Running back Willis McGahee didn’t click too well with the new coaching staff in Baltimore last year, and it resulted in a sharp reduction in his role.
He’s now perched at No. 2 on the depth chart behind Ray Rice, and he’s doing what he needs to do to get back in the good graces of the team.
“I’m a little different, I’m not going to lie to you,” McGahee told Aaron Wilson of the Carroll County Times. “I go with the flow. That’s how you’ve got to be. You can’t go around here moping about things. You just control what you do, and that’s your own destiny.”
A year after getting only 170 carries and rushing for only 671 yards (both career lows), McGahee acknowledges his responsibility for that outcome.
“No doubt about it, I know I’m not the easiest person to learn how to read,” McGahee said. “I send mixed messages. I’m staying focused on being positive.”
Last year, McGahee showed up at 236 pounds after missing offseason voluntary workouts. This year, he has been fully engaged in preparations for the season.
“I told Willis, ‘I don’t know what the tape’s going to look like, but I love the way you came to work,’” offensive coordinator Cam Cameron told Wilson. “And that’s what, to me, is important. Very seldom have we been around guys that come to work consistently that don’t eventually pay well. We focus on the preparation, and I loved his work.”
So while he’s a backup for the first time in a long time, McGahee has a fresh attitude.
“Oh yeah, I’ve been revived,” McGahee said. “It’s a new year. I would rather go along and get along than be on the other side.”
