So... how's running back going to work out next season?

[OttoinGrotto]

One of the more interesting things about the team next season I think is watching how running back shakes out.

We've seen that Marrone rides the primary tail pretty hard (that's what she said), both when he has a good backup and when he has an unproven one (or two).

Now we've got a situation where a guy emerged in the spring (Smith) a little bit over a guy that had a few moments before he went down (Gulley) and a possibly overweight rising sophomore that maybe we should have shirted last season (Adonis Ameen Thickburger). We also have two fairly interesting freshman that could contend for carries in Morris and MacFarlane, although I understand MacFarlane might have a better future on defense. I think that's the pecking order.

That said, I think that pecking order is pretty flexible. I don't think there's any question that Smith is the top guy. Is he good enough though to get the kind of carry numbers that a top guy seems to get under Marrone's offense? Is the difference between Smith and the rest of the pack small enough to spread the ball around and run with the hot hand/better match up in any given game?

The running backs had about 300 carries last season. Assuming a similar number of carries, how do you think it shakes out?

My guess:
Smith - 150
PTG - 75 (but he might see a lot of passes thrown his way)
Frosh/Thickburger - 75

I think it's possible though that Ameen-Thickburger doesn't play at all (redshirt) and one of the frosh emerge as a difference maker and disrupts this whole thing.

 

[SUinNYC]

I hope they redshirt the frosh (other than Broyld). Barring injury, we've got a good group.

 

[sutomcat]

One of the more interesting things about the team next season I think is watching how running back shakes out.

We've seen that Marrone rides the primary tail pretty hard (that's what she said), both when he has a good backup and when he has an unproven one (or two).

Now we've got a situation where a guy emerged in the spring (Smith) a little bit over a guy that had a few moments before he went down (Gulley) and a possibly overweight rising sophomore that maybe we should have shirted last season (Adonis Ameen Thickburger). We also have two fairly interesting freshman that could contend for carries in Morris and MacFarlane, although I understand MacFarlane might have a better future on defense. I think that's the pecking order.

That said, I think that pecking order is pretty flexible. I don't think there's any question that Smith is the top guy. Is he good enough though to get the kind of carry numbers that a top guy seems to get under Marrone's offense? Is the difference between Smith and the rest of the pack small enough to spread the ball around and run with the hot hand/better match up in any given game?

The running backs had about 300 carries last season. Assuming a similar number of carries, how do you think it shakes out?

My guess:
Smith - 150
PTG - 75 (but he might see a lot of passes thrown his way)
Frosh/Thickburger - 75

I think it's possible though that Ameen-Thickburger doesn't play at all (redshirt) and one of the frosh emerge as a difference maker and disrupts this whole thing.

I think there are 3 roles to be filled at RB. 1) primary running back 2) backup running back (comes in when the primary gets banged up, gassed and occasionally might play a whole series as well) 3) passing situation specialist.

I think Smith won the primary job and PTG won the backup in the spring.

The passing situation job is up for grabs. PTG was not good catching passes as a frosh but appeares to have somewhat improved. He is not a natural receiver like Ant Bailey.

You didn't mention Steven Rene, who in addition to making fair catches on the punt return team, also plays RB. He is, IMHO, too light to be very effective running the ball but he has the best hands of all the RBs (which is why he fair catches punts) and he is pretty good getting yards after making the catch. And he has been around for a while and should know his assignments well. If he can pass block, he will probably get this assignment and enjoy some PT at RB.

Smith has had concussion issues and given his punishing running style, it would not be a major surprise if he has issues here in the future. PTG has also had some injury problems, enough for me to wonder if his body can hold up for a 12 game regular season. I hope he has committed to the weight program hard over the summer to get bigger and stronger.

Anyway, given both primary ball carriers have had injury problems, there is a good chance another back will get some playing time. As you say, Morris and AAM are the top two candidates. I think/hope McFarland redshirts/gets moved to defense.

Would not be surprised if Morris gets PT early in the season in the passing situations role, and it leads to a bigger role in the offense as the season progresses. I am not convinced Rene can beat defenders in the open field...if he can't, he shouldn't be playing in that role. Maybe PTG can continue to improve catching the ball...I think he can beat defenders in the open field. Morris looks to me like our best back in the open field in a long time...since the days of Rhodes and Reyes. It would be great to redshirt him. But we need someone who can beat defenders at RB.

 

[orangepassion]

Is rene big enough to block?

