Weist and multiple RBs.

[Palatine]

Last year, TJ used 10 ball carriers, not all were RBs. Winn, the feature back carried 243 times. The next highest total was 69,

GDL's feature back also carried exactly 243 times. Then it dropped off to 39.

UConn had 419 total carries. Cinny 492.

So McCombs got about 60% of the carries with the next highest back getting less than 10%

Winn got just under 50% of the carries, Abernaty got about 15%.

The difference isn't that great. Both squads featured running QBs, UConn with the wildcat and Cinny with the mobility of Kay, Lagreax.

I sincerely hope we have seen the last game where one RB has all the carries like McCombs did in a couple of games last year.

 

[pj]

TJ was not Cincy's OC last year, he was the OC for the bowl game but not the regular season. So I don't know that we can read too much into Cincy's style.

 

[Jimdish255]

Some of our runs were a non-running QB running and others the ineffective wildthing. Reduce those and substitute an actual handoff to a 2nd or 3rd RB option and what do the numbers say? If you do that and add in the 10% more diversification the gap grows. I think LM getting under 50% and in the right situations is a good number if less of the others are the wildthing and CW running for his life.

 

[Husky25]

Sacks are considered running plays in college football.

...CW running for his life.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Sacks are considered running plays in college football.

Right. I think that's the point he's making. If you look solely at the RB's:

LM ran it 243 times
DeLorenzo ran it 36 times
Hypolite ran it 19 times
J. Williams ran it 3 times

If you take into account that the majority of the other backs' carries came when McCombs was out (vs. Temple) or suspended (1st quarter vs. Rutgers....what a joke) the difference is staggering. When McCombs was healthy, and the carries were meaningful, another RB barely touched the football. Almost unheard of unless you have a stud workhorse. For a 168 lb. back.......ridiculous.

Hoping Weist changes this.

 

[CTHUSKY74]

I agree. From the outside looking in, it appears we have two bigger backs with speed who were not utilized at all and an undersized back who was pounded into a poor blocking line. Possibly the poor line play negated any advantage the bigger backs would have provided, but I still feel we would have been more effective if either Williams and/or Delorenzo had been given more carries. Possibly McCombs would even have been more effective with a lighter load. If we don't see a change in philosophy with a new OC and a new running back coach that has talked about using multiple backs it will be very depressing. However, most importantly, if we do not improve the line play and reestablish the run game NO MATTER who is running the ball it will be extremely depressing. We have many quality pieces and I do not think it is a stretch for this coaching staff to put an effective running game in place. Let's stop blaming the relative talent vs the opponents and start using our strengths to advantage.

 

[businesslawyer]

Last year, TJ used 10 ball carriers, not all were RBs. Winn, the feature back carried 243 times. The next highest total was 69,

GDL's feature back also carried exactly 243 times. Then it dropped off to 39.

UConn had 419 total carries. Cinny 492.

So McCombs got about 60% of the carries with the next highest back getting less than 10%

Winn got just under 50% of the carries, Abernaty got about 15%.

The difference isn't that great. Both squads featured running QBs, UConn with the wildcat and Cinny with the mobility of Kay, Lagreax.

I sincerely hope we have seen the last game where one RB has all the carries like McCombs did in a couple of games last year.

Let's be honest -- much of the criticism about not having a second TB sharing the load was really criticism that the running game, meaning Lyle, just wasn't getting it done. The coaches, obviously, didn't believe things would be improved using JJL or Delorenzo or Williams. Nonetheless, many here decided that it was worth trying.

No one (that's not true -- almost no one) complained about the # of carries the Donald got in '08, or that Todman got in '10.

 

[Doggie Style]

Let's be honest -- much of the criticism about not having a second TB sharing the load was really criticism that the running game, meaning Lyle, just wasn't getting it done. The coaches, obviously, didn't believe things would be improved using JJL or Delorenzo or Williams. Nonetheless, many here decided that it was worth trying.

No one (that's not true -- almost no one) complained about the # of carries the Donald got in '08, or that Todman got in '10.

Agreed. My only complaint was that I wanted to see more of Dixon at times.... Q Notre Dame highlight reel..... That kid was a stud and had tremendous heart.

 

[freescooter]

Let's be honest -- much of the criticism about not having a second TB sharing the load was really criticism that the running game, meaning Lyle, just wasn't getting it done. The coaches, obviously, didn't believe things would be improved using JJL or Delorenzo or Williams. Nonetheless, many here decided that it was worth trying.

No one (that's not true -- almost no one) complained about the # of carries the Donald got in '08, or that Todman got in '10.

