I don't think McCombs is a lock for anything, even though he's the incumbent. I think the kid is about as gutsy a football player as you'll see. The progress he made in his pass blocking the last two seasons is remarkable - by way of example. He's got tallent.
That all said, he cannot run through arm tackles and is not a break away threat with his speed. He's a buck-sixty LB ellusive back who can be effective, but, imho, has been miss-caste by this staff. We desperately need one or two other backs to step up so that we can get back to being a good running team.
If we don't run the ball better than we did last season we are staring right down the barrel of a 2-3 win season in 2013. We will have a much more inexperienced (and probably less talented) defense and if they are put on the field to the extent our defense was last season we are going to take some serious beatings. A good running game will also take some pressure off of an OL that really struggled last season as well.
I know I sound like a broken record, but GDL views himself as a mastermind. He tried to out scheme. All he needed to do last season is figure a way to be a fair to good running team and we win a lot of football games with that defense. Whitmer would have been just fine with a little more play action especially having two NFL caliber TEs in the mix. Instead we got the wildcat and assorted other BS.
Ultimately that's all on P..............