Running back domination

#1
Vols033

Vols033

Momma said knock you out
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Aug 27, 2009
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#1
I got curious and decided to look at all of these big huge bruising tailbacks i see around the SEC this year and wonder if any of them could've been diamonds in the rough on the recruiting trail. The results I found were not promising.

LSU- Spencer Ware 5 star
Michael Ford 4 star

Bama- Trent Richardson 5 star
Eddie Lacy 4 star
Jalston Fowler 4 star

USCj- Marcus Lattimore 5 star

UGA- Isaiah Crowell 5 star
Richard Samuel 5 star

Miss St- Vic Ballard 3 star

Auburn- Michael Dyer 5 star

All of these guys except for Ballard were big time recruits, all of them except Crowell have had multiple seasons in a strength and conditioning program, and all of these backfields have ran well for most of the year. This conference is a running backs league, and we simply don't have one. Tauren has heart, but he's just not good enough. Behind him we have true freshmen who are inexperienced and just not ready. No wonder we can't run the football. We need an immediate talent upgrade at the running back position, or we'll continue to watch a team that has to air it out to move the ball.
 
#5
#5
Vols033 said:
I got curious and decided to look at all of these big huge bruising tailbacks i see around the SEC this year and wonder if any of them could've been diamonds in the rough on the recruiting trail. The results I found were not promising.

LSU- Spencer Ware 5 star
Michael Ford 4 star

Bama- Trent Richardson 5 star
Eddie Lacy 4 star
Jalston Fowler 4 star

USCj- Marcus Lattimore 5 star

UGA- Isaiah Crowell 5 star
Richard Samuel 5 star

Miss St- Vic Ballard 3 star

Auburn- Michael Dyer 5 star

All of these guys except for Ballard were big time recruits, all of them except Crowell have had multiple seasons in a strength and conditioning program, and all of these backfields have ran well for most of the year. This conference is a running backs league, and we simply don't have one. Tauren has heart, but he's just not good enough. Behind him we have true freshmen who are inexperienced and just not ready. No wonder we can't run the football. We need an immediate talent upgrade at the running back position, or we'll continue to watch a team that has to air it out to move the ball.
Click to expand...

We could be saying...

Tennessee - Bryce Brown 5 star
Marlin Lane 4 star

...oh well
 
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#6
#6
Vols033 said:
I got curious and decided to look at all of these big huge bruising tailbacks i see around the SEC this year and wonder if any of them could've been diamonds in the rough on the recruiting trail. The results I found were not promising.

LSU- Spencer Ware 5 star
Michael Ford 4 star

Bama- Trent Richardson 5 star
Eddie Lacy 4 star
Jalston Fowler 4 star

USCj- Marcus Lattimore 5 star

UGA- Isaiah Crowell 5 star
Richard Samuel 5 star

Miss St- Vic Ballard 3 star

Auburn- Michael Dyer 5 star

All of these guys except for Ballard were big time recruits, all of them except Crowell have had multiple seasons in a strength and conditioning program, and all of these backfields have ran well for most of the year. This conference is a running backs league, and we simply don't have one. Tauren has heart, but he's just not good enough. Behind him we have true freshmen who are inexperienced and just not ready. No wonder we can't run the football. We need an immediate talent upgrade at the running back position, or we'll continue to watch a team that has to air it out to move the ball.
Click to expand...

How do you propose we get this immediate talent? JUCO player might help, but we haven't had great luck with them so far this year. The learning curve seems to still be pretty high.

Not that I believe completely in the star system, but Lane was a 4 star and I think he has shown great potential. Tom Smith was a 3 star and it remains to be seen what he can do. Cross and Hill are also 3 stars, but Cross looks to have the potential to be the big bruising back we need to offset Lane.

I think they are trying to recruit/develop the talent. It just takes time. Next year Lane will be the starter and with Bray, Rogers, Hunter, Arnett, Dallas, and Young I think we will have a very good offense. Also, I think the O-line will have more depth and experience that will also help the running game. Add Cross in the mix for some brute force and I think the offense will be great next year and 2013.
 
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#8
#8
tomq_123 said:
How do you propose we get this immediate talent? JUCO player might help, but we haven't had great luck with them so far this year. The learning curve seems to still be pretty high.

Not that I believe completely in the star system, but Lane was a 4 star and I think he has shown great potential. Tom Smith was a 3 start and it remains to be seen what he can do. Cross and Hill are also 3 stars, but Cross looks to have the potential to be the big bruising back we need to offset Lane.

I think they are trying to recruit/develop the talent. It just takes time. Next year Lane will be the starter and with Bray, Rogers, Hunter, Arnett, Dallas, and Young I think we will have a very good offense. Also, I think the O-line will have more depth and experience that will also help the running game. Add Cross in the mix for some brute force and I think the offense will be great next year and 2013.
Click to expand...

Lane looks good and i do think he will eventually be a great tailback, but we won't win consistently until we get a back that will be able to play at the next level. Lane is the only one on our roster that looks like he can eventually get to that level. I like Cross, and i'm not a huge stars guy, but the numbers speak for themselves. Dominate diamonds in the rough at the running back position are rare.
 
#9
#9
volunteerlane said:
We could be saying...

Tennessee - Bryce Brown 5 star
Marlin Lane 4 star

...oh well
Click to expand...

Yeah cause BB won the job at KSU over those lowly 3* RB's and has been ripping the Big 12 to shreds... Oh, wait...

I tend to agree with the premise of the OP though. I argue against stars being the absolute standard for recruit talent. However if there is a position where they seem to mean more than others it would be RB IMO.
 
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#12
#12
sjt18 said:
Yeah cause BB won the job at KSU over those lowly 3* RB's and has been ripping the Big 12 to shreds... Oh, wait...

