Arkeel Newsome

[Jimdish255]

Let's be realistic. He's a very talented back but not huge and too much bulk won't turn him into a guy who creates his own holes. He needs space, not a lot but at least enough time to react and get through a hole to the second level. We didn't give any of our guys enough room to be consistently productive last year. Instead they mostly had to scramble and take on multiple defenders. If we block Arkeel and company can be very productive. And our tempo and organization still needs to improve. Do that and we move the chains and wear down opponents. The turnover issue was exacerbated by missed blocks and the QB carousel. Those need to be a thing of the past. And don't write off Max.

 

[Carl Spackler]

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

Nope, not going to work on me. If a player is afraid of making a physical basics of performance mistake, and that is making them tentative, then that player has not put in the proper work and preparation to compete. Tentativeness on the field, coming from mental aspects of confusion and playing slow with decision making is the only acceptable reason for being tentative, and I use 'acceptable' only because I can't think of a better word right now as I type, because it's not really acceptable. A player that is tentative because they don't want to make a physical mistake like leverage, pad level, contact, proper ball carrying technique? Nope - hasn't put the work in and shouldn't be on the field.

Last year, we didn't have a choice, with players - hopefully this year - we do.

 

[huskymedic]

Nope, not going to work on me. If a player is afraid of making a physical basics of performance mistake, and that is making them tentative, then that player has not put in the proper work and preparation to compete. Tentativeness on the field, coming from mental aspects of confusion and playing slow with decision making is the only acceptable reason for being tentative, and I use 'acceptable' only because I can't think of a better word right now as I type, because it's not really acceptable. A player that is tentative because they don't want to make a physical mistake like leverage, pad level, contact, proper ball carrying technique? Nope - hasn't put the work in and shouldn't be on the field.

Last year, we didn't have a choice, with players - hopefully this year - we do.

OK Knute...

 

[Carl Spackler]

Let's be realistic. He's a very talented back but not huge and too much bulk won't turn him into a guy who creates his own holes. He needs space, not a lot but at least enough time to react and get through a hole to the second level. We didn't give any of our guys enough room to be consistently productive last year. Instead they mostly had to scramble and take on multiple defenders. If we block Arkeel and company can be very productive. And our tempo and organization still needs to improve. Do that and we move the chains and wear down opponents. The turnover issue was exacerbated by missed blocks and the QB carousel. Those need to be a thing of the past. And don't write off Max.

DeLorenzo is a guy that I would expect to see a lot of backfield playing time, either as a fullback or a tailback this season. He's an upperclassman with a TON of reps and experience. Newsome, for me, is a guy that's going to work his way into the regular offense, once he proves on kicks that he won't cough up the pill. There is no doubt he's got game changing ability, and we've missed that in the return game for a long while now. I hope he brings it.

 

[Carl Spackler]

OK Knute...

LOL. You only write that because you know I'm right.

 

[huskymedic]

LOL. You only write that because you know I'm right.

Not really... not worth more typing on it because you aren't going to change your opinion.Even people that utilize proper ball carrying technique fumble.

 

[BNich]

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.

The Heisman

 

[Carl Spackler]

Not really... not worth more typing on it because you aren't going to change your opinion.Even people that utilize proper ball carrying technique fumble.

Of course they do. Not that much though.


Newsome lost 4 fumbles last year. Whitmer lost 4. Deshon Foxx lost 3. I'm pretty sure Marriner lost at least one , I think it was in the endzone or coiming out of our endzone too.

Whitmer and Foxx are graduated, so they can't drop it anymore. As long as the next starting QB and Z / Y starting receiver don't fumble it away 7 times this season in the 2015 offense, we are already going to be better than last.

It's not mistake that Donald Brown was a first round pick. Look up the number of times he's fumbled the ball. Lots of guys have great speed, vision, and ability - but you got to hold on to the ball reliably.

Last season is over, it's in the books, I hope that Newsome doesn't add to his total, and I'd be willing that he'll get more and more touches.

