REGINA — As a running back with the Regina Thunder, it's Mark Coons' job to find the opening.

When Brennan Kasbrick, the team's leading rusher last season, decided to end his junior football career during training camp earlier this month, it left a void at the No. 1 running back position.

With three or four capable replacements, Coons took matters into his own hands and did everything he could to secure that starting job.

"We have a lot of great running backs on this team and most of them have been here in previous years," he said. "But when Brennan left the team, I used that as my calling to step up and lead these guys."

So far, so good for the Balfour Collegiate graduate. Coons rushed 22 times for 102 yards in the Thunder's 32-14 victory over the Edmonton Wildcats this past weekend in the Prairie Football Conference regular-season opener.

Coons and his teammates will look to keep the offence rolling on Sunday when they take on the visiting Calgary Colts, 1 p.m., at Mosaic Stadium.

It wasn't assumed that Coons would be handed the starting job after Kasbrick's departure. Thunder head coach Erwin Klempner assured every player on the roster that each of the 24 starting positions on both sides of the ball would be up for grabs during training camp.

"It wasn't necessarily his job to lose," Klempner said. "It was more a matter of coming in and competing for that job and that's what he did ... and he won the job."

According to Coons, it was no easy victory. He was up against newcomer Liam Dow, who has two years of experience in the league, and Thunder veterans Matt Foord and Shohruh Noraliev.

"It's kind of scary that we have so many good running backs on this team," Coons said. "It certainly makes you work hard every day at practice and in games because any one of these guys could have the job and make a difference in a game."

Coons isn't expected to lead the PFC is rushing, but his veteran presence on the team is valuable.

"He's not a flashy player by any means. He's more of a north-and-south runner," Klempner said. "He's very dependable, makes the right reads and is a good blocker in passing situations."

With quarterback Reid Quest — who threw for more than 300 yards in the season opener — and a deep and talented receiving corps, mixing in an effective rushing attack is key to the offensive balance.

"You can't just pass in this league," Klempner said. "You need to have that running game to be successful. Running backs not only have to be great runners, but they need to be great blockers, too."

Coons agreed.

"The passing game, as good as ours is, definitely helps out our run game," he said. "We could probably still do one without the other, but it wouldn't be nearly as effective as when they're both working well."