Peg-legged Pirates

As one of the deadliest, carnivorous groups in the animal kingdom, the wolf pack hunts, gathers and defends their territory. This is the name the UTEP running backs have adopted to describe their sense of unison and leadership.

"(The) whole idea was trying to get a unity in the running backs and we just decided wolf pack because they are always together," senior running back Joe Banyard said. "Even out in the winter, it doesn't matter what time of the year it is, they're always together."

The wolf pack was bred two years ago by former UTEP running backs Donald Buckram and Jason Williams. Three of the running backs on this year's team, Banyard and seniors Vernon Frazier and Leilyon Myers, were on that 2009 team, but rarely had rushing attempts.

In 2011, the team has split the handoffs with each player getting at least 25 touches. In addition, four runners have at least one touchdown. That fourth player is freshman Nathan Jeffery.

"I like it a lot. It really separates us from the team," Jeffery said. "With the wolf pack, we're the head honchos. We do everything — we run the ball, catch the ball, block, everything."

In the animal kingdom, a wolf pack is usually led by an alpha wolf who asserts its dominance to the rest of the group. Banyard is considered the starting running back, Myers has the most touches and touchdowns, but no one considers himself the head of the pack.

"Really, all the wolf pack means, as far as the running backs, is that we stay a unit, never think you're better than someone else just because you're getting more attention and be responsible for your actions, like not let your fellow wolf pack members down by dumb actions, on or off the field," Buckram said.

Buckram said that the wolf pack was something that he, Williams and Banyard came up with in 2009 at Camp Socorro. At the time, the popular movie "The Hangover" had just been released in theaters with Zach Galifianakis' character, Alan, making a speech referencing the wolf pack.

In the speech, Alan describes how he considered himself a loner and a "one-man wolf pack." But after meeting his three other friends who have congregated for a bachelor party, he considers his new group a wolf pack.

Whether it is a coincidence or reference to the movie, players in the pack seem to disagree.

"We all fell into it. It's something that kind of started as a joke and we just fell into it and it stuck," Myers said. "It kind of came from the movie ‘The Hangover.' It was one of those things that was funny and we said we were a wolf pack. So we stuck with it and we became one."

Banyard, on the other hand, said it was not from the movie and just a sheer coincidence.

"It was funny because once we named it that, we realized that in ‘The Hangover' there's the wolf pack, but I don't know why," Banyard said.

While both players were present for the birth of the name, Buckram said that the reference to the comedy was only there because of their goofy nature around each other.

Regardless of the origin of the name, and with only Jeffery returning from this year's running back group, every back hopes the name continues for years to come.

"When we thought of a wolf, we had in our mind an animal that ran viciously, always attacked their pray, defended their fellow members and stayed a close tight unit," Buckram said. "Looking at the new pack, Jeffery should be a great leader for them. He's getting great experience this year and can learn plenty from Banyard, Frazier and Myers."

William Vega may be reached at prospector@utep.edu.