STARKVILLE — As the Mississippi State football team departed for Provo, Utah, last Friday, the running backs knew there was an opportunity to be had.
Starter Brandon Holloway didn’t make the trip with an undisclosed injury. Senior Ashton Shumpert earned his second-consecutive start, but sophomore Aeris Williams received the majority of the carries finished with career highs of 82 yards and 21 carries in a 28-21 loss to BYU in double overtime at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
“He ran hard,” MSU running backs coach Greg Knox said. “A lot of credit goes to our O-line, they gave him some opportunities and he took advantage of them. I thought we really blocked well in the second half and the O-line came off the ball and we started moving the line of scrimmage. He did a good job of taking advantage of it.”
MSU coach Dan Mullen doesn’t expect Holloway to play against Kentucky (3-3, 2-2 Southeastern Conference) at 6:30 p.m. Saturday (SEC Network), which means Williams could get another chance to show what he can do.
“I’ve been hungry since I got here,” Williams said. “It doesn’t change it up. I’m just going to keep on going on the field and keep working hard.”
In the first five games, Williams had 67 yards on 15 carries. He scored a 16-yard touchdown in a 47-35 victory against Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Williams feels his performance against BYU proved he deserves more carries. He said it was the best he felt in a MSU uniform.
Mullen said there is more to playing running back than running the ball and that affected Williams’ ability to see the field as a redshirt freshman and earlier this season. As a redshirt freshman, the 6-foot-1, 217-pound Williams had 206 yards on 40 carries and three touchdowns.
“It’s reading the blocks, understanding the schemes, understanding what’s going on, there’s a lot of pass protection,” Mullen said. “Him getting live reps, running the football, understanding the blocking schemes, understanding how plays will hit a little bit better, I think he’s going to gain more and more confidence in doing that. The mental part of the game, within pass protection, you’ve got to block well, not just pass protection, but run block and make sure your assignment’s sound. I think his experience is helping him take those steps forward.”
Williams said he knew he was going to have to do more than run when he signed with MSU. The former West Point High School standout arrived in Starkville as an F blocker. He said he is now a B blocker. He said improving at blocking forced him to learn how to use his hands, eyes, and feet better.
“You’re going to hear coach Knox talk about all the time, hands, eyes, and feet. That’s what you use to block, your hands, eyes, and feet,” Williams said.
Williams was a three-year starter for coach Chris Chambless at West Point High. He rushed for 3,994 yards in his career, including 1,697 yards on 265 carries and 21 touchdowns as a senior in 2013. He was named the Mississippi Association of Coaches 5A Offensive Player of the Year as a senior.
“We didn’t do a lot of straight drop-back pass stuff, but we did roll out a lot. He did a fair job of that,” Chambless said. “As far as having to learn those things and as far as blocking, he would block. He was the one running the ball for us, so there were other guys blocking for him. He has the tools it takes to be a good running back.”
Williams learned from Josh Robinson while he was redshirting in 2014. Robinson, who was taken in the sixth round (205th overall) by the Indianapolis Colts in the 2015 NFL draft, had 1,203 yards on 190 carries and 11 touchdowns that season as MSU rose to No. 1 for five-straight weeks.
Williams played in 13 games last season, but Holloway started eight games and Shumpert started five as he learned all the aspects of the running back position.
Chambless never saw Williams develop an ego at West Point, so he expects he handled the adjustment period well.
“He’s a very humble, team guy,” Chambless said. “It was always team first. He didn’t want the spotlight on himself. He wants to give it all to his teammates.”
Knox said spring practice eliminated a lot of thinking for Williams and he saw him start to react to situations.
“He’s working,” Knox said. “He knows he has to learn everything. He’s got to be detailed on everything he does. I think he’s becoming that player we want him to be and that we expect him to be. The more detailed he becomes, the better player he’s going to be.”
Chambless saw Williams get stronger and stronger as a game wore on. He said Williams often was better on his 30th carry than he was his first carry. Williams said he gets into a rhythm the more he touches the ball and he begins to understand the defense.
Redshirt freshman Leo Lewis also called Williams a tough runner. He said learned about Williams’ strength when he tried to tackle him in practice.
“He does the little things,” Lewis said. “He’s working on his footwork after practice and in the offseason he’s working his tail off. When we’re running, he’s the first one. He just never gets tired. As a football player, he’s going to be phenomenal one day.”
With Holloway questionable, Knox said he doesn’t know how the Bulldogs will divide the repetitions for the first-string players, but he said everyone will get a chance.
“If you start, that’s good, but the other guy’s going to play, too,” Knox said. “Everybody’s got to be ready play and ready to take advantage of their opportunity.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait
Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.
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