Re-Shuffling The Deck At RB

[J187Money]

Superfan post of the day.

Best 11 yards I ever saw. And the capacity crowd of 13 got to hug him after the game.

 

[NickyNewark]

Always gotta be careful with kids who have yet to set foot on campus. You just never know. Does anyone remember the name "Savon Huggins"?

How about walkon Paul James?

 

[NickyNewark]

Max is gonna run for 1,200 yards this year. His style of running + Foley's style of OLine = 1,200+ yards. Take it to the bank, and remember that I told you about it when he does it!

Agree,love Max...he's gonna be special in a punishing,bruising way!!

 

[jdb50]

We have plenty of talent at RB with thumpers and speed guys. Really liked the way Marriner brought the energy in the Spring game. That guy is solid. Can't remember Max not falling forward when given the ball. The real key is going to be avoiding injuries with the O-line. We have enough talent there to do well but may not be ready to fill 3 spots with the 2nd string due to injury. Center and the tackle spots are key. We should have enough talent to be able to replace the starting guards. The football Gods need to cut us a break this year.

 

[coachcap]

There is plenty of talent. What is proven time and time again is a guy will emerge and breakout from the others. Newsome and Max would be a good combination, but we really only have one traditional style fullback. Getting a fullback into the mix will be important to bring support to the oline.

Totally agree about one guy leaving the pack behind. We saw it in person just over a decade ago. Three talented backs arrived in Storrs & when the dust cleared there was no question that Terry Caulley was the best of the bunch.

 

[freescooter]

By my look: Scholarship tailbacks are: DeLorenzo (RJr), Mariner (RF). Scholarship fullbacks are: Clax (RF), Walsh (So).

Walsh still has a redshirt year available, as will obviously, all incoming backs: (Johnson, McAllister and Newsome)

Got a couple players listed on the roster that aren't scholarship - I think. Contrary to popular opinion, my guess is that the coaching staff is going to try to keep the shirts on the incoming RB class. Those 3 will need to demonstrate something real special that can't be kept off the field to play, or we're going to have to get real deep down the chart for medical reasons. On another note, It's amazing how thin this roster is, in many places, bu it's getting better slowly over the past 2 seasons. Got to wonder when the class of 2015 will start to come together publicly.

For this season, I'm very much looking forward to seeing what #26 can do, and continuing to watch #44 ending up on top of tacklers falling forward.

I agree that the staff will try to redshirt as many of these guys as they can. Contrary to the general opinion in the Valley, BYU's defensive front is a hair better than Naugy's. Its possible that we could see one of the 3 frosh this year, but I think that will depend largely on how the rest of the backs perform. If I were guessing, McAllister gets the call for 2 reasons. He is reportedly the most "polished" of the 3, and he is coming from a prep program where he played against generally higher level competition (Suffield had 3 guys go to D1A programs and has generally puts a couple of kids a year into 1A.It also has post grad players as do most other members of their league. And when considering McAlister's production keep in mind that the preps play 8 games during the regular season and 1 post season if you qualify, not 14-15 like some Ct high schools.) Long term I'm not sure he'll be the best of the 3. Just the most ready to step in this year. But I think a lot will depend on how well steps up. Max is what he is in my mind. A steady, between the tackles runner, but limited.

 

[Waquoit]

Contrary to the general opinion in the Valley, BYU's defensive front is a hair better than Naugy's.

Not to mention being 10 years older.

 

[freescooter]

Not to mention being 10 years older.

Yeah, huh. They don't have to worry about extra money for players at BYU. Most are already collecting Social Security by the time they are sophomores.

 

[whaler11]

I guess it's mathmatically possible that none of the freshman running backs would play but that seems extremely unlikely.

No point in redshirting running backs anyway. So many of them are never better than they are as freshman.

This team didn't exactly light it up on returns last year either - I wouldn't be surprised if all three of them play in some capacity.

 

[huskymedic]

UConn ready to hit ground running without McCombs
http://runwayramblings.blogspot.com/2014/06/uconn-ready-to-hit-ground-running.html

 

[Sean]

I talked to Diaco about this. He slightly misunderstood my question, as I was really moreso just curious about whether we had enough depth or would be seeking a walk-on to avoid blowing a redshirt. With that being said, his comments to me were very close to what Des is saying.

