Did we see Roy Helu's weakness??

[zoogs]

Let's put it this way: Helu's a tough, instinctive, and very able running back, but we're gonna miss Marlon Lucky very sorely when he leaves.

Yup studder stepping into the backs of his own lineman is going to be hard to replace.

you think our running game's disappearing now....

 

[RedDenver]

eh, you'd have to have 4.3 speed to out run that guy considering the position he had on him.

Exactly. I rewatched the game and the guy that runs Helu down has the angle on him and is about a yard or two farther downfield. Helu would've had to cut back and break his tackle to get by him. I doubt even a 4.3 guy could have outrun that safety.

 

[billdozer15]

eh, you'd have to have 4.3 speed to out run that guy considering the position he had on him.

Exactly. I rewatched the game and the guy that runs Helu down has the angle on him and is about a yard or two farther downfield. Helu would've had to cut back and break his tackle to get by him. I doubt even a 4.3 guy could have outrun that safety.

Yeah i dont know what everyone is talking about, i watched that play a few times on replays and he had to slow down because he had to make a cut back and the got caught. If it were just a straight shot without having to duck and weave no one would have caught him. But there was a guy who cut him off and he had to jump back to the inside and that is when he got caught. No biggy. Helu will more than replace Lucky. Helu is far better as a sophomore than Lucky ever was. I am not worried at all, as a matter of fact I am excited.

 

[junior4949]

I don't know why everyone thinks we need a RB that can outrun everyone. Didn't Thunder Collins have amazing speed? How often did he get a long run? Players with amazing speed usually can't get in open space to show it off. This isn't 6 man football. Give me a RB that has a great burst. I don't care if he can take it to the house 40 or 50 yards out. I'm completely ok with 5, 10, and 15 yard runs.

 

[Axl_sued_me]

I don't know why everyone thinks we need a RB that can outrun everyone. Didn't Thunder Collins have amazing speed? How often did he get a long run? Players with amazing speed usually can't get in open space to show it off. This isn't 6 man football. Give me a RB that has a great burst. I don't care if he can take it to the house 40 or 50 yards out. I'm completely ok with 5, 10, and 15 yard runs.

When a running back has the space and the green in front of him that Helu did, he should be able to take it to the house.

 

[BigRedfxtoy]

uhh hate to break it to you but I don't think any of our main 3 backs have break away speed...

Out of the 3 I would say I like Castille most when he gets to the second level

Wow, I do not see Lucky as a "between the tackles" back and anyone that does should consider putting the sause down. The one thing Lucky does have is serious speed. I think he would have taken that to the house for sure, if and only if someone picked him up and moved him past the line first.

 

[SOCALHUSKER]

eh, you'd have to have 4.3 speed to out run that guy considering the position he had on him.

Exactly. I rewatched the game and the guy that runs Helu down has the angle on him and is about a yard or two farther downfield. Helu would've had to cut back and break his tackle to get by him. I doubt even a 4.3 guy could have outrun that safety.

Yeah i dont know what everyone is talking about, i watched that play a few times on replays and he had to slow down because he had to make a cut back and the got caught. If it were just a straight shot without having to duck and weave no one would have caught him. But there was a guy who cut him off and he had to jump back to the inside and that is when he got caught. No biggy. Helu will more than replace Lucky. Helu is far better as a sophomore than Lucky ever was. I am not worried at all, as a matter of fact I am excited.

I too agree that their d-back took the correct angle (maybe some of our dbacks could watch and learn) and Helu was forced to slow down and turn it back inside. If it was a straight shot, there wasn't and isn't anybody who catches him. After watching the replay you see him explode through the hole, and when he gets to the second level you see him notice the db, slow down and veer to his left. It's not that he is slow but that the dback took a great angle and forced him back into the rest of the D. Yes, we'll miss Lucky when he's gone just as we have other good players but someone will always step up and Helu looks like he's going to be the man.

 

[indianahusker]

Blocking, catching, and speed are why I believe Marlon will make a terrific 3rd down back in the NFL. He will get drafted mid round, and make a name for himself in the NFL.

