Cal RB Covaughn DeBoskie Transferring to Northern Arizona

Covaughn during happier times (photo via scout.com)

Cal running back Covaughn DeBoskie will finish his football career at Northern Arizona, the NAU athletic department confirmed Monday. The Lumberjacks are an FCS school that compete in the Big Sky conference.

Its been a whirlwind year for Covaughn. As recently as last September, DeBoskie was the No. 2 running back on the roster, he was listed as Isi Sofele's backup on the team's final depth chart before the 2011 season opener against Fresno State.

However, as the 2011 season wore on, coaches liked what they saw from C.J. Anderson and DeBoskie slid down to No. 3 on the depth chart, which wasn't a good thing since coach Jeff Tedford rotated only two running backs for most of the season.

DeBoskie's biggest game of 2011 came in the Bears blowout win over Presbyterian when he carried the ball five times for 39 yards and a touchdown. DeBoskie's five carries in the Presbyterian game represented 50 percent of his carries for the entire season.

With Brendan Bigelow, Daniel Lasco, Darren Ervin and Dasarte Yarnway all waiting in the wings at running back, DeBoskie probably felt like there was a zero percent chance of him getting on the field in 2012 and he was probably right.

Although DeBoskie will be in Flagstaff, Ariz., this season, he'll play a couple of familiar teams. The Lumberjacks play both Southern Utah and Arizona State this season, two teams on Cal's schedule.

One of the big factors in DeBoskie's decision to transfer to NAU was probably his brother. Ca'leve DeBoskie will be a junior wide receiver with Northern Arizona when the Lumberjacks open camp this fall.

Quick Note: I referred to him as Covaughn DeBoskie instead of Covaughn DeBoskie-Johnson because that's how he refers to himself on Facebook and Twitter.