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PROVO — Last week, BYU head football coach Bronco Mendenhall announced that star running back Jamaal Williams will miss the remainder of the season with “significant, multiple” knee injuries. The knee injuries finish what has been a season full of injuries and inconsistency for the young tailback. Here are three questions after his injury.
How will the team respond without Williams?
Even before his injury, the team played two complete games without Williams and a third game where Williams only was involved in one play. In those three games, the Cougars still averaged over 31 points a game. That production points to the good depth at the position. The next two games (UNLV, Savannah State) on the schedule should be easy wins for the team, but the Y will surely miss him against Cal in a game that very well could turn into a shootout when two mediocre defenses meet.
Who will step up and take Williams’ place?
As mentioned before, there has not been a significant drop-off in terms of scoring and offensive production when Williams has not been able to play. A lot of that has to do with the quality of depth the Cougars have at running back. Still, it is not debatable whether Williams was the best running back on the team. My money is on Algernon Brown receiving an increased workload, as Brown has the game most comparable to Williams with his blend of speed and power.
How will Williams recover?
With knee injuries, you never know how an athlete will recover. In the case of Taysom Hill, he was able to overcome a significant knee injury quickly and did not appear to lose any of his explosiveness. Other athletes, such as Robert Griffin III, are tentative when they return to action or lose their ability to make sharp cuts and athletic plays. How will Williams recover from this knee injury? Only time will tell.
Who do you think will take over Williams’ spot on the team?
Listen to my podcast this week as David Watkins and I interview BYU football legend Ty Detmer. Find our podcast, “Cougar Talk,” on iTunes or podbean.com. Dylan Cannon is a regular KSL.com contributor and can be reached at DylanCannon86@gmail.com or via twitter @DylanCannon11. Listen to his weekly podcast, "Cougar Talk," on iTunes or podbean.com.
