Yoga helps running back Chandler Chapman add a new wrinkle to his game
- Tom Weber
- 20 hours ago
- 6 min read
CARBONDALE, Ill. — A word of warning to defenses — Saluki running back Chandler Chapman has added a new wrinkle to his game.
Known for his power-running ability and willingness to lower a shoulder and take on tacklers, Chapman has been taking yoga classes at Hotworx in Carbondale.
Yoga is known to offer athletes a variety of benefits, such as freeing up tight hips and hamstrings for a smoother running stride. Tom Brady credited yoga with maintaining long-term muscle flexibility and overall health.
“Lifting all those weights and then coming out here to the practice field and moving fast, that's hard to do, so yoga helps me stay loose,” Chapman explained. “It's also a way for me to get in a really good stretch.”
Chapman’s teammates noticed a difference and even joined him for several classes.
“All the backs have came, a bunch of the receivers, DJ (Williams),” Chapman said. “It’s just a nice little thing to do when we have some free time to stay loose.”
Running backs coach Larry Warner likes the added dimension to Chapman’s game.
“I call him my Bronco, because he just does everything with power,” Warner said. “This off-season we’ve been working on his ability to be more flexible with his movements, and I think he's doing a good job.”
Coming off a season in which he averaged 6.0 yards per carry and led SIU’s running backs with six rushing touchdowns, it’s not as if there was anything wrong with Chapman’s debut campaign with the Dawgs. He simply feels he can take it to the next level in 2026.
“I feel like I could be a great player,” he said. “It’s just confidence, really, staying confident in my ability through a bad play, good play.”
Chapman split reps with Ed Robinson last season and believes Southern’s run game could be even better than it was in 2025 when the Salukis ranked 10th in the nation with 207 rushing yards per game.
“Me and Ed are still competing to see who takes that first rep, but we have so much depth in this backfield, this run game has an opportunity to be great,” he said.
A native of Louisiana, Chapman (5-11, 215, Sr.) played his first two collegiate seasons at Mississippi Gulf Coast, where Warner found him and recruited him to Southern.
“He came to one of my games, and just talking to him, I knew I could trust him, trust his word,” Chapman recalled.
Chapman was one of the beneficiaries of the recent NCAA “Five for Five” ruling and has two seasons left, but the cybersecurity and information tech major already has a plan for after his football career ends.
“I plan to be a cyber analyst and maybe work for the military or the government and detect cyber threats,” said Chapman, whose mom, Crystal, is a teacher, and his dad, Jerrell, is an engineer. “With AI ruling the world, cybersecurity is a field that's just going to continue to grow.”
Outside of football, Chapman said he’s a big movie guy and plans to see the new Spider-Man movie that just hit theaters. His top three movies? Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Hangover, and Transformers. A good mix, just like his running style.
More about SIU's Running Backs
This looks like the deepest, most talented group of Saluki running backs in recent memory.
Ed Robinson (5-11, 193, Sr.) came up just shy of having enough carries to qualify among the NCAA’s rushing leaders, otherwise, his 7.2 yards per carry would have ranked No. 2 in the nation. He’s also a dynamic receiver who caught 19 passes.
“Ed is kind of like my Ferrari, just get him out there in space and let him go,” Warner said. “He runs a lot off of instincts. You teach him the basics, the tracks and the reads and then just let Ed do it.”
Inside the red zone or near the goal line, keep an eye out for former quarterback Lem Wash (5-10, 223, 5th) who was highly effective as a situational player last season with three rushing touchdowns and a receiving TD.
“Lem is just your workhorse,” Warner said. “He does everything for you. He’s super smart, he's tough, he’s able to catch the ball out of the backfield. He's gonna go put his face in there.”
Quade Chatmon (6-0, 210, So.) only played two games before redshirting last year, but flashed talent in those brief appearances.
“Quade can be special,” Warner said. “He’s a mixture of Ed and Chandler together. He’s strong, fast and has gotten bigger this year, weighing 210 right now. It's just about having confidence, but I look for him to be electric.”
One of the top performers during spring ball was redshirt freshman DJ Welch (5-8, 175, So.), a Louisiana native who played high school football for Saluki Hall of Famer Korey Lindsey.
“DJ is a small guy, but he runs the ball extremely well,” Warner said. “He's old-school, super-smart, tough.”
If you remember Saluki great Romeir Elliott, then you have an idea what type of player Jayden McCaster (5-8, 192, Fr.) can be.
“He's a lot like Romeir, an explosive, low-to-the-ground guy that can run the ball extremely well,” Warner said.
Jimmy Athans (5-8, 194, Sr.) has played in 36-straight games for the Salukis and is a key contributor on special teams, but any time he’s gotten a chance to run the ball, he’s been productive.
“Jimmy is our utility guy,” Warner said. “He's able to do it all. He always comes to work with a positive attitude.”
Finally, true freshman Dayne Schmidt (5-11, 205, Fr.) is a power back from Davidson High School in Hilliard, Ohio.
“He’s still learning, but he’s old-school strong and he’s going to put his head down and go,” Warner said.
Practice #4 Notebook
⬇️PAID SUBSCRIBER-ONLY CONTENT⬇️
Practice had barely started when Coach Hill sounded the horn for “Winning Time.” That’s when everyone drops what they’re doing and has to face a difficult game situation.
Today’s Winning Time was a 3rd-and-7 situation for the offense with the ball on its own 30, trailing, 43-40, with 1:50 remaining in the game and no timeouts.