Imani Cross...

devnet said:
Odd because I'm not the one that mentioned it. Also, when it was mentioned (practice) I said that it could not be quantified because no one is present during practices and that taking a walk down that microtopic was pointless.

Yet, people still give ME grief even though I didn't bring it up as a valid argument for or against any point in the thread.

Interesting stuff eh? Burned for something I didn't even bring up.
I agree that most if not all of us here can't attest to what happens at practice. But, coaches evaluate practices, the amount of reps players get and their performance. We've heard coaches talk about this in the past. It's their job. By saying Cross needs to be utilized in different ways in a game insinuates they're not using him properly in practice. So, even if you didn't bring up the practice, you're insinuating the coaches don't know what they're doing.

If Cross could do better on the perimeter, or even just as well as Abdullah/Newby, the coaches would run him there. They don't. So, again, there must be a reason. Either the coaches have no idea what they're doing, or, they're putting the players in the positions they believe them to most likely succeed.

Again - certainly not saying coaches are perfect. But, I trust them to have an idea of what individual players are good at or better at than others.

 
devnet said:
Well, I'm not jumping all over your a$$ for it. Just trying to have discussion. The bolded part is why you're drawing a lot of ire, though. You may not mean to, but you're insinuating that practice and game film are irrelevant to how you feel a player should be used. You're also saying that there's no evidence one way or the other regarding what Cross can or can't do, except for high school film and his college carries. This, in extension, insinuates you don't think the coaches know what Cross is capable of.

If Cross was capable of going outside and making a difference on the perimeter, the coaches would give him that opportunity. They don't, and there are only two reasons for this. One is more likely - the coaches know what he's good at and put him in situations to be successful. The other is possible, but less logical - despite all the hours of footage and time spent with Cross, they don't know how to use him.

Furthermore, I believe there's a difference between getting different position groups involved and getting players within a position group involved. Two years ago, which tight end did you want streaking down the field for a big play - Reed or Cotton? Which tight end did you want running short/intermediate routes and blocking? Cotton. They were both good at different things, but Cotton didn't go streaking down the field for a reason - that wasn't what the coaches felt he was best used for.
Odd because I'm not the one that mentioned it. Also, when it was mentioned (practice) I said that it could not be quantified because no one is present during practices and that taking a walk down that microtopic was pointless.

Yet, people still give ME grief even though I didn't bring it up as a valid argument for or against any point in the thread.

Interesting stuff eh? Burned for something I didn't even bring up.
In a somewhat related thought-I wanted to see Charles Jackson play more. Coaches didn't think he was ready or only used him in certain situations. I am disappointed in not seeing him play more but I don't make the claim that he earned or deserves anything. I assume the coaches see what he does in practice and make their decision from there. I feel they make the same decision about Cross.

 
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Just because this is so much fun:

Greg Sharpe said on The Bottom Line a couple days ago that he thinks one of the four RBs should redshirt and thinks Imani would be a good candidate.

 
Gonna be a tough task distributing the ball fairly when you have 4 possibly starter caliber running backs in the same backfield. Also, the fact is, as much as we'd like Ameer to have a helluva season, someone will have to be somewhat established as the starter next year I would think. You would at least hope to have an idea as this season ends who will be the man the following year.

 
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devnet said:
Honestly, I think Newby should have redshirted like Taylor did. I think Taylor showed a lot of wisdom in doing it. Newby had some fumble-itis last year that could have been avoided had he redshirted. Still, that wouldn't matter much for this year....it will be tough to distribute things. I'm a huge Cross fan...I expect him to breakout either this or next year. Hope he's given some carries outside of the red zone or 3 yards from the 1st down stick. Bottom line, it's a good problem to have with this much depth.
I don't see it when Cross is possibly the 4th best back on our team this season.

 
Does Alabama fan cry this much about fresh and soph backs not getting 20 carries per game when they are behind future NFL backs. Cross will get his time to shine when AA is gone. That's normally how it works or by injury which none of us want to happen. The only player you know who is going to touch the ball every play is the center and Qb. Runningbacks just have to understand that when they sign to play for a team that already has a crowded back field. Apparently Heard, Green and others didnt like it. It is what it is. His time will come.

 
Cross would get more carries if he was given a defined role. A guy that big and strong should be the short yardage back. Line him up behind a fullback and pound it down their freaking throat. Quit treating him like AA and asking him to run outside the tackles.

 
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