Break out year for Marlon Lucky?

[Pedro Guerrero]

I think the reason everyone is calling for a "breakout" year is because ...

1. A 1,000 yard rushing season isn't what it used to be. Sure he had over 700 receiving yards but that's easy for people to overlook.

Why isn't a 1000 yards what it used to be? I would think that since there are more good teams now a days then there used to be that it would be a bigger deal.

Also why is it easy for people to overlook 75 catches for 705 yards? If people don't look at the total package then that is their fault and they really need to improve their football IQ.

 

[Blackshirt316]

Yes Lucky had 1000 yards last year, but how many of those yards came against Nevada, Ball State and Iowa State? How many came against Missouri, Kansas, or USC?

His only good game against a quality opponent was against Texas and even in that game he didn't get in the end zone.

Some of that was Lucky not making the right read (though he improved greatly in this area over 2006) and some of it was Callahan shifting away from the run too early or not putting Lucky in position to make the most out of his touches.

Regardless, I think Lucky improves his vision even more, improves his explosiveness and acceleration from the point of touch and improves his footwork in traffic under Beck and finally achieves the potential he has and showed flashes of at times throughout his career on a more consistent basis.

 

[MCAT800]

Yes Lucky had 1000 yards last year, but how many of those yards came against Nevada, Ball State and Iowa State? How many came against Missouri, Kansas, or USC?

His only good game against a quality opponent was against Texas and even in that game he didn't get in the end zone.

Some of that was Lucky not making the right read (though he improved greatly in this area over 2006) and some of it was Callahan shifting away from the run too early or not putting Lucky in position to make the most out of his touches.

Regardless, I think Lucky improves his vision even more, improves his explosiveness and acceleration from the point of touch and improves his footwork in traffic under Beck and finally achieves the potential he has and showed flashes of at times throughout his career on a more consistent basis.

I think it was more the system he was in. He would be more effective in a system that used the inside zone blocking scheme.

He's not built like Dan Alexander but that's how BC tried to use him, as a straight ahead runner.

Get him in space and on the edge.

Yea he didn't have great games against quality opponents but I can't think of any players recently that did.

 

[Blackshirt316]

Yes Lucky had 1000 yards last year, but how many of those yards came against Nevada, Ball State and Iowa State? How many came against Missouri, Kansas, or USC?

His only good game against a quality opponent was against Texas and even in that game he didn't get in the end zone.

Some of that was Lucky not making the right read (though he improved greatly in this area over 2006) and some of it was Callahan shifting away from the run too early or not putting Lucky in position to make the most out of his touches.

Regardless, I think Lucky improves his vision even more, improves his explosiveness and acceleration from the point of touch and improves his footwork in traffic under Beck and finally achieves the potential he has and showed flashes of at times throughout his career on a more consistent basis.

I think it was more the system he was in. He would be more effective in a system that used the inside zone blocking scheme.

He's not built like Dan Alexander but that's how BC tried to use him, as a straight ahead runner.

Get him in space and on the edge.

Yea he didn't have great games against quality opponents but I can't think of any players recently that did.

Exactly the point I was making.

- FWIW Brandon Jackson did well in big games because he was a hybrid back and could adapt to Callahan's style, now hopefully we have a staff that adapts the style to the players instead of the other way around.

 

[MCAT800]

Yes Lucky had 1000 yards last year, but how many of those yards came against Nevada, Ball State and Iowa State? How many came against Missouri, Kansas, or USC?

His only good game against a quality opponent was against Texas and even in that game he didn't get in the end zone.

Some of that was Lucky not making the right read (though he improved greatly in this area over 2006) and some of it was Callahan shifting away from the run too early or not putting Lucky in position to make the most out of his touches.

Regardless, I think Lucky improves his vision even more, improves his explosiveness and acceleration from the point of touch and improves his footwork in traffic under Beck and finally achieves the potential he has and showed flashes of at times throughout his career on a more consistent basis.

I think it was more the system he was in. He would be more effective in a system that used the inside zone blocking scheme.

He's not built like Dan Alexander but that's how BC tried to use him, as a straight ahead runner.

Get him in space and on the edge.

Yea he didn't have great games against quality opponents but I can't think of any players recently that did.

Exactly the point I was making.

- FWIW Brandon Jackson did well in big games because he was a hybrid back and could adapt to Callahan's style, now hopefully we have a staff that adapts the style to the players instead of the other way around.

I totally agree, if BC was this offensive genius he would have adapted his offense to the type of players he had.

 

[zE bOp]

What do you think?

or will he underachieve this year?

I think Marlon has pretty much shown what he is as a back: a very good back, but not a great back. He is especially good as a receiving back and as a runner works pretty well when he has some space.

