Elephant in the room

[Bonehead]

We all root for Arkeel but I dont think the staff or OL did him any favors last night, that was for sure.

Arkeel needs space. The coaches need to figure that out.

Hopkins ran really well, granted mostly second half yards on a smaller, tired D.


I saw it in another thread but both RB's should probably be on the field at the same time for about 50% of the play calls.


We definetly have a couple of capable backs so there are some positives around this team - defense isnt one of them yet.

 

[ibleedhuskyblue]

They can only both be out there at the same time if they can block. Hopkins was clearly better yesterday.
I don't know what it is, maybe vision, but he just never seems to find a hole. Hopkins found plenty of space, 130 yards worth running behind the same line. Having two running backs out there at the same time bunches up the spread that we're trying to run, and negates some of its effectiveness and versatility.

 

[Bonehead]

They can only both be out there at the same time if they can block. Hopkins was clearly better yesterday.
I don't know what it is, maybe vision, but he just never seems to find a hole. Hopkins found plenty of space, 130 yards worth running behind the same line. Having two running backs out there at the same time bunches up the spread that we're trying to run, and negates some of its effectiveness and versatility.

I should have been clearer....our 2 RB's but Newsome playing more out of the slot position to get him one on one in space, give him the ball on those wr across the line in motion plays and such.

 

[coachRD]

I should have been clearer....our 2 RB's but Newsome playing more out of the slot position to get him one on one in space, give him the ball on those wr across the line in motion plays and such.

I like that thought....he can play in places like a Larry Taylor role in addition to playing in the backfield.

 

[businesslawyer]

We all root for Arkeel but I dont think the staff or OL did him any favors last night, that was for sure.

Arkeel needs space. The coaches need to figure that out.

Hopkins ran really well, granted mostly second half yards on a smaller, tired D.


I saw it in another thread but both RB's should probably be on the field at the same time for about 50% of the play calls.


We definetly have a couple of capable backs so there are some positives around this team - defense isnt one of them yet.

It's always possible that Arkeel looked that horrific not because of the blocking but because he was running to the wrong hole. However, given his track record of the last three years, it's hard to believe that is the case. Maybe it's that he got no blocking support at all (which is what it looked like). maybe Pindell's timing or reads weren't right. Both of those are more likely than Arkeel suddenly isn't good anymore.

The game reminded me a bit of Temple '07. Everyone remembers the last play of the game and the endless replays ultimately going our way, but the key to that game for the season was that Andre Dixon came off the bench and was running better than Donald Brown, and kept the #1 position for most of the year. How does our TB situation play out? We'll have to see. But I haven't heard anything that makes me think that Arkeel wasn't viewed as a clear #1 heading into yesterday.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Call me cuckoo, but it looked to me like HC showed up with D gameplan hell bent to key everything on and off of Newsome to stop him, and they pretty much executed it for a significant portion of the game until we changed things up on offense a bit later in the game.

Newsome made some very important blocks, and some big plays late.

This is a totally different game if not for fumbles.

Fumbles. don't do that. don't ever do that.

 

[BlueDogs]

They can only both be out there at the same time if they can block. Hopkins was clearly better yesterday.
I don't know what it is, maybe vision, but he just never seems to find a hole. Hopkins found plenty of space, 130 yards worth running behind the same line. Having two running backs out there at the same time bunches up the spread that we're trying to run, and negates some of its effectiveness and versatility.

Right on. Arkeel couldn't find his way out a paper bag last night. Great in open space, but simply horrendous taking a handoff and reading and finding holes. Hopkins played head and shoulders better. He hit creases, made his own space and got yards after contact. Part of being a good back is making your own yards when your line fails, and this line is not going to be helping anyone anytime soon.

 

[gopher2]

I should have been clearer....our 2 RB's but Newsome playing more out of the slot position to get him one on one in space, give him the ball on those wr across the line in motion plays and such.

I have thought for years Newsome should be catching the ball, not taking handoffs. Hopkins appears to be the better option at running back - bigger, more powerful with the ability to make yards after contact. We need that in our RB as the O-line is still not blocking effectively. He seems to have decent speed too. I suspect most of Newsome's big plays in his career have come when he caught the ball. He needs to be on the field but not taking handoffs in the backfield.

 

[Carl Spackler]

ah, the boneyard.

Newsome was the most productive athlete we've had on the field on offense - BY FAR - for the past 3 years, and will be a threat to anyone we face again this year. Unless I'm completely out of my tree, and I get accused of it all the time, HC came into Rentschler field with a defensive game plan that was entirely built around one thing - stopping Newsome.

