Newsome ready to speak up

[kris1]

Newsome Ready To Speak Up

"Arkeel is a shifty back who is a great competitor and I think there can be some great opportunities for him in terms of what we do," Edsall said. "He can catch the ball, he can make people miss and he's really in excellent shape. There's a lot of things he can do well and he has the ability to make big plays in this offense."


"Right now, I don't see him in the return game," the head coach said. "We have other guys who can do that for us. Where Arkeel is for us and in terms of where we are from a running back standpoint, we need to make sure that he can get as many reps at running back as he can. We don't need to waste him, by using him somewhere else. He's quick, he can make people miss, and make something happen in a short area."

 

[Exit 4]

Glad he is not part of the return game picture this year. That's a great place for some of these hungry young speedsters to have their limited moment to shine.

 

[noeynox]

music to my ears. He's gotten walloped a few times on kick returns.

This kids role should have always been like a Brian Westbrook, Darren Sproles type. Diaco too stupid though.

 

[rich1122]

music to my ears. He's gotten walloped a few times on kick returns.

This kids role should have always been like a Brian Westbrook, Darren Sproles type. Diaco too stupid though.

Who is this Diaco that you speak of?

 

[LStudfellow]

If we can keep Arkeel healthy this year... my friends, I have this sneaking suspicion that he is going to be talked about nationally before the end of this year. We have seen what he is capable of in snippets... He is a consistent threat to take it to the house from anywhere on the field, if used correctly.

As many have said before me, Edsall 1.0 was known for riding his horses when he had them (Brown, Todman, ... long list). In addition our new OC Lashlee loves to get creative with his running game, while also riding his studs as much as possible... and add to that we finally have a top-level OLine Coach again (Grimes). Could be an explosive combination that is nothing but positive for Arkeel, this year's team... and us fans.

Please, God, help keep this young man healthy! He might well hold the key to just how well this year goes... at least on offense. As much as everyone wants to talk about who our quarterback will be (and of course that is a key component to this coming season), it is Arkeel who I am most excited to watch under this new set of coaches.

 

[CL82]

If we can keep Arkeel healthy this year... my friends, I have this sneaking suspicion that he is going to be talked about nationally before the end of this year.

Especially if he is used more intelligently. Newsome is not a guy you want grinding between the tackles the whole game. Get him the ball in space and he'll make big plays.

 

[LStudfellow]

Especially if he used more intelligently. Newsome is not a guy you want grinding between the tackles the whole game. Get him the ball in space and he'll make big plays.

Exactly my point... and I 100% agree with you CL82.

For example: as much as we loved him as our primary kick returner, getting him off special teams so he can concentrate on offense had to happen to give him a chance at maximizing his running back potential this year. That is why I mentioned the triumvirate of Edsall, Lashlee and Grimes. Together, with good schemes both with runs and passes out of the backfield while not killing him between the tackles, they can release all that talent for maximum output while minimizing his injury risk.

I love his potential, and also love he is from an in-state high school making good with us.

 

[JMick]

Especially if he is used more intelligently. Newsome is not a guy you want grinding between the tackles the whole game. Get him the ball in space and he'll make big plays.

People say this a lot, and while I agree for the most part, he does run well between the tackles. That's pretty much all he did in HS. The real issue has been blocking well enough to get him to and past the second level.

 

[LStudfellow]

People say this a lot, and while I agree for the most part, he does run well between the tackles. That's pretty much all he did in HS. The real issue has been blocking well enough to get him to and past the second level.

Another excellent point - and that is why I never fail to mention Grimes, Grimes, Grimes. If he can get the O Line to block competently... watch out. Then, sending Newsome on quick hitters and traps through the middle could be quite dangerous, as well.

But mixing up the play calling is also important... something we rarely saw over the last several years, except if it was a fake-fake field goal or something else just as stupid that had virtually no chance of working. It will be nice to see some "intelligence" out of our offensive play calling and game management again.

 

[UConnNick]

"Intelligence" and "UConn football coaching staff" - words that haven't gone together for the past six seasons. This season they will.

 

[Papadukes]

Love this kid. He's done everything he's asked of and more. The kid bleeds blue. He's a grinder and a stud at same time. Hope everything goes as planned for him or better. Go Huskies

 

[UConnDan97]

I'm already on record as saying that he'll have close to 2,000 all-purpose yards, and I don't have any reason to believe that I'll be wrong about that...

 

[JMick]

I'm already on record as saying that he'll have close to 2,000 all-purpose yards, and I don't have any reason to believe that I'll be wrong about that...

you may want to dial it back a few since he won't be returning punts and kicks anymore. probably more like 1700

 

[Showballot]

Another excellent point - and that is why I never fail to mention Grimes, Grimes, Grimes. If he can get the O Line to block competently... watch out. Then, sending Newsome on quick hitters and traps through the middle could be quite dangerous, as well

Seems like a lot of emphasis on the o line coach. What if we just don't have the talent at O line? And to your earlier point, brown had Todman who had Dixon. Do we have a #2 this season?

