BYU Football should be Jamaal Williams’ team

BYU has problems on offense.

The Cougars are struggling with intermediate and downfield passing. When the Y reach the red zone, it too frequently ends up with Jake “The Make” Oldroyd or Rhett “You Bet” Almond making a field goal.

Fans, media, and the coaching staff are all working hard to analyze and evaluate potential fixes and reasons to understand why the Cougars have been so lack luster over the first third of 2016 season.

Is it Taysom Hill? The offensive line? Perhaps the wide receivers aren’t capable of making big plays?

You know who there are no questions about? Jamaal Williams.

The best possible game plan after 4 weeks. Hand it off to Jamaal.

While BYU fans are divided between Mangum and Hill, it is certain there is strong unity concerning Williams. Jamaal should be BYU’s go to man.

He hasn’t been the key man for the Cougars in every game thus far. But he should be going forward. Give him a chance to really impact the game on the ground and the Cougars will have a far better opportunity to win football games.

When Jamaal Williams has had 15 carries or more in a game the Cougars are 17-5 (73.9% win percentage).

When Jamaal Williams has 14 carries or less in a game the Y is 6-9 (40% win percentage).

Thus far in his career, 15 plays or more of ground and pound with J-Swagg has given BYU a 30% better opportunity to win football games.

In 2016, the Cougars are 1-1 with Jamaal getting at least 15 carries, and 0-2 when they have gotten away from Williams establishing the run.

Last week marked just the 2nd time that BYU had lost a game when their star running back had over 20 carries in a game. But the Cougars had 2 opportunities to win that game, and they scored 2 more touchdowns against West Virginia than any game prior in 2016.

For any game plan Ty Detmer makes going forward, there is no reason or circumstance that would make it reasonable to not feed the pigskin a ton to #21 in the backfield. He’s the best player on BYU’s offense and it isn’t close.

Jamaal is 28th nationally with 104.3 rushing yards per game. He’s gaining 5.3 yards per carry. BYU’s offense has only produced 10 plays from scrimmage this season that have gained 20 yards or more. Jamaal has gained 4 of them. That’s 40% despite having 28.9% of the plays heading his way. Williams has the longest rush and reception on the year.

The final added bonus of Jamaal Williams. He rarely turns the ball over. Williams has 571 carries in his career and only 1 fumble lost.

Jamaal Williams is in a rare class of running backs at BYU. Williams is on pace to crack 1,000 yards this season. It will be the 15th BYU season with a 1,000 yard rusher — and Jamaal’s 2nd 1,000 yard season in his career. Joining Jamal Willis, Curtis Brown, and Harvey Unga as the only Y players to eclipse 1,000 yards twice. Should Williams rush for 57 yards or more against Toledo, Jamaal will be just the 3rd BYU player to join the 3,000 career rushing yards club. Of course, it is well known that he’s also on track to be the Cougars All-Time rushing king.

The greatness of Jamaal Williams is being overshadowed by a new offense with a quarterback controversy. While every angle is examined trying to find an answer or defend the merit of what is happening under center, Occam’s razor might suggest that the answer is lined up 6 yards deep ready to make 3 men take him down only to get up with a huge smile and a celebration dance.