Hope Hurd continues to work on his stiff arm

#1
VOLorNuttin

VOLorNuttin

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#1
SEC Network video on Derrick Henry's Stiffarm:
Henry's legendary stiff-arm

I remember Travis Henry using the stiff arm to great effect, even though he doesn't have the long reach Hurd does. He was just strong as an ox, so when defenders would approach him, he could shove them off like 'dey was nothing. :)

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Some of ya'll may remember Jon Gruden mentioning (during the Outback Bowl) that element of Hurd's game needing improvement. I recall saying that here, a few times last year and early this season. Seems like he took Gruden's words to heart, when he embarrassed the Northwestern DE.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0cSOwT-eSE[/youtube]

Wonder if Jalen could get Travis to work with him in the offseason, at D1 or something, cause if he masters that move, he's gonna make Derrick Henry look like a scrub.
 
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#2
#2
My opinion is Hurd will continue using the stiff arm with great results. However, as many runs Hurd has where he breaks multiple tackles, there's far too many where he goes down to the first guy. It should be a rare thing for him to go down to the first tackler.
 
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#4
#4
UTK said:
My opinion is Hurd will continue using the stiff arm with great results. However, as many rums Hurd has where he breaks multiple tackles, there's far too many where he goes down to the first guy. It should be a rare thing for him to go down to the first tackler.
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He's got a size and reach advantage, so if he decides he's gonna use the stiff arm as a weapon, he's gonna break a lot more tackles and with regularity.

That's the thing about him getting out on a the edge. He should see it as his domain and the smaller DB's and LB's are gonna have to get through a punishing stiff arm or take a lick, themselves before they can bring him down. Basically, just keep doing what he did there are the following play, where he wouldn't be denied.
 
#5
#5
UTK said:
My opinion is Hurd will continue using the stiff arm with great results. However, as many runs Hurd has where he breaks multiple tackles, there's far too many where he goes down to the first guy. It should be a rare thing for him to go down to the first tackler.
Click to expand...

Hard to make him miss when you are trying to get the hand off. As the line continues to get better that won't be a problem.
 
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#7
#7
Hurd is met in the backfield FAR TOO MANY TIMES. If he received decent run blocking he would be a nightmare to bring down for secondary players. He'll likely be our all-time leading rusher by midseason, of his junior year.
 
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#9
#9
At Beech, Hurd didn't have to do that much. He was so much faster than the other team, by the time they got close to him, he was gone.

Not so sure Henry would help him. Seems Gillespie is teaching him just fine.
 
#10
#10
UTK said:
My opinion is Hurd will continue using the stiff arm with great results. However, as many runs Hurd has where he breaks multiple tackles, there's far too many where he goes down to the first guy. It should be a rare thing for him to go down to the first tackler.
Click to expand...

Hate to agree, but you're right. Hurd gets dropped way to often by the first guy, primarily when he bounces the run outside and is parallel to the los. I'm not worried about his stiff arm, I'm more concerned with his ability in space being able to make a guy miss and break off a long run.
 
#11
#11
Y'all are living on fantasy island if you think a running back should always break the first tackle. Those are D1 players he is going against and SEC at that. Hurd did good as anyone I watched this year after contact.
 
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#12
#12
PowerOrange said:
Y'all are living on fantasy island if you think a running back should always break the first tackle. Those are D1 players he is going against and SEC at that. Hurd did good as anyone I watched this year after contact.
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Who said a RB should ALWAYS break the first tackle? No one. But the great ones very rarely get taken down by the first guy. When Jalen squares his shoulders and runs north and south he's a load and does a lot of damage, gets a lot of yards....on the majority of his runs when he bounces the play and runs sideways, he isn't/doesn't.

And as I said, I'm not concerned with his stiff arm. I think the next step he needs to take as a RB is getting to the second level and making a guy miss for a big gain. Think Derrick Henry....how many long TD runs did that guy have this year? I must've seen a dozen or so myself, only watching his sparingly, where he made a guy or two miss once he got into the open field and took it to the house. Jalen has done that 1 time in two years....1 time in 450+ carries, vs Iowa in the bowl game. I'm certain a lot will see this as me bashing Hurd...I'm not. Just making observations and pointing out the obvious. As outstanding as Jalen is...and he is....there's room for improvement with his game. And, IMHO, that's the biggest thing, even the last piece of the puzzle for him. If he gets it figured out and rips off 7 or 8 40-50 yard TD runs next year, then he can get into the Heisman talk. If he doesn't, he'll average four and a yards per carry again and finish second or third team all-sec again IMHO.
 
