After dazzling the Atlantic Coast Conference last season, Virginia senior running back Kevin Parks sees speed as the last piece of the puzzle.
Kevin Parks doesn’t have eye-opening size or speed.
West Rowan (N.C.) High School head coach Larry Young doesn’t think the Virginia running back will ever have high-end quickness. UVA safety Anthony Harris playfully called the 5-foot-8 Parks “short” when asked to give one word to describe his teammate.
But despite his height and mediocre explosiveness, Parks had the most rushing yards and all-purpose yards in 2013 of any running back returning to the Atlantic Coast Conference this season. Rather than attacking opponents with talents that define most at his position, the fifth-year senior has utilized a combination of his low center of gravity, pass-catching prowess and ability to protect the quarterback to become a nationally recognized name.
In the upcoming season, Parks thinks that gaining more speed could push his brewing reputation even further.
As far as individually, I feel like I really hit on speed this year. I want to be able to make those explosive plays and turn those 20 yards into 40 yards, turn those 40 yards into 80 yards.Kevin Parks
The level Parks is at now was far from the one he started at.
He redshirted his freshman year, which allowed him to spend time with current UVA wide receivers coach Marques Hagans on the sideline. Parks said Hagans is the main person who’s helped him become the player and person he is today, and Hagans stressed to Parks that his redshirt year should be looked at as a chance to develop rather than just sitting out.
He adapted that mentality and recorded 791 total yards from scrimmage in his second year. Then he went for 923 in his third. Slowly he started to evolve not only as a runner, but also as a receiver out of the backfield.
“I take pride in catching the ball out of the backfield,” Parks said. “You don’t want to be that one-dimensional guy and limit yourself. You want to be somebody that, ‘Oh, he can do everything,’ and that’s always a plus.”
What he lacked in speed and size was compensated in his ability to be a dual-threat.
He was largely able to do so by possessing a skill that is undervalued at the running back position.
“What allows him to excel in the screen department is he’s really good in pass protection, Hagans said. “A lot of people overlook the requirement of a running back to be able to protect the quarterback.”
Photo courtesy of Virginia Athletics.
Of all the conference’s returning runners, Parks heads into the season with the most all-purpose yards from a year ago.
Many of the yards Parks accumulates out of the backfield, whether it is on the ground or in the air, come after contact. Young noted how lethal his former running back can be if he breaks the first tackle.
“Even though he’s a shorter, more compact guy, that sometimes helps him with a low center of gravity to get more yards after contact than other running backs do,” Young said. “He’s just got the God-given ability to see things that other running backs with more tools can’t see.”
Then last year, Parks used those three seldom-celebrated traits among running backs to have a breakout season.
He went for 1,360 total yards and was one of the lone bright spots on a Virginia team that won only two games. Still, he doesn’t arise in the discussion of elite running backs simply because he doesn’t possess the typical abilities valued for his position.
His whole career he's played with a chip on his shoulder kind of being like a little underdog. Kevin has really stepped up not just performance-wise, but being as vocal a leader as he can be.Anthony Harris
As one of UVA’s four captains, Parks has been communicating more with his offensive line. Along with Harris, he’s helping the younger guys work to turn around last year’s struggles while working on his own game.
Young said he hopes Parks’ speed will improve, but also pointed out how there are a handful of successful running backs who don’t blow people away with their legs.
For those, it’s the other features that allow them to succeed. For Parks, it’s what has enabled him to standout in the ACC and beyond.
“People think (Parks) isn’t quite big enough or wasn’t quite fast enough to get to this level,” Harris said. “It’s an opportunity for him to set a statement and put his best foot forward to show people that he’s one of the best backs in not only the conference, but also around the country.”
