BC Runningback Preview

With the lack of passing ability the last few seasons, running back should be the glory position at BC.  However, since Andre Williams graduated, BC has rotated multiple backs with varying degrees of success.  Hopefully this year one back takes the throne, or at least Daz finds a successful way to spread the carries. 

Jon Hilliman
2016 Stats: 182 carries, 542 yards, 6 TD, 1 rec, 2 yards 

2017 Outlook: After having a breakout freshmen year, Hilliman has been awful the past 2 seasons.  He posses the size and the speed to become a good RB in the ACC.  However, Hilliman struggles to read holes.  He constantly will run into clogged lanes, and get stopped short of the line of scrimmage.  He also was not used much out of the backfield, but the was more by design that due to his skillset. In the past however, we have seen flashes of his potential.  He had a great run for a touchdown against Georgia Tech last season, and he was a good power back his first year on the Heights.  With the offensive expected to improve this season, it should help Hilliman reach his potential. 

Davon Jones 2016 Stats: 91 carries, 361 yards, 2 TD, 10 catches, 99 yards     
    2017 Outlook: Jones was a converted defensive back who became a good backup running back in his freshman season.  He averaged 4.0 yards per carry, over 1.3 yards more than Hilliman.  Jones does a good job of hitting the hole hard, and getting 7-10 yard runs. However, after bursting on the scene, he struggled in the last month of the season.  He saw a reduction of carries once November hit, and he wasn’t able to keep up his success.  Hopefully he can again find the spark he brought at the beginning of last season. 

AJ Dillon 2016 Stats: Did not play (Freshman in 2017) 

2017 Outlook: Dillon comes into BC as one of their highest rated recruits since Jon Hilliman in 2014.  Dillon is a big back, and reportedly came in camp at 248 pounds.  Dillion missed most of his high school football season last year with a knee injury, and only time will tell if he is fully recovered.  If Dillon is healthy, look for him to be used immediately in goal line situations, and his carries increase as the year goes on.  Dillon is too talented to redshirt this season if he is healthy.   

Richard Wilson 2016 Stats: 40 carries, 136 yards, 2 TD, 0 catches 

2017 Outlook: Wilson is the primary fullback on the roster.  While BC uses a lot of formations with h-backs and tights ends in the backfield, Wilson is the only fullback.  He has done a good job blocking the last two seasons, and is a capable runner when needed.  Look for Wilson to only get carries during garabage time or if a back goes down.     Travis Leavy 2016 Stats: Did not play (Freshman in 2017) 

2017 Outlook: Leavy will be a speedy back with planty of potential.  He may redshirt this season as there are 3 clear options in front of him.  However, with Dillon’s health a question, he may be needed to be the 3rd back.  He will be a good change of pace option, and can be used similar to Myles Willis last season.  While Leavy may not put up big numbers this season, he will be an important part of the team by the time he is an upperclassman. 


Overall: One of the most interesting aspects of Loeffer’s time as offensive coordinator last season was the way he split carries.  Hilliman received the bulk of the carries even in games where he was not very successful.  Willis showed good spurts as a change of pace back, but never got enough carries.  Davon Jones become a reliable second option behind Hilliman, often looking better, but saw his carries disappear after a fumble against NC State.  I hope the carry count until a real feature back emerges for a game with roughly 35 runs looks as follow: 10-15 carries for Hilliman, 8-12 carries for Jones, 5 carries for Dillon, 5 carries for the QB, 2-3 carries for WRs (Jeff Smith, Michael Walker)