RB position

[kcsu]

First point. It doesn't matter why but i have to feel that the staff completely blew it with JF. He was our best back without question. My sense is that he didnt jive with Dino but that is pure speculation. Regardless hes gone.
Strickland shows signs but is slow to the hole and seems to lack vision. Two areas that are difficult to fix. Mo has speed but goes down easily and isnt ever going to be an every down back. In watching film of our 2 incoming frosh im impressed. Both AS and MP have the ability to see significant snaps. MP is a beast. I really think we got a steal in him. AS looks smooth and even though most schools looked at him as a DB i think he is going to be an exceptional RB for us. Long story short. We need both of these kids to perform or Eric is going to have a very sore arm.

 

[FAL]

First point. It doesn't matter why but i have to feel that the staff completely blew it with JF. He was our best back without question. My sense is that he didnt jive with Dino but that is pure speculation. Regardless hes gone.
Strickland shows signs but is slow to the hole and seems to lack vision. Two areas that are difficult to fix. Mo has speed but goes down easily and isnt ever going to be an every down back. In watching film of our 2 incoming frosh im impressed. Both AS and MP have the ability to see significant snaps. MP is a beast. I really think we got a steal in him. AS looks smooth and even though most schools looked at him as a DB i think he is going to be an exceptional RB for us. Long story short. We need both of these kids to perform or Eric is going to have a very sore arm.

Just as long as Eric doesn't run with the ball--please!

 

[Orijinal]

First point. It doesn't matter why but i have to feel that the staff completely blew it with JF. He was our best back without question. My sense is that he didnt jive with Dino but that is pure speculation. Regardless hes gone.
Strickland shows signs but is slow to the hole and seems to lack vision. Two areas that are difficult to fix. Mo has speed but goes down easily and isnt ever going to be an every down back. In watching film of our 2 incoming frosh im impressed. Both AS and MP have the ability to see significant snaps. MP is a beast. I really think we got a steal in him. AS looks smooth and even though most schools looked at him as a DB i think he is going to be an exceptional RB for us. Long story short. We need both of these kids to perform or Eric is going to have a very sore arm.

I am still mad about JF. You get a kid that good, you hold onto him. My anger is tempered though because it was obvious he wasn't keeping himself in peak physical condition

 

[donniesyracuse]

First point. It doesn't matter why but i have to feel that the staff completely blew it with JF.

Why do you assume it's the fault of the staff and not him?

 

[st_machine]

i dont think the problem with the running game was because the backs were incompetent.All these guys have legit d1 talent.
problem was the mismatch between what the line could do, what the backs could do, and what they were asked to do.
another season of "dive left, dive right, 3rd and long" isnt the rb's fault.

 

[Finwad32]

I loved JF, but, spilt milk...

We'll be fine, and we'll score a lot.

Hopefully the next guy up is even better!

 

[CIL]

He transferred to UMass...that should say a lot.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

He transferred to UMass...that should say a lot.

It was either UMASS, Bama, or USC but UMASS had better uniforms

 

[javadoc]

First point. It doesn't matter why but i have to feel that the staff completely blew it with JF. He was our best back without question. My sense is that he didnt jive with Dino but that is pure speculation. Regardless hes gone.
Strickland shows signs but is slow to the hole and seems to lack vision. Two areas that are difficult to fix. Mo has speed but goes down easily and isnt ever going to be an every down back. In watching film of our 2 incoming frosh im impressed. Both AS and MP have the ability to see significant snaps. MP is a beast. I really think we got a steal in him. AS looks smooth and even though most schools looked at him as a DB i think he is going to be an exceptional RB for us. Long story short. We need both of these kids to perform or Eric is going to have a very sore arm.

I expect Pierre to see a lot of time, and do well.

 

[PAcuse]

Pierre will be our starter, Elmore for short yardage or just when we want to smash the D, and Mo Neal for a change of pace/screens/etc.
I have a feeling Strickland will have a free fall down the depth chart the next two years.

 

[care taker]

Pierre is going to be the guy . Watching ED closely he is a run first Qb , it's hard to correct as his eyes naturally drop to see the rush and instincts take over , he was not recruited by babers or for this system. Babers just recently pointed out he still has option offense players in his system. I'm hoping they offer Burrell Neal 2018 jersey kid from pope John stud back .

