(AP photo)

By Tyler Barto
Twitter: @Tyler_Barto
tbarto@trentonian.com

The only one that remained was the 5-foot-8 sophomore with six career carries.

Desmon Peoples watched as three other running backs succumbed to injury this spring. It resulted in the lengthiest audition of his career with Rutgers' first-team offense.

He says durability wasn't an issue as he took all of its meaningful snaps.

"It's been holding up pretty well, because I've actually never had this amount of reps before," Peoples said last week. "It's something my body needed to get used to. It's been going well."

Peoples emerged as the star of Saturday's Scarlet-White Game, rushing for 89 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries. He broke tackles, shifted in space and solidified a shot in Rutgers' rotation.

Ice tubs have become his friend. Extra stretching joined his routine. Normal meals followed.

Training camp promises a diversion. Primary back Paul James (shoulder) will return, along with Justin Goodwin, who rushed 111 times last season.

"Right now I'm not really thinking about that," Peoples said. "I'm just thinking about what my task at hand is right now. We'll see what happens in the fall and the future."