Come on bl...everyone knows that when things aren't going well the back up quarterback is the best player on the team. Alas, last year the backup quarterback was a known quantity so he couldn't be the best player, so it stands to reason that the backup runningback(s) inherited the title of best player on the team.

 

[Husky68]

Let's be honest -- much of the criticism about not having a second TB sharing the load was really criticism that the running game, meaning Lyle, just wasn't getting it done. The coaches, obviously, didn't believe things would be improved using JJL or Delorenzo or Williams. Nonetheless, many here decided that it was worth trying.

No one (that's not true -- almost no one) complained about the # of carries the Donald got in '08, or that Todman got in '10.

Yeah, why would you complain about using an unshifty 168 lb running back 99% of the non injured/suspended/wildcat running plays, who fell down running into his own blockers since it worked so well using a couple of 200 lb backs with some serious speed as workhorses in prior years.
The OC obviously had a few deficiencies or the Rock Star would not have required that his boss replace him, maybe RB usage/performance was a major part of it (since you can only pass or run seems like would be big part of OC performance issue).

I think most fans would understand playing Emeka for 40 minutes, not so much Olander.

 

[Husky25]

Come on bl...everyone knows that when things aren't going well the back up quarterback is the best player on the team. Alas, last year the backup quarterback was a known quantity so he couldn't be the best player, so it stands to reason that the backup runningback(s) inherited the title of best player on the team.

The back up QB is not the best player, he's typically the most popular player with the fans. You are right. No one trusted TSJ. Other than that however, it is a faulty comparison.

QB's need to build a report with his receivers and offensive line as well as have the skills required by the position. Very rarely are QB's shuttled in and out of games for fear of screwing up their rhythm or telegraphing plays (Florida was moderately successful in the early aughts, as was Michigan in the late 90's. But this is so rarely that you can name them.

Running backs basically just need the skills, which makes them pretty interchangable. This is why rookie NFL running backs can do very well their 1st year, whereas QB's and WR normally need 2 or 3.

There is no reason running backs can't be shuttled in and out, if only for a breather every now and again. I find it ironic that Lyle McCombs seemed to be rarely used in the situation where he was best suited and probably would have been the most effective...on third down...

 

[freescooter]

h25, my only point is that I didn't see any of the backups who looked dominating when they got their chances. I have more issues with the overall offensive system that seemed to lack both imagination and a philosophy. When did we seem to try and use patterns to set up other plays for example? George was about having a bunch of plays, not about using a selective number of plays to accomplish something.

 

[Husky25]

I agree with everything except your first sentence, Scooter. Hypolite broke a long run and scored vs. Buffalo. According the Jimmy S, he carried the ball 18 other times the entire season, 5 coming in that same Buffalo game. He deserved more than 13 combined carries in the other 11 games.

 

[ZooCougar]

Exactly.

 

[freescooter]

I agree with everything except your first sentence, Scooter. Hypolite broke a long run and scored vs. Buffalo. According the Jimmy S, he carried the ball 18 other times the entire season, 5 coming in that same Buffalo game. He deserved more than 13 combined carries in the other 11 games.

My memory might be wrong, but didn't he get injured either in the Buffalo game or shortly after that game? When he came back they used him as a fullback I think. I actually think a better case might have been made for the kid from Berlin whose name I always forget. didn't he have a very good game vs. Temple then disappear? Still I think it is more about having some kind of system or at least game plan as opposed ot just running a bunch of seemingly unrelated plays, and add in horrible line play and you could put Reggie Bush, OJ Simpson and Gayle Sayers back there and they weren't gaining much yardage.

 

[Palatine]

Let's be honest -- much of the criticism about not having a second TB sharing the load was really criticism that the running game, meaning Lyle, just wasn't getting it done. The coaches, obviously, didn't believe things would be improved using JJL or Delorenzo or Williams. Nonetheless, many here decided that it was worth trying.

No one (that's not true -- almost no one) complained about the # of carries the Donald got in '08, or that Todman got in '10.

Yes, exactly, I am criticizing the coaching staff for not giving others a chance when the starter is not producing.

I actually wished that Robbie Frey got more carries in 2010, but I get your point, hard to take out Todman and Brown when they are producing,

 

[ibleedhuskyblue]

My memory might be wrong, but didn't he get injured either in the Buffalo game or shortly after that game? When he came back they used him as a fullback I think. I actually think a better case might have been made for the kid from Berlin whose name I always forget. didn't he have a very good game vs. Temple then disappear? Still I think it is more about having some kind of system or at least game plan as opposed ot just running a bunch of seemingly unrelated plays, and add in horrible line play and you could put Reggie Bush, OJ Simpson and Gayle Sayers back there and they weren't gaining much yardage.

delorenzo...and i agree - he should have had more carries.

