How Thomas Brown plans to get the most out of his running backs
SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS FOOTBALL
Thomas Brown has been around and coached a handful of backs that have made a name for themselves in the college and NFL games.
Brown himself played professionally and went on to coach Georgia’s two-headed attack of Nick Chubb and Sony Michel, and Heisman runner-up Melvin Gordon.
He knows running back talent.
When asked about the Gamecocks’ outlook this year, he didn’t mince words.
“I think they’ve under produced in the past in my opinion, in probably everybody’s opinion. We have a core group of guys with some experience and some new young guys coming into the mix. I’m excited.”
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As a team, South Carolina rushed for 1,986 yards and 15 touchdowns with the leading rusher—Rico Dowdle—racking up just 654 yards and four touchdowns last season. As a group, the Gamecocks averaged 4.5 yards per carry.
Now it’ll be up to Brown, who was hired recently as the team’s new running backs coach, to get the most out of this unit that he thinks hasn’t reached its full potential yet.
Getting the most out of them, he said, starts on the practice field and “competition solves most of your problems.” It’s something he learned first-hand playing at Georgia with former NFL back and first round pick Knowshon Moreno.
“I think from personal experience playing with three or four other NFL-caliber tailbacks when I was in school, competing makes you better every single day,” Brown said. “Understanding there are guys in that room that can take your spot at any given moment and also trying to maximize every opportunity you’re given.”
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The Gamecocks are expecting to return all of their running backs who registered a carry this season, with redshirt freshman Lavonte Valentine fully recovered off a knee injury and expected to enter the fold.
Dowdle and Mon Denson, the team’s two leading rushers, return - along with freshman Deshaun Fenwick, who rushed for more than 100 yards in his first career game last year and showed promise.
It’ll also be up to Brown to bring in extra talent on the recruiting trail for the running backs room. Brown says he’s really looking for one big thing when he’s out scouting: every down backs.
“Guys that can play between the tackles, be physical enough to play between the tackles and guys that can play on the edge, make guys miss on-on-one and do a really good job of protecting the quarterback. If you can’t pass protect, you’re not going to play. I don’t care how good you are with the ball. Nobody will know except for me and the coaches if you can’t protect the quarterback. Also, being able to affect the game in multiple ways from a return game standpoint and receiving game.”