WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. – At the end of last season, Rams running back Kyren Williams made it clear that he wasn't satisfied with his performance in 2024.
Despite ranking seventh in the NFL in rushing yards (1,299) and tying for fifth in rushing touchdowns (14), Williams acknowledged that his lack of explosiveness and ball security were costly, vowing to improve in both areas ahead of next season.
Running backs coach Ron Gould has already noticed strides taken in those areas during OTAs, and also discussed observations from Blake Corum and Jarquez Hunter with theRams.com. When asked about the group at large, which also includes Williams, Corum, Hunter, Ronnie Rivers, Cody Schrader and Jordan Waters, Gould said he's been "pleased" with how all of the running backs have done this spring.
Williams showing improved explosiveness
Williams' 27 explosive rushes (10-plus yards) ranked tied for 11th in the NFL last season, but were the second-fewest of any running back with over 250 carries (he had 316). Meanwhile, his five fumbles tied for the second-most among running backs.
But after a few months away from the facility, Williams showed up in "exceptional shape," Gould told theRams.com.
"The first thing that stood out to us was his explosiveness," Gould said. "... One of the things (I noticed) was just his ability to stay grounded through some of his runs that was really, really evident in the work that he's put in, so really, really pleased with that."
Williams and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, have had an ongoing dialogue with the Rams' front office about a potential extension this offseason, as Williams enters the final year of his rookie deal. Still, Williams was a constant presence at voluntary workouts, sporting his signature grin and bringing the younger players up to speed.
From guiding the rest of the running back room through drills to spreading his infectious energy, vintage Williams was on full display during OTAs.
"You talk about leadership, that's what that's all about," Gould said, "So he's done a great job of uniting the guys, bringing everybody together, and making sure that we all stay on the same page."
Corum has "gotten his speed back"
After fracturing his forearm against the Seahawks in Week 18, Corum is back on the field making defenders miss. Not only is he back to full health, but he's shown improvement from last season.
"He's gotten his speed back, so his explosiveness has come back," Gould said. "We had a chance to just see that, and then his ability to come out of cuts, which is something that we saw in the junior year and part of his senior year."
Similar to Williams, Corum has displayed more explosive tendencies during training camp than he did last season. And after the Rams ranked 29th in explosive rushes last season, that's an area where they would welcome some improvement in 2025.
Hunter has excellent speed and "attention to detail"
If the Rams want more chunk gains on the ground, Hunter can provide. Last season at Auburn, the 5-foot-9, 204-pound speedster broke off 42 explosive rushes, ranking eighth in the FBS.
"His superpower is his speed, he's really fast," Gould said. "And then the second thing is, if you get the pads on you, he's a heavier guy, he's a guy who can go north and south, and he's a guy who's gonna be able to come out of a lot of tackles."
Gould has also been impressed with how quickly Hunter has picked up the offense, making "minimal mistakes" during drills and meetings.
"He's impressed me (with) his attention to detail," Gould said. "And he's a young man that's very focused on making sure he's doing exactly what we need him to do in order for him to take that next step. And then I was just very surprised at how quickly he picked up everything."
Gould doing some things differently
When asked if he's doing anything differently with the running back room ahead of 2025, Gould said, "absolutely." He wants to enable his players in grow in whatever areas the team needs them to, and sometimes that means changing things up.
"You look at what guys' strengths are, I think it starts out with me," Gould said. "I have to be better as a coach, and then if I'm better as a coach, then I think that's gonna reflect on the players."
