Held talks inexperience and talent in the RB room

Nebraska55fan said:
Some High School running backs who have not run a lot of zone plays, do not understand how patient they need to be and how to properly read their landmarks. It is not the easiest skill to teach or to learn.

We even saw this with Mills- he was NEVER a great back but he did improve some during his tenure here. At Georgia Tech- he played Fullback and I'm very doubtful he ran much zone in that then option offense. You could see he would rush the play and run to the point of attack before he should have. Later on you could definitely see the improvement. I dont think this was it with Ziggy,  sprinkles ran zone also.
Click to expand...
Amen.  After many years of coaching 11 man, we went to 8 player for a number of years and went back to 11 last year. We decided to implement zone. Our backs and team struggled mightily. Major adjustment 

 
HANC said:
Amen.  After many years of coaching 11 man, we went to 8 player for a number of years and went back to 11 last year. We decided to implement zone. Our backs and team struggled mightily. Major adjustment 
Click to expand...
If youre running a gap scheme or option like Mills did at GTech- the backs get used to- are taught to be explosive through the point of attack. Changing to zone, can be extremely difficult. Mills was AWFUL early on running zone. 

Have good friend who coaches 8A in Florida, great staff- send a lot of kids to DI. They run power and zone, and some years they have kids that they wont run zone with at all. 

 
I dont know what the numbers say, but we don't really commit to run the ball with our backs and seem content to run the QB even when we are having success on the ground. Seems like Scott starts calling the cuitsy tootsy flare pass bull $h!t and just can't help himself. Maybe it's analytics, personal, scheme, idk. Common sense would tell you if something is working, keep doing it until the other team stops it. 

1 such instance that comes to mind is a game vs Wisconsin in Lincoln (2019 I think) and mills is just running ruff shot all over...dude had the game of his career with us if I remember correctly. We are trying to get back into the game or even take the lead perhaps (I can't remember the exact situation) and we get deep in the red area and what does Scott do? Pull mills, insert mazour and get cute with play calling and get turn over on downs. Moral of the story is, either you commit to run or you don't. 

1 guy I'm looking forward to seeing on the roster at RB is Yant. Guy seems like a bull dozer. If we can open up some holes for him, that dude is gonna be a problem for the defense. 

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Toe said:
Being stuck using Wan'dale as an RB had absolutely nothing to do with the O-line.

Seriously, I know there were some injuries and covid to deal with, but Held couldn't get anyone ready to play besides Mills, at the position that's usually one of the easiest for newcomers?!
Click to expand...
Yeah playing Wan'dale at RB was a damned if you do damned if you don't. You had to get Wan'dale the ball or he would leave/Giving the ball to Wan'dale at RB is the reason why he left.  

 
One thing that I thing I’ve been frustrated is that we haven’t had a “bell cow” so to speak other than Ozigbo and that was mainly because there weren’t any other options at that point. Now a little bit of that may be due to injuries (Mills) but other times I think the staff is spreading out carries to keep guys happy. Also because nobody has separated themselves as an absolute stud. Just seems that our running backs come in and out so much they never really get in a rhythm and get going.. We seem to have a ton of options for this year and I’m afraid it will be much of the same but it’d be great if a guy could separate himself and get 20+ carries a game.

 
Toe said:
Being stuck using Wan'dale as an RB had absolutely nothing to do with the O-line.

Seriously, I know there were some injuries and covid to deal with, but Held couldn't get anyone ready to play besides Mills, at the position that's usually one of the easiest for newcomers?!
Click to expand...
"some injuries and covid" had the running back room nearly shut down for a while last season.

 
Farms said:
One thing that I thing I’ve been frustrated is that we haven’t had a “bell cow” so to speak other than Ozigbo and that was mainly because there weren’t any other options at that point. Now a little bit of that may be due to injuries (Mills) but other times I think the staff is spreading out carries to keep guys happy. Also because nobody has separated themselves as an absolute stud. Just seems that our running backs come in and out so much they never really get in a rhythm and get going.. We seem to have a ton of options for this year and I’m afraid it will be much of the same but it’d be great if a guy could separate himself and get 20+ carries a game.
Click to expand...
does frost even want to do that? frost and held said they want to spread carries/catches around. 

 
BigRedN said:
What's fascinating is those who couldn't see the qualities and abilities in a player like Wandale.  So, because he isn't the all-purpose back that saves the team then, "he sucks ... we don't need him ... he's not that good".  And then now, Held isn't that good ... he can't develop players, etc.  So, you add in those injuries and covid [which hurts development] and leave Wandale without anything around him developing [and lay the blame on him that he isn't the Savior of the program].  Then we lose the face/star/bright spot of the program with the most experience of the program who is ready for his best years [with folks saying, "it doesn't matter ... we don't need him] and now we are back to Held can't recruit or build any depth.  We keep staying "young" because we either can't or don't seem to be able to keep our WR or RB's for the necessary years [some of it is in our control, some not].

It's all just so "fan-ish" to me.  I'm offering no judgment.  It just makes me smile. 
Click to expand...
Good job not offering judgement.  :thumbs

:lol:

 
  • Plus1
Reactions: GSG
BigRedN said:
Your response doesn't surprise, continual grace back at you JJ.
Click to expand...
It shouldn’t surprise you. All you did was rag on the fans who did/do these things in a long overblown paragraph. And then you said “it’s all so fan-ish” (if you’re not a fan what are you?) and “I’m offering no judgement” which is the only thing you actually did in that post.

And thanks for the snarky grace. I’m sure it was as genuine as my thanks.

 
Not a fan of the 6-8 carries per back thing. When you are a RB- you dont want to have the pressure of making a big play on limited carries. You slash for short and medium gains- not take the chance on a big play on every carry trying to make a big splash. Enough carries to take a few chances- not so few that you cant- or try to break one on every carry. It takes a few carries to get into a groove. In the BIG Im not sure you can have someone get 25 carries for the entire season. But 15-16 works well for most legit reasonably sized backs. THATS what we need IMO I carried 31 times in Class A and hated it- carried 6 times and hated it-can speak from experience- 15-16 is great- a few more if youre feeling good. 

 
Last edited by a moderator:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top