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#14
#14
I have to say, with the title I was kind of afraid what I was going to find when I opened the thread. "Hope Hurd continues to work on his stiff arm" Could have ended up being a bad picture thread. lol I'm a little disappointed. Guess the off season hasn't been here long enough. Let's try this thread again in June. lol
 
#17
#17
smokey0625 said:
I agree. They gave a stat on 104.5, that when Henry has a defender in the backfield, he averages two feet. Not yards, feet.
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Careful stating the obvious on Henry, the segment of Volnation that carries a secret affair with bamer land will attack you.
 
#18
#18
KBVol said:
Who said a RB should ALWAYS break the first tackle? No one. But the great ones very rarely get taken down by the first guy. When Jalen squares his shoulders and runs north and south he's a load and does a lot of damage, gets a lot of yards....on the majority of his runs when he bounces the play and runs sideways, he isn't/doesn't.

And as I said, I'm not concerned with his stiff arm. I think the next step he needs to take as a RB is getting to the second level and making a guy miss for a big gain. Think Derrick Henry....how many long TD runs did that guy have this year? I must've seen a dozen or so myself, only watching his sparingly, where he made a guy or two miss once he got into the open field and took it to the house. Jalen has done that 1 time in two years....1 time in 450+ carries, vs Iowa in the bowl game. I'm certain a lot will see this as me bashing Hurd...I'm not. Just making observations and pointing out the obvious. As outstanding as Jalen is...and he is....there's room for improvement with his game. And, IMHO, that's the biggest thing, even the last piece of the puzzle for him. If he gets it figured out and rips off 7 or 8 40-50 yard TD runs next year, then he can get into the Heisman talk. If he doesn't, he'll average four and a yards per carry again and finish second or third team all-sec again IMHO.
Click to expand...

Jalen Hurd should end up being the total yards leader of all time and you think he is second rate? His Fr. year he was running behind a line that was truly challenged and last year there were so many times he was hit in the backfield. Maybe Jalen will read this and text you for some advice.
 
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#19
#19
PowerOrange said:
Y'all are living on fantasy island if you think a running back should always break the first tackle. Those are D1 players he is going against and SEC at that. Hurd did good as anyone I watched this year after contact.
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Ya might want to read things more carefully. No RB is ever going to break the first tackler every time. No one said always. However Hurd should do it way more often than he has, he has that potential. Thats all there is to it.
 
#20
#20
In the second mage of Travis Henry he is clearly grabbing the Dallas players facemask. I have never understood why a RB is allowed to do that but a defensive player is not. Many times this season I saw a flag for a defensive lineman getting called for "Hands to the face" type penalty.
 
#21
#21
ScornedPapaVol said:
Hurd is met in the backfield FAR TOO MANY TIMES. If he received decent run blocking he would be a nightmare to bring down for secondary players. He'll likely be our all-time leading rusher by midseason, of his junior year.
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Agree. Even though the oline play improved throughout the season, I still think there is a lot of room for improvement this offseason. Put Hurd behind Alabama' s oline + 40 carries a game and his numbers would be unreal. Let's just hope he doesn't have to break 3 tackles before he reaches the LOS every play next season.
 
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#22
#22
Top Gun said:
Jalen Hurd should end up being the total yards leader of all time and you think he is second rate? His Fr. year he was running behind a line ukthat was truly challenged and last year there were so many times he was hit in the backfield. Maybe Jalen will read this and text you for some advice.
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Nice. Maybe he could give Jon Gruden a call since Gruden said "Jalen has to get better at getting through all the trash" around the line of scrimmage while being interviewed on the sideline at the Outback Bowl. I'm simply a fan, on a fan message board, giving an opinion/critique of a player on my favorite team. He'd probably hear it much better from Coach Gruden, don't you think?
 
#23
#23
KBVol said:
Nice. Maybe he could give Jon Gruden a call since Gruden said "Jalen has to get better at getting through all the trash" around the line of scrimmage while being interviewed on the sideline at the Outback Bowl. I'm simply a fan, on a fan message board, giving an opinion/critique of a player on my favorite team. He'd probably hear it much better from Coach Gruden, don't you think?
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Him getting his foot caught in the trash and tripping, that iswhat I would like to see improved. That also comes with the line opening a hole to run thru.
 
#25
#25
UTK said:
Ya might want to read things more carefully. No RB is ever going to break the first tackler every time. No one said always. However Hurd should do it way more often than he has, he has that potential. Thats all there is to it.
Click to expand...

You said it should be rare for the first tackler to bring him down. Maybe you don't know what that word means.

He breaks plenty of tackles now. Hitting the hole is more of his problem and it looks to be a minor problem at that.
 
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