Arkeel Newsome

[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.

 

[Palatine]

While I think Newsome has a world of potential, it doesn't seem to be as a KO returner. Some guys have the knack. Larry Taylor was brilliant at it. Some other guys who have what seems to be the ideal KO return package, never seem to really make the first guy miss. Not saying that Newsome can't make himself into a great returner but he wasn't a natural one last year.

As a running back, he has already broken more tackles than McCombs did in his career. McCombs went down on first contact. Newsome has already shown more balance and toughness. He has all the makings of a weapon.

 

[Justin M]

Ideally we would see Newsome and Johnson have similar roles to Sproles and LT back in the good ole days. I disagree with Palatine, I think that Newsome has a high ceiling as a returner. It seemed last year he had difficulty deciding which side and hole to take, that comes with the whole experience thing. Holes to run through close up alot faster at this level then they did in HS, got to trust your instinct and just go. I'd love to see him take one back to the house on Sept 3rd, and it wouldn't surprise me if he did.

 

[cohenzone]

Well, one of his fumbles, I can't remember against who, was all on (lack of) blocking where he was hit just as he got the ball on a pitch. Walter Payton would have fumbled it. But besides that, many years ago in the YanCon , UConn incredibly got a kid named Raymond James from Louisiana. Rushing numbers like Newsome in HS, national class sprinter and other football skills. He fumbled enough early in his career that they ultimately made him a receiver because he could blow by everyone. The point being, if you looked at their high school records and how many really long runs both had, they obviously weren't being hit often and rarely very hard. They needed to adjust to it in college. I thought they gave up on James too soon, and I hope Newsome is given the chance to see if he can hang on better.

I was at the barbecue the team held last month for season's ticket holders. They were in uniform. What impressed me about Newsome was that he is really put together. His height is a non-factor. I actually thought that all of the RBs were very strong looking. Also, Knappe is one damn large human being. It scares me that there are people we play against that can actually push him around.

 

[ktuck911]

My wife and I walked around the football field Arkeel did most of his damage in HS for our morning walk before work today... Here's hoping the strides he made there will become a part of UCONN football just as much as there, starting this season... I think we're in for a treat the next 3 years with him touching the rock...

 

[freescooter]

My view is that Johnson is far and away the best of the running backs. No one else is even close. The others all have some skills but none have the combination he does. Plus he was far more polished as a runner. That's why I think Newsome will be ultimately most effective in situations, as a return guy and lined up where they can get him the ball in space. If you have a weapon like Johnson you don't not use him.

 

[Carl Spackler]

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.

I'm pretty sure if you take the time and go back and watch our current #22 with the ball in his hands - you'll see that he's just as electric, if not more than any back we've had. The key - is keeping the ball in his hands. When the ball comes out, everything that happened before doesn't matter anymore, and maybe that's why you don't remember what he's capable of.

 

[DoctorWho85]

My view is that Johnson is far and away the best of the running backs. No one else is even close. The others all have some skills but none have the combination he does. Plus he was far more polished as a runner. That's why I think Newsome will be ultimately most effective in situations, as a return guy and lined up where they can get him the ball in space. If you have a weapon like Johnson you don't not use him.

I agree. Newsome should not be ran between the tackles. He should be given the ball in space on the outsides with short screens or tosses and just let him make plays.

 

[blue93]

Let's not forget that this kid went straight from NVL to D1 competition. I dont care what his HS stats looked like, anyone who didn't think there would be growing pains last year is insane. I expect to see some strides made this year and in coming years. I really think the rb position is the least of our worries. Serious thunder & lightening potential.

 

[ktuck911]

BTW, let's not forget Arkeel had over 1,000 all purpose yards as a true frosh.. not too shabby.... even if we had the worst offense in the FBS last year.

 

[Palatine]

Ideally we would see Newsome and Johnson have similar roles to Sproles and LT back in the good ole days. I disagree with Palatine, I think that Newsome has a high ceiling as a returner. It seemed last year he had difficulty deciding which side and hole to take, that comes with the whole experience thing. Holes to run through close up alot faster at this level then they did in HS, got to trust your instinct and just go. I'd love to see him take one back to the house on Sept 3rd, and it wouldn't surprise me if he did.

I didn't say that Newsome couldn't be a great returner. In fact, I said it is still possible for him to develop into one.

I just noted that he didn't look like a natural returner in 2014. He was stopped at the 20 time after time. His first move didn't get him to open space.