 

[TheCusian]

It was either UMASS, Bama, or USC but UMASS had better uniforms

It's not that far from reality. Alabama's are purely rooted in their history of winning. If South Alabama wore the same uni's, they'd be considered JR High retread unis from the 80's.

 

[TheCusian]

Pierre will be our starter, Elmore for short yardage or just when we want to smash the D, and Mo Neal for a change of pace/screens/etc.
I have a feeling Strickland will have a free fall down the depth chart the next two years.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Strickland change positions this season or next. Pierre is the guy, IMHO.

 

[TheCusian]

Pierre is going to be the guy . Watching ED closely he is a run first Qb , it's hard to correct as his eyes naturally drop to see the rush and instincts take over , he was not recruited by babers or for this system. Babers just recently pointed out he still has option offense players in his system. I'm hoping they offer Burrell Neal 2018 jersey kid from pope John stud back .

There is some truth to ED's instincts when under pressure. But he's a better passer than you're giving him credit for. He'll end up being the 3rd best QB in the conference next season.

(I am pretty amped to see what your boy will do this summer).

 

[zjscuse]

All i can say is THANK GOD! MP went to a mediocre highschool in florida, kids the real deal absolute stud... these other schools are ganna be mad they slept on em... But in there defense "Its not there fault, They didnt know".

 

[cusefan88]

Strick and Neal are definitely more finesse backs IMO. The staff wants a punisher at RB that goes downhill. Seems like Pierre fits the bill. I think he becomes the featured back by Game 7 or 8 if he can get the protection assignments right. Strick/Neal then become change of pace/3rd down back.

 

[anomander]

I think this Fredericks thing is taking on a life of it's own. Dino just didn't play him because he wanted to be mean. There had to be reasons why he didn't think he would succeed. I mean JF had a good Freshman year, but I think as more time goes by, the legend is growing into something it's really not. Plus if he is good as everyone wants to believe I would think he could have ended up somewhere other than UMass, no?

With that said I do think RB is the position most in need of a talent upgrade. What we have right now is just not acceptable.

 

[kcsu]

Why do you assume it's the fault of the staff and not him?

Because he was never suspended, was an excellent student, and in the end i believe they understood that they needed him as they tried to keep him from leaving. I have zero idea why he didnt play just stating that he is a loss.

 

[PAcuse]

Because he was never suspended, was an excellent student, and in the end i believe they understood that they needed him as they tried to keep him from leaving. I have zero idea why he didnt play just stating that he is a loss.

So being out of shape and not learning the line calls is all on the coaching staff because he was not suspended and an excellent student. He's gone and we will never know 100% what happened and him going to UMass shows us something...

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

Pierre will be our starter, Elmore for short yardage or just when we want to smash the D, and Mo Neal for a change of pace/screens/etc.

I'd be shocked if Elmore got more than 3 or 4 carries all season. I'm assuming he'll just be back there to open holes.

 

[PAcuse]

I'd be shocked if Elmore got more than 3 or 4 carries all season. I'm assuming he'll just be back there to open holes.

That will be his primary function, but I can see in the range of 15-20 carries for him between goal line and maybe some garbage time carries.

 

[TheCusian]

Because he was never suspended, was an excellent student, and in the end i believe they understood that they needed him as they tried to keep him from leaving. I have zero idea why he didnt play just stating that he is a loss.

I don't think you can suspend someone for not being in shape (fact). If Dino took that as "not buying in" and the tried to get him to take measurable steps to show commitment and he didn't come through? (speculation)

He isn't a loss if he wasn't willing to do what Dino required.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Not sure why we pay Dino all that money. There are so many people on this board who know more about our players than he and his staff do. I am sure they could be had for far less annual salary than Dino is getting.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

I don't think you can suspend someone for not being in shape (fact). If Dino took that as "not buying in" and the tried to get him to take measurable steps to show commitment and he didn't come through? (speculation)

He isn't a loss if he wasn't willing to do what Dino required.

He can suspend them from the team for any reason, but not the school.

 

[Dmcnabbrules]

I'd be shocked if Elmore got more than 3 or 4 carries all season. I'm assuming he'll just be back there to open holes.

I agree. He had his own thread and I though I was losing my mind. He will be a blocker and maybe catch a few balls on play action slips. He will not get the ball on run plays.