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Message: [QUOTE="SWC75, post: 653301, member: 289"] Habeus Depth Chart! My annual pitch: In another thread we were talking about honoring Larry "Cszonka" and also Jim Nance. Those guys used to play next to Floyd Little and each of them would gain 1000 yards and we'd have the bets rushing attack in the country. Later Penn State had the same thing with Franco Harris and Lydell Mitchell. Larry and Franco were part of the first, (and, I still think, only two) 1000 yard tandems in the NFL. As late as 1987-88 Moose Johnson would gain 600-700 yards and Drummond/Owens would gain 1200-1300 yards at the tailback spot, in part because of Johnson's 600-700 yards. When a quarterback fades back to pass, the defense doesn't know who he's going to pass it to and that's good. He might have a clear #1 receiver but he can't throw it to that guy all the time because the defense knows he's the clear #1. Why is it better for the defense to know who is going to get the hand-off on any running play? If a player splits out, he's a pass-catcher. He might also help out with a down-field block. If he's in the backfield, he can still go out for passes. He can also run the ball. He can block for the quarterback or other running back. The quarterback can fake it to him and give it to the other running back, (or run it himself). He could take a direct snap or run a reverse. There's just far more offensive versatility when a player is in the backfield rather than split out. I'm not asking to go back to the four man backfield we see in these Michigan highlights from their 1948 Rose Bowl win. But the things they can do with those guys in the backfield are remarkable compared with the very limited amount of deception or misdirection we see today: [media=youtube]AbTIDYhibzQ[/media] All I'm asking for it to return to the Mr Inside/Mr. Outside concept that was so successful for many years. Football is cyclical. The option comes and goes. The middle guard/nose tackle disappears and reappears. Same with the Middle linebacker. The tight end is a blocker. Then he's a pass catcher. Then he's a blocker. Now he's a pass catcher again. The Wildcat was just the old single wing. Defenses are prepared to stop what they are used to seeing. they aren't prepared for Mr. Inside/Mr. Outside because they are used to the one back backfield, or one back with a lead blocker. You've got to have a scheme that takes the best advantage of your talent. We have two bangers, Jerome Smith and Adonis Ameen-Moore and two "see ya later" guys, Prince Tyson Gulley and George Morris, (Devante MacFarlane could be a third). Why not use them in tandem with each other? It could give us the edge we are looking for. [/QUOTE]

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