The South Carolina backfield appears to be getting more complex and dynamic as Coach Will Muschamp has added true freshman, Rico Dowdle, into the mix.
For the first four games of the season, the formula for running backs was simple: a two-back system consisting of A.J. Turner and David Williams. Turner was the lightning bolt out of the backfield, a player capable of making any defender miss with a simple shake of the hips, and the breakaway speed to take any handoff to the house if given space. Most of his yardage seemed to come outside of the tackles on stretch runs or runs that he was able to bounce to the outside.
Williams, in turn, was the thunder. With his strength and downhill running style, a simple arm tackle was not enough to bring him down, and he always seemed to gain a few extra yards beyond contact.
But with the addition of all-purpose back Rico Dowdle, this simple system has been revolutionized.
Against Texas A&M, coach Muschamp finally gave Dowdle his first glimpse of college football — an opportunity that Dowdle took full advantage of. He was given nine handoffs in that game, rushing for 47 yards and averaging an impressive 5.2 yards per carry.
More noticeable than his stats, though, was the new dimension he brought to the Gamecock offense. No longer was the running game predictable as it had been with the two back system of Turner and Williams, for Dowdle put on full display his unique balance of both speed and strength. He showed his ability to run both between the tackle and in space, providing a much-needed spark to a running game that otherwise was bottled up after Turner’s initial 75-yard run on the opening play of the game.
After his tremendous showing against the Aggies, Dowdle received all of the carries normally attributed to Williams, who had grown relatively ineffective in recent games, in the following game against Georgia. He did have a costly fumble early in the game, though, that resulted in Turner receiving most of the remaining offensive snaps in the game. Yet, even with his fumble, and limit in touches that ensued, Dowdle was still able to end the game with 30 yards on seven carries, and one of South Carolina’s two touchdowns.
The advantages of having Dowdle in the backfield for South Carolina are undeniable. But for coach Muschamp, the decision must be made on how much this young, untested freshman can be trusted. Dowdle has already shown his versatility, and proven that he can be productive for the Gamecocks. Yet he is also young, and with his fumble, showed the danger that comes with his extreme potential.
The decision must be made by coach Muschamp between returning to the predictable two back system of Turner and Williams, or realizing the potential offered by Dowdle and providing him with the snaps needed to maximize this potential.