Kaleb Harris can run. Harris can throw. And the Haskell Indian Nations University football player can catch.

For the last two years, Harris has been a do-everything quarterback for the Fightin’ Indians. But when spring drills began Wednesday, Harris was working strictly as a wide receiver.

“We moved him,” HINU coach Eric Brock said, “because he’s such a good athlete, and we’d like to get him the ball more in wide-open spots.”

Brock has a hole at wide receiver with the loss of Cody Wilson, who caught 61 passes for 833 yards as a senior last season. Meanwhile, the fifth-year coach has two promising red-shirt freshmen quarterbacks.

Victor Ramos and Marlon Dick will be taking most of the center snaps during the 15 spring sessions allowed by the NAIA. Ramos is a 5-foot-10, 185-pounder from Phoenix, and Dick a 6-3, 240-pounder from Burns, Ore.

The sizable Dick has the better arm, while Ramos has the edge in mobility. More important to Brock, however, is that both newcomers have a grasp of the concept of the game’s most important offensive position.

“Both are very smart, and both are very savvy,” the HINU coach said.

Neither, however, is as athletic as Harris, who threw for 1,489 yards, rushed for 206 and caught 14 passes as a sophomore last fall. But now the 6-foot, 175-pounder from Claremore, Okla., will concentrate on playing wide receiver.

“This wasn’t a poke or prod thing. It was almost mutual,” Brock said. “Kaleb is confident about these young guys we have at quarterback.”

Haskell ran basically a one-dimensional pass offense last season because the Indians lacked a dependable rusher. If running back Chad Murphy returns, Haskell would have a more balanced attack. But that’s a big if.

Murphy rushed for 970 yards and eight touchdowns in 2003, then he wrecked a knee in the 2004 opener and sat out that season. Last year, Murphy suffered a preseason hand injury that required surgery, and he transferred to a junior college closer to his Norman, Okla., home.

“He says he’ll be ready this fall,” Brock said, “but he’s married with two kids and has a good job down there, so we’re not putting any chips on it.”

Marcus Benally, a 5-7, 175-pound junior, led the Indians in rushing last season with 350 yards.

On defense, Brock must replace defensive back Randy Jackson, who led the Tribe in tackles (77), tackles for loss (10) and sacks (8). Jackson and wide receiver Wilson were the only senior contributors last season.

Martin Woods, a senior who last played in 2003, is the leading candidate.

“He’ll be a good guy to get back,” Brock said of Woods, a Winslow, Ariz., native who led the league in punt returns in 2002.

Brock also hopes to have middle linebacker Antonio Hayes in uniform again this fall. The 6-foot, 200-pound Hayes wrecked a knee in the fourth game and continues to rehab.

“He was our team leader and our top tackler,” Brock said of the senior from Jacksonville, Fla. “Losing him hurt morale-wise because you have to ask younger kids to step in.”

Hayes will participate in spring work, but will be held out of contact. In the same boat is senior defensive back Terrill Denny, who logged a team-high five interceptions in ’05. Denny is coming off arthroscopic knee surgery.

Haskell’s drills will conclude with a Purple and Gold intrasquad scrimmage on April 29.