Spring Practice Updates

[NUance]

Most of the carries in this Penn State vid are Ameer's. But Braylon has a couple nice runs at about 0:40. I don't think Braylon had any huge highlights from last season. He's not quite as shifty as Ameer against the first tackler. But Braylon might have better top end speed than Ameer.

On another note, I'll bet we ran more toss sweeps in that Penn State game than any other game in the history of Husker football. And they worked! lol

[swmohusker]

There is reason we rode him to death. If we have multiple capable backs then we would not have rode him to death. Braylon got the carries he deserved. He didn't like it so he quit. Coaches gave him an opportunity at defense last spring and maybe play some wr this year. They saw his talent but it was not enough to be a major player at running back. I wish the kid well.

[desertshox]

There is reason we rode him to death. If we have multiple capable backs then we would not have rode him to death. Braylon got the carries he deserved. He didn't like it so he quit. Coaches gave him an opportunity at defense last spring and maybe play some wr this year. They saw his talent but it was not enough to be a major player at running back. I wish the kid well.

 

then promptly switched him back to rb after green left. given only a spring isnt really getting a shot at a new position.

[Saunders]

Do you know what Heard was told by coaches regarding how much he would play etc?

I'm sure Vince Marrow could chime in...

[swmohusker]

Yeah. I agree one spring is not enough but it shows the coaches saw his talent and wanted to get him on the field. They were willing to work with him and find a spot for him. I just don't see why we give all this sympathy to the kid. What the coaches did with him was not unfair. He got beat out at a position so they wanted to get him a new spot were he could be successful.

[teachercd]

I still would like someone to explain or show me what we saw from Braylon that created this perception that he is or was gonna be so great. I never saw it.

 

Yes, I'm completely serious.

I actually thought his field of vision was better than Ameers. And he was harder to tackle in open space and I think the guys in practice would agree with that. His issue was picking up the blitz. They planned to put him in a position to use his strengths as feature wingback, in the diamond and a few other packages. Part of that was the idea of being a slot receiver at times. It was going to be a 6-8 touches a game type of role and he wanted more. And practice reps were going to be harder to get in the Iback spot. To me the coaches were trying to give him the best opportunity. I guess I see it similar to JT who came here to be a QB and they found a way to get him on the field if he wanted it. Its like a job. If you don't like the role the company sees you in or needs you in, you're free to work somewhere else if you want to try to do a different job.

 

Exactly, its not "quitting" in the sense that he is a baby, he is moving on to something that is better for him (he hopes) just like when one of us takes a new job. Its not like we are being babies about it, we are doing something we think is better for us.

[Hedley Lamarr]

All the reasons u say why you don't agree prove my point.

1. Wasn't going to see the field bc ameer is much better.

2. Didn't like his role, well then beat out the guy in front of u.

3. In division 1 football at top programs you earn your fair shake. Ameer beat out a five star Green and Heard was a top 100 recruit. He earned his "fair shake".

If he wanted to be here he still would be. He quit.

 

Do you know what Heard was told by coaches regarding how much he would play etc? I'm gonna guess and say you do not. Braylon felt like he got the shaft because he never got the carries he should have. Ameer was beat up as the season progressed and we still rode him to death. Braylon should have got carries and didn't. It is too bad for all parties involved it worked out this way.

First, you know Braylon was dinged up this year, too, right? Second, are you implying you can judge RB talent and the depth chart better than Ron Brown and Tim Beck?

 

He wasn't dinged up like Ameer or Rex. I am not implying I can judge RB talent better than either. I am saying Braylon was told he would get the rock and then he sat and watched on Saturdays

[IllinoisHuskerFan]

Most of the carries in this Penn State vid are Ameer's. But Braylon has a couple nice runs at about 0:40. I don't think Braylon had any huge highlights from last season. He's not quite as shifty as Ameer against the first tackler. But Braylon might have better top end speed than Ameer. On another note, I'll bet we ran more toss sweeps in that Penn State game than any other game in the history of Husker football. And they worked! lol

 

Im not sure that his top end speed is going to matter...hes not going to get to use it the SEC. I think I can hear trhe TV now....Heard takes the handoff and immediately met in the backfield by pretty much everyone and he looses 3 on the carry....for his sake he better hope they find some talent on the O-Line...

