With Kellen Moore taking over as the Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator, things are certainly going to change as far as how the offense operates. One of those changes we could see is the utilization of the fullback position, which could make Jamize Olawale a surprise offensive weapon in 2019.
The Dallas Cowboys are still one of the few teams who keep a traditional fullback on their 53-man roster. It’s a somewhat surprising decision to do so considering how little the position is utilized on offense these past several seasons, especially under the tutelage of former OC Scott Linehan.
Scott Linehan took over the playcalling duties in 2015 and held on to the job for reasons unknown until the completion of the 2018 season. During that time he deployed three different fullbacks, but you wouldn’t really know it based on the small amount of offensive snaps they received.
Fullback Snap % Under OC Scott Linehan
| Year | Player | Snap % |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Tyler Clutts | 12.93% |
| 2016 | Keith Smith | 12.76% |
| 2017 | Keith Smith | 12.02% |
| 2018 | Jamize Olawale | 10.59% |
As you can see from the chart above, the usage of a fullback during Linehan’s time as the Cowboys play caller gradually decreased each season. I knew how little the FB was being used the past several seasons, but I was honestly a little surprised by those numbers.
All of that could be changing though. New Offensive Coordinator Kellen Moore, a disciple of Scott Linehan, is expected to incorporate the FB into the offensive game plan much more in 2019. This is certainly good news for Jamize Olawale, who can be much more than just a traditional fullback.
Jamize Olawale may carry the title of fullback, but he has the ability to play a variety of different positions. At North Texas he played a little running back, tight end, and wide receiver. He did the same during his time with the Oakland Raiders. That versatility is one of the reasons why many of us believed Dallas made the trade with Oakland last year to bring him aboard.
Unfortunately, Olawale rarely saw the field on offense last year. He was more of a special teams player playing 62.98% of the snaps. But if the rumors are true, he could be a surprise weapon in 2019 and I believe the Cowboys offense would be better for it.
I don’t know about you, but I have visions of Daryl “Moose” Johnston and what he brought to the offense back in the Dallas Cowboys glory days in the mid to early 1990s. Hopefully, that’s what Kellen Moore envisions as well for Jamize Olawale.
