bye bye Montrell Dobbs

[ktuck911]

He's officially committed to Marshall ( per an article on rivals )... Could've gone the JUCO route and then go to UCONN but ultimately his ability to play D1 A football now the deciding factor... Will enroll in January but it's still unclear if he can participate in Spring practice...

IMO, we need another RB... a 5'8 170 lb starting tailback at this level just doesn't cut it... Cincy thru McCombs around like a rag doll yesterday... We don't have one more RB on our depth chart? other than DJ Shoemate next season with some D1 RB size that can contribute? smh... We gotta act NOW on that position... CANNOT wait for a 2013 recruit on the position.. even if it means going the JUCO route... my two cents...

 

[uconndogs]

Absolutely agree that we need help at that position. I hope I am wrong, but I don't think DJ is a TB. I am intrigued that they moved Wilbert Lee to RB on the practice squad. What we've heard is that he is a terrific athlete. So who knows.

 

[businesslawyer]

I'm sure they will try to get the best TB they can in this class. Maybe Akeel Lynch?

That having been said, I am fairly confident that between DJ and Hyppolite and Foxx and Lee, someone will be ready to be a true #2 next year.

 

[ibleedhuskyblue]

i hope hyppolite gets healthy (fully), and is able to take carries.

also hope foxx can get the fundamentals needed, and take a few carries.

 

[ktuck911]

I'm sure they will try to get the best TB they can in this class. Maybe Akeel Lynch?

That having been said, I am fairly confident that between DJ and Hyppolite and Foxx and Lee, someone will be ready to be a true #2 next year.

I like your optimism regarding Lynch, but the "big boys" are now calling on his services... We're still... UCONN... a no name football program at the BCS level still trying to learn how to win... He's not coming here... although I wish I were wrong....

 

[ibleedhuskyblue]

Absolutely agree that we need help at that position. I hope I am wrong, but I don't think DJ is a TB. I am intrigued that they moved Wilbert Lee to RB on the practice squad. What we've heard is that he is a terrific athlete. So who knows.

truth is id like to see Lee at Safety most....but if (big IF) brown and jones can lock up those spots, and if we have a little depth....it may not be a bad idea to play Lee at TB. great athlete from all accounts

 

[ktuck911]

i hope hyppolite gets healthy (fully), and is able to take carries.

also hope foxx can get the fundamentals needed, and take a few carries.

Hyppolite was available to play the last 3 to 4 games, no? If that was indeed the case ( as stated by Coach P ) then why did we not see him get any game experience minimal? The only kid I'm a slight bit intrigued by is Lee... He came in as a S but practiced at RB and did well... Foxx burned his redshirt only touching the ball maybe 3 times the entire season.. I'm a tad confused about what we truly have at the position ( other than Mighty Mouse McCombs )...

 

[Sean]

Any time we get one of these "athletes", I wish we'd just figure out what position he'd fit best at, and leave him there. I feel like too many of these kids get bounced from position to position and end up not being polished enough at any of the positions.

 

[Stinger92860]

He's officially committed to Marshall ( per an article on rivals )... Could've gone the JUCO route and then go to UCONN but ultimately his ability to play D1 A football now the deciding factor... Will enroll in January but it's still unclear if he can participate in Spring practice...

IMO, we need another RB... a 5'8 170 lb starting tailback at this level just doesn't cut it... Cincy thru McCombs around like a rag doll yesterday... We don't have one more RB on our depth chart? other than DJ Shoemate next season with some D1 RB size that can contribute? smh... We gotta act NOW on that position... CANNOT wait for a 2013 recruit on the position.. even if it means going the JUCO route... my two cents...

I would take a look at Nick Williams at RB in the spring. We must get him more touches.

 

[fortebleedsblue]

I would take a look at Nick Williams at RB in the spring. We must get him more touches.

Wow talk about making lemonade out of lemons .... hearing this stuff is really a reach ... and kind of depressing. If this is what our program needs to resort to for major positions then the future looks dull..

