Malique Micenheimer has moved around quite a bit in his Fresno State career, coming in as a linebacker and moving to fullback when he was a freshman. Last year he started out back on the defensive side of the football before moving again to offense midway through the season.

It is too early to tell whether he has found a more permanent home at running back this spring, but he is becoming an intriguing proposition in the competition to replace the record-setting Robbie Rouse.

Micenheimer, at 240 pounds, is nothing like Rouse physically and appears to be a much better fit as a short-yardage back or a fullback, when the Bulldogs put one on the field. But offensive coordinator Dave Schramm said he definitely has piqued his curiosity.

"Malique has done a nice job and having a big back in this offense can be a really good thing because of all the pass-protection stuff," Schramm said. "Malique has got good feet and he's a smart guy. We came into spring ball and talking with (running backs coach Joe Wade) I said, 'Let's give him, Malique, a chance and see what he can do, instead of just being a fullback all the time.'

"He would be a guy, and you hear it all the time, that a back gets stronger as a game goes on. Well, that's really not the reality of the situation. Those big backs, those guys on defense, get tired of tackling them. He's still running as hard as he's always running, but in the first quarter they're hitting him and they're tackling him, and in the fourth quarter they're ducking out of the way because they're tired of trying to tackle him. A big back in this offense can be a really big weapon for us."

When Schramm was at Utah, the Utes had a bigger back in Matt Asiata when they beat Alabama in the 2009 Sugar Bowl. He was a hammer, Schramm said. And Micenheimer could be very similar.

"That position, we have some real good candidates here and so it will play itself out. I like those guys," the offensive coordinator said.

"The guy that hangs on to the ball and is going to be the most productive, he'll play in the game. Now, whether it's one or two of them or three of them, we'll see. But I like what Malique has done so far."

Micenheimer, who is taking reps at fullback and running back, is ready for both, and said he has no preference for one position over the other, just winning over losing.

"Whatever the coaches want me to do, whether it's playing running back or whether it's blocking for another guy, I don't mind. I just want us to be productive as a group," he said. "I'll do whatever the coaches want me to do."

But the junior from Stockton will continue to get reps at running back, competing at the position with Josh Quezada, Marteze Waller (who is out with a quad injury), T.J. Thomas and Daryl Cash, and get a push to avoid being labeled strictly as a short-yard back or as a fullback.

Micenheimer has been good with his protections and can catch the ball out of the backfield. He has been a powerful runner in his reps in team run periods and the limited live periods the Bulldogs have had to this point.

"He just has to practice," Schramm said. "He's doing stuff right now that he's never been asked to do -- pass protection-type stuff, understanding our six-man protection schemes, understanding where to fit in the check down, understanding how to run the ball and how to read it as we're running it and reading blocks and all those things. He's practicing stuff right now that he has never done and he's showing that he has an aptitude for it. I like the kid. He works extremely hard and I think it'll be a good addition to what we're doing."

Notes ...

-- Waller, who injured his left quad in practice on Monday, is out for the remainder of the spring. He had a brace on the leg at practice. Cornerback Sean Alston came away from a collision with Micenheimer with a stinger, and later had his left arm in a sling. There is a chance he can return this spring, but coach Tim DeRuyter said both are likely out the rest of the way.

-- Backup nose guard Maurice Poyadue injured what appeared to be a left ankle during the team run period and sat out the rest of practice. After icing it for a while, he was able to walk around on it.

-- Garrett Swanson is the only punter in spring practice, and hasn't been very consistent with his kicks. He didn't hit a single good one Wednesday. Colin McGuire, the freshman kicker coming in on scholarship in the fall, also punts, and DeRuyter said he's hoping to bring in a walk-on in the fall, as well.

Spring Game

March 23: Noon at Bulldog Stadium (free to public)

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