FRISCO — Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer knows the element of surprise in the NFL is a one-time thing. His previous play-calling tendencies — five years old by this point — have passed the statute of limitations. While the exact look of his offense remains to be seen, his ambitions are no secret.
“Do they know we’re going to run the football? Yup,” Schottenheimer said.
And will they know it’ll likely be Javonte Williams running the majority of the time? Probably. As to what that looks like, that will be a mystery to everyone outside the Cowboys.
Williams, a free agent acquisition from Denver this offseason, was the only Cowboys running back to not play in the preseason this year. Schottenheimer played coy about who his starter would be during training camp, citing the position battle and the willingness to use multiple players, but evidence suggests it’ll be Williams taking the lead.
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Despite the lack of a preseason showcase, the Cowboys are confident in Williams’ ability to be the lead guy effectively against the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday.
“I have no questions about it,” Schottenheimer said about Williams handling the workload of a starting running back.
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There are reasons for Schottenheimer’s optimism — chief among them is how Williams answered one question the Cowboys had about him immediately.
Schottenheimer has been adamant through his first season as a head coach that film matters. A player is defined by what they put on tape, rather than what their reputation might be. That’s ultimately why the Cowboys went out and targeted Williams. They saw a 220-pound running back who played physically and could work in Schottenheimer’s offense.
It does matter, however, when a player’s reputation is backed up by what they show once they arrive in Dallas, like Williams’ did. Cowboys offensive coordinator Klayton Adams indicated that he heard Williams, in his words, was a “pro’s pro,” and someone who was a high-character guy. Williams said the NFL is a business, which means he approaches it with a business mentality.
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“He’s as advertised,” Adams said.
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Adams didn’t hear, however, about one of Williams’ best accolades. Williams graduated early from Wallace-Rose Hill High School in Teachey, North Carolina. He was named valedictorian there after finishing with a 4.6 GPA. His lowest grade ever, reportedly, was a 97.
“I call him Valedictorian-Tae,” Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott said. “That’s what he is … the guy plays smart at running back, and he can make plays, and I’m super excited for him to play.”
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There have been some benefits to Williams’ valedictorian reputation. Schottenheimer threw a pop quiz for his starting offense at the Cowboys’ recent open practices at The Ford Center in Frisco. He called a play they hadn’t worked on in a while. Knowing the surprise of the call, Schottenheimer turned to Williams to offer him a reminder of his responsibilities on the play. Williams didn’t need the extra help for a passing grade.
“He looked back and said, ‘Schotty, I got you. I got it,'” Schottenheimer recalled. “He gives you confidence, and I think he gives Dak [Prescott] confidence. And I think that’s what you love about the guy. His preparation is top-notch.”
But can he be a top-notch running back in Schottenheimer’s offense? Williams, a former second-round pick out of North Carolina, showed that during his rookie season with the Denver Broncos. He had 203 carries for 903 yards and four touchdowns. He also had 316 yards receiving and three touchdowns. He suffered a torn ACL during his second season with Denver. Since then, he’s averaged less than four yards per carry.
Williams said he feels good physically. He’s always been diligent in his recovery, but he added some new things to his routine this past year, including acupuncture.
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“I feel like this is as good I’m going to get,” Williams said. “I’m just ready to go and ready to get out there.”
Especially because he hasn’t been out on the field yet with his teammates. Williams said the fact that he didn’t play in preseason was a surprise to him. He saw that decision from the coaches as an act of confidence toward his ability.
“I just have to repay them for it,” he said.
Starting with his Cowboys debut in the season opener on Thursday against the reigning champions.
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