With presumed starter Leon Patton battling legal troubles and last year’s leading rusher James Johnson fighting for a spot in the NFL, the keys to the Kansas State football team’s tailback position are up for grabs.

While the list of 2008 possible starters is long, former Mill Valley High standout Justin Woods is in position to hop behind the wheel.

Woods, a 2007 MVHS graduate who committed to Kansas State before his senior season with the Jaguars, has caught the eye of KSU coach Ron Prince and running backs coach Ricky Rahne in the last few months. Heading into camp, it seems that junior college transfer Keithen Valentine is atop the depth chart at tailback. But, last week at Big 12 Media Days in Kansas City, Mo., Prince made sure to point out that the race is wide open.

“(Valentine) improved in the spring and so did Justin Woods,” Prince said. “We know (Olathe East product) Dee Bell and Justin are 100-meter champs (at state track) and all that stuff, so we don’t feel like we’re really going to concede much speed. (The big question) is just going to be experience.”

After starting for three seasons at Mill Valley – leaving with career totals of 3,003 yards and 33 touchdowns, including a school-record setting 304-yard performance in his final prep game – Woods red-shirted last season at Kansas State.

Now, in just his second season with the team, he’s in the running for significant playing time, especially because Prince said he did not foresee Patton’s problems clearing up anytime soon.

“Clearly Leon Patton was our starter,” Prince said. “But that situation will go unresolved for a period of time.”

That forces Prince to look at the rest of his roster, one he’s filled with quality running backs from the past two recruiting classes.

“The truth is, we feel like we’ve done enough in the last couple of years to try to answer (any running back questions),” Prince said.

While Woods’ goals center around cracking the rotation at running back, the K-State coaching staff also has considered him as a return man because of his speed and agility, according to the team’s media guide. Considering the importance KSU places on special teams, 2008 could be a banner year for Woods, one way or another.