INDIANAPOLIS – When Boom Herron headed to Anderson for the Colts 2014 Training Camp, securing a roster spot was the goal.
Running backs Vick Ballard, Ahmad Bradshaw and Trent Richardson were givens on the team's 53-man roster.
For Herron, the question was had he shown enough the previous year, playing just two months with the Colts before a pectoral injury in early December ended his 2013 season?
Injuries all throughout the running back position in camp opened the door for Herron and he slammed it shut with an emphatic preseason.
More injuries, and more production from Herron, have granted the young running back another opportunity this weekend.
In 2013, Herron was the Bengals starting running back in the team's preseason finale against the Colts.
Come Sunday, it's Herron as the Colts starter against his former team.
From mainly a practice squad player in Cincinnati, to a starter in the postseason with Indianapolis, Herron's NFL career comes full circle this weekend.
"You could say that, definitely you could say that," Herron says.
"You have to go through some journeys to get where you want to be that."
When the Colts signed Herron off the Bengals practice squad in October of 2013, he knew special teams was his immediate impact.
Colts defensive tackle Ricky Jean Francois saw a lot of Herron in practice, from facing the scout team running back.
"I was messing with him when he played for Ohio State saying, 'You weren't this good at Ohio State,'" Francois says with a smile.
"Boom Herron is a different running back from the one I saw in college, to the one I see now. He gives you something different from that check down guy, to that third-and-one back, or who we need to run out the clock, Boom Herron can get that job done."
Now Francois watches Herron on Sunday do a little bit of everything.
Back in the Colts first meeting with the Bengals, there was Herron in mop-up duty helping the Colts milk the clock with five carries for 37 yards.
Against Washington, in the final game of November, Herron showed a burst that the Colts hadn't seen in a long time at the running back position with his 49-yard touchdown run.
The following week in Cleveland, Herron added some determination with that speed. On a must-have fourth-down conversion, it was Herron's second effort which ultimately gave the Colts their ninth win of the season.
Now this weekend, Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis will be dealing with a guy he used to watch tote the rock for his team.
"(Herron) does good things," Lewis said earlier this week.
"We were obviously very impressed with Boom all the time. Been happy for his opportunity there with the Colts."