 

[rich1122]

How can you say goodbye when you never said hello?

 

[metsfan2323]

I would take a look at Nick Williams at RB in the spring. We must get him more touches.

I totally agree with this. We have nothing to lose by trying Nick Williams at RB in the spring. IMO anything McCombs can do Nick Williams can do better especially catching the ball out of the backfield and breaking tackles.

 

[businesslawyer]

It is unbelievable to me that we had a TB who led the league in rushing and people actually think we have better runners getting limited time at WR.

 

[metsfan2323]

we had a TB who led the league in rushing

Stats are very deceiving in this case. He can't pass block, he can't break any tackles, he can't take a long run to the house without running out of gas and he is not a good receiver. McCombs is great at cutting back, not fumbling and not getting hurt in spite of so many carries, but he is a two hand touch running back because when he is touched the play is over.

McCombs has a bright future but he needs to get alot stronger if we are going to be successful.

I think the biggest feather in DeLeone's cap this year is devising schemes that turned an average (yes average) Big East running back into the leagues yardage leader.

 

[jbdphi]

It is unbelievable to me that we had a TB who led the league in rushing and people actually think we have better runners getting limited time at WR.

As unbelievable as it may sound, I kind of agree that we still need to improve at the TB position (not sure if Williams is the answer though). McCombs showed a lot of heart and durability this year, no question about it. That being said, he has neither great speed nor the ability to break tackles / make people miss. That's why I was hoping JJL would get a more extended look than he did and was also disappointed when Shoemate went down again.

 

[Sean]

It is unbelievable to me that we had a TB who led the league in rushing and people actually think we have better runners getting limited time at WR.

I agree, but Nick Williams at RB is at least more realistic than Scott McCummings at RB, which many posters keep thinking is smart...

RB is an interesting position - you need acceleration first and foremost to get through that hole fast. I'm not sure Nick has that, but he sure has good vision once he gets going.

 

[businesslawyer]

Reading the play, and timing, is far more important than the skills that make the good ones great. If you don't believe that, look at Savon Huggins and all the athletes who have gone to RU to play TB since Ray Rice left. McCombs is a good back. He is not a great back. We have just been beyond spoiled (notwithsgtanding that our prior coach couldn't recruit).

McCombs was awful in the passing game to start the year, and got much better at both receiving and blocking as the year went on. Those skills will improve even if his pure running doesn't.

 

[metsfan2323]

I agree, but Nick Williams at RB is at least more realistic than Scott McCummings at RB, which many posters keep thinking is smart...

RB is an interesting position - you need acceleration first and foremost to get through that hole fast. I'm not sure Nick has that, but he sure has good vision once he gets going.

I have no idea if Nick Williams can be a running back, but we need to find out in the spring because we have no depth at RB. We do have some numbers at WR.

 

[huskypantz]

McCombs showed a lot of heart and durability this year, no question about it. That being said, he has neither great speed nor the ability to break tackles / make people miss. That's why I was hoping JJL would get a more extended look than he did and was also disappointed when Shoemate went down again.

Emmitt Smith was slow too.
McCombs was 27th in the nation and led the BE in rushing AS A FRESHMAN. 1151 yards, 4.2 ypc. No, he does not have breakaway speed or elite moves, but the kid had an incredible season and pretty much exceeded everyone's expectations on this board. Is there anyone here who won't feel a hell of a lot better about our running game going into next year versus what we returned for this past season? We are talking about supplementing a 1000-yard rusher. Look at where we were last season - praying that a former 4-star with about 100 career rushing yards was going to go all-BE.

 

[huskysupporter]

I totally agree with this. We have nothing to lose by trying Nick Williams at RB in the spring. IMO anything McCombs can do Nick Williams can do better especially catching the ball out of the backfield and breaking tackles.

You are kidding, right? Williams, who has no collegiate experience at running back can step in and play better than a (likely) All Big East back? You really believe that?

Williams needs to continue to get better at receiver, where UCONN really needs him. Running back is not the problem on this team.

