Photo by: WVU Athletic Communications
Boulware Pleased So Far With West Virginia’s Running Backs
August 20, 2026 02:42 PM | Football
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia's running backs coach once got the football advice of a lifetime from the football savant himself, Bill Walsh.
It came in 2004 when Boulware was a young running backs coach at Stanford after spending time as a tight ends and offensive line coach at Northern Illinois and Arizona. The late Walsh, at the time retired, was still involved in the game and had an office in the team complex where Boulware approached him.
"I asked him a simple question. I said, 'What's one thing that I can work on with our backs that you think they really need to learn how to do?' He looked right at me and said, 'One thing? Teach them how to pass protect.' That's something I've been harping on our guys, and I tell them that story, too," he recalled Wednesday evening.
It's sound advice he's taken to heart.
"There is an NFL, hall of fame coach, won many Super Bowls, and that's the advice he gave me for being a running backs coach," Boulware mentioned. "He said he was a running backs coach when he first entered the league. So, we spend time learning how to do that."
Boulware believes pass protecting is one of the most difficult skills to master in the game of football.
"That's not only for running backs, but also offensive linemen coming out of high school," he mentioned. "It's not an easy task. Being a former offensive line coach, I know how to teach that, and I work on it very diligently with our guys."
So far, Boulware said he has been pleased with the growth and development of West Virginia's running backs.
His eyes have seen some pretty fair running backs through the years - guys such as Samaje Perine, Rhamondre Stevenson and Joe Mixon when he coached at Oklahoma from 2013-19.
Mountaineer football fans are certainly aware of those guys.
There was a game here in 2014 when Perine ran for 242 yards and four touchdowns against the Mountaineers, or the time here in 2016 when Perine and Mixon tagged-teamed WVU for 307 combined yards and three touchdowns. Those two could have continued running straight to Fairmont if not for the goal line, goal post and the Milan Puskar Center stopping them.
So, when Boulware talks about West Virginia's running backs, it's worth perking up your ears and listening to what he has to say about them.
In senior Cam Cook, the veteran coach said he's got an intelligent football player who understands the game and is capable of picking things up very quickly.
"You can tell him something and he will do it the very first time, so that's allowed us to implement (freshman) Amari (Latimer) in some of those situations with that first unit because I know Cam knows what he's doing," he said, adding, "everybody moves up a notch when I sit Cam out for a series, and that's been very helpful."
Boulware also likes Cook's ball skills catching passes out of the backfield.
"There are no holes in his game. He can do everything," the veteran coach noted. "Those are the guys that make NFL-caliber backs. They want guys who can do everything, and I'm harping that on him to try and get him to understand that's what it takes for him to be in the NFL. And he's listening."
As for Latimer, Boulware compares him size-wise to Perine and Stevenson. Latimer weighs and runs like a 230-pounder, just like Perine and Stevenson did at Oklahoma and are still doing today in the league.
"I guess the (guys) that I tell him, body-wise – the build – is similar to Rhamondre Stevenson and Samaje Perine," Boulware said. "Those guys are all big, thick guys and they were thick from the very first time they stepped on campus until the time they were in the NFL. That's what he looks like.
"Now how he plays … every runner is different," he continued. "They all have different things that they do that are assets to football teams, and Amari is no different in that regard. He is more physical than I would expect a freshman to be, probably because he's so dadgum big. He's been a joy to coach and to try and get him ready to go for the big time. I just look forward to his growth, and really everybody's growth. Success is a journey; it's not a destination."
Beyond them, Boulware mentioned he is working with a couple of other up-and-coming performers in freshman Chris Talley from Memphis, Tennessee, and junior college transfer Martavious Boswell from Copiah-Lincoln Community College by way of Fort Worth, Texas.
Boswell and Talley are smaller, speedier-type runners.
"If you don't take a good angle, he's gone," Boulware said of Boswell.
Regarding Talley, who accumulated more than 1,600 all-purpose yards last fall at Whitehaven High, he sees a promising player with a bright future.
Talley weighed barely 180 pounds when he arrived on campus but has already bulked up to 190 and should get even bigger as he matures and develops in West Virginia's strength and conditioning program.
