Sims-Smallwood-Main-72715.jpg
Smallwood Like Sims - Mr. Versatile
July 27, 2015 03:03 PM | Football
Running back Charles Sims was clearly West Virginia’s most valuable offensive player in 2013.
The former University of Houston transfer accounted for 61 percent of West Virginia’s rushing yardage, 37 percent of its touchdowns, 30 percent of its total offense and 25 percent of its all-purpose yardage that season.
Sims, a third-round NFL draft choice two years ago, is likely going to begin this season as Tampa Bay’s starting running back – pretty impressive stuff.
So when Dana Holgorsen gets up in front of a couple hundred media members down in Dallas and mentions Wendell Smallwood and Charles Sims in the same breath that tends to get people’s attention.
And it clearly did.
“There’s a reason Wendell Smallwood was here today (at Big 12 Media Day),” said Holgorsen last Monday morning. “He sat there and learned from Charles Sims during his true freshman year, wasn’t needed as much as we needed Charles two years ago this past year, but he was arguably our best back in terms of being able to carry the ball and line up as a receiver and catch the ball.”
The two key words in that statement being “carry” and “catch.”
Today, the coveted running backs are the guys that can line up and run the ball, slip out into the slot and catch the ball coming out of the backfield or even go back and field punts and kickoffs. The more of those things a player can do the more valuable he becomes.
In other words, for those of you from another era, think Roger Craig instead of Eric Dickerson.
“I think my balls skills fit in very good (in the modern game) because you see all of the different backs in the league. You’ve got third-down backs, first-down backs and I think I can do it all,” explained Smallwood. “I can run it and I can catch it so I think that makes me more valuable.”
Indeed, it does.
Smallwood finished last season ranked second on the team behind Rushel Shell in rushing with 722 yards, while also catching 31 passes for 326 yards, including a long reception of 50 yards.
Many of Smallwood’s catches were down the field meaning an ill-equipped defender (usually a linebacker) was forced to cover him. That is the very definition of a matchup problem for the defense.
Smallwood can line up in the backfield by himself, he can line up in the backfield with Shell, he can line up in the slot or split out wide, which means teams will have to play close attention to where he goes when the offense gets to the line of scrimmage.
“I see teams try and key on it but when they see me going somewhere (other than behind the quarterback) the defense starts going crazy and we catch them off-guard,” Smallwood said. “It’s fun sometimes.”
It’s sometimes fun, too, to consider what another year with Smallwood and Shell could mean to West Virginia’s offense. The duo combined for 1,510 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground and 52 catches for 466 yards through the air in 2014.
If everyone plays nice in the sandbox, those numbers could soar in 2015. And Smallwood doesn’t see that being a problem at all this year.
“(Shell) can run a guy over, but he can catch just as good,” said Smallwood. “I think if he’s not doing something well I can step up and do it, and if I’m not doing something well he can step up. We’ve got each other’s backs, and we can make it work.”
Then there is touted freshman running back Dontae Thomas-Williams, who gives the Mountaineers another excellent option in the backfield. That’s three pretty good run alternatives at Holgorsen’s disposal to compliment his well-known passing attack.
“Last year we were still top seven or eight in passing in the country, but we ran the ball over 50 percent of the time,” Holgorsen pointed out. “If you can’t do either one, you’re not going to be worth a darn, that’s for sure.”
Fifty-fifty, run-pass is what every offensive coach strives for. Holgorsen was able to accomplish that last year (563 rushes and 534 pass attempts) with a veteran cast of wide receivers, two of whom are now in the NFL in first-rounder Kevin White and Mario Alford.
Where will that down-the-field receiving production come from this season? Smallwood said he is confident Mountaineer coaches will develop effective replacements come August.
“Shelton Gibson is pretty fast and has gotten behind our defense a lot and has caught some deep balls. We’ve got some other receivers that are just as good (as Gibson), so I think we are going to stretch the field,” he said.
Smallwood also likes what he sees from West Virginia’s three newest receivers, junior college transfer Ka’Raun White and freshmen Jovon Durante and Gary Jennings.
“I like Jovon – he is just as fast (as Gibson),” said Smallwood. “Jennings and Ka’Raun are pretty good, too, and I think out of those three one will emerge.”
Plus, don’t forget about Wendell Smallwood in the passing game as well. Smallwood says he is much more comfortable in Holgorsen’s offense now after two years in the system.
“Last year things weren’t as natural to me, some of my movements and some of my routes, but I think this year I’ve stepped it up and got down the offense – who’s who and what’s going on with the defense,” he admitted.
As for the comparisons to Sims, an ear-to-ear grin formed on Smallwood’s face when Sims’ name was brought up.
“I think I learned a lot from him just from how he ran the ball and caught the ball out of the backfield and then taking after him and doing the things that he was doing when he was here,” Smallwood said. “He had to run the ball and catch the ball a lot and me seeing him do that made me want to step my game up. And I want guys to have to lean on me, too.”
Charles Sims willingly embracing his role as a dual-threat player in Holgorsen’s offense playing in the Big 12 Conference in 2013, which likely put him in a position to become a starter in the NFL this season.
If Smallwood can produce similar results running and catching the ball out of the backfield, who knows? Perhaps he’s next in line when his time comes.
Nate Gabriel | April 8
Wednesday, April 08
Coach Rod West | April 8
Wednesday, April 08
Coach Rich Rodriguez | April 8
Wednesday, April 08
Ryan Ward | April 6
Monday, April 06