 

[huskypantz]

Seems like a lot of emphasis on the o line coach. What if we just don't have the talent at O line? And to your earlier point, brown had Todman who had Dixon. Do we have a #2 this season?

The group of OL we had 2002-2004 was not necessarily highly talented. They worked hard, worked well together as a group and happened to avoid injury for the most part. I think we have much more talented kids today. This is Edsall in his element, but he's got better coaching tools around him (Lashlee/Grimes). I think OL is an area where we surprise.

 

[UConnDan97]

you may want to dial it back a few since he won't be returning punts and kicks anymore. probably more like 1700

I said "close to". About 1,800+ would qualify, but I do think it will be closer to 2,000. No, he won't be on returns, but a fast-moving offense is going to rely on him in the screen game and the slot game.

I'm imagining about 90 yards on the ground and about 60 in the air on average. That's 1,800 over 12 games, along with whatever bowl game we play in and any playoff games like the AAC championship. Of course, going undefeated would guarantee an additional 4 games which would provide him with 2,400 all-purpose yards...give or take...

 

[kris1]

Seems like a lot of emphasis on the o line coach. What if we just don't have the talent at O line? And to your earlier point, brown had Todman who had Dixon. Do we have a #2 this season?

I think the staff is going to give Hopkins and Vickers every opportunity to see the field, specifically Hopkins.

We'll see is Mensah works his way into the mix.

 

[JMick]

I think the staff is going to give Hopkins and Vickers every opportunity to see the field, specifically Hopkins.

We'll see is Mensah works his way into the mix.

Hopkins had good offers and he compliments Newsome well. Hopefully at least one of him or Vickers steps up.

 

[Nostical]

I hated Newspme as kick returner. Everything Edsall said makes sense about Newsome and was a clear shot against Diaco's ineptness. It's criminal that these talented players were mis-coached and mis-used. I've said this team appears to be vastly underrated this year. Our coaches are astronomically superior to what we've had. Take UConn and the points in every game and enjoy your winter getaway in Barbados.

 

[Showballot]

I hated Newspme as kick returner. Everything Edsall said makes sense about Newsome and was a clear shot against Diaco's ineptness. It's criminal that these talented players were mis-coached and mis-used. I've said this team appears to be vastly underrated this year. Our coaches are astronomically superior to what we've had. Take UConn and the points in every game and enjoy your winter getaway in Barbados.

We often see this type of optimism just before the start of a new season. It's a homer way of thinking. Realistically, how can this even be said without seeing the actual point spreads?

 

[UConnDan97]

We often see this type of optimism just before the start of a new season. It's a homer way of thinking. Realistically, how can this even be said without seeing the actual point spreads?

Do you even know how to calculate Nostical points yet?!?

By the way, the reason he can realistically say that is because he likely senses that UCONN will be aggressively underdogged due to all of the unknowns this year. If you're feeling good about the team's prospects, you can realistically leverage the national skepticism...

 

[Nostical]

If you're feeling good about the team's prospects, you can [realistically] leverage the national skepticism...

Exactly. We're picked last in the East. Our consensus O/U on wins is 3. Put our new superior O-Line Coach with our new superior OC, match their know-how with a new uptempo offense triggered by a Cam Newton-ish QB--then add an aggressive balls to the walls defense directed by our new DC and embraced by the players and we will shock the point spread gurus and many of our opponents. The one area I'm concerned about is the kicking game. We need to pin back opponents with our punting and Tarbutt must be accurate on field goals. If both occur, watch out.

 

[sportsart]

We often see this type of optimism just before the start of a new season. It's a homer way of thinking. Realistically, how can this even be said without seeing the actual point spreads?

If forums waited for point spreads to make comments.....well think about it.

Would you rather read "we are going to suck this year and not be competitive in any game"?

It's all about the journey my friend.

 

[Woof 101]

Please, God, help keep this young man healthy! He might well hold the key to just how well this year goes... at least on offense. As much as everyone wants to talk about who our quarterback will be (and of course that is a key component to this coming season), it is Arkeel who I am most excited to watch under this new set of coaches.

YIKES !!! No attack Stud but you must have missed Susan's edict about Jesus in the huddle....
Arkeel will be an important cog in the machine but by no means the only one. Curious how one would think the QB position may be as important as a RB....
Success this year will have to come from a total team effort. No super stars on this roster.

 

[uconnbill]

I would like to see him get 20-25 touches a game with 5-7 by pass where he can exploit the defense one on one.
One or two of the other backs need to give us another 10-12 carries a game at least.