"Talley is probably the one I've been the most pleased with after the first two," the coach offered. "He's got something special, and I've said that from the first day I saw him on the field. He's smooth. He kind of glides. He's got speed and he understands how to get down low and finish runs.
"And he's fearless. He'll go in there and run," Boulware continued. "He's got something to him that I really like. I look forward to coaching that kid for the next several years here and seeing how he continues to develop, because I think he's going to be special."
As for the free Bill Walsh Football 101 lesson Boulware once received, that's still a work in progress for Talley.
"He's not as big as the other guys, so he's got to bring it every time, but he's put on some good weight," his coach said.
Boulware mentioned the transition from his prior job coaching the Kentucky running backs and special teamers to the present in Rich Rodriguez's no-huddle, spread offense has been seamless.
"Because I've been in it for a long time, I've seen a lot and done a lot," he said. "This offense is very similar to a lot of other offenses I've run in terms of some of the plays are still the same. We're still running counter, power, inside zone and outside, so those things are the same.
"The techniques and the fundamentals that are associated with those things, I'm very familiar with," he added. "I'm very familiar coaching guys in multiple positions and multiple areas, which is what we're asking those guys to do.
"When I was at Oklahoma, I was not only the running backs coach but the fullbacks coach and the tight ends coach for four or five years," he explained. "We had three fullbacks that ended up being All-Big 12 guys. Everybody talks about my running backs, but really it was a compliment of both."
In the final analysis, Boulware said football is still football.
"They may call it something different and have a different approach or run faster plays, but I've been in offenses that have done similar things, coaching with Gus Malzahn and Lincoln Riley. Those are offensive coaches in the line of great play callers I've worked for, and I feel very privileged to be here," he concluded.
Today's afternoon schedule calls for a practice in helmets, followed by a Friday afternoon workout in shells leading up to Saturday morning's closed scrimmage inside the stadium.
Mountaineer coach Rich Rodriguez indicated yesterday evening that he has begun introducing some Coastal Carolina specific stuff as the team continues preparing for its season opening game against the Chanticleers on Saturday, Sept. 5.
The media schedule for Friday evening will include Rodriguez, an undetermined assistant coach and a couple of players after practice.
It came in 2004 when Boulware was a young running backs coach at Stanford after spending time as a tight ends and offensive line coach at Northern Illinois and Arizona. The late Walsh, at the time retired, was still involved in the game and had an office in the team complex where Boulware approached him.
"I asked him a simple question. I said, 'What's one thing that I can work on with our backs that you think they really need to learn how to do?' He looked right at me and said, 'One thing? Teach them how to pass protect.' That's something I've been harping on our guys, and I tell them that story, too," he recalled Wednesday evening.
It's sound advice he's taken to heart.
"There is an NFL, hall of fame coach, won many Super Bowls, and that's the advice he gave me for being a running backs coach," Boulware mentioned. "He said he was a running backs coach when he first entered the league. So, we spend time learning how to do that."
Boulware believes pass protecting is one of the most difficult skills to master in the game of football."That's not only for running backs, but also offensive linemen coming out of high school," he mentioned. "It's not an easy task. Being a former offensive line coach, I know how to teach that, and I work on it very diligently with our guys."
So far, Boulware said he has been pleased with the growth and development of West Virginia's running backs.
His eyes have seen some pretty fair running backs through the years - guys such as Samaje Perine, Rhamondre Stevenson and Joe Mixon when he coached at Oklahoma from 2013-19.
Mountaineer football fans are certainly aware of those guys.
There was a game here in 2014 when Perine ran for 242 yards and four touchdowns against the Mountaineers, or the time here in 2016 when Perine and Mixon tagged-teamed WVU for 307 combined yards and three touchdowns. Those two could have continued running straight to Fairmont if not for the goal line, goal post and the Milan Puskar Center stopping them.
So, when Boulware talks about West Virginia's running backs, it's worth perking up your ears and listening to what he has to say about them.
In senior Cam Cook, the veteran coach said he's got an intelligent football player who understands the game and is capable of picking things up very quickly.
"You can tell him something and he will do it the very first time, so that's allowed us to implement (freshman) Amari (Latimer) in some of those situations with that first unit because I know Cam knows what he's doing," he said, adding, "everybody moves up a notch when I sit Cam out for a series, and that's been very helpful."