He had like 1700 or more combined yards last year which is very good and in '08 i see him doing about the same.

I just dont think he has the 'fire' to make him a great back, or the toughness, or the moves--quite frankly. He's not the type of guy who can make 'something outta nothing'.

I see Castille as having more of a 'break out' year than Marlon.

I think Lucky will get into the pros and be pretty good for about 3 yrs and that will be that.....

Now, i hope i am surprised in '08 and Marlon takes it to the next level, but i dont see it happening.

He has been a valuable asset to Big Red, though, during his tenure...

zE OUT! :restore

 

[zE bOp]

Yes Lucky had 1000 yards last year, but how many of those yards came against Nevada, Ball State and Iowa State? How many came against Missouri, Kansas, or USC?

His only good game against a quality opponent was against Texas and even in that game he didn't get in the end zone.

Some of that was Lucky not making the right read (though he improved greatly in this area over 2006) and some of it was Callahan shifting away from the run too early or not putting Lucky in position to make the most out of his touches.

Regardless, I think Lucky improves his vision even more, improves his explosiveness and acceleration from the point of touch and improves his footwork in traffic under Beck and finally achieves the potential he has and showed flashes of at times throughout his career on a more consistent basis.

I think it was more the system he was in. He would be more effective in a system that used the inside zone blocking scheme.

He's not built like Dan Alexander but that's how BC tried to use him, as a straight ahead runner.

Get him in space and on the edge.

Yea he didn't have great games against quality opponents but I can't think of any players recently that did.

I thought Callahan DID use the zone blocking schemes mostly, and that is one thing everybody was arguing about for the past 4 yrs regarding NE's running attack.

Am I wrong?

 

[Landlord]

I think the reason everyone is calling for a "breakout" year is because ...

1. A 1,000 yard rushing season isn't what it used to be. Sure he had over 700 receiving yards but that's easy for people to overlook.

Also why is it easy for people to overlook 75 catches for 705 yards? If people don't look at the total package then that is their fault and they really need to improve their football IQ.

Thanks for proving my point. You're right, it IS their fault, and what I was trying to was explain was why "they" are calling for a breakout year because they don't understand how good of a year he had in '07.

 

[HuskerFreak15]

I really hope so it would be nice for him this year and if he can get over the 1,200 yard mark which would be speical he could help his draft stock also

 

[DaveH]

Yes Lucky had 1000 yards last year, but how many of those yards came against Nevada, Ball State and Iowa State? How many came against Missouri, Kansas, or USC?

His only good game against a quality opponent was against Texas and even in that game he didn't get in the end zone.

Some of that was Lucky not making the right read (though he improved greatly in this area over 2006) and some of it was Callahan shifting away from the run too early or not putting Lucky in position to make the most out of his touches.

Regardless, I think Lucky improves his vision even more, improves his explosiveness and acceleration from the point of touch and improves his footwork in traffic under Beck and finally achieves the potential he has and showed flashes of at times throughout his career on a more consistent basis.

I think it was more the system he was in. He would be more effective in a system that used the inside zone blocking scheme.

He's not built like Dan Alexander but that's how BC tried to use him, as a straight ahead runner.

Get him in space and on the edge.

Yea he didn't have great games against quality opponents but I can't think of any players recently that did.

I thought Callahan DID use the zone blocking schemes mostly, and that is one thing everybody was arguing about for the past 4 yrs regarding NE's running attack.

Am I wrong?

No, you're not wrong. Actually zone blocking isn't new to NU or most schools. Ask any lineman from the 90's and they will tell you they did zone block. Hell, watch a few games and you will see it.

 

[Aim9]

I think Lucky struggled the first two years because NU had a really crappy O-line. Nobody with an O-line that crappy could perform well. Zac Taylor should have won the heisman just for his ability to pull himself off the turf 30 times a game. Every time he did anything more than a 3 step drop, he got rocked. Shoot, sometimes he got rocked on 3 step drops too. Lucky had to make moves and really make an effort just to get to the line of scrimmage.

Lucky also has been growing as a player since he came here. He now has more power and he is a better pass blocker than when he first arrived. I think he'll have a huge year in 2008 (read my sig) but the potential loss of Andy Christensen is huge. Hopefully that doesn't tank the O-line this year.

 

[BIGREDIOWAN]

Lucky had a fantastic season last year and he will do even better this season. He knows he's going to have to prove himself to some of the people in the NFL because he still isn't a huge name out of the running backs, which makes absolutely no sense to me. He's a very good versatile back and can do both rushing out of the backfield and catching out of the backfield.