I asked how many RB's they had and he said "five". He did not include Clax. He talked about some positives of each RB, but from my amateur psychology skills, my prediction is that if the season started today...

1.) Marriner
2.) Max
3.) Arkeel
4.) McAllister
5.) Johnson

As many above have said, I don't think listing Arkeel as 3 is really right since its not the role he would play. He'd have his own packages and plays that would highlight his strengths, but I can't imagine that he's being seriously considered as the #1 20 carry TB.

 

[Husky68]

I talked to Diaco about this. He slightly misunderstood my question, as I was really moreso just curious about whether we had enough depth or would be seeking a walk-on to avoid blowing a redshirt. With that being said, his comments to me were very close to what Des is saying.

I asked how many RB's they had and he said "five". He did not include Clax. He talked about some positives of each RB, but from my amateur psychology skills, my prediction is that if the season started today...

1.) Marriner
2.) Max
3.) Arkeel
4.) McAllister
5.) Johnson

As many above have said, I don't think listing Arkeel as 3 is really right since its not the role he would play. He'd have his own packages and plays that would highlight his strengths, but I can't imagine that he's being seriously considered as the #1 20 carry TB.

If Arkeel is as good as stats suggest, is a 4.40 kid, is 185-90 lbs - he will start/get starters carries. If he is the kid who graded 77 on espin and 83rd best RB in country with 4.90 40 and 180 lbs he will sit.

 

[freescooter]

I guess it's mathmatically possible that none of the freshman running backs would play but that seems extremely unlikely.

No point in redshirting running backs anyway. So many of them are never better than they are as freshman.

This team didn't exactly light it up on returns last year either - I wouldn't be surprised if all three of them play in some capacity.

I doubt that. I suspect one will play. Not sure how much or in what capacity, and I aagree kick returning was an issue, but what wasn't an issue last year. But most running backs redshirt. Donald Brown redshirted. The only reason Caulley didn't was that at the time we had nobody else. And Edsall sat him against better teams to protect him. Todman was really the only guy who didn't. Walsh played as a freshman at fullback but that was because Pasqualoni was an idiot.

 

[freescooter]

I talked to Diaco about this. He slightly misunderstood my question, as I was really moreso just curious about whether we had enough depth or would be seeking a walk-on to avoid blowing a redshirt. With that being said, his comments to me were very close to what Des is saying.

I asked how many RB's they had and he said "five". He did not include Clax. He talked about some positives of each RB, but from my amateur psychology skills, my prediction is that if the season started today...

1.) Marriner
2.) Max
3.) Arkeel
4.) McAlliste
5.) Johnson

As many above have said, I don't think listing Arkeel as 3 is really right since its not the role he would play. He'd have his own packages and plays that would highlight his strengths, but I can't imagine that he's being seriously considered as the #1 20 carry TB.

Part of the equation is how do others perform. If Marriner is as good as some people thought, then you don't need to play Newsome or someone else. If Max is playing well, you can redshirt Johnson since they are similar. As I said before I think McAllister might be the most polished and the most ready coming out of a prep program. He faced college recruits ever game. I think there were 2 others on his team. Doesn't mean he will be the best player over his career. Just the most ready to play in 2014.

 

[Jimdish255]

I agree you'll need to see at least 4 guys get touches this season in order to use their strengths and give different looks. It's also a good possibility at least one will get dinged and need to be spotted or replaced for a time. Something we hope doesn't happen but have to acknowledge. Would be nice to see one of the new guys step up to the opportunity.

 

[whaler11]

I can't imagine Diaco is going to redshirt anyone who can help them win games in 2014. The roster is a threadbare he is in no position to play for 2018.

 

[huskysupporter]

I can't imagine Diaco is going to redshirt anyone who can help them win games in 2014. The roster is a threadbare he is in no position to play for 2018.

Agreed.