Boulware also likes Cook's ball skills catching passes out of the backfield.
"There are no holes in his game. He can do everything," the veteran coach noted. "Those are the guys that make NFL-caliber backs. They want guys who can do everything, and I'm harping that on him to try and get him to understand that's what it takes for him to be in the NFL. And he's listening."
As for Latimer, Boulware compares him size-wise to Perine and Stevenson. Latimer weighs and runs like a 230-pounder, just like Perine and Stevenson did at Oklahoma and are still doing today in the league.
"I guess the (guys) that I tell him, body-wise – the build – is similar to Rhamondre Stevenson and Samaje Perine," Boulware said. "Those guys are all big, thick guys and they were thick from the very first time they stepped on campus until the time they were in the NFL. That's what he looks like.
"Now how he plays … every runner is different," he continued. "They all have different things that they do that are assets to football teams, and Amari is no different in that regard. He is more physical than I would expect a freshman to be, probably because he's so dadgum big. He's been a joy to coach and to try and get him ready to go for the big time. I just look forward to his growth, and really everybody's growth. Success is a journey; it's not a destination."
Beyond them, Boulware mentioned he is working with a couple of other up-and-coming performers in freshman Chris Talley from Memphis, Tennessee, and junior college transfer Martavious Boswell from Copiah-Lincoln Community College by way of Fort Worth, Texas.
Boswell and Talley are smaller, speedier-type runners.
"If you don't take a good angle, he's gone," Boulware said of Boswell.
Regarding Talley, who accumulated more than 1,600 all-purpose yards last fall at Whitehaven High, he sees a promising player with a bright future.
Talley weighed barely 180 pounds when he arrived on campus but has already bulked up to 190 and should get even bigger as he matures and develops in West Virginia's strength and conditioning program.
"Talley is probably the one I've been the most pleased with after the first two," the coach offered. "He's got something special, and I've said that from the first day I saw him on the field. He's smooth. He kind of glides. He's got speed and he understands how to get down low and finish runs.
"And he's fearless. He'll go in there and run," Boulware continued. "He's got something to him that I really like. I look forward to coaching that kid for the next several years here and seeing how he continues to develop, because I think he's going to be special."
As for the free Bill Walsh Football 101 lesson Boulware once received, that's still a work in progress for Talley.
"He's not as big as the other guys, so he's got to bring it every time, but he's put on some good weight," his coach said.
Boulware mentioned the transition from his prior job coaching the Kentucky running backs and special teamers to the present in Rich Rodriguez's no-huddle, spread offense has been seamless.
"Because I've been in it for a long time, I've seen a lot and done a lot," he said. "This offense is very similar to a lot of other offenses I've run in terms of some of the plays are still the same. We're still running counter, power, inside zone and outside, so those things are the same.
"The techniques and the fundamentals that are associated with those things, I'm very familiar with," he added. "I'm very familiar coaching guys in multiple positions and multiple areas, which is what we're asking those guys to do.
"When I was at Oklahoma, I was not only the running backs coach but the fullbacks coach and the tight ends coach for four or five years," he explained. "We had three fullbacks that ended up being All-Big 12 guys. Everybody talks about my running backs, but really it was a compliment of both."
In the final analysis, Boulware said football is still football.
"They may call it something different and have a different approach or run faster plays, but I've been in offenses that have done similar things, coaching with Gus Malzahn and Lincoln Riley. Those are offensive coaches in the line of great play callers I've worked for, and I feel very privileged to be here," he concluded.
Today's afternoon schedule calls for a practice in helmets, followed by a Friday afternoon workout in shells leading up to Saturday morning's closed scrimmage inside the stadium.
Mountaineer coach Rich Rodriguez indicated yesterday evening that he has begun introducing some Coastal Carolina specific stuff as the team continues preparing for its season opening game against the Chanticleers on Saturday, Sept. 5.
The media schedule for Friday evening will include Rodriguez, an undetermined assistant coach and a couple of players after practice.
Players Mentioned
Wednesday, August 19
Wednesday, August 19
Wednesday, August 19
Wednesday, August 19
