2021 Spring Notes - Running Back

From the article @Suhfan93 linked:

  • Edison Preparatory School plans to retire the football jersey of its all-time rushing yards leader, running back Sevion Morrison.
  • Morrison wore No. 28.
  • Morrison graduated from Edison in spring 2020 and is a running back at the University of Nebraska.
  • In 2019, Morrison surpassed the school career rushing record of 4,009 yards set by Spencer Tillman 38 years ago. (Tillman would go on to be a captain at OU, lead the Sooners to the 1985 national title, and play in the NFL.) Morrison didn’t just pass Tillman’s mark, he crushed it, ending his career as an Eagle with more than 5,000 yards.
  • Edison coach Tony Daniels said a small ceremony would be held at the high school near the end of next week, where the school would frame and hang up Morrison’s jersey.
  • Morrison did not play for the Cornhuskers his freshman season. He aggravated a hamstring multiple times during the 2020 campaign, plus he contracted COVID-19, which took him away from the field for weeks.
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We don't need a RB who can do "some" stuff.  We need one who can do everything. Better a jack of all trades than master of one.....I don't see teams that are doing what or are what we want to be using multiple backs because they are all average and no one separates themselves form the back. One of the deeper positions with a whole lot of questions and no answers.  Yet.  Held gotta get it together.  Someone needs to take over the reigns and be the man.  It's really that simple.  

 
Decoy73 said:
Would that point more to sub-par coaching or to just bad luck with injuries and COVID?  I think we all have our theories, but it’s a legit question that should get answered by Mid-season, if not sooner.  
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I'm going to go ahead and throw out coaching at the various positions.  RB, year 4 and no real answers (same position coach).  WR, still questions, but going into year 2 with Lubick there is a lot of potential.  QB-year 4 with Verduzco and still no clear #2. I really like that Frost is paying more attention to AM this year.  Unsure what this means.  TE-Improving and the strength of the O.  Hoping we would see more 12/13 personnel, but with Fidone out unsure of a 3rd TE.  OL- again improving each year.  Good depth.  D-IMO, we have depth across all 3 levels (OLB the most "iffy), but improvement each year.  So, long answer short.  Coaching.  Every position group has had injuries, covid, transfers.  Some have improved despite the obstacles and others haven't.  I do not think we have had a viable #2 since Oz replaced Bell.

 
Decoy73 said:
Would that point more to sub-par coaching or to just bad luck with injuries and COVID?  I think we all have our theories, but it’s a legit question that should get answered by Mid-season, if not sooner.  
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I think it's a combination but Held is turning into a guy lauded for recruiting with little actual production to show for it.  This is affected by line performance of course but I haven't seen even a flash of a guy who could really produce since Mo was booted off the team.  I hope Ervin/Morrison/Scott can take the job and not give it up because the rest have underwhelmed and Stepp doesn't seem like he'll stay on the field.  

I also wonder if this staff would give 25 carries to one back anymore or if that's just a trend due to injuries recently.  I feel you need to get one guy in rhythm and let him run versus splitting carries all over the place.

 
runningblind said:
I think it's a combination but Held is turning into a guy lauded for recruiting with little actual production to show for it.  This is affected by line performance of course but I haven't seen even a flash of a guy who could really produce since Mo was booted off the team.  I hope Ervin/Morrison/Scott can take the job and not give it up because the rest have underwhelmed and Stepp doesn't seem like he'll stay on the field.  

I also wonder if this staff would give 25 carries to one back anymore or if that's just a trend due to injuries recently.  I feel you need to get one guy in rhythm and let him run versus splitting carries all over the place.
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I'll insert Breece Hall here.  There's a guy that we passed on ... proof of the "recruiting eye" of our staff [at least, as I see it].  

 
BigRedN said:
I'll insert Breece Hall here.  There's a guy that we passed on ... proof of the "recruiting eye" of our staff [at least, as I see it].  
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While you can show that example, I can show examples that the staff was a lot higher on than recruiting sites for guys that are currently in the NFL. It goes both ways, just so you know. 

 
runningblind said:
I think it's a combination but Held is turning into a guy lauded for recruiting with little actual production to show for it.  This is affected by line performance of course but I haven't seen even a flash of a guy who could really produce since Mo was booted off the team.  I hope Ervin/Morrison/Scott can take the job and not give it up because the rest have underwhelmed and Stepp doesn't seem like he'll stay on the field.  

I also wonder if this staff would give 25 carries to one back anymore or if that's just a trend due to injuries recently.  I feel you need to get one guy in rhythm and let him run versus splitting carries all over the place.
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I think we have some good backs that can produce if the rest of the offense is productive. Something I keep thinking about with the spring game though is that I don’t remember a play where the back hot free and had the speed to pull away.  I would think that would happen when the 1 offense is going against the 2 defense. I see this could be because of 3 possible reasons. 
 

1) we have good speed through out the two deep. 
 

2) touch football prevented that because a touch was counted as a tackle even though in a real game the tackle would have been broken and sprung the RB free. 
 

3) We still don’t have great speed at the position. 
 

I hope it’s not #3. This offense is supposed to get guys like this into space where speed is a big benefit. 

 
BigRedBuster said:
I think we have some good backs that can produce if the rest of the offense is productive. Something I keep thinking about with the spring game though is that I don’t remember a play where the back hot free and had the speed to pull away.  I would think that would happen when the 1 offense is going against the 2 defense. I see this could be because of 3 possible reasons. 
 

1) we have good speed through out the two deep. 
 

2) touch football prevented that because a touch was counted as a tackle even though in a real game the tackle would have been broken and sprung the RB free. 
 

3) We still don’t have great speed at the position. 
 

I hope it’s not #3. This offense is supposed to get guys like this into space where speed is a big benefit. 
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I think the team overall has solid speed yes but I still don't see a guy at RB who can really separate either, for whatever reason,  and that's something this offense really needs.  If there isn't someone at RB and some more at WR who can create explosive plays, drives will have to stay on schedule or be ruined by mistakes/penalties and the red zone remains a large problem like the last couple years. 

 
uberism said:
While you can show that example, I can show examples that the staff was a lot higher on than recruiting sites for guys that are currently in the NFL. It goes both ways, just so you know. 
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The post/comment was about Held.  So, which recruit would you be referring to with him?

 
BigRedN said:
The post/comment was about Held.  So, which recruit would you be referring to with him?
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I don't follow recruiting enough to know who recruited who, but I do know going into year 4 with Frost and Co, our best back was a Riley guy.....Who wasn't even the starter, but took over the job in game 3 or 4 (IIRC).  I just don't see Held as really developing the RB room......BUt that's just me.

 
And soon to be star players in the Big Ten such as our LT and Nash were Held recruits. 

But more power to those that want to create a talking point to sleep better at night. 

 
Held is a good recruiter and that is about it.  It's one of the reasons why R. Brown is back down on the field coaching in a small capacity. 

 
uberism said:
Tay Gowan - Held recruit. 

Mike Hughes - JUCO

Both drafted, both in the NFL. 
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uberism said:
And soon to be star players in the Big Ten such as our LT and Nash were Held recruits. 

But more power to those that want to create a talking point to sleep better at night. 
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We were talking about running backs, in a running back thread, but thanks for your contribution.

 
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