Is it time to bring in the A-Train?

[44PRIDE]

Is it time for some power running? Adonis anyone?

 

[WickedOrange]

How did he look over the summer? I have to believe he hasn't seen time because he's not ready for this level. I've been keeping my eye on Savon Huggins and he is struggling, missed a big block today for Rutgers. He probably would have benefited from a red shirt.

Someone please tell me I'm wrong about the A-Train.

 

[hungrychuck]

How did he look over the summer? I have to believe he hasn't seen time because he's not ready for this level. I've been keeping my eye on Savon Huggins and he is struggling, missed a big block today for Rutgers. He probably would have benefited from a red shirt.

Someone please tell me I'm wrong about the A-Train.

Not to mention the weight issue. That doesn't please coaches.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

How did he look over the summer? I have to believe he hasn't seen time because he's not ready for this level. I've been keeping my eye on Savon Huggins and he is struggling, missed a big block today for Rutgers. He probably would have benefited from a red shirt.

Someone please tell me I'm wrong about the A-Train.

Allow me to propose an alternative to A-Train (because I don't think your wrong).

This offense can improve by mixing in some more Gulley and keeping Ant on the field split out wide or in the slot. Allow Ant to be the two-way threat he is, and trust Gulley to get you some yards on the ground. I would much rather trust Gulley, who has shown some spark and has actually done some good things when he has seen the ball, than an incoming freshman that has struggled with his weight.

"But, but... OttoinGrotto!" anonymous poster exclaims. "We must have a big back to move the ball, and right now we only have a small back, and the other guy is a small back, so we must have a big back... because we must!" To which OttoinGrotto replies

Look, we're way overstating the need for a big, lumberjack running back, and I'm pretty sure that has a TON to do with the fact that Carter was like the quintessential big bodied running back that could really only do big bodied running back things. Now, he did those things very well, but Carter was not going to catch a pass, he wasn't going to run away from a defense, and he wasn't going to be a threat unless he lined up directly behind Nassib. And that's all fine and it worked (somewhat) for us last season, but guys like that are only ONE way to move the ball on the ground.

Put me firmly in the camp that believes that we don't need two radically diverse types of backs in order to move the ball on the ground, we just need two guys that can move the ball effectively, and we have a much better shot at getting that if we 1) improve the blocking and 2) give the ball to the guys that have proven something at this level than if we hand the rock to a true freshman that more than likely just isn't ready.

 

[BlackKnight76]

Allow me to propose an alternative to A-Train (because I don't think your wrong).

This offense can improve by mixing in some more Gulley and keeping Ant on the field split out wide or in the slot. Allow Ant to be the two-way threat he is, and trust Gulley to get you some yards on the ground. I would much rather trust Gulley, who has shown some spark and has actually done some good things when he has seen the ball, than an incoming freshman that has struggled with his weight.

"But, but... OttoinGrotto!" anonymous poster exclaims. "We must have a big back to move the ball, and right now we only have a small back, and the other guy is a small back, so we must have a big back... because we must!" To which OttoinGrotto replies

Look, we're way overstating the need for a big, lumberjack running back, and I'm pretty sure that has a TON to do with the fact that Carter was like the quintessential big bodied running back that could really only do big bodied running back things. Now, he did those things very well, but Carter was not going to catch a pass, he wasn't going to run away from a defense, and he wasn't going to be a threat unless he lined up directly behind Nassib. And that's all fine and it worked (somewhat) for us last season, but guys like that are only ONE way to move the ball on the ground.

Put me firmly in the camp that believes that we don't need two radically diverse types of backs in order to move the ball on the ground, we just need two guys that can move the ball effectively, and we have a much better shot at getting that if we 1) improve the blocking and 2) give the ball to the guys that have proven something at this level than if we hand the rock to a true freshman that more than likely just isn't ready.

I'm not at all in Camp "Ant's not a Feature Back" (that seems to be all the rage today), but I agree that Gulley seemed to open things up a bit on his few touches. I do think we need to be diverse in how we use our backs. Feature back =/= run between the tackles 20 times a game.

Also agree that if AAM was going to help us immediately, the coaches would be using him. Let's let him develop if we can.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Feature back =/= run between the tackles 20 times a game.

Amen, brother.