WACO, Texas — After losing both of their leading rushers to graduation, the Baylor Bears will have to replace more than 2,600 yards of production at running back from 2021. But, as spring practice comes closer to an end, offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes was still hesitant to name a starter in the backfield for the 2022 season.
Grimes said, so far, Taye McWilliams and Craig 'Sqwirl' Williams have had extremely successful spring seasons. McWilliams earned snaps during the 2021 season, appearing in 10 games and rushing for 183 yards and two touchdowns. Williams played in four games in 2020, rushing for 198 yards and two scores before injuring his knee in a game against Iowa State.
Last season, the Bears employed a two-headed monster of running backs Abram Smith and Trestan Ebner. Smith was known as a bruiser, who took the majority of snaps, while Ebner served as a change-of-pace back, whose explosive speed made him a playmaking threat.
Grimes said he is unsure whether he plans to employ a similar model in 2022.
"I like to have one guy who is a bell cow and you're gonna hand it to him a bunch of times a game," he said. "And then you have somebody else that will either spell him or be a change-of-pace kind of back. But I've also done it where you split carries between two or three backs."
Baylor's spring season concludes Saturday with the annual Green and Gold game. Kickoff is scheduled for noon.
