Arkeel Newsome

[Gblow8690]

What are your expectations for him this year? I think he is gonna get a lot more touches then people think right now. He is definitely the biggest home run threat we have and if he can hold onto the ball I expect him to get a lot of touches. Would be nice to see a CT boy to do well and would only lead to us keeping more in state talent.

 

[J187Money]

If he holds on to the ball, many things are possible.

 

[ktuck911]

Big things agwan with Newsome (my Bob Marley impression). Seriously, my opinion. He's gonna do big things for us. He's a big play waiting to happen.

 

[uconndogs]

I think Newsome is a real talent and we have to figure a way to get him the ball in the right situation.

That said, there are plenty of RBs. If they can't hold onto the ball they need to sit. Putting the ball on the ground is simply not an option. Edsall did it with Donald Brown, Diaco can certainly do it with this group.

 

[freescooter]

I think his most value will be as a return man. I also think he will line up in the slot. He is a guy who mostly is dangerous when he gets the ball in space. And I would have him carrying a ball where ever he goes. A good runner who can't hold onto the ball isn't worth the risk. Better get 3 yards and a cloud of dust than 30 and fumble it away.

 

[Chin Diesel]

If he can hold on to ball?

10-12 touches a game. About 8 carries and 3-4 catches. 25+ yards per return on kickoffs

He breaks 3 plays for 50+ yards and becomes the breakaway threat that all D coordinators have to account for when he is in the game.

Next season he goes bonkers.

If reports of him being 180lbs or more are true, he can be explosive.

 

[Excalibur]

I would not discount the possibility of Newsome being the 1A to Johnson's 1 in the backfield, if he can hold on to the ball. A small back can be good in between the tackles if he can keep his balance coming through the line. If Newsome really has bulked up to 182 (almost the exact dimensions that Terry Caulley played at), he could be very effective as an every down back.

 

[Dooley]

I think this depends more on what kind of offseason Arkeel had. Did he bulk up (specifically his legs)? He needs to to be a feature back and able to break tackles.

Newsome in the open field is more dangerous than Johnson. That said, I think Johnson has to be our feature back. Dude never fumbles, is stronger to break tackles at the LOS, is a better blocker and has a gear of explosion.

I think Newsome will still be able to get 10-15 carries in our offense, as long as we're not being gassed by whoever we're playing. I also see Newsome's talents being more dangerous in the passing game on screens, short patterns, and quick slants. If we can isolate him 1 on 1 with a LB or safety, I think he can maneuver his way by in an open field.

I also think he is our feature KR/PR guy and I think he can be VERY dangerous in that aspect.

 

[Carl Spackler]

"Gentlemen, better to have died as a small child than to fumble the football." - John Heisman

 

[freescooter]

Carl,
That is why I would give him a football and make him carry it 24-7.

I would be a little concerned about him bulking up too much. Sometimes running backs who rely on speed and quickness who get much bigger can lose a bit of the elusiveness that made the dangerous. Or it takes a bit to adjust to their newfound size.

 

[Chin Diesel]

The good news for Arkeel is that he has the talent to determine his PT. If he is healthy and holds on to the ball he will play.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Newsome is a little guy on the field with speed and game changing ability. No doubt. His ability is not useful in anyway, if he doesn't squeeze the pig tight enough not to squirt out. Newsome's going to get playing time from the get go, I would assume, probably will be back to catch the first kickoff I would presume and his continued playing time, my guess, is going to be directly proportional to his ability to carry the pig tightly.

 

[Dooley]

Carl,
That is why I would give him a football and make him carry it 24-7.

I would be a little concerned about him bulking up too much. Sometimes running backs who rely on speed and quickness who get much bigger can lose a bit of the elusiveness that made the dangerous. Or it takes a bit to adjust to their newfound size.

Agree here. Jordan Todman should be the mold example of what Newsome should try to emulate. As a FR, Todman was dangerous in the open field. He put on a little extra muscle in his legs, maintained his explosiveness, but was then able to break through arm tackles at the LOS. Not like Donald Brown, but enough.

I think Newsome's primary "opportunity for growth" is ball security. Don't put the ball on the ground and he improves into a very dangerous weapon for us.

 

[Waquoit]

I think Josh Marriner has shown more flashes of potential to date.

 

[weyuo]

Agree here. Jordan Todman should be the mold example of what Newsome should try to emulate. As a FR, Todman was dangerous in the open field. He put on a little extra muscle in his legs, maintained his explosiveness, but was then able to break through arm tackles at the LOS. Not like Donald Brown, but enough.

I think Newsome's primary "opportunity for growth" is ball security. Don't put the ball on the ground and he improves into a very dangerous weapon for us.

But can he block? If he can't be an effective blocking back he becomes one dimensional and either A)is a detriment as a pass blocker or B) defenses know if he's in he's getting the ball and key on him or at the very least put somebody on him while playing zone. Using him as a decoy more than once is a waste.

 

[noeynox]

I've said this before, the coaches need to utilize Arkeel, in a similar manner to how Darren Sproles and Brian Westbrook were used in the pros.

I think he has the best vision of any back we've had since Donald Brown, he just wasn't ready phisically for the FBS pounding and the coaching staff kept things too vanilla for him to be truly effective. I think year two we are going to see a dynamic all purpose back.

 

[Carl Spackler]

If memory servers, Marriner had the same issue as Newsome, and hopefully has learned to run with better lower level in his pads. He got his clock cleaned badly on a couple hits last season, way to upright.

There were so many issues like that from so many players last season. Simple issues of leverage and pad level. I remember one of the young TE"s getting completely blown up on a short yardage play. The defender got under his shoulder pads and tossed him like a rag doll - I think it was the bigger TE too. I remember linebackers knocking themselves out of games with poor tackling technique.