Man, he is a terrific blocker in pass pro!

 

[robsker]

It's so surprising because Helu usually explodes when the ball is handed off to him. Great acceleration but not enough speed. Yes, Marlon probably would of took both of those long Helu runs to the house.

Consider the greatest back perhaps of all time --- Barry Sanders. he was insanely explosive off the line and had sensational shiftiness and elusiveness (and all sorts of other great attributes). But.... speed was not one of them. Sanders was continually caught from behind --- in fact, some commentators joked that tackling Sanders from behind was the only way to to tackle him. Sanders was very quick but not too fast. Walter Payton was much the same.

Helu is elusive, quick and explosive in tight spaces and can quickly find a crease and slice through --- all sorts of neat attributes. But he is not that fast. That said, some other backs have done pretty well (Sanders and Payton) w/o grat speed.

So, I would not call it a weakness --- Helu will be really good. He simply does not have great long range speed. Lucky is faster in long straight open space running --- but does not have the vision, sense of timing, cutting ability, quickness to a hole or the ability to follow a block that Helu has.

 

[robsker]

I don't know why everyone thinks we need a RB that can outrun everyone. Didn't Thunder Collins have amazing speed? How often did he get a long run? Players with amazing speed usually can't get in open space to show it off. This isn't 6 man football. Give me a RB that has a great burst. I don't care if he can take it to the house 40 or 50 yards out. I'm completely ok with 5, 10, and 15 yard runs.

When a running back has the space and the green in front of him that Helu did, he should be able to take it to the house.

Here too I suggest that Barry Sanders and Walter Payton were routinely caught from behind --- and they were pretty good backs.

 

[Landlord]

Not sure what you guys are talking about....i've seen Lucky get ran down from behind because he wasn't fast enough more than once. The '07 texas game comes to mind (on a pitch right where he was "off to the races") and also the new mexico state game.

 

[robsker]

Not sure what you guys are talking about....i've seen Lucky get ran down from behind because he wasn't fast enough more than once. The '07 texas game comes to mind (on a pitch right where he was "off to the races") and also the new mexico state game.

Agreed. Not sure we have any real burners on offense --- maybe Gillyan?

I would say that Lucky is likely faster than Helu --- but Helu, as a runner (not a blocker or a receiver) has, in my view, a better overall skill set than Lucky.

Lucky is, however, a very solid D1 back. NFL stuff as some suggest? I'd think not. But he is a solid D1 back.

 

[BIGREDFAN_in_OMAHA]

eh, you'd have to have 4.3 speed to out run that guy considering the position he had on him.

Exactly. I rewatched the game and the guy that runs Helu down has the angle on him and is about a yard or two farther downfield. Helu would've had to cut back and break his tackle to get by him. I doubt even a 4.3 guy could have outrun that safety.

Yeah i dont know what everyone is talking about, i watched that play a few times on replays and he had to slow down because he had to make a cut back and the got caught. If it were just a straight shot without having to duck and weave no one would have caught him. But there was a guy who cut him off and he had to jump back to the inside and that is when he got caught. No biggy. Helu will more than replace Lucky. Helu is far better as a sophomore than Lucky ever was. I am not worried at all, as a matter of fact I am excited.

They gave you the answer Axl.

 

[RedNLeader]

I saw what many of you seen on saturday when helu had his big run. i had thought for sure he was gone but then he was cuaght from behind. Then i thought maybe he was dinged up from the intense practices during the week. could it be? i dont know. hes still one hell of a back

 

[melscott62]

Not sure what you guys are talking about....i've seen Lucky get ran down from behind because he wasn't fast enough more than once. The '07 texas game comes to mind (on a pitch right where he was "off to the races") and also the new mexico state game.

Agreed. Not sure we have any real burners on offense --- maybe Gillyan?

I would say that Lucky is likely faster than Helu --- but Helu, as a runner (not a blocker or a receiver) has, in my view, a better overall skill set than Lucky.

Lucky is, however, a very solid D1 back. NFL stuff as some suggest? I'd think not. But he is a solid D1 back.

we shall see. I think you will be surprised