Louisville's L.J. Scott will do whatever coaches ask

A few times in the past week, University of Louisville freshman L.J. Scott found himself in an unfamiliar position on the football field.

He was lined up as the fullback in an offset I-formation, pushing his fingers into the turf as he took a three-point stance with Dominique Brown or Michael Dyer behind him.

It seemed an odd place to find the young tailback from Marion, Ohio, who ran for 128 yards and a touchdown in his first spring game in a U of L uniform. He had a monster stretch of spring practices, never looking like a newcomer, and has only continued that trend with strong performances in the first week of preseason camp.

But ask Scott about playing lead blocker or on special teams instead of his natural position, and he won't bat an eye.

"I'm just there to fit whatever they need," he said. "There are a lot of packages where (head coach Bobby Petrino) likes two running backs. It allows me to fit the personnel as a running back, but if I'm called to block, I can do that as well."

Scott is considered the Cardinals' third running back behind Brown, the expected starter, and Dyer, who is perhaps U of L's biggest X-factor. But the way Petrino talks about Scott, there is a good chance he'll get his fair share of carries this fall.

Petrino raves about his power and speed, and running backs coach Kolby Smith praised his "competitiveness" during spring practices.

Scott enrolled in January to get a head start on the college workload. And even in March and April, aside from the usual adjustments to college courses and what amounts to a full-time job as a football player, he hardly gave away that he's a freshman.

He arrived on campus at 5 feet 11, 220 pounds, and has added 10 pounds of muscle since. He had 22 carries in the spring game and looked very much like an every-down back.

He also was comfortable with the media after an early April practice.

Granted, Scott has had some growing pains — he fumbled on his first carry of the spring game — and has been the source of occasional frustration from the coaches during August practices, but those moments are few and far between.

"My job is just to make sure that, when they need blows, I'm consistent enough to give them the break they need," he said, referring to Brown and Dyer.

But it's hard to imagine Scott, a former sprinter and high jumper in high school, simply playing a backup role.

During one practice last week, he started at fullback and split out wide in motion before running a receiver's route. It looked natural to him, and it looked like another reason for Petrino to get him on the field as a youngster, even if it feels odd calling a 230-pound running back that.

Especially a running back with Scott's level of maturity.

"When you come in (early), you hit the ground running," Scott said.

"My role now is anything the coaches want it to be. I'm not opposed to anything they suggest. If they want me to put my hand in the dirt, I'll do that. If they want me to go in the backfield, I'm in the backfield. I'll play all special teams."

Reach Jeff Greer at (502) 582-4044 and follow him on Twitter @jeffgreer_cj.

See previous video of L.J. Scott and his expectations for the Cardinals' 2014 season at courier-journal.com/sports.