Bair

PITTSBURGH — On his first collegiate carry, Bill Bair ended up in a familiar place, but he soon found himself back on the sideline.

The 2007 Mars High graduate and Duquesne University sophomore running back scored a touchdown from 32 yards out in the Dukes' 24-19 season-opening win over Bucknell last September.

The next week, he left a road game against Nicholls (La.) State with an injury.

"It was a fourth-and-one play," said Bair. "I got the ball and went straight into the line, got hit and sprained my right shoulder."

The 6-foot, 192-pound Bair missed the next four games.

For Bair, who rushed for more than 4,600 yards and 65 touchdowns in his high school career, earning a spot in Duquesne's running back rotation only to lose it to by bad luck was a bitter pill to swallow.

"It felt terrible to miss out because of an injury," he said. "I thought I was headed for a good season. It was tough working my way back into the rotation after that."

Bair ended the 2009 season with 118 yards on 25 carries and the one score as the Dukes finished with a 3-8 record.

Despite his limited playing time, Bair showed progress in the eyes of head coach Jerry Schmitt.

"He started to become more comfortable in the offense last year and we hope he grows in that respect," said Schmitt. "He does need to get bigger and a little stronger and improve his pass protection."

Duquesne runs a multifaceted offense with an emphasis on the single-back formation.

Bair saw action on special teams in all 11 of Duquesne's games in 2008.

"I was used to getting the ball a lot in high school, so it was tough being just a special teamer my freshman year," the business major said. "But it helped me a lot with getting game experience and getting used to the speed of the college game, which is incredible."

Duquesne's top back from last season, Larry McCoy, rushed for 807 yards and eight touchdowns as a freshman.

The Dukes' second-leading ground gainer, Cleodis Williams, totaled 587 yards as a senior and his roster spot is available.

Bair is determined to grab some of those carries and Schmitt said Bair has the right mindset entering the team's spring drills, which begin March 24.

"I can't recall him ever missing a workout or film session," said Schmitt. "He's a very intense young man."

"We'll be working on different packages, some where I line up at running back and some with me at wide receiver," said Bair. "By the end of last season, half of our starters were injured. If we can stay healthy, I think we can compete for a Northeast Conference title."