Rams' Ron Gould Details Progress With His Running Back Room

When Ron Gould was hired to lead the Rams rushing attack into a new era, he knew he wasn't playing with the toys of years past. Gone were the days of Todd Gurley, C.J. Anderson, and Cam Akers.

Akers was traded after one game and with tight ends coach Nick Caley helping install rushing concepts from his time in New England, the Rams gave Gould Zach Evans, Royce Freeman, Ronnie Rivers, Kyren Williams, and Darrell Henderson Jr with the task of figuring it out.

And figuring it out is exactly what he did. He found his workhorse in Williams and rode him all the way to the postseason. Like an ox, Williams has been carrying the Rams offense to needed points when the passing attack has faltered and with Blake Corum and Jarquez Hunter looking to help Gould cement his legacy in Los Angeles, Gould has detailed the progress of his ball carriers in an exclusive interview with Rams.com's Wyatt Miller.

Miller spoke to Gould during OTAs, where Gould shared his thoughts on Williams, Corum and Hunter.

Gould has been impressed by the strides Williams has taken since January as Williams looks to sign an extension before playing on the final year of his rookie deal.

"The first thing that stood out to us was his explosiveness," Gould said. "... One of the things (I noticed) was just his ability to stay grounded through some of his runs that was really, really evident in the work that he's put in, so really, really pleased with that."

"You talk about leadership, that's what that's all about. "So he's done a great job of uniting the guys, bringing everybody together, and making sure that we all stay on the same page."

While Williams looks to become that next legendary Rams running back, the Marshall Faulk, Eric Dickersons of the world, a hurdle most wouldn't even attempt considering Williams isn't believed in like that by most, Blake Corum is looking to finally get his opportunities after a restricted rookie year.

"He's gotten his speed back, so his explosiveness has come back," Gould said. "We had a chance to just see that, and then his ability to come out of cuts, which is something that we saw in the junior year and part of his senior year."

Perhaps the Rams weren't satisfied with what they saw from Corum last season from a speed and explosiveness perspective. I keep saying Corum's height and center of gravity remain the Rams' most unused weapon, making Corum dangerous on any type of toss play or outside run, something that allows him to slip into gaps where others may not be able to.

However, the back I've been most excited about is Jarquez Hunter, a player who looks like Les Snead's finest draft gem.

"His superpower is his speed, he's really fast," Gould said. "And then the second thing is, if you get the pads on you, he's a heavier guy, he's a guy who can go north and south, and he's a guy who's gonna be able to come out of a lot of tackles."

"He's impressed me (with) his attention to detail," Gould said. "And he's a young man that's very focused on making sure he's doing exactly what we need him to do in order for him to take that next step. And then I was just very surprised at how quickly he picked up everything."

How the Rams divide their snaps and carries will be a defining moment for the organization but for Gould, he's doing his job at the highest of levels. Expect big things on the ground in 2025.