What's worrisome, is that they were able to do it for the most part of the game against our blocking schemes and pass game until we changed things. That doesn't bode well for when we play teams like Houston, SMU and others in our conference, when we can't seem to match up and physically overpower a Holy Cross when both teams are executing what they planned to do.

 

[ibleedhuskyblue]

They ran behind the same line, during nearly the same points in the game situationally.
Nate was better by a mile.

I can't say I know exactly why, that's why I mentioned vision earlier, it's my best guess. But Nate was so much better last night...he found holes behind the same group of guys and got yards.

 

[uconnphil2016]

Arkeel basically wasn't on the field for half of the game yesterday. Our coaches aren't dumb--I'm sure it had to do with something else. When you're losing to HC, you pull starters and see who really wants it. I think that's what happened yesterday, and Hopkins played AWESOME...I don't care about tired D or this or that, he showed up and killed it. Hopkins gets to the LOS with a head of steam that Arkeel lacks despite his speed, and when you have an OL that lets guys slip through, you need to be able to drive through a couple guys at the LOS like Hopkins does. Arkeel will see his time, it just clearly wasn't working this game and our staff adapted.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Arkeel basically wasn't on the field for half of the game yesterday. Our coaches aren't dumb--I'm sure it had to do with something else. When you're losing to HC, you pull starters and see who really wants it. I think that's what happened yesterday, and Hopkins played AWESOME...I don't care about tired D or this or that, he showed up and killed it. Hopkins gets to the LOS with a head of steam that Arkeel lacks despite his speed, and when you have an OL that lets guys slip through, you need to be able to drive through a couple guys at the LOS like Hopkins does. Arkeel will see his time, it just clearly wasn't working this game and our staff adapted.

He also got hammered by a LB and DB early in the game. It's possible he might be a little sore in the mid-body today and needed a minute or two early in the game before catching his breath.

 

[uconnphil2016]

He also got hammered by a LB and DB early in the game. It's possible he might be a little sore in the mid-body.

Totally. He was noticeably absent, so something had to have happened. Arkeel isn't just absent for that long without reason.

 

[TheDoggPound]

Hopkins was better. End. He should be the cowbell and Arkeel can be 3rd down and sub in some on 2nd downs.

 

[TheDoggPound]

Although Hokins was close to fumbling at 1 point and Edsall spoke about that before. So if he fumbles we'll probably see Arkeel back starting lol

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Two different types of backs. Nice to have both.

 

[kris1]

Do some of you guys even watch the "whole" play? Not just the result of the play, but the whole play. @Carl Spackler you nailed it. HC had plenty of film on Newsome. None on Hopkins. The game plan was simple, don't let Newsome beat us. When he's in the backfield we run blitz every time against an OL that has struggled against pressure and a QB making his first start. Make Pindell beat us with his arm. Hopkins (you could include Sherriffs too) was a guy they didn't expect to be a factor. He was able to take advantage of less guys in the box and break off big chunks of yards. Kudos to the coaches for sticking with the hot hand. If this team is going to be successful they need both Newsome and Hopkins to be involved and productive. It doesn't matter who starts, they'll both play. The staff will ride the hot hand, as they did last night.

Keep in mind too, and I'm not saying the staff took HC lightly, but they probably weren't trying to put too much on film offensively or defensively heading into the USF game.

 

[CL82]

It's been said but Newsome needs to get the ball in space.

 

[formerlurker]

It's been said but Newsome needs to get the ball in space.

Or, he needs to create space by hitting the line with some f1ng momentum and push. I'm a huge Arkeel fan but think he's most dangerous in the slot in our new Offense. He's not a RB from here on out if I'm calling the plays.

 

[HuskyV]

Bring back the days go Donald & Andre. The Pony Express -no problem with that.

An ongoing competition. Go with the hot hand.

There are not too many 35+ touch RB's in the world anymore.

Now if there were only a similar track record at QB to follow........

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Two different types of backs. Nice to have both.

Minor enhancement; it's necessary to have and to use both types of backs.

 

[freescooter]

Hopkins is quicker to the hole and hits it harder. Pretty simple.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Oh man people dropping the "keeping the good plays off film" justification! I love it!

 

[RedStickHusky]

They were running blitzes at Newsome every time he was in the backfield. Should've opened up some play action...

 

[huskymedic]

Oh man people dropping the "keeping the good plays off film" justification! I love it!

You don't believe there is any validity to coaches not fully opening the playbook first game of the year?