LOS ANGELES (AP) — Oklahoma’s Dimitri Flowers and Georgia’s Christian Payne have the same title but very different job descriptions.
Both are listed as fullbacks. For Flowers, that’s really a misnomer. Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley thinks of Flowers as an H-back, as in hybrid. The senior lines up everywhere — receiver, tight end, tailback — allowing the Sooners’ offense to quickly morph from one look to another.
Payne, meanwhile, is the quintessential fullback for Georgia. The senior lines up in front of a tailback and blocks — and that’s pretty much it.
“I’m not used like a lot of fullbacks in the country, and that just goes to attribute to coach (Lincoln) Riley and how smart he is on the offensive side of the ball,” Flowers said. “It’s kind of crazy to see that we play the same position, but do almost two totally different things.”
No. 2 Oklahoma and No. 3 Georgia meet for the first time Monday at the Rose Bowl in a College Football Playoff semifinal that features two ways of playing offense. The Sooners’ spread highlights the modern move toward position-less football, with players who can be mixed and matched to provide a variety of options for Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield. The Bulldogs take a more traditional approach to offense, while still keeping opponents guessing. Nowhere is the difference between the two styles more apparent than the No. 1 fullbacks on each team’s depth chart.
Flowers was a three-star recruit out of San Antonio, Texas, who did a little bit of everything in high school, including play quarterback. Finding a player with the physical skills to handle what the Sooners expect from him is not as challenging as finding one capable of handling all there is to learn.
“Really, really, tough,” Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley said Saturday at Rose Bowl media day. “Most guys, just learning to play one position well is difficult. For (Flowers), you’re talking about playing three of four different positions and being able to do them at a high level.”
Flowers said he has lined up in as many as eight different spots during a single game.
“Besides quarterback, he’s got to know as much as anybody,” co-offensive coordinator Cale Gundy said.
Flowers has only 36 touches this season (13 carries and 23 catches), but he has scored eight touchdowns (four rushing and four receiving). As a runner, the 247-pounder mostly handles short yardage, averaging 2.0 yards per carry. As a receiver, he is a big-play threat at 17.9 yards a catch.
Flowers’ versatility allows the Sooners to operate up-tempo because they don’t need to change personnel as often. Tight end Mark Andrews provides similar benefits. The All-American is split out wide or lined up in the slot far more than he is in tight, next to an offensive tackle. He’ll occasionally line up in the backfield. Running back Rodney Anderson is also a major part of Oklahoma’s passing game, with 16 catches for 283 yards and five touchdowns.
