The Big-12's Leading Rusher in 2024 Will Play for... TCU? 🧐
Could TCU's sophomore runner be this year's version of Ollie Gordon in the Big-12? Don't rule it out...
Fight ‘em until hell freezes over. Then fight ‘em on the ice!
- Dutch Meyer, former coach
It’s been a question on everybody’s mind this offseason: who takes over the reins of the vaunted TCU RB1 role? After all, this is a position that produced Emani Bailey’s 1200-yard rushing season this past year, and Kendre Miller’s 1400-yard campaign the previous season. Each player saw over 220 carries.
There are a lot of great RBs in the so-called Big-12 this year (I’ve already reached out to the commissioner proposing a sponsorship that would include renaming the conference to the ‘Pig-12’… the ball is in his court now). So, competition for the leading rusher title will be stiff. However, the ingredients for today’s player are here for him to compete for that role.
Put more precisely, the question we’re really asking today is: who’s going to be the next one up under the Sonny Dykes/Kendel Briles regime? In fact, the list of pigs under these two characters may interest you (more on this later).
As is usually the case, spring football provided some clarity on today’s question. From a beat report in late April:
After losing another 1,000-yard rusher in Emani Bailey, running back was a big question mark for TCU entering the spring, but the program has found its answer in Cam Cook.
The sophomore running back was clearly the best running back all spring and was one of the standouts of the spring game. Cook is a jack of all trades in the backfield, he’s not a burner, but has more breakaway speed than Bailey.
Sonny Dykes himself called Cook “the next great TCU running back”, which may or may not have prompted me to pre-order a stuffed pig to send to his address early this offseason (you’re welcome Sonny)…
Here’s a snippet from a different report:
The former four-star recruit rushed for 1,589 yards as a senior in high school and has spent the last year adding muscle — he was listed at 175 as a recruit and now 195 following his freshman season — and worked on his agility. If it all comes together, you could be looking at the next elite running back to play for the Horned Frogs. And 2024 might just be the breakout year.
Amazing—we were hoping someone would emerge this offseason for the Horned Frogs (before summer drafts, that is) and it appears someone has. But first, let us examine the history of the two pig farmers in charge at TCU to form a better idea of what to expect this season.
Coaching & System
RB1 PPG AVERAGE — HC: 17.1 — OC: 15.51 (half ppr)
TCU is run by Sonny Dykes, and they have two OCs/co-OCs. Kendal Briles is the main play caller OC, while A.J. Ricker is the co-OC/OL coach. Briles joined the program last year by way of Arkansas, while Ricker joined with Dykes in 2022. Prior to TCU, Ricker was with SMU as the OL coach.
Dykes himself was the head coach at SMU (2018-21) before making his way across town to TCU. He also head coached Cal (2013-16), and Louisiana Tech (2010-12). Before being elevated to a head coaching role he OC’d Arizona (2007-09) and co-OC’d one of Mike Leach’s Texas Tech teams (2005-06).
Dykes’ time at Cal yielded only one pig via Daniel Lasco in 2014, rushing for 1115 yards and 12 scores on 210 carries. Lasco also went over 350 yards receiving and scored twice via the air.
The three Louisiana Tech years are more encouraging. Two of those seasons had a runner go over 200 carries and 1100 yards rushing. One of those seasons included Kenneth Dixon’s jaw dropping 27(!!) rushing TDs. Fucking hell. Even the three Arizona seasons produced one RB with over 200 carries and 1153 yards in 2008.
But surely under the Mike Leach Texas Tech teams there wasn’t a 1000-yard pig in the backfield, right? Yes, you would be correct, but Shannon Woods probably did account for something like 90% of the rushing share in 2006 (he had 152 carries for 926 yards, the next leaders had nine, seven, and five carries).
We already know what Dykes has done at TCU the last two years, but below you’ll find a summary of his track record at the RB position dating back to 2018. The 2019 season is when SMU had Xavier Jones, who rushed 244 times for 1276 yards and 23 scores, plus caught 20 passes for 90 yards and two more scores.
Looking to Briles, one of his most notable seasons recently came via Arkansas in 2022. Raheim Sanders had a career year with the Hogs, rushing for 1400+ yards on 222 carries, scoring 10 times. He was also the OC of FSU when they had Cam ‘the Mississippi Bullet’ Akers. Akers had a monster year in 2019, averaging over 20 carries per game and 100+ yards rushing. In addition to 1144 yards and 14 scores on the ground (11 games), he caught 30 passes for 225 yards and four more scores.
Despite the seemingly prolific passing usage of the RBs under this staff, they actually don’t average a lot of targets to the RB1 based on the 2018-2023 sample.