[QMany]

He wasn't dinged up like Ameer or Rex. I am not implying I can judge RB talent better than either. I am saying Braylon was told he would get the rock and then he sat and watched on Saturdays

 

When was he told he was going to get the rock? He had a quad/hamstring/groin injury, that is more dinged up than Ameer ever got. Over a three game stretch, he had one-zero-zero carries. I'm guessing that is injury, unless you are a conspiracy "dog house" guy. Despite that, he had 50+ carries and 350 yards. He was behind two BETTER RB. By many accounts, he couldn't pick up blocks in pass pro, and if Ameer "could," Braylon must have been awful.

 

It just didn't work out. He didn't feel like competing with a better classmate and 2 freshman as every-down RBs, so he bolted. Simple as that.

[HuskerNationNick]

He wasn't dinged up like Ameer or Rex. I am not implying I can judge RB talent better than either. I am saying Braylon was told he would get the rock and then he sat and watched on Saturdays

 

I have never heard Bo, or anyone on this staff tell anyone they would play, unless they were the in the #1 spot. Braylon was also having Hamstring issues last year, and that is why he was mainly limited on carries.

[Count 'Bility]

Thanks guys. I appreciate everyone's input, because I'm seroius. I just never saw "it" out of Braylon. Now, here's my honest assessment. There was something holding Braylon back, but it was not the staff. There was not some underlying conspiracy going on that kept Braylon off the field despite being better than everyone else. He was not. Ameer got that many more carries because Ameer-as a complete player-was that much better than Braylon. Braylon faster? maybe. Braylon better vision? possibly (i dont think so). These were a couple things mentioned multiple times, but we all know that there is a hell of a lot more to being a great back than speed, otherwise it'd be "Rex who?".

 

It's nothing personal against Braylon or anyone else who wants to leave. It's their life, and I actaully respect anyone who's willing to stand up and make a change that they think will be beneficial. But I'm not gonna sit here and act like he was run off by our coaches and was getting the shaft on playing time and such. If he really was almost as good, or as good as Ameer, he wouldve gotten his looks, but he wasnt, so he didnt.

 

Next man up.

[swmohusker]

Yeah. I agree one spring is not enough but it shows the coaches saw his talent and wanted to get him on the field. They were willing to work with him and find a spot for him. I just don't see why we give all this sympathy to the kid. What the coaches did with him was not unfair. He got beat out at a position so they wanted to get him a new spot were he could be successful.

[4skers89]

Im not sure that his top end speed is going to matter...hes not going to get to use it the SEC. I think I can hear trhe TV now....Heard takes the handoff and immediately met in the backfield by pretty much everyone and he looses 3 on the carry....for his sake he better hope they find some talent on the O-Line...

Uhh, let's not give Marrow any ideas on what players to poach next. We need our O-linemen.

[KJ.]

He wasn't dinged up like Ameer or Rex. I am not implying I can judge RB talent better than either. I am saying Braylon was told he would get the rock and then he sat and watched on Saturdays

 

I have never heard Bo, or anyone on this staff tell anyone they would play, unless they were the in the #1 spot. Braylon was also having Hamstring issues last year, and that is why he was mainly limited on carries.

Do you believe everything Bo tells the public?

[BigRedBuster]

He wasn't dinged up like Ameer or Rex. I am not implying I can judge RB talent better than either. I am saying Braylon was told he would get the rock and then he sat and watched on Saturdays

 

I have never heard Bo, or anyone on this staff tell anyone they would play, unless they were the in the #1 spot. Braylon was also having Hamstring issues last year, and that is why he was mainly limited on carries.

Do you believe everything Bo tells the public?

 

Do you believe every rumor that is said about the team such as...."he was told he would get the rock"?