BYU football: Jamaal Williams has another big game in win

Former BYU football running back Jamaal Williams had his first career 100-yard rushing game in Green Bay’s overtime win over Tampa Bay on Sunday.

BYU football’s all-time leading rusher continues to impress for the Green Bay Packers. In his fourth-straight game with 20+ touches – and his third-straight start – Jamaal Williams led the Packers to an overtime win against Tampa Bay.

Williams took 21 carries for 113 yards (a career high) and a touchdown in the win. It was also his highest yards per carry average in the last four weeks. The J-Swag Daddy added one reception on two targets for 10 yards.

For those keeping track, since Williams has taken over as the lead back for the Packers, these are his numbers:

Rushing: 80 carries, 303 yards, two touchdowns.

Receiving:11 receptions, 124 yards, one touchdown. 

Total: 91 touches, 427 yards, three touchdowns. 

Not too shabby for a guy who worked his way into the No. 2 back role, only to careen down the depth chart a few weeks later. But like so many others in the NFL, Williams got an opportunity and seized it.

Now with Green Bay running back Ty Montgomery on injured reserve, the backfield for the Packers is down to two players: Williams and fellow rookie Aaron Jones.

Jones had missed the last few weeks with an MCL injury, which gave Williams an opening. While Green Bay was easing Jones back against the Buccaneers, he didn’t hurt his stock. His lone carry went for the 20-yard game-winning score.

Still, Williams out-touched him by 20.

At this point, based on what the coaches in Green Bay have said, there’s no reason to think that Williams won’t be the starter next week when the Packers travel to Cleveland to take on the Browns.

While at first glance that appears to be a matchup he’ll thrive in, the Browns have been surprisingly stingy against the run this season.

It’s Been A Long Time

With his 113-yard performance against Tampa Bay, Jamaal Williams became the first BYU football alumni to rush for 100 yards in an NFL game since Eric Lane did it with the Seattle Seahawks in a win over Minnesota in 1984.

Obviously it was a cool moment for Williams, the Packers and all BYU football fans. As always, we’ll keep an eye out in Green Bay regarding his status as the lead back.