The Kentucky football team has as one of its few true strengths a very talented running back corps. In terms of average yards per carry, UK ranked seventh in the SEC and were only .01 yards/carry away from tying National Champion Alabama in 2015. Four of the teams above them featured Heisman candidate running backs, and a combo of former five star recruits Jalen Hurd and Alvin Kamara in Knoxville.
It's somewhat amazing what the running backs accomplished - as the most dependable weapon UK fielded last season - despite inconsistent offensive line execution along with an anemic passing attack.
All the contributors return for 2016.
All The Small Things
While the talent can't be denied, the running backs still have areas of their games that need improvement. This unit is mostly beyond the days when they tried to beat defenders to the edge, at the risk of a 10 yard loss and spiking the coaches' blood pressure, rather than hitting a clogged hole and biting the bullet on a three yard loss.
It's now time for the next step in their evolution. This is where a veteran running backs coach like Eddie Gran can make the biggest difference. Gran's history of coaching 1,000 yard rushers will garner most headlines, but improved fundamentals in other areas deserve scrutinous eyes this fall.
Improved pass protection is one example via ASoB contributor Todd Greenwell:
Defense brought 6 but RB left B gap early allowing free hit on the QB. Pass pro is RB job too pic.twitter.com/fbvb4v5RzV
— todd greenwell (@GreenwellTodd) July 5, 2016
Other examples would include continued improvement on setting up blockers, using angles to offset tacklers, minimizing damage when possible, better ball security (though there's only been 10 fumbles the last two seasons so not a big problem), and eliminating false steps that slow down acceleration to rapidly closing running lanes.
Depth Chart Discussion
The depth chart at the running back position will almost certainly be fluid. Carries in games will depend on a host of factors, and running backs will likely deal with injuries over the course of the season. This depth chart is more a projection of total estimated carries in 2016 than anything else.
Projected Depth Chart | Name | 2015 Stats |
1 | Boom Williams (JR) |
855 yards, 7 yards/carry, 6 TD's |
2 | Jojo Kemp (SR) |
555 yards, 5.6 yards/carry, 6 TD's |
3 | Mikel Horton (JR) |
318 yards, 3.88 yards/carry, 3 TD's |
4 | Sihiem King (SO) |
127 yards, 11.5 yards/carry, 1 TD |
5 | AJ Rose/Benny Snell (FR) |
N/A |
Boom Williams
Williams is likely UK's best player. His gaudy stat line from 2015 is even more impressive considering he only played in 10 games. If he played in all 12 games Boom would have been UK's first 1,000 yard rusher since Rafael Little's 1,013 yards in 2007. For perspective, that season Little averaged 5 yards per carry, and was the feature back.
Bill Connelly broke down the nation's best running back taking into account the quality of their offensive lines. No surprise, but Williams fared well. He was well above average on average yards per carry, and yards gained independent of his offensive line. He was slightly above average on runs gained of five yards or more. This confirms Williams accomplished a lot of his production independently, and just how explosive a runner he became.
Success in 2016 for Williams would be an increased durability that sees him play in all 12 regular season games, surpass Little's 1,013 yards in 2007 mark despite splitting carries with a deeper backfield, and being consistent enough fundamentally to further set himself up for early entry into the NFL Draft.
Jojo Kemp
Kemp enters his senior season in a college career that feels like went by in a blur. I can still remember making an ex-girlfriend watch his high school highlight tape much to her feigned interest. Time flies almost as fast as Kemp flies by high school defenders.
Kemp's 2015 numbers were impressive, and his all-around improvement is evident. In 2015 he had 98 carries for 555 yards. His 5.66 yards per carry was good enough for seventh in the SEC. For comparison's sake, his freshman season in 2013 saw him carry the ball 100 times for only 482 yards. Last season he did more with roughly the same amount of opportunities, not to mention doing so after an unremarkable sophomore season.
His transition last season to a back that trusts his power as his comparative advantage over his speed may have been the biggest reason. No longer does Kemp attempt to outrun quicker defenders to the sideline, but accepts he's not a homerun threat at the collegiate level, and instead utilizes his knack for breaking defender's arm tackles. He has just enough speed to accelerate and gain another 5-15 yards afterwards.
Another joy of having Kemp on UK is he's always good for heroics at least one game a year. In 2014, that game was against South Carolina when he rushed for 130 yards on only 17 carries. He also burned South Carolina again in 2015, but his Herculean efforts in the third quarter against Vanderbilt was probably the main reason UK was able to finally move the ball against a stout Commodore defense. He's due for one of these games in 2016.
The Rest of The Merry Band
UK is fortunate to have quality depth at this position. Mikel Horton provides able back-up should Williams or Kemp become injured or slip in practice. The power runner has been injury free at UK, and is a year away from being a feature back. Success for Horton in 2016 is breaking the 500 yard mark.
Horton will undoubtedly compete with King for carries. King performed well in limited time last season despite his charitable stats largely coming in garbage time. Nonetheless, his natural speed and vision were evident and bode promising things for the future. In 2017, Horton and King will comprise a true "power back - scatback" dynamic backfield. Recall that former offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson was responsible for UK signing King. Thanks Coach Dawson!
UK signed two freshman running backs as well. AJ Rose and Benny Snell both had strong prep careers. Rose had to play multiple positions for his high school team, but Snell was named to several All-Ohio teams in a tough division. Both will likely redshirt, continue active participation in the S&C program, and contribute to the scout team. It's difficult to imagine they will move up the depth chart unless their are injuries, but that's a real possibility for this position over the course of a season.
Fantasy Buys
Boom Williams is worth a draft pick whether you play in a SEC specific league or even a wider college football league. In a SEC league, Williams probably is the 3rd-5th running back taken despite doubts he won't miss games due to injury. In a wider college football league, Boom makes a solid late round choice as a FLEX option, but could be a RB2 in league with 12 or more participants. He's the one player on UK's roster that is a must draft.
Jojo Kemp is a sneaky late pick-up in a SEC league, and would serve as a fine RB2 or FLEX player on the weeks you bring him off the bench considering the carries he tends to get in the red zone.
Outlook
This position is likely UK's best on either side of the ball for the second year in a row. They are talented, present complimentary skill sets, and have a proven track record despite inconsistent offensive line execution and a boom-or-bust passing game. If the offensive line and passing game improve they'll be all the more potent.