One of the concerns I have about the TCU run game this year is that they only return 30% of the OL snaps from a year ago. That’s not a death knell, but it’s nice to have continuity year over year—especially when coming off a strong rushing season. On the flip side, TCU moves at a scorching pace. They finished 3rd in the FBS last year with an average of 21.2 seconds per play run.
You would expect that a former Leach disciple would lean heavy pass in his play calling tendencies, but Dykes averages an almost even 50/50 split. Briles is a much more run-heavy proponent, averaging a 55/45 run/pass split. Ricker’s numbers are identical to Dykes since his only play calling seasons came under him.
Cameron Cook (5’11, 195)
2023 STATS: 16-58-0 (0.7 ppg)
Cook entered into the program slightly undersized, just like another former B12 RB out of Round Rock, TX (my boy Deuce Vaughn—he was pretty good for KSU). But it sounds like Cook has bulked up now to a weight more commensurate with what you’d expect for a future VolumePig.
He’s not as big as Kendre Miller, but still runs with surprising power for his 5-foot-11, 195 pound frame and he also showed upside as a receiver in the screen game and running routes out of the backfield. Cook isn’t the only young back to stand out as Nate Palmer made a strong case for moving up the rotation over veterans like Trey Sanders and Trent Battle.
The additional weight should serve as sufficient body armour for a player who could be in for another 220+ carry campaign in 2024. He was a composite and 247 Sports four star in the class of 2023, with other offers from the likes of USC, Texas and Ole Miss. That recruiting ranking actually makes Cook the highest rated out of the three RBs including the last two bellcows (Bailey and Miller).
247 Sports’ Gabe Brooks had this to say about Cook coming out of high school:
Adequate height and frame that looks and plays larger than verified size. Shows run strength and finishing ability above size on paper.
Saved best for last with a strong senior season (9.3 ypc, 2+ TDs per game). Good production over 24-game varsity sample size: 120+ yards per game, 8.4 ypc.
Consistently shows encouraging natural running back instincts. Good vision with patient. Knows how to press the line of scrimmage and give linemen time to set up blocks / alleys.
Senior year showed particularly improved speed-changing nuance. Explosive enough to set up cuts and bursts with patient second-gear approach before hitting the throttle.
Quick-footed in the hole and when evading defenders at the second level and beyond. Sudden, effective jump-cutter. Capable of stringing moves together in the open field, including cutbacks and spins.
Not a true top-end burner but possesses enough long speed to hit the home run. Excels in first 20 yards and stacks adequate top-end speed on top of that.
Owns a multi-sport profile that includes long jump and relays. Excellent combine-testing athleticism that provides valuable context.
Often runs high and can more consistently shrink target in anticipation of contact. Occasionally gets juke-happy at the second level. Sometimes tops out downfield vs. faster defenders.
Legitimate Power Five / high-major running back prospect with physical tools and functional athleticism to excel at the college level. Could become a multi-year starter with potential to reach NFL Draft status.
That is an abnormally large evaluation, which I’m taking as a good sign. Coming back to present day, here’s a report from 247 Sports’ TCU page:
Cook was one of four running backs that got plenty of reps during spring camp along with Trey Sanders, Trent Battle and Nate Palmer. However, it was Cook that started to emerge by the end of spring camp and is the headliner heading into the 2024 season.
Cook spent a majority of spring camp running with the first-team offense and he had the most electric runs. Cook reeled off runs of 60+ yards multiple times and in the final practice of spring camp, he had over 50 yards on just over a handful of carries including a 25-yard touchdown run.
With a good blend of size and speed, Cook displayed good versatility and looked the most comfortable of the running backs. Cook doesn't have a ton of experience after appearing in nine games as a true freshman (most of that on special team), but it didn't show during spring camp. TCU head coach Sonny Dykes recently said that Cook was one of the more impressive players in spring camp and could be one to watch this fall.
Projection on the depth chart: Starter
I mean… it doesn’t get much better than that, right? Beat writers are not always right, so it’s not a slam dunk that just because someone who covers the team says such-and-such player will be the starter etc. that it will be so during the season. But, it’s a good place to start.
Closing
Cook currently holds an ADP of 348.5 according to Campus2Canton, but his May ADP of 342 suggests he’s moving up boards this offseason.
The concerns with Cook from where I stand would be the low returning OL snaps, and the fact that Cook could be RB1A in a more committee style approach this season, despite the historical patterns of the staff.
When I think of Cook, I’m reminded of another Big-12 RB who was in a similar spot last offseason—Ollie Gordon. It wasn’t clear if OSU was going to have one bellcow that season nor if Gordon would be that player. In fact, he didn’t even open the season as the main guy.
Yet, here we have a RB in a system with a strong track record, who is one of the highest rated recruits to come through the program at that position in a while, entering his sophomore season. It seems crazy, sure, but you never know… ◾
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Based on a sample of 2018-2023.