 

[huskysupporter]

Stats are very deceiving in this case. He can't pass block, he can't break any tackles, he can't take a long run to the house without running out of gas and he is not a good receiver. McCombs is great at cutting back, not fumbling and not getting hurt in spite of so many carries, but he is a two hand touch running back because when he is touched the play is over.

McCombs has a bright future but he needs to get alot stronger if we are going to be successful.

I think the biggest feather in DeLeone's cap this year is devising schemes that turned an average (yes average) Big East running back into the leagues yardage leader.

Man, were we that spoiled with Todman and Donald Brown that people are actually looking for an All Big East back to be replaced? Wow.

Yes, McCombs isn't blazing fast. But what does that matter? You think Stephen Davis was a bad back because he rarely broke long runs? Rudi Johnson?

McCombs, as a freshman, led the Big East in rushing. His improvement from the start of the year was obvious to all who watched, as a runner, receiver, and blocker. Running back is the least of this team's worries.

 

[ktuck911]

Wow talk about making lemonade out of lemons .... hearing this stuff is really a reach ... and kind of depressing. If this is what our program needs to resort to for major positions then the future looks dull..

Actually I can envision Nick Williams running reverse plays the way Kash Moore did this now past season...

 

[ktuck911]

Stats are very deceiving in this case. He can't pass block, he can't break any tackles, he can't take a long run to the house without running out of gas and he is not a good receiver. McCombs is great at cutting back, not fumbling and not getting hurt in spite of so many carries, but he is a two hand touch running back because when he is touched the play is over.

McCombs has a bright future but he needs to get alot stronger if we are going to be successful.

I think the biggest feather in DeLeone's cap this year is devising schemes that turned an average (yes average) Big East running back into the leagues yardage leader.

Indeed, at this point he's a guy that shouldn't be akin to Maurice Jones Drew or Darren Sproles when they were in college... and add pre-injured Terry Caulley to that list... McCombs was a really bright spot for us but metsfan2323 is correct...

 

[ktuck911]

Man, were we that spoiled with Todman and Donald Brown that people are actually looking for an All Big East back to be replaced? Wow.

Yes, McCombs isn't blazing fast. But what does that matter? You think Stephen Davis was a bad back because he rarely broke long runs? Rudi Johnson?

McCombs, as a freshman, led the Big East in rushing. His improvement from the start of the year was obvious to all who watched, as a runner, receiver, and blocker. Running back is the least of this team's worries.

Unfair comparing McCombs to Stephen Davis ( 220 lbs ) and Rudi Johnson ( 200 plus lbs )... Find a little back to compare him to...

 

[jbdphi]

Emmitt Smith was slow too.
McCombs was 27th in the nation and led the BE in rushing AS A FRESHMAN. 1151 yards, 4.2 ypc. No, he does not have breakaway speed or elite moves, but the kid had an incredible season and pretty much exceeded everyone's expectations on this board. Is there anyone here who won't feel a hell of a lot better about our running game going into next year versus what we returned for this past season? We are talking about supplementing a 1000-yard rusher. Look at where we were last season - praying that a former 4-star with about 100 career rushing yards was going to go all-BE.

I'm pretty sure you didn't mean to compare Lyle McCombs to Emmit Smith so I'll leave that part alone. I agree that he had a pretty incredible season and exceeded expectations. In terms of our running game next year am I more optimistic as compared to this year? Not really. Our OL losses are not insignificant and they were the ones that really made the holes for McCombs to run through. Keep in mind that most if not all of Lyle's big runs were when we went through the line untouched. I'm not as certain those same holes will be there next year and when Lyle gets hit he pretty much always goes down and he can't run away from people (witness all those lateral sweeps that went for virtually no yardage). I think he improved a lot at pass protection and catching the ball and those are great improvements to make but I'd still prefer that we were able to mix in someone with either more speed or more power. I have no idea what sort of RB Dobbs was but losing that is not insignificant. We're paper thin at the RB position next year particularly if Shoemate doesn't get the medical redshirt.