 

[ZooCougar]

Pasqualoni will give more RBs carries once he gets more 160 lb RBs on the roster.

 

[freescooter]

Pasqualoni will give more RBs carries once he gets more 160 lb RBs on the roster.

That's not entirely fair. McCombs was an Edsall recruit, not Pasqualoni's. The running backs P has recruited have tended to be bigger. Delorenzo, who admittedly was an Edsall recruit that P kept,is around 210, Joe Williams is around 200, The kid, Marriner they signed this year is listed at 188. It could just be that McCombs is the best of what they had and that's why he gets most of the carries. I know nobody want to acknowledge that possibility, but it is a real one.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Guys, honestly......if we can't question or criticize the usage of McCombs exclusively, we should just ban any and all criticism of the staff on the Boneyard. We used a 168 lb RB ineffectively all year long. Williams' redshirt was wasted on 3 carries and special teams. Of course none of us know what JW would've brought to the table. But my God could he have been more ineffective than LM? Isn't it a fair question to ask whether LM would've more effective with less carries? They used a light scat back and pounded him into a line that couldn't block or create holes.

You can be a Pasqualista and still question the staff's handling of the running game.

 

[ZooCougar]

That's not entirely fair. McCombs was an Edsall recruit, not Pasqualoni's. The running backs P has recruited have tended to be bigger. Delorenzo, who admittedly was an Edsall recruit that P kept,is around 210, Joe Williams is around 200, The kid, Marriner they signed this year is listed at 188. It could just be that McCombs is the best of what they had and that's why he gets most of the carries. I know nobody want to acknowledge that possibility, but it is a real one.

Yawn.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Guys, honestly......if we can't question or criticize the usage of McCombs exclusively, we should just ban any and all criticism of the staff on the Boneyard. We used a 168 lb RB ineffectively all year long. Williams' redshirt was wasted on 3 carries and special teams. Of course none of us know what JW would've brought to the table. But my God could he have been more ineffective than LM? Isn't it a fair question to ask whether LM would've more effective with less carries? They used a light scat back and pounded him into a line that couldn't block or create holes.

You can be a Pasqualista and still question the staff's handling of the running game.

Definitely. Honestly, I hope somebody beats out McCombs this year. I think he's best used as a third down back. Even with great blocking, running a small back inside the tackles isn't much of a strategy. Really looking forward to some variety from TJ.

 

[freescooter]

Guys, honestly......if we can't question or criticize the usage of McCombs exclusively, we should just ban any and all criticism of the staff on the Boneyard. We used a 168 lb RB ineffectively all year long. Williams' redshirt was wasted on 3 carries and special teams. Of course none of us know what JW would've brought to the table. But my God could he have been more ineffective than LM? Isn't it a fair question to ask whether LM would've more effective with less carries? They used a light scat back and pounded him into a line that couldn't block or create holes.

You can be a Pasqualista and still question the staff's handling of the running game.

I agree. I don't think the positions are mutually exclusive. McCombs could be the best back by a wide margin, and I suspect he was at least last season, but the staff didn't use him most effectively. Aren't those two different questions really? My opinion is that the offensive schemes were so bad last year, especially on the running attack that we could have put a Heisman Trophy winner back there and he'd have been lucky to gain any yardage.

 

[Husky25]

Let's be honest -- much of the criticism about not having a second TB sharing the load was really criticism that the running game, meaning Lyle, just wasn't getting it done. The coaches, obviously, didn't believe things would be improved using JJL or Delorenzo or Williams. Nonetheless, many here decided that it was worth trying.

No one (that's not true -- almost no one) complained about the # of carries the Donald got in '08, or that Todman got in '10.

At least when Toddman's Redshirt was burned, he was used semi-regularly in the position for which he was recruited, as a change of pace back. I'm fairly sure Joe Williams wasn't supposed to only be a decoy on the kickoff return team.

 

[Husky25]

I agree. I don't think the positions are mutually exclusive. McCombs could be the best back by a wide margin, and I suspect he was at least last season, but the staff didn't use him most effectively. Aren't those two different questions really? My opinion is that the offensive schemes were so bad last year, especially on the running attack that we could have put a Heisman Trophy winner back there and he'd have been lucky to gain any yardage.

The one thing that you have been consistently correct on (or at least I agree with you) is that the offensive game plan did not include setting up future plays. An argument can be made that with so many 3 and outs, it just wasn't possible, but then the Coaches need to recognize that and adjust their play calling accordingly on subsequent drives.

It seemed like Coach Deleone play calling strategy came directly from a game of Madden. In which case, I want to play him. I'm sure I'd win...