Are great Running Backs slowly going extinct?

[Eric15]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/spor...-says-adrian-peterson/?utm_term=.611b9b897cc3

This guy Quavaris Crouch is the country's top RB recruit, and he says he's going to switch positions because of the short and unpredictable shelf life that NFL RBs face, and how destroyed their bodies get compared to other positions. Adrian Peterson said he would have done the same exact thing if he could do it all over again.

 

[gbo]

Interesting. I know Clemson is recruiting him to potentially play DE.

 

[Millhouse]

football is finally becoming less stupid. throw it more, recognize that rbs are dime a dozen, rotate them in when you need to run, recognize that fast wrs can run sweeps too, recognize that qbs can run too and give you an extra blocker

 

[Millhouse]

meanwhile the doogernaut keeps feeding fournette over and over.

 

[skurey]

meanwhile the doogernaut keeps feeding fournette over and over.

Well when Blake Bortles is your QB you don't have a lot of options.

 

[blizz]

Tough call. I think elite RB's are always going to command a premium in the NFL. The problem is of course that so few of them get a shot at that 2nd contract.

 

[Millhouse]

Well when Blake Bortles is your QB you don't have a lot of options.

bortles is better without fournette because their playcalling is so bad

we are so much better off now

 

[upperdeck]

just because you run doesn't mean you have to get the RB beat up..

the 3 top teams in the nfl rams/saints/chiefs all love to run too..

 

[shu 49]

just because you run doesn't mean you have to get the RB beat up..

the 3 top teams in the nfl rams/saints/chiefs all love to run too..

Yeah plus I think a 2 headed monster is better for long run for both team ind individual. They do take a tremendous beating. All the physicality in the world (look at Campbell from Texas) he was great for only 5 years and then started going downhill and he was a 235 lb er when lb were 215 and 220

 

[sufandu]

football is finally becoming less stupid. throw it more, recognize that rbs are dime a dozen, rotate them in when you need to run, recognize that fast wrs can run sweeps too, recognize that qbs can run too and give you an extra blocker

An elite RB still makes the offense better. I think the Rams like having Todd Gurley.

 

[Millhouse]

An elite RB still makes the offense better. I think the Rams like having Todd Gurley.

sure, it's great to have. problem is when you have meathead coaches stuck in a different era who let it affect their decision making too much.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Well when Blake Bortles is your QB you don't have a lot of options.

They chose that.

 

[SWC75]

I'll take balance over a lack of balance. We started scoring 40+ ppg this year in part because we ran the ball so much better than in the previous two years. In fact, we are a better running team than a passing team.

Look at the numbers for Dino's teams before he came here:

2012: https://eiu_ftp.sidearmsports.com/custompages/football/2012/EIUFBStats2012.pdf
Jimmy Garoppolo threw for 3,823 yards and 31TDs but Jake Walker runs for 1,133 yards and 12 scores. That team passed the 554 times and ran it 457 times and averaged 36.5ppg.

2013: https://eiu_ftp.sidearmsports.com/custompages/football/2013/2013_EIUFootball_Stats.pdf
Garoppolo threw for an incredible 5,50 yards and 53TDs but but Shepared Little ran for 1,551 yards and 15 scores while Taylor Duncan ran for 988 and 10. That team passed the ball 608 times but ran it 611 times and scored 48.9ppg.

2014: 2014 Bowling Green State Falcons Stats | College Football at Sports-Reference.com
James Knapke, subbing for the injured Matt Johnson, passed for 3,173 yards and 15 scores. Travis Greene ran for 949 yards and 12 scores. That team passed the ball 547 times and ran it 544 times and scored 30.0ppg.

2015: 2015 Bowling Green State Falcons Stats | College Football at Sports-Reference.com
Johnson passed for 4946 yards and 46 scores. Greene ran for 1298 and 15. That team passed the ball 594 times and ran it 538 times and scored 42.2ppg.

I think that shows what Dino is looking for. he's had to adjust to Dungey, a fair passer but an excellent runner. Also this year we had some young receivers who were actually better than the guys ahead of them on the depth chart, (because the young guys were Dino's recruits and the older guys were Shafer's). next year we should see a team more like 2013 EIU or 2015 BG, although we might not see numbers quite that eye-popping because we are in the Atlantic Division of the ACC rather than the FCS or the MAC.

