Over the past few months, the same message has been echoed from the Seattle Seahawks camp: the ground game needs to be a key part of the offense this coming season. After eight training sessions at the camp, it seems the idea is taking on significantly concrete form on the field.
“I like the system and the way everything is set up,” Zach Charbonnet said after Thursday’s practice.
The players themselves notice the change, feeling it in the game’s style. “I feel like we’re going to play a lot tighter on offense,” running back Ken Walker III said. “We’re clear about the identity we want to build as a team. I like that the run will have a bigger role and the backs can still come out of the backfield and participate in the pass game.”
Statistics from last season show why this change is crucial. At the same time, Seattle was near the bottom of the league – 29th in rushing attempts (383) and 28th in total rushing yards (1,627).
Now it is not enough to just walk about with the intention to run more; the goal is to really transfer the philosophy to the field and make it a recognizable part of the game, which the players are already noticing.
“I believe that because that’s what we work on the most in practice,” Ken Walker III said.
“You can say that in previous years, it wasn’t paid much attention in training, so it wasn’t realistic to expect it to be a crucial part of the game in matches. Now it’s different; we run a lot more and get into the small details of that segment of the attack. That’s why I’m absolutely sure that we will really run with the ball more this season.”
Walker points out that this idea parameters all aspects of the team’s preparations. “During meetings, it’s the same – it’s clear to everyone that running is going to be the foundation of our offense and that’s an attitude we want to build.”
After last season, when he missed several games due to injuries and played a total of 11 matches, Walker is now feeling much better thanks to lifestyle changes. “I’ve changed my daily habits, including my diet and sleep, and I can already feel it affecting my games. I plan to continue that throughout the season.”
He adds that a better recovery routine also helps him a lot. “We have healthier, better quality food at the training center, and I’ve also changed my sleeping habits. I usually go to bed between 10 and 10:30.
Before college, I used to stay up until 1:00 a.m for no reason. This change has helped me a lot to feel more rested, and the extra recovery makes it easier for me to get back on the court the next day and train at a high level.”
Ken Walker III notes that more sleep significantly supports his recovery and overall fitness. “I feel a big change when it comes to body recovery. Before, when I stayed up late, my legs weren’t fully ready for the next training season or game.
Now, with more sleep and enough time to regenerate after my duties at the training center, I feel much better. I can clearly see progress and feel that my body is responding better,” he explained.
During the training camp so far, Walker has also noticed an improvement in the approach of the offensive line, especially in the physical game. “They’re playing a lot tougher and more aggressively than before,” he said.
“It seems to me that this game system suits them very well, because we pay a lot of attention to the details in the running attack. Every day we go through the actions – how they should be executed and exactly who should block which player. You can clearly see the difference, especially in the physical approach.”
His teammate Gray Zabel says he particularly likes that style of play. “It’s a great feeling when the focus is on running and physical dominance. We will build our game on that this season,” he pointed out. It all starts with the offensive line – we have to move the line of scrimmage and create space for the offense, but also to protect the quarterback behind us, who is playing very safe and accurate right now.”