 

[Confident Carl]

Let's be realistic. He's a very talented back but not huge and too much bulk won't turn him into a guy who creates his own holes. He needs space, not a lot but at least enough time to react and get through a hole to the second level. We didn't give any of our guys enough room to be consistently productive last year. Instead they mostly had to scramble and take on multiple defenders. If we block Arkeel and company can be very productive. And our tempo and organization still needs to improve. Do that and we move the chains and wear down opponents. The turnover issue was exacerbated by missed blocks and the QB carousel. Those need to be a thing of the past. And don't write off Max.

I agree, as you will recall this is how Diaco described him last year.

 

[Confident Carl]

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

Okay, your right. CT High School sucks.
His competition was inferior
His High School performance is no indicator of how he will do it college
He had 4 fumbles last year
He's a tiny little guy
Let's not get our hopes too high because remember Denham Brown once scored 111 in a high school game.
What was I thinking? Thanks for straightening me out!
Leading the COUNTRY in rushing two our of 4 high school years means nothing. Pure luck!

 

[Confident Carl]

Of course they do. Not that much though.


Newsome lost 4 fumbles last year. Whitmer lost 4. Deshon Foxx lost 3. I'm pretty sure Marriner lost at least one , I think it was in the endzone or coiming out of our endzone too.

Whitmer and Foxx are graduated, so they can't drop it anymore. As long as the next starting QB and Z / Y starting receiver don't fumble it away 7 times this season in the 2015 offense, we are already going to be better than last.

It's not mistake that Donald Brown was a first round pick. Look up the number of times he's fumbled the ball. Lots of guys have great speed, vision, and ability - but you got to hold on to the ball reliably.

Last season is over, it's in the books, I hope that Newsome doesn't add to his total, and I'd be willing that he'll get more and more touches.

The fumbles really hurt and were momentum killers. Hopefully Arkeel and class will have learned and grown from actual experience. He was a freshman playing big time BCS football on a team that couldn't block Tinkerbell in most games.

When I played in college, I played on the Freshman team and suited up for a couple of Varsity games. The upperclassman were intimidating to say the least. Whole different ball game by the time sophomore year came around. I am anxious to see how much he and all the other youngsters have developed since last season.

Here is what Vonte Diggs said about playing as a freshman earlier this year:

Rossi: What was the biggest adjustment you had to make in playing college football?

Diggs: Obviously the speed of the game. Everything moves faster and everyone is the same size, if not bigger. Another adjustment was how to read the game. In high school you could kind of move around on defense. If you do that here, you’re not going to be as successful.

Rossi: How tough was it to play as a true freshman?

Diggs: Obviously you want to play as a freshman coming in, but it was hard to go against fifth year seniors, guys that were 22 or 23 years old and I’m 18. It was very fun but at the same time very humbling.

Rossi: How did the UConn coaches prepare you to play?

Diggs: They break you down and build you back up. What I knew already helped me, but it was completely different. You have to know the game front and back. Playing at this level, you learn the X’s and O’s and how to execute.

 

[Nostical]

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

Brown went to WestHill CI in Toronto. Played weak competition. 111 was against King Academy.That's like Uconn playing Simsbury High. I seem to remember Ansonia being a pretty good team in a competitive league. Newsome was a Parade AA. He will be dynamic and explosive this year. And unlike Lyle McCombs, Newsome will get the ball in open space a lot.

 

[Gblow8690]

I feel Newsome is the most talented of our backs and definitely the most explosive. If he shows he can hold onto the ball I see him getting a lot of touches. He can take it to the house on any given play. I don't think we have anyone else who can do that. And he actually has big legs for a small guy if you look at him.

 

[huskymedic]

Diaco after today's practice on Newsome (from a Fuller post):

>>"He has to squeeze the ball," Diaco said. "If he doesn't squeeze the ball, he is not going to play. If he squeezes the ball he is going to play a bunch. he is electric. We have to get the ball to him in many kinds of different ways and he will hold on it. Ball security has been strong so far through camp so he will get a bunch."<<

 

[BlueDogs]

My 2 cents. Don't see it based on what I saw last year. UConn has been spoiled with exceptional backs and I don't see the same kind of natural instinct as a Brown, Todman, Caulley, or Dixon. Much more like McCoombs who was small, talented but lacked field vision and instincts to find holes.

