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A current FBS head coach explains what Texas needs in a running backs coach

Joe Cookby:Joe Cook•02/13/25•

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hammock
NIU coach Thomas Hammock. (Photo by Matt Cashore-Imagn Images)

The biggest upset of the 2024 season occurred a few hours after the Texas Longhorns topped the Michigan Wolverines in Ann Arbor. The Northern Illinois Huskies marched into South Bend, Ind. and upset the No. 5 Notre Dame Fighting Irish, 16-14. It would be ND’s only loss until the national championship game.

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The Huskies are led by Thomas Hammock, an NIU grad who has spent time coaching running backs at Northern Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin with notable pupils like Montee Ball and Melvin Gordon in addition to a stint from 2014 to 2018 with the Baltimore Ravens coaching quality backs like Justin Forsett, Kyle Juszczyk, Alex Collins, and Gus Edwards.

Hammock knows what high-level running backs coaching looks like. So what does a program like Texas need from its running backs coach?

“To me, the biggest thing at a place like Texas is you’ve got one of the best play-callers in the country as the head coach,” Hammock told Inside Texas. “He’s going to be looking for somebody that is not only an expert and coaching the fundamentals and techniques of the position, but also an expert from an offensive standpoint. I think that’s critically important to be able to teach players and show players how you can get them to the next level.

“The running back position, a lot of people think it’s an easy position to coach. The reality is that running back coaches know the run game, they know the passing game, and they understand protection. You almost have to be the best of all worlds when you’re coaching that position to develop your guys to be elite. Obviously, Tashard Choice has done a phenomenal job everywhere he’s been and has been rewarded by going to the Detroit Lions.”

Hammock understands how Steve Sarkisian will have to reach out to coaches, but he also was adamant that Sarkisian himself will be fielding a lot of calls.

“I’m sure he’s getting 100 calls from coaches that want to have the opportunity to go to Texas,” Hammock said.

Recruiting in the current day and age is much, much different than when Hammock was at Wisconsin, or even when Hammock started at NIU in 2019. NIL can change a recruitment instantly and dollar signs can overcome longstanding, developed relationships. So for Hammock, what makes a position coach still critically important at the Power Four level?

“Even though there’s money involved now in the recruiting process, I think guys that go to Texas still want to go to the next level,” Hammock said. “You have to show a coaching acumen to show you can prepare them not only mentally, but physically, emotionally for what it takes to get to the next level. That’s still going to entice a lot of young men.

“I saw something the other day. Ashton Jeanty talked about how NIL is short term, and the NFL is long term. If you can show that you have the ability to develop guys and get them to the next level, that’s only going to help in the recruiting process.”

Without a doubt, Texas is losing someone in Choice who has developed NFL backs. For Texas, they’ll look for a replacement at a point in the offseason where Sarkisian and company can point toward players like Bijan Robinson, Roschon Johnson, Jonathon Brooks, Keilan Robinson, and Jaydon Blue as Longhorns who turned into NFL backs while in Austin.

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And Texas will look for someone with the attributes Hammock mentioned to keep that pipeline going.

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