Is McCombs seriously our only option at running back, he is quite possibly the weakest running back I've ever seen at this level, a stiff wind knocks him over. He should be an option because he is capable of breaking a long run but rushing him up the middle 30 times is a joke.
I think he might have a nagging injury. I remember last year not being impressed by him at all for the reasons you mentioned. But then I thought he really hit his stride after a few games, made quick, decisive moves and began immediately moving North on each run and finished plays with enough power that he typically fell forward. By the second half of the season I considered him a big RB trapped inside a small body because he looked slower than he should have been for his size, but more powerful than he should have been for his size.
So far this year, all I have seen is what you mentioned, and what we saw from him the first part of last year. Given the fact that he has a year under his belt, knows the system better and his stronger from the extra weight room time-I can only imagine he has a minor injury holding him back. Not enough to knock him out of the lineup, but enough to render him largely ineffective. Especially when the regression of the OLine is taken into consideration ever since DeLeone got his 187-year old hands on them.