The Need for More Dalvin Cook– As Shown in One Play

How the blend of OL issues and Karlos Williams’ running style seem to be calling for more Dalvin Cook.

One of the preseason story lines surrounding this year’s Florida State football team was the impending breakout of tailback Karlos Williams. After stints at safety and linebacker, the senior excelled in mostly mop-up duty last season, picking up 730 yards on just 91 carries, a robust 8.0 YPC average. Hence, FSU fans were giddy about Williams’ prospects for the coming year. He’d be the clear bell-cow back and would be running behind an all-senior offensive line. The expectations were through the roof, including Heisman talk, even though the award has only gone to a running back twice since 2000 (Reggie Bush in 2005 and Mark Ingram in 2009).

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Through the first eight games of the season, however, most would agree that Williams has not quite dominated the way they expected. Again, these expectations were perhaps unreasonably high, especially given his lack of experience at the position at this level. His 98 rushing attempts have accounted for 450 yards, a certainly respectable 4.59 YPC average, along with seven touchdowns (which leads FSU).

One reason for this rift is that Williams is a power back, a down hill runner at his best when he can tear through a hole and accelerate into the secondary, where his 6-1 225 lb. frame makes him a tough tackle for smaller defensive backs. This happened a lot when he saw time last year, as FSU’s second-team players dominated the opponents’ backups.

While many cited FSU’s experienced OL as a force that would open just such holes this year, that hasn’t materialized, in part because of inconsistent play at the center position. Austin Barron began the year snapping to Jameis Winston, and was serviceable, but when he was injured, redshirt freshman Ryan Hoefeld took over. It’s a tremendous ask of a young player, and Hoefeld has struggled to keep up this early in his career.

One play from Florida State’s 42-31 win over Louisville on Thursday aptly demonstrates how Williams’ running style, combined with offensive line issues, may be calling for a personnel change in the backfield. On the Seminoles’ first score, Williams fumbles forward, and the ball is (extremely fortunately, for FSU) recovered in the end zone by Nick O’Leary.

The play is largely doomed from the onset. Hoefeld doesn’t block anyone, so the middle and right side of the line are blown up immediately, and Williams gets the ball with a defender in his face. While this isn’t desirably for any running back, it’s particularly anathema to Williams’ downhill style. He needs clear running lanes, or at least the chance to build up a head of steam to blast his way through.

These situations have presented themselves regularly this year, and they call for greater running back elusiveness, creativity, and instincts. Having been moved around like he has, it’s understandable for Williams to be a bit behind, say, another back who’s developed these traits over time. A back like Dalvin Cook.

Cook has excelled this season utilizing these strengths, and Thursday was his coming-out party, as the offense tallied 35 second-half points on what was the nation’s top-ranked defense while Cook took the majority of the carries. On just nine rushes, he went for 110 yards (12.22 YPC) and found pay dirt twice. On the season, he’s averaging 5.59 YPC, picking up 380 yards on 68 totes. Redshirt-sophomore Mario Pender has a similar game, and averages 6.25 YPC, but he’s been out the last two games due to injury, although he practiced today, and his return for FSU’s Saturday contest against Virginia appears likely.

Cook and Pender have a greater knack for stopping and starting as well as changing speeds, which, given the above-detailed OL issues, appear more and more a requirement than a luxury for Florida State’s running game moving forward. Williams could still be a valuable piece in short-tardage and goal line situations, but expect to see the change-of-pace backs find the field increasingly earlier and more often in the future.