he’s into a second offseason of our strength and conditioning program, his body’s starting to tighten up. He was a little bit loose around the mid-section. Now that six pack is showing, and he’s starting to get his body composition changed.”
Barfield said: “I’ve been trying to eat healthier. This year I really believe is going to be my year. I’m trying to make sure my body is at its best.”
Running back Christian Vaughn, who transferred last year from Butte College in Oroville, Calif., also has benefited from the Rainbow Warriors’ strength/conditioning program. Vaughn, who played at 235 pounds last season, is down to 220. “I want to cut it to 215,” said Vaughn, who is 5-foot-10. “It’s basically keeping the same muscle but getting rid of all the fat.”
Barfield and Vaughn are emblematic of the reshaping of the Warriors’ offense. While the read-and-attack approach is the base of the run-and-shoot offense, run-pass options and Air Raid concepts also have been added. The four-wide attack can substitute a tight end for a slot, flex the running backs or emphasize the running game.
“I love the new offense with Coach Arceneaux,” Barfield said. “He’s always trying to come up with new stuff to change things around, new formations. He always says you can’t win a game without running the ball. We watched the whole Super Bowl. The Eagles (running backs) ran 32 times. He wants to implement the run. He wants to get the blocking right. We’re still the run-and-shoot. But in the run-and-shoot, you’ve gotta run it, too.”
With last season’s starter at running back, Landon Sims, recovering from an injury and the top backup, Tylan Hines, now at Tareleton State, Barfield and Vaughn have received significant reps in spring training. On Wednesday, Barfield broke away for a 60-yard touchdown run in a scrimmage-like session.
Arceneaux said Barfield has the speed (prorated 21 mph in the “flying 10” sprint) and sure hands to also play in the slot. Barfield’s strength (500-pound back squat) makes him an impactful pass blocker. Barfield also has been used as a returner, a gunner on kickoff coverage, and edge blitzer on punt defense.
“He’s kind of that complete back,” Arceneaux said of Barfield. “He has a high IQ of football. He also has great vision and good control of his speed. When he has to be sudden, he’s sudden. When he has to be calm and composed and under control in setting up blocks, he can do that as well.”
During the scrimmage-like session, Vaughn flexed from the backfield to wideout and ran a deep route. “We’ve got to be all-purpose,” Vaughn said. “We’ve got to block when we want to pass, and run when we want to run. And we have to go out for a pass, too. … We’ve all been handed some God-given talents. And when you practice day-in and day-out, being able to apply it in all different positions is really nice.”
Vaughn has managed to maintain his strength — bench presses 385 pounds, back squats 605 pounds — while improving his speed.
“My No. 1 thing was teaching them to be overall football players, well-rounded,” Arceneaux said of the running backs. “The more you can do, the more value you add. The more value you add, the more opportunities you get to get on the field and help us win.”
