Damien Williams could be as crucial to OU against A&M as Landry Jones
Published: 12/26/2012 9:43 AM
Last Modified: 12/26/2012 9:43 AM
Oklahoma's last 100-yard rusher in a bowl game? Would you believe Chris Brown?
He went for 110 against Florida in the BCS championship four years ago. DeMarco Murray never eclipsed 100 in a bowl. Neither did Adrian Peterson (he rushed for 82, 80 and 77 against USC, Oregon and West Virginia).
Before Brown, you have to rewind all the way back to the 2003 Rose to find OU's last triple-figure bowl game ball-carrier. Quentin Griffin gashed Washington State for 162 yards in the Sooners' 34-14 victory.
Let's sneak in a prediction before New Year's, then: Down in Arlington, Damien Williams gives OU its best bowl game by a running back in a decade.
Williams has had another month to take care of his ankle. He looked like he had healed some the last time we saw him, when he 66 yards for a touchdown at TCU.
For all of the shootout talk, the Sooners wouldn't mind a grinder against Texas A&M. Better to hand off, run some clock and keep Johnny Manziel on the sidelines.
The Aggies' run defense is decent – 141 yards per game to rank 38th in FBS – but not impenetrable. OU doesn't need to give it to Williams 30 times like Nate Hybl gave it to Griffin in Pasadena. Just hand it to him enough to keep Damontre Moore off Landry Jones' back, keep the clock moving a few more seconds.
Maybe Williams can take it from there.
Written by
Guerin Emig
Sports Writer
