Which type I-back do you prefer?

[HuskerInLostWages]

I chose bruiser type myself.  I like knowing the ball will most of the time go forward 2-3 yards simply by falling forward.  I dont like bouncing around trying to find a hole, a bruiser makes the hole.  Now, if we have a shifty back that can find the hole and attack it, then I'm all for that as well.  One to pound the defenders into the ground to make it easier for the speedster to take one 40 yards to the house.

[HuskerInLostWages]

5 minutes ago, ColoradoHusk said:

Going back thru the RB’s of my time here is how I would classify the best RB’s I have seen play since the early 80s. 

 

Rozier: great combo of size and speed

Keith Jones: pure speed back with sprinter’s speed

Ken Clark: power back with good speed

Derek Brown: speed and agility with decent power, versatile back

Calvin Jones: good combo of size and speed

LP:  best combo of size and speed. Most talented NU I-back ever

Ahman:  speed back who had power when needed. Probably the 3rd best I-back ever at NU

Helu: speed back who could break the long runs

Burkhead:  power back who could get tough yards between tackles by making himself small and finding the creases

Ameer:  good, but not great speed. Great power for his size, very quick and elusive with the ability to get to top speed after 1 cut. 4th best I-back in my lifetime at NU. 

I see 1,3 and 4.  Who do ya have at 2?

[runningblind]

5 minutes ago, ColoradoHusk said:

Going back thru the RB’s of my time here is how I would classify the best RB’s I have seen play since the early 80s. 

 

Rozier: great combo of size and speed

Keith Jones: pure speed back with sprinter’s speed

Ken Clark: power back with good speed

Derek Brown: speed and agility with decent power, versatile back

Calvin Jones: good combo of size and speed

LP:  best combo of size and speed. Most talented NU I-back ever

Ahman:  speed back who had power when needed. Probably the 3rd best I-back ever at NU

Helu: speed back who could break the long runs

Burkhead:  power back who could get tough yards between tackles by making himself small and finding the creases

Ameer:  good, but not great speed. Great power for his size, very quick and elusive with the ability to get to top speed after 1 cut. 4th best I-back in my lifetime at NU. 

Love the list,  but you and I have different memories of Roy Helu. 

 

I like speed backs that aren't afraid of contact, and big backs who aren't afraid of contact.   Pretty much I want the entire team to be physical. 

[Nebfanatic]

13 minutes ago, ColoradoHusk said:

LP didn’t have the straight ahead speed that Herschel had, but LP had more wiggle and could make guys miss in the open field and in the hole. 

He was a special talent. I just like Herschel because he still looks like he could shred an NFL defense. That dude is fit.

[ColoradoHusk]

10 minutes ago, HuskerInLostWages said:

I see 1,3 and 4.  Who do ya have at 2?

Rozier

[ColoradoHusk]

5 minutes ago, Nebfanatic said:

He was a special talent. I just like Herschel because he still looks like he could shred an NFL defense. That dude is fit.

I know Herschel had 3 years in the USFL (with 18 game schedules) and then was on a bad Cowboys team when he came to the NFL, but he never impressed me in the NFL. Don’t get me wrong, the guy was AMAZING in college, but I think by the time he got to the NFL he had so much use on him, he wasn’t the same back. 

[brophog]

15 minutes ago, runningblind said:

Love the list,  but you and I have different memories of Roy Helu. 

 

I like speed backs that aren't afraid of contact, and big backs who aren't afraid of contact.   Pretty much I want the entire team to be physical. 

 

I like touchdowns.

[HuskerInLostWages]

9 minutes ago, ColoradoHusk said:

Rozier

I figured that's who was 2 but it wasn't specified so I thought you may have had someone else in mind.

[El Straino]

I swear Burkhead could turn himself into Ant-Man at times just to squeak out extra yardage. I get chills thinking what Ameer could've done in a Frost offense. Ahman had that 5th gear that looked effortless. I'm partial to AG and LP, who could combine speed with truck sticking fools when needed. 

[ColoradoHusk]

20 minutes ago, El Straino said:

I swear Burkhead could turn himself into Ant-Man at times just to squeak out extra yardage. I get chills thinking what Ameer could've done in a Frost offense. Ahman had that 5th gear that looked effortless. I'm partial to AG and LP, who could combine speed with truck sticking fools when needed. 

We had really good seats for the NU-CU game in Boulder in 2009. Rex was amazing that game, especially on the game clinching drive. Everyone knew he was going to get the rock, but he kept on churning out 3-5 yards, getting small in the hole, getting an extra yard or two by barely staying above the ground. It was special to watch in person. 

[Mavric]

1 hour ago, ColoradoHusk said:

It’s funny you think of Ahman as a bruising-style running back. I thought of him as a speed back, getting in the open field on an option pitch and flying down the sideline. 

 

Ahman was a burner.  Legit track speed.

 

But he wasn't afraid to use that speed to square someone up and run over them.

[MyBloodIsRed16]

Marcus Dupree

[I am I]

15 minutes ago, Mavric said:

 

Ahman was a burner.  Legit track speed.

 

But he wasn't afraid to use that speed to square someone up and run over them.

Ahman wasn’t a “square up and hit you” physical back but that dude dipped his shoulder and was north south all day. Yeah, one guy to beat he could beat em fast or strong. He ran through PLENTY of tackles. 

 

I hoping Mills pounds away, breaks some long runs. And I hope Washington speeds past the D once they’re tired. Perfect combo 

[Red Five]

 

1 hour ago, ColoradoHusk said:

Going back thru the RB’s of my time here is how I would classify the best RB’s I have seen play since the early 80s. 

 

Rozier: great combo of size and speed

Keith Jones: pure speed back with sprinter’s speed

Ken Clark: power back with good speed

Derek Brown: speed and agility with decent power, versatile back

Calvin Jones: good combo of size and speed

LP:  best combo of size and speed. Most talented NU I-back ever

Ahman:  speed back who had power when needed. Probably the 3rd best I-back ever at NU

Helu: speed back who could break the long runs

Burkhead:  power back who could get tough yards between tackles by making himself small and finding the creases

Ameer:  good, but not great speed. Great power for his size, very quick and elusive with the ability to get to top speed after 1 cut. 4th best I-back in my lifetime at NU. 

 

This list makes me sad for the “Great Omaha I Back” that we used to be able to get every few years.

[ColoradoHusk]

Just now, Red Five said:

 

 

This list makes me sad for the “Great Omaha I Back” that we used to be able to get every few years.

No kidding. As a kid growing up in Omaha, there always seemed to be one Omaha RB (many from Central) headed to Lincoln to play for NU, and he would likely excel. Shoot, the 1995 team had 3 Omaha guys backing up LP in Benning, Childs, and Green. Childs was a cool dude, too.