Expected from a young team, but it's got to improve. It's all the little things done right that add up to wins.

Most important though, is protecting the pig. Turnovers make it real hard to win games.

 

[Kgun7]

Carl,
That is why I would give him a football and make him carry it 24-7.

I would be a little concerned about him bulking up too much. Sometimes running backs who rely on speed and quickness who get much bigger can lose a bit of the elusiveness that made the dangerous. Or it takes a bit to adjust to their newfound size.

I get what you're trying to say ... but seriously? All you have to do is tell someone to carry around a football 24/7 and they'll stop fumbling? What about coaching technique, studying the playbook, strength training, film study, conditioning, maturity etc. etc.? I believe those things go a lot further in teaching a player to value the football than carrying a football to Psych 101 ...

 

[Carl Spackler]

I get what you're trying to say ... but seriously? All you have to do is tell someone to carry around a football 24/7 and they'll stop fumbling? What about coaching technique, studying the playbook, strength training, film study, conditioning, maturity etc. etc.? I believe those things go a lot further in teaching a player to value the football than carrying a football to Psych 101 ...

I know right?

Carrying a football around regularly is nice and all, but nobody is trying to take it from you 24/7 and nobody is trying to tackle you at the same time 24/7.

Some nice old fashioned games of kill the carrier, and some nutcracker drillswhile carrying the ball tend to improve the ability to hold on to the ball, when somebody is trying to both take you down, and take it from you.

 

[Confident Carl]

Agree here. Jordan Todman should be the mold example of what Newsome should try to emulate. As a FR, Todman was dangerous in the open field. He put on a little extra muscle in his legs, maintained his explosiveness, but was then able to break through arm tackles at the LOS. Not like Donald Brown, but enough.

I think Newsome's primary "opportunity for growth" is ball security. Don't put the ball on the ground and he improves into a very dangerous weapon for us.

I agree. His stats at Ansonia are off the charts. He will be a great one! His High School numbers were mind boggling!

2014: Saw action in all 12 games, starting two at tailback as a true freshman...was UConn's primary kick returner with 36 returns for 730 yards, a 20.3 return average...total kick returns and kick return yardage rank fourth in UConn single-season history...on the ground, carried 47 times for 188 yards to average 4.0 yards per rush...also a factor in the passing game, catching 11 balls for 155 yards and two touchdowns...first true freshman to accumulate over 1,000 all-purpose yards since Terry Caulley in 2002...had 213 all-purpose yards, including a 74-yard touchdown grab, vs. Temple (Sept. 27)...rushed for a season-high 40 yards, caught three passes and had a season-long 47-yard kick return at Tulane (Oct. 11)...rushed for 32 yards on just four carries in a win over UCF (Nov. 1)...caught a 39-yard touchdown at Memphis (Nov. 29).

Parade Magazine All-American at running back in 2013, UConn's first player to receive that honor...led Ansonia to the 2013 Class S Championship, its third straight...Ansonia went 43-0 in his final three seasons, reaching the No. 1 ranking in the state...three-time Walter Camp Football Foundation Player of the Year...in his senior season, carried 333 times, setting state records with 3,867 yards and 68 touchdowns (64 rushing)...holds Connecticut career records with 10,672 yards, 187 touchdowns and 1,162 points...led the country in rushing yards as a sophomore and senior...just the ninth player in United States high school football history to rush for more than 10,000 yards in a career...New Haven Register 2013 All-State and Player of the Year... CHSCA All-State First Team...named U.S. Army All-American Bowl High School Player of the Week, for the week ending Oct. 19. after a 396-yard and six touchdown performance.

http://www.maxpreps.com/athlete/arkeel-newsome/pnWYUfTsEeKZ5AAmVebBJg/gendersport/football-stats.htm

 

[huskymedic]

He had 4 fumbles in 94 combined touches last year. A fumble is a fumble but the BSU one where he was blown up in backfield because Mateas missed an assignment was just bad timing/luck and one of two during the Tulane game when he should have just went down instead of fighting for more yards and got stripped while being stood up was a freshman mistake.

High School is high school but the kid had 6 fumbles in his whole career (2 ea. year) with close to 1000 touches (yeah, yeah it was the NVL and not the SCC )

Not saying he shouldn't be held accountable but he needs to learn from the film and move on w/ confidence. A player who is afraid of making a mistake is less effective and more prone to make a mistake and/or get hurt.

Would like to see more screens and use out of the slot.

 

[Waquoit]

I agree. His stats at Ansonia are off the charts. He will be a great one! His High School numbers were mind boggling!

Y'know Denham Brown once scored 111 points in a high school game.

 

[freescooter]

I get what you're trying to say ... but seriously? All you have to do is tell someone to carry around a football 24/7 and they'll stop fumbling? What about coaching technique, studying the playbook, strength training, film study, conditioning, maturity etc. etc.? I believe those things go a lot further in teaching a player to value the football than carrying a football to Psych 101 ...

Well of course. Then again that's what a pretty good coach by the name of Lombardi did when he had a back who tended to fumble.

 

[Carl Spackler]

A fumble is a fumble. Don't do it. Simple. Proper preparation and repeated successful performance creates confidence. A player that is afraid of making a mistake, is not a bad thing. Fear of failure can be and should be a healthy thing. As long as you practice and prepare properly.

 

[huskymedic]

A player that is afraid of making a mistake, is not a bad thing. Fear of failure can be and should be a healthy thing.

Let's try this then - If being afraid of making a mistake makes the player tentative - it is not a good thing.