 

[mets1090]

My 2 cents. Don't see it based on what I saw last year. UConn has been spoiled with exceptional backs and I don't see the same kind of natural instinct as a Brown, Todman, Caulley, or Dixon. Much more like McCoombs who was small, talented but lacked field vision and instincts to find holes.

McCombs' biggest fault was not being able to sprint in a straight line without falling. He lacked top end speed and when he tried to push himself to go faster he literally just fell. I've never seen anything like it.

 

[Carl Spackler]

I disagree with that, from what I've seen of Newsome. He's a liability on the field for only 2 reasons - and time and experience fix both - one is backfield blocking, picking up pass protections and blocking assignments, and the other is ball security. Size, and physical ability, vision - etc. - are not what's going to hold this kid back. He's got the physical ability to take the ball to daylight and all the way to the house every time he touches the ball.

He's not going to be able to be a regular offensive player though, until he shows improvement in both of the above though. I fully expect #22 to back to catch the first kickoff of the season, and to be a threat to return kicks all season long. Catch 22.

That's where he helps this team the most right now, and I hope he's been catching balls day and night all the time for months. Thousands and thousands of them.

 

[FDNY99]

McCombs' biggest fault was not being able to sprint in a straight line without falling. He lacked top end speed and when he tried to push himself to go faster he literally just fell. I've never seen anything like it.

he also hopped through a hole like he was doing jump stops or playing hop scotch

 

[freescooter]

As for act high school football it is generally pretty low end compared to many parts of the country. Partly it is a function of school size. My nephew in South Florida goes to a high school that has a varsity 2 jv and a freshman team. It also has almost 5000 kids. They had their whole d line and a wideout get 1A scholarships from last year and the champ in their league had 4 defensive linemen, 2 linebackers and 2 corners go to 1A programs. There probably weren't that many kids in the whole NVL who went on to play at any level. They also have a football coach. That's his job. Not a history teacher who coaches on the side. That's why some of us take Connecticut high school performances with a grain of salt. Doesn't mean a guy from Ct isn't or won't be good at the next level and I think Newsome will be. It just means that there are others who come in far far ahead and more proven with less gaudy credentials.

 

[Bezzz]

McCombs' biggest fault was not being able to sprint in a straight line without falling. He lacked top end speed and when he tried to push himself to go faster he literally just fell. I've never seen anything like it.

Just to pile on...several occasions when he would break a long one he'd run out of gas and get pulled down from behind. Did not have elite speed.

 

[SubbaBub]

If they can hold on to the ball, I'm happy with any of our backs as I think they can all be very productive with decent blocking.

 

[jayfromfla]

Maybe if we deflated the ball a couple of pounds he can get a better grip

 

[Waquoit]

Grip this...

 

[BlueDogs]

I disagree with that, from what I've seen of Newsome. He's a liability on the field for only 2 reasons - and time and experience fix both - one is backfield blocking, picking up pass protections and blocking assignments, and the other is ball security. Size, and physical ability, vision - etc. - are not what's going to hold this kid back. He's got the physical ability to take the ball to daylight and all the way to the house every time he touches the ball.

He's not going to be able to be a regular offensive player though, until he shows improvement in both of the above though. I fully expect #22 to back to catch the first kickoff of the season, and to be a threat to return kicks all season long. Catch 22.

That's where he helps this team the most right now, and I hope he's been catching balls day and night all the time for months. Thousands and thousands of them.

Glad to be totally wrong. But, I think you could tell Todman, Brown, Dixon and Caulley were special within about 20 carries of their careers. Now, I'll grant they never had to run behind the kind of lines we have experienced in the last few years. I'd like nothing more to see another great back in Newsome. Just did not see that special spark last year.

 

[Gblow8690]

Nobody could run for big yards behind that offensive line. Donald Brown wouldn't have ran for big yards nobody. I didn't see anyone catch newsome on that screen he took to the house. He will get more touches than any back this year if he holds onto the ball. After a full year with the strength and conditioning coaches I am sure he is faster and stronger than ever. The offensive line has to be better or all this is null.