Did Frazier do enough?

[Hercules]

Red shirt one or both. Not enough carries for all of them. Run two back sets most downs, and mix them with power and speed, mix again for passing downs. This is a nice problem to have. Beck and Bo have to figure how to keep them ready & happy, to step in when called on and give that effort. Just hope they all stick around for the long haul. Taylor & Newby / Rozier and Craig. Could be down the road......

I believe there are enough carries to go around - we just need better distribution than what we've had in the past. Last year we averaged about 47 carries per game.

Taylor averaged about 14 carries per game.

Rex averaged about 7 carries per game (because of his injury).

Ameer averaged about 16 carries per game.

Imani averaged about 4 carries per game.

Braylon averaged about 4 carries per game.

If we run the ball as much as we did last year, I'd like to see our distribution look more like this:

Abdullah - 15 carries per game

Martinez - 8 carries per game

Taylor - 10 carries per game

Newby - 10 carries per game

Cross - 4 carries per game

If it's not clear at this point, I don't think King Frazier is really going to contribute much unless we decide to redshirt Taylor or Newby - and I don't think we should redshirt them, because I want Abdullah to stay more fresh this season than he did last. Cross still looks like a short-yardage guy to me, not an every-down back.

 

[HuskerNationNick]

If it's not clear at this point, I don't think King Frazier is really going to contribute much unless we decide to redshirt Taylor or Newby - and I don't think we should redshirt them, because I want Abdullah to stay more fresh throughout this season. Cross still looks like a short-yardage guy to me, not an every-down back.

I can see that in a way, but its so hard to tell if he will be or won't be, based on the talent of the OL being split. I do believe the White had a better OL and DL. A good OL can make any RB look like a star. The white front 7 on the Defense, was pretty talented, and they had two true DT's, as the red team defense had a DE playing as DT with no Vincent Valentine. Not trying to take anything away from Frazier, or make excuses, but your only as good as the players in front of you. The white team created some good holes and had great blocking. Would Frazier been able to do what he did if you had Valentine on the red team defense?

 

[BIGREDFAN_in_OMAHA]

Hoping that Frazier isn't the next Chris Butler

 

[Blackshirt96]

This is a great problem we have. It was only a few years ago that we had Helu, Rex & not much behind them. Now we are trying to figure out what to do with all of quality guys we have.

I also have to go against the grain. Abdullah will be the clear cut #1 guy & Cross will be #2. Cross is a beast. His work ethics reminds me of Burkhead. I think people forget that he is only going to be a Soph. He recently cut some weight & it will take him a little time to get use to it. I don't see Taylor or Newby redshirting. I think both will get some carries & Newby will probably get a shot at instant playing time as a KR/PR. Frazier is probably the odd man out & will have a hard time sniffing the field unless there is an injury. RB is a easy postion to recruit & that is why I don't see them redshirting any of them. The coaches have shown they can lose a few 4* guys & just replace them in the next class.

 

[huskered17]

This is a great problem we have. It was only a few years ago that we had Helu, Rex & not much behind them. Now we are trying to figure out what to do with all of quality guys we have.

I also have to go against the grain. Abdullah will be the clear cut #1 guy & Cross will be #2. Cross is a beast. His work ethics reminds me of Burkhead. I think people forget that he is only going to be a Soph. He recently cut some weight & it will take him a little time to get use to it. I don't see Taylor or Newby redshirting. I think both will get some carries & Newby will probably get a shot at instant playing time as a KR/PR. Frazier is probably the odd man out & will have a hard time sniffing the field unless there is an injury. RB is a easy postion to recruit & that is why I don't see them redshirting any of them. The coaches have shown they can lose a few 4* guys & just replace them in the next class.

I agree with you on Cross. Don't think anyone has worked harder the he has , this off season. I hope the weight he dropped doesn't hurt him, in those short yardage situations. He could move that line with straight ahead runs. Don't think 3 or 4 carries a game keeps him here. Maybe Heard saw the handwriting on the wall. GBR!!!

 

[Fuzzy]

I think Frazier has tossed his name into Ron Brown's head that he might get some carries this year. A clear #3 back? Too early to tell.

If I had to put it in a percentage. I would Frazier a 65% chance of seeing playing time this season. I would see him getting, maybe 5 carries this season. I see Taylor and Newby getting somewhere around 25 carries this season. But Frazier has probably a 35% chance of being the #3 back this year.

 

[SouthLincoln Husker]

Just remember! The reason Heard did not played a lot was due to his lack blocking. Beck wants to throw the ball, so a lot will depend on how the 2 freshman pickup protection on passing downs.

 

[Danimal]

After what I saw Saturday, I would feel good about having Frazier in a rotation of RBs. I hope Newby and Taylor are everything that we hope they are though.

I think Frazier is probably a more legit every-down back than Cross. I'd rather see Cross focused on being the best big-back he can be. But wouldn't surprise me a bit if Frazier ends-up the mop-up guy once the frosh get here.

 

[flatwaterfan]

After what I saw Saturday, I would feel good about having Frazier in a rotation of RBs. I hope Newby and Taylor are everything that we hope they are though.

I think Frazier is probably a more legit every-down back than Cross. I'd rather see Cross focused on being the best big-back he can be. But wouldn't surprise me a bit if Frazier ends-up the mop-up guy once the frosh get here.

Agree with all pts in your post. +1.

 

[B.B. Hemingway]

After what I saw Saturday, I would feel good about having Frazier in a rotation of RBs. I hope Newby and Taylor are everything that we hope they are though.

I think Frazier is probably a more legit every-down back than Cross. I'd rather see Cross focused on being the best big-back he can be. But wouldn't surprise me a bit if Frazier ends-up the mop-up guy once the frosh get here.

Agree with all pts in your post. +1.

I thought Cross looked more agile than he did last year.... I expect Cross to be an every down back in the future. He is only a sophomore, and if he has shown us anything, its that he has a great work ethic, and is willing to work for what he wants....

 

[lo country]

I am not putting any faith in the spring game until we actually see good on good with the 2nd string going against the 1's. For too many years, guys have been the next "big thing" from the spring game and have ended up doing nothing.

That fact that Heard transferred, IMO, would have automatically given him playing time. BUT now we have two stud RB's coming in who are expected to be the "next big thing". IIRC, Green, Heard, Thunder Collins etc were also to be the next stars. Since Bo has been hear, I have stopped listening to the talk and expectations and just see who shows up on Sat. Even then I have wondered what happened to so and so.

As mentioned above, our O clicks on every guy knowing his role. We need RB's who can block and pick up the blitz. No matter how well they go North and South it wont matter if they can't pick up the blitz, pass pro pro or catch the pass. If our TE's fail to become great blockers, I would look for the FB/RB rolls to be limited as they will need to stay in more for pass pro.

 

[husker rob]

No. King Frazier did not do enough to cement himself as the #3 tailback.

Jack Hoffman led all rushers in the spring game! Way to go TEAM JACK!