AMHERST — For a guy standing outside on a gray, windy, cold night Tuesday, Jordan Fredericks was pretty happy.
Fredericks, UMass’ junior running back who transferred from Syracuse, spent the 2017 season sitting out under NCAA transfer rules and recovering from knee surgery.
While he nor the weather are in ideal condition yet, he was glad to be on the field again.
“It’s been a long ride. I’m excited to be back out here,” said Fredericks, who is still building back his conditioning. “I was excited. I hadn’t put on shoulder pads since 2016. It’s been going well.”
UMass coach Mark Whipple said the early returns have been good.
“He’s got really good instincts. He’ll add a lot to the running back room,” Whipple said. “He’s a great kid. He’s been working hard and getting better.”
As a true freshman in 2015, Fredericks led the Orange in rushing with 607 yards and four touchdowns on 107 carries, and added six catches for 55 yards and another TD. CampusInsiders.com named him an honorable mention freshman All-American.
But the more physical runner didn’t quite fit into new coach Dino Babers’ offense and he saw his usage drop to 28 carries for 139 yards (two catches, 18 yards) 2016. The New York City native transferred to UMass, where he’ll have two seasons of eligibility.
He tried to spend the last year familiarizing himself with the playbook and scheme as best as he could.
“Mental reps are very important. Being in the meeting room you can get a hint of the plays,” said Fredericks, who’ll wear No. 20. “Actually being out there and hearing the line calls and the quarterbacks speaking, I’m really learning.”
Running backs coach Darius Smith said Fredericks’ advanced feel for the game has helped him picked things up quickly.
“He’s a natural pass catcher. He understands the game. He understands where he’s supposed to be. He understands blocking schemes and coverage. Everything comes really naturally to him,” Smith said. “He’s battling back, adjusting to a new scheme. He’s showing a little burst of the talent he has. He’s a good addition for us.”
Fredericks is one of four tailbacks in spring practice, joining regulars Marquis Young, Bilal Ally and reserve Nick Orekoya. Sophomore Tyshaun Ingram, who switched to running back last year but didn’t play much because of injury, has returned to linebacker.
Unlike Young and Ally, who both rely more on their speed, Fredericks, who is 5-foot-10, 225 pounds, will give the Minuteman a more physical runner to complement and has impressed the coaches with his pass catching so far.
“I played a little receiver as a freshman and sophomore in high school,” he said. “I can showcase my hands. To have the ability as a running back is great.”
Matt Vautour can be reached at mvautour@gazettenet.com. Get UMass coverage delivered in your Facebook news feed at www.facebook.com/GazetteUMassCoverage