 

[dollarbill44]

This isn't a new development. RBs have always had the shortest average career. It was around 2.5 years back in the early 80s.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I'll take balance over a lack of balance. We started scoring 40+ ppg this year in part because we ran the ball so much better than in the previous two years. In fact, we are a better running team than a passing team.

Look at the numbers for Dino's teams before he came here:

2012: https://eiu_ftp.sidearmsports.com/custompages/football/2012/EIUFBStats2012.pdf
Jimmy Garoppolo threw for 3,823 yards and 31TDs but Jake Walker runs for 1,133 yards and 12 scores. That team passed the 554 times and ran it 457 times and averaged 36.5ppg.

2013: https://eiu_ftp.sidearmsports.com/custompages/football/2013/2013_EIUFootball_Stats.pdf
Garoppolo threw for an incredible 5,50 yards and 53TDs but but Shepared Little ran for 1,551 yards and 15 scores while Taylor Duncan ran for 988 and 10. That team passed the ball 608 times but ran it 611 times and scored 48.9ppg.

2014: 2014 Bowling Green State Falcons Stats | College Football at Sports-Reference.com
James Knapke, subbing for the injured Matt Johnson, passed for 3,173 yards and 15 scores. Travis Greene ran for 949 yards and 12 scores. That team passed the ball 547 times and ran it 544 times and scored 30.0ppg.

2015: 2015 Bowling Green State Falcons Stats | College Football at Sports-Reference.com
Johnson passed for 4946 yards and 46 scores. Greene ran for 1298 and 15. That team passed the ball 594 times and ran it 538 times and scored 42.2ppg.

I think that shows what Dino is looking for. he's had to adjust to Dungey, a fair passer but an excellent runner. Also this year we had some young receivers who were actually better than the guys ahead of them on the depth chart, (because the young guys were Dino's recruits and the older guys were Shafer's). next year we should see a team more like 2013 EIU or 2015 BG, although we might not see numbers quite that eye-popping because we are in the Atlantic Division of the ACC rather than the FCS or the MAC.

I don't even know what I'll do with myself when we have a QB throw 40 TDs in a season.

 

[upperdeck]

how much of the short career is injury based vs money based vs ability?

teams look for the elite and cut bait much quicker. but they do the same for WRs on many teams too its just that elite ones do hang around a bit easier and longer as a WR than a RB. It also helps that you need 6-8 Wrs
on a team and only 2-3 RBs more spots to survive in.

 

[Ozcuse]

I don't even know what I'll do with myself when we have a QB throw 40 TDs in a season.

 

[SWC75]

I don't even know what I'll do with myself when we have a QB throw 40 TDs in a season.

"although we might not see numbers quite that eye-popping because we are in the Atlantic Division of the ACC rather than the FCS or the MAC."

30 would be nice.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

"although we might not see numbers quite that eye-popping because we are in the Atlantic Division of the ACC rather than the FCS or the MAC."

30 would be nice.

Don't you dare put limits on what's possible.

 

[Ish88888]

Tough call. I think elite RB's are always going to command a premium in the NFL. The problem is of course that so few of them get a shot at that 2nd contract.

Stud rbs in football are valued like modern day true centers, true 5's. They arent needed or valued. Both games are about playing in space. Any top 2 round pick of a rb is a waste unless its a ten year back like zeke or Saquan.

 

[Briancuse]

I wouldn't say extinct but less of a priority.
Its about the passing game. You need a qb to be strong in the trenches and have wrs and dbs

 

[SoBeCuse]

It will be interesting to see how long Ezekiel and Saquon play. These guys don’t seem to be bothered by ANY contact, hit, tackle. They almost always drag guys and get lots of YAC.

 

[ESUCARYS]

Everything is cyclical. Running backs will be a thing again, with full fullback lead.

I lied. It’s going to be 5-on-5 ball by 2030. No RBs. No Line. Just a QB, 4 WRs and a few flag football belts.

 

[tbonezone]

point counterpoint. once DC's adjust to the aerial assault OC's will pound them inside.

(edit as a side note i heard some discussion that people (dan fouts i.e.) are seriously discussing putting 12 players on defense. that's even worse than the DH rule !)