Cal Football: New Running Backs Coach Assesses Bears' Backs
New Cal running backs coach Aristotle Thompson has praise for the Bears' running back corps, and he would like to see physical running back Christopher Brown Jr. be even more physical.
"My first suggestion to Chris is, 'I want you to be more of who you are,'" Thompson said this week in the video. "'You're a big-body running back, so if you get those little corners that are coming at you, it's OK to make them pay a little bit. You don't always need to use a stiff-arm with them. You can play behind the pads.
"Other than that, Chris does so many other things well, I'm not here to knock what Chris doesn't do well. I'm here to help him continue to do those things well, and some other things we'll see, we're going to grow those.
"But most importantly, 'Continue to be you,' because he does so many good things well, I'm not going to come in here and pick and pull him apart. No, no, no, that's not the deal here. We're going to keep ;pushing that big train, keep it going."
Brown rushed for 914 yards in 2019, averaging 4.4 yards per carry. He was particularly effective late in the season, rushing for 111 yards in the final regular-season game against UCLA and 120 yards in the Redbox Bowl against Illinois. It's not a coincidence that Cal won both those games.
What Thompson liked most about his running backs was that they are good people. He pointed out the community work that Marcel Dancy does.
"Great young men, first and foremost," Thompson said.
Dancy was the Bears' second-leading rusher last season with 248 yards, and DeShawn Collins was third in rushing yardage among running backs with 199 yards. Brown, Dancy and Collins all return in 2020, and all three have shown an ability to catch the football, something Thompson also points out in the video.
"Watched some tape today, saw Chris Brown in a scramble drill against Ole Miss, come back, catch the ball, and get a touchdown later on as well," Thompson said, "and I see Marcel running some routes as well, so the versatility of those guys is really exciting as well."
Brown caught 22 passes for 166 yards and four touchdowns last season, and Dancy added 20 receptions for 153 yards.
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