I like Delorenzo as the short yardage back (by the way, remember when someone said Delorenzo would never succeed because he was afraid of contact?), but not as the bell cow. If a freshman steps up in practices, they need to be given a shot during games. If one doesn't impress, the next one needs to step up.

McCombs had been decidedly mediocre the last two years, but who knows what we have right now. With McCombs we knew what we had: 3.5 yards and a cloud of dust, and if there was a wide, wide opening on the line, he could break off a 10-15 yard run (the problem was the line wasn't opening any of those types of holes with regularity).

I am hoping Delorenzo is the short yardage guy with around 5-7 carries a game, Deshonn Fox is used on fly sweeps 3-4 times a game, and one of Marriner/Newsome/McAllister/Johnson step up for 15-17 carries a game.

 

[BoatShow]

UConn ready to hit ground running without McCombs
http://runwayramblings.blogspot.com/2014/06/uconn-ready-to-hit-ground-running.html

Lyle was a good pass blocker? Someone forgot to tell him.

 

[Excalibur]

Lyle was a good pass blocker? Someone forgot to tell him.

Actually, he improved greatly in that area and was probably better than average by the end of his career here. Doesn't change the fact that he is absolutely replaceable.

 

[freescooter]

I can't imagine Diaco is going to redshirt anyone who can help them win games in 2014. The roster is a threadbare he is in no position to play for 2018.

I don't disagree with this for a second. But having watched a coach, really a couple of them, burn redshirts of guys who really weren't ready to step in and contribute in a significant way last year(Can you say Tim Boyle?), I hope Diaco is cautious in that area. I think he will be. If you use a true freshman he needs to be able to make you better, not just fill a slot.

 

[uconndogs]

Lyle was a good pass blocker? Someone forgot to tell him.

When he first saw the field he was an absolute liability in pass protection. His improvement was very quick and dramatic, especially given his size. Lyle played with a lot of heart. I really think the prior regime misused him. He was never a back to carry the ball 25-30 times and by the time GDL had thoroughly duck*ed the OL he just had not chance to be productive.

 

[whaler11]

I don't disagree with this for a second. But having watched a coach, really a couple of them, burn redshirts of guys who really weren't ready to step in and contribute in a significant way last year(Can you say Tim Boyle?), I hope Diaco is cautious in that area. I think he will be. If you use a true freshman he needs to be able to make you better, not just fill a slot.

Quarterbacks and offensive linemen are different. Running backs can step in and the attrition rate is so high that the fifth year often isn't that valuable and they have been beaten for carries anyway.

 

[freescooter]

When he first saw the field he was an absolute liability in pass protection. His improvement was very quick and dramatic, especially given his size. Lyle played with a lot of heart. I really think the prior regime misused him. He was never a back to carry the ball 25-30 times and by the time GDL had thoroughly duck*ed the OL he just had not chance to be productive.

I've said this from his first day. I thought last year he showed his willingness to do whatever he was asked when he ended up returning punts and kickoffs. They needed someone who would not misplay the ball and he didn't. he wasn't a great return guy but nobody else did much either. He also became a very solid pass blocker. He couldn't take out 4-5 rushers which the lookout technique that George taught often led to, but he was a better pass blocker than any other running back who saw action.

 

[Husky68]

I've said this from his first day. I thought last year he showed his willingness to do whatever he was asked when he ended up returning punts and kickoffs. They needed someone who would not misplay the ball and he didn't. he wasn't a great return guy but nobody else did much either. He also became a very solid pass blocker. He couldn't take out 4-5 rushers which the lookout technique that George taught often led to, but he was a better pass blocker than any other running back who saw action.

He was a terrible return guy. 98th in country in yards per kick return for players with enough returns to qualify, didn't have enough punt returns to qualify 'cause he let too many bounce or had fair catches when there was room to run.

 

[BNich]

Spent the past 5 days in New Orleans. What else did I miss?! I'm not upset with the loss. I had seen enough of McCombs for my liking. He had his couple of chances. No offense to the young man, but next man up. There are a few talented albeit young backs currently on the roster and others coming in just waiting to strap on the chin strap and hit the ground running. Let the competition begin!!!