Iowa Running Back Room Has New Look

Ladell Betts admitted he’s “old school” in what he likes to see in his running backs.

“I like guys who can thump a little bit,” Betts, Iowa’s running backs coach, said on Wednesday. “Guys who can run between the tackles.”

Betts likes backs with speed that can get to the outside, and he had that in Tyler Goodson last season, who rushed for 1,151 yards. And he knows he has that in Gavin Williams and Leshon Williams, who are 1-2 on the depth chart this spring.

But Betts also knows those two backs have the power as well.

“Tyler Goodson was definitely open-space, very quick,” Betts said. “Dangerous in the open space. That’s not saying these aren’t — they’re dangerous in space, too. But they are different runners. Every runner has their own skill set, own way of doing things. And I think both of these guys have that ability to go north-south, and they’re not afraid of contact. They’ll run through people, they’ll get yards after contact.

“What I like seeing is those chains continue to move. Make it easy for the play-caller to feel good about calling another run.”

Betts, in his second spring as the running backs coach, lost Goodson and Ivory Kelly-Martin, who rushed for 202 yards last season.

“We lost a bulk of the carries, a bulk of the production, that came out of our room,” Betts said. “More importantly, we lost a bulk of the leadership. As a coach, you always like a veteran presence in the room, and we lost that. So, the room has changed, the room is drastically different. But that’s not a bad thing.

“We have a group of guys who last year were probably sitting in the back seat, so to speak, watching the older guys sit in the front seat. They’re probably sitting back there wondering when they were going to get their chance. ‘Where do I fit? When am I going to get my opportunity? How do this coaching staff feel about me?’ A year later, here they are.”

Betts saw what Gavin and Leshon Williams could do in the Citrus Bowl loss to Kentucky, after Goodson opted out of the game to prepare for the NFL draft. Gavin Williams rushed for 98 yards, while Leshon Williams rushed for 42.

“It was exciting to see those guys get out there and perform, because I knew they were wanting to get carries all year long,” Betts said.

Spring practice, then, has been about going back to basics, considering both backs will be in more featured roles.

“Now, fast forward coming into the spring, it was kind of the opportunity to kind of hit the reset button, and try to dive into the fundamentals and the details of what we do and why we do it, and try to bring these guys along further,” Betts said. “We went back to the basics — alignment, assignment, and effort. Really dive into where you’re supposed to be and why you’re supposed to be there.”

Gavin Williams is No. 1 on the depth chart, with Leshon Williams at No. 2.

“You use the term ‘top guy,’” Betts said in response to a question about Gavin Williams. “ I view it as I have two top guys, to be honest with you.”

Gavin, Betts said, “has a quiet, calm presence about him. He’s very confident in his ability. He doesn’t have to talk about it. I consider him the ultimate professional who shows up always ready to work, whether it’s in the weight room or the classroom or on the field. He handles his business in academics as well.”

Betts said he has seen Leshon grow as well.

“When I got here, he was learning from me,” Betts said. “Now, he’s got a clear understanding of what he’s supposed to do, where he’s supposed to be, why he’s supposed to be there. Now you get a chance to see that talent unfold.”

Both backs have their opportunities now.

“They are the veteran presence,” Betts said. “They are the older guys now.”