SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS FOOTBALL
New South Carolina running backs coach Thomas Brown's points of emphasis for his position group this spring can be summed up as two concepts: consistency and pad level.
"I think just being consistent every single day and making the most out of the opportunities that are given to you when it comes to on the field and off the field, and also when you have a chance to win a one-on-one in space, you better win by running through contact or making a guy miss," Brown said Tuesday. "But for the most part, they're doing well."
Brown met with the media for the first time since he's had the chance to actually work on the field for six practices with his new players, a group he previously said underachieved for their talent level last season.
Brown's position room features three seniors in Rico Dowdle, Mon Denson and A.J. Turner plus redshirt freshman Deshaun Fenwick and true freshman early enrollee Kevin Harris. Redshirt freshman speedster Lavonte Valentine is also a part of the group, but is currently out of spring practice while he runs track for the school.
One of Brown's first tasks was to evaluate the past performance of the players the former Miami and Georgia assistant inherited.
He started by watching a cut-up of every play in which each of his backs touched the ball either in the running or passing game last season.
"All of the guys, for the most part, it's a change in pad level," Brown said. "I think they all played too high at times, which obviously affects the way you can make guys miss in one-on-ones, but also breaking tackles in the open field or running through contact at the line of scrimmage by having good pad level."
The concept of pad level - or "low man wins" - is talked about a lot by coaches as a concept, but rarely described in detail.
Breaking it down further, Brown says he specifically means his running backs' ability to keep their pads low with their knees bent, butt down, chest up and eyes straight ahead, and maintaining that while playing full speed.
"It's not a natural movement," Brown explained. "So, obviously guys that are used to running can just stand up and run really fast, but in the game of football, if you understand leverage and angles, you can become a much better football player. I don't care if you're playing running back, playing wide receiver, playing DB, playing linebacker, O-line, D-line, normally the guy with the better pad level, normally wins that battle, if you're talking about run blocking, pass blocking or running with the football."
According to Brown, consistently using proper pad level can be the difference in winning and losing a one-on-one matchup, and those are key to a productive running game in the SEC.
"This conference and the guys we play week in, week out, you've got to be able to create for yourself and understand if the hole isn't there, you've got to do a good job of accelerating your feet full speed and getting behind your pads and creating a hole," Brown said. "Being able to take advantage of, if we block guys up, and we give you a one-on-one opportunity, whether it's against a second-level defender or corner or safety, you make that guy miss to win a one-on-one most of the time."
