1998 Running Game

[Ohio Vol]

Oh i agree, they were without question better talents, and even better lines, but what i was saying is that the RB's hit the hole. They didn't dance, didn't hesitate, they just found the hole and ran through it. I'm not comparing Foster to Lewis, Henry. But you watch the games of 98 to the ones of the last few years and you'll understand what i'm saying

Which is interesting, considering that the 98 line had just two NFL players (Clifton and a young Coleman). Hamilton and Riley were good but not great and Reado might have been a depth player in the NFL if not for the injury history.

I think the reason for the success of the running game had to do with the timing. By Fulmer's own admission, no one was sold on Tee Martin in the passing game going into spring practice, so they decided to try for about 2:1 runass and adjust as Martin's development dictated. As a result, the timing of both the blocking and the running was extremely impressive.

 

[zjcvols]

Which is interesting, considering that the 98 line had just two NFL players (Clifton and a young Coleman). Hamilton and Riley were good but not great and Reado might have been a depth player in the NFL if not for the injury history.

I think the reason for the success of the running game had to do with the timing. By Fulmer's own admission, no one was sold on Tee Martin in the passing game going into spring practice, so they decided to try for about 2:1 runass and adjust as Martin's development dictated. As a result, the timing of both the blocking and the running was extremely impressive.

Your right. Also, with Martin struggling, they never went away from the run. Sometimes lately you would see us try to stuff it down someone's throat and didn't work the first couple of times, and we would go away from that. That team might not run welll one series, but the next they said, "Hell, we're going to try again." And usually it worked.

 

[zjcvols]

I think it's easier to hit the hole with confidence when you know 9 times out of 10 that it was going to be there (Riley, Clifton, Coleman, etc.). I don't remember people complaining too much about Foster's running style in '07.

True. An yes, I thought Foster could have had 1500 yards in 07 if he just hit the hole sometimes. But that's in the past.