I tend to agree with the premise of the OP though. I argue against stars being the absolute standard for recruit talent. However if there is a position where they seem to mean more than others it would be RB IMO.
Click to expand...

Yup. If you were going to double down on star values it would have to be RB's and WR's as one and 2. Linemen and such you have some wiggle room. Bottom line is you need a number of talented people with experience. We have one or the other at every spot but not both except maybe Malik who was a loophole transfer.
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#14
#14
Vols033 said:
I got curious and decided to look at all of these big huge bruising tailbacks i see around the SEC this year and wonder if any of them could've been diamonds in the rough on the recruiting trail. The results I found were not promising.

LSU- Spencer Ware 5 star
Michael Ford 4 star

Bama- Trent Richardson 5 star
Eddie Lacy 4 star
Jalston Fowler 4 star

USCj- Marcus Lattimore 5 star

UGA- Isaiah Crowell 5 star
Richard Samuel 5 star

Miss St- Vic Ballard 3 star

Auburn- Michael Dyer 5 star

All of these guys except for Ballard were big time recruits, all of them except Crowell have had multiple seasons in a strength and conditioning program, and all of these backfields have ran well for most of the year. This conference is a running backs league, and we simply don't have one. Tauren has heart, but he's just not good enough. Behind him we have true freshmen who are inexperienced and just not ready. No wonder we can't run the football. We need an immediate talent upgrade at the running back position, or we'll continue to watch a team that has to air it out to move the ball.
Click to expand...

Look at the offensive line talent the guys you just named are running with. It goes hand in hand...
Not saying our O-line is bad, just young and inexperienced. That will not be the case next year.. Should see a huge jump in the running game next year, if not, RUH ROH!!!
 
#15
#15
Vols033 said:
I got curious and decided to look at all of these big huge bruising tailbacks i see around the SEC this year and wonder if any of them could've been diamonds in the rough on the recruiting trail. The results I found were not promising.

LSU- Spencer Ware 5 star
Michael Ford 4 star

Bama- Trent Richardson 5 star
Eddie Lacy 4 star
Jalston Fowler 4 star

USCj- Marcus Lattimore 5 star

UGA- Isaiah Crowell 5 star
Richard Samuel 5 star

Miss St- Vic Ballard 3 star

Auburn- Michael Dyer 5 star

All of these guys except for Ballard were big time recruits, all of them except Crowell have had multiple seasons in a strength and conditioning program, and all of these backfields have ran well for most of the year. This conference is a running backs league, and we simply don't have one. Tauren has heart, but he's just not good enough. Behind him we have true freshmen who are inexperienced and just not ready. No wonder we can't run the football. We need an immediate talent upgrade at the running back position, or we'll continue to watch a team that has to air it out to move the ball.
Click to expand...

Fine with me. As long as our players our healthy, that is what we should be focusing on anyway since that is our strength personnel wise.
 
#16
#16
BigOrange15 said:
Fine with me. As long as our players our healthy, that is what we should be focusing on anyway since that is our strength personnel wise.
Click to expand...

Teams that air it out don't win at a high level. Name me the last National Champion or SEC champion for that matter that couldn't run and aired it out all the time.
 
#18
#18
Eh, those lists are tricky.
BB was #1 overall player, not just RB in '09.
Oku was the #1 APB and #97 player in the nation in '09.
R Neal was the #9 RB in the nation in '10 and #151 player.
Lane came in at #23 RB and 4* in spite of injury.

The first two are simply head cases. Neal hasn't really found a niche and Lane is still a Fr.

It's just not as simple as making some star list.
 
#19
#19
hndog609 said:
Eh, those lists are tricky.
BB was #1 overall player, not just RB in '09.
Oku was the #1 APB and #97 player in the nation in '09.
R Neal was the #9 RB in the nation in '10 and #151 player.
Lane came in at #23 RB and 4* in spite of injury.

The first two are simply head cases. Neal hasn't really found a niche and Lane is still a Fr.

It's just not as simple as making some star list.
Click to expand...

You are mostly right. BB and Oku were probably victims of Kiffin's move. Both might still be at UT and might even be productive had he stayed. OTOH, UT probably would have had the book thrown at them by the NCAA.

Neal was a guy that DD scrambled to get in those last couple of weeks. He needed a RB. He seems to be a little bit of a disappointment.

I think Lane shows some flashes of being a very good RB. He has quicks and isn't afraid to get physical too. He needs decent blocking and a little time.
 
#20
#20
I'm fine with watching an air attack. Marlin Lane is a decent back though, let him progress. He's a freshman. He doesn't have the line that Crowell does.
 
#21
#21
look up all of Alabama's RB's .... Eddie Lacy, Fowler .... they all run like bulls. If Alabama has a RB coach , UT should hire him.
 
#23
#23
hndog609 said:
Eh, those lists are tricky.
BB was #1 overall player, not just RB in '09.
Oku was the #1 APB and #97 player in the nation in '09.
R Neal was the #9 RB in the nation in '10 and #151 player.
Lane came in at #23 RB and 4* in spite of injury.

The first two are simply head cases. Neal hasn't really found a niche and Lane is still a Fr.

It's just not as simple as making some star list.
Click to expand...

I don't know if its fair to say Oku was a headcase like BB. I think it just didn't work out, he knew it and moved on.
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#25
#25
KittenMittens said:
I don't know if its fair to say Oku was a headcase like BB. I think it just didn't work out, he knew it and moved on.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
Click to expand...

Kiffin wasn't here to pay him? Anyway I saw on espn rihardson say that they are not allowed to make any cuts in practice "have to take 'em head on" bet that helps injuries also.
 
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