 

[ImperialOrange]

I think there are 3 roles to be filled at RB. 1) primary running back 2) backup running back (comes in when the primary gets banged up, gassed and occasionally might play a whole series as well) 3) passing situation specialist.

I think Smith won the primary job and PTG won the backup in the spring.

The passing situation job is up for grabs. PTG was not good catching passes as a frosh but appeares to have somewhat improved. He is not a natural receiver like Ant Bailey.

You didn't mention Steven Rene, who in addition to making fair catches on the punt return team, also plays RB. He is, IMHO, too light to be very effective running the ball but he has the best hands of all the RBs (which is why he fair catches punts) and he is pretty good getting yards after making the catch. And he has been around for a while and should know his assignments well. If he can pass block, he will probably get this assignment and enjoy some PT at RB.

Smith has had concussion issues and given his punishing running style, it would not be a major surprise if he has issues here in the future. PTG has also had some injury problems, enough for me to wonder if his body can hold up for a 12 game regular season. I hope he has committed to the weight program hard over the summer to get bigger and stronger.

Anyway, given both primary ball carriers have had injury problems, there is a good chance another back will get some playing time. As you say, Morris and AAM are the top two candidates. I think/hope McFarland redshirts/gets moved to defense.

Would not be surprised if Morris gets PT early in the season in the passing situations role, and it leads to a bigger role in the offense as the season progresses. I am not convinced Rene can beat defenders in the open field...if he can't, he shouldn't be playing in that role. Maybe PTG can continue to improve catching the ball...I think he can beat defenders in the open field. Morris looks to me like our best back in the open field in a long time...since the days of Rhodes and Reyes. It would be great to redshirt him. But we need someone who can beat defenders at RB.

Broyld can catch and beat defenders in the open field. Where do you think he'll fit in with the others youve mentioned?

 

[sutomcat]

Broyld can catch and beat defenders in the open field. Where do you think he'll fit in with the others youve mentioned?

I keep forgetting to consider him as a RB, which is a mistake because he played there more than anywhere in the spring.

That being said, I think it is a waste of his talent to play him at RB, where we have a number of good options, instead of at WR, where depth is a bigger issue. Heck, I would play him at TE before I would play him at RB.

But I am not DM, and DM seems to like lining him up at RB.

Anyway, as of today, Ashton would probably be our best option at RB in passing situations. He is plenty big and strong enough to stay in the backfield and pick up the rush, especially blitzers. He appears to have excellent hands and his blend of power and speed means he would be a major headache for defenses in the open field. I am hoping when he plays RB, he does so in passing situations, or splits out from the RB position to line up as a WR, where he would often draw man coverage with an LB. That is a matchup he is going to win on a regular basis.

 

[ImperialOrange]

I keep forgetting to consider him as a RB, which is a mistake because he played there more than anywhere in the spring.

That being said, I think it is a waste of his talent to play him at RB, where we have a number of good options, instead of at WR, where depth is a bigger issue. Heck, I would play him at TE before I would play him at RB.

But I am not DM, and DM seems to like lining him up at RB.

Anyway, as of today, Ashton would probably be our best option at RB in passing situations. He is plenty big and strong enough to stay in the backfield and pick up the rush, especially blitzers. He appears to have excellent hands and his blend of power and speed means he would be a major headache for defenses in the open field. I am hoping when he plays RB, he does so in passing situations, or splits out from the RB position to line up as a WR, where he would often draw man coverage with an LB. That is a matchup he is going to win on a regular basis.

Appreciate it. I think he very well could take PTG's role if health or hands become an issue. I like Gulley's speed and wiggle but he put the ball on the ground quite a bit in the Spring so that needs to improve.

I don't think Broyld will stay at RB for his 4 years but I can see him making his mark there for this season. Based on our lack of blocking TE's I'm hoping to see alot more open sets which could put him in the slot vs a LB or a DB. He's a matchup issue speedwise for the LB and he has no issues running over/through DB's.

 

[orangepassion]

I like smaller targets at back and bigger targets at receiver. Would love to see him be a Gronk.

 

[baggerbob]

Go back to using the fullback like Darryl and Rob Konrad were used, as an integral part of the offense. No need to have a player on the field, who never runs and seldom catches a pass. As coach P always said " we have multiple options".

 

[Orangepace]

Oh.. I thought this thread was in regards to WVU and the Big Leftovers...:rolling:

 

[kcsu]

Smith, PTG unless he continues to fumble, AAM and Flash