Ron Brown: I want to find a role for Collins Okafor

[omahapanda]

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Brown already seems to have a pet project in junior Collins Okafor, the Omaha Westside graduate who's produced little in his four years on campus.

 

“I want to find a role for him if there's a way to do that,” Brown said. “But this is his time now. He's going to get a great opportunity.”

 

Okafor has good speed for his 6-foot-1, 225-pound frame, Brown said. But he's a “thrasher,” the equivalent of a powerful swimmer who splashes a lot during his stroke and turns in a bad time as a result.

 

“We've got to keep smoothing him out,” Brown said. “He's got to be able to use his body.”

 

To illustrate, Brown keeps pounding a fist into his palm. He wants Okafor to get downhill on running plays and stop trying to pick and slide well before he reaches the line of scrimmage. Even in high school, Okafor had a habit of drifting laterally to find daylight instead of blowing holes open.

 

“I'm trying to get Collins not to waste motion,” Brown said. “He's a very smart guy...he needs a lot of repetitions. That's how he is. And he studies like that. He's a relentless studier off the field.”

 

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[The Maudfather]

I'll believe it when I see it.

 

[suh_fan93]

I think this is cool. After seeing him play and watching his style I liked what I saw of it. I like the possibilities and the more healthy running backs who can contribute the better.

 

[Nebula]

Aaron Green, Ameer Abdullah, and Braylon Heard were not desperately coveted by all of us for no reason. This one strikes me as particularly hard to believe. I guess you never know, though. Hope he suprises.

 

[corncraze]

Personally i think this is the staff's attempt to get a 3rd down back. Since D-Tray left, we are lacking a big back, so I think this is them attempting to work with what they got. Honestly I would be very surprised if I saw Okafor turn anything here, but with Brown coaching I guess can never tell. That dude's got some coaching skills.

 

[VectorVictor]

Personally i think this is the staff's attempt to get a 3rd down back. Since D-Tray left, we are lacking a big back, so I think this is them attempting to work with what they got. Honestly I would be very surprised if I saw Okafor turn anything here, but with Brown coaching I guess can never tell. That dude's got some coaching skills.

My uncle described Coach Brown as a "man who could coach a Coke bottle to pour Pepsi."

I haven't the foggiest of what he meant, though, as I'm more of a RC man. chuckleshuffle

 

[Hercules]

Personally i think this is the staff's attempt to get a 3rd down back. Since D-Tray left, we are lacking a big back, so I think this is them attempting to work with what they got. Honestly I would be very surprised if I saw Okafor turn anything here, but with Brown coaching I guess can never tell. That dude's got some coaching skills.

The whole "big back" concept is kind of trite I think, especially within our system (or what I think our system will be). Rex Burkhead is a perfectly capable 3rd down back. Even when we had D-Tray last year, we never used him (and I don't think that's where the offense went wrong). Furthermore, it appeared that he transferred because he was a "big back," and we were clearly not going to have any real use for him in our offense.

I think the coaching staff wants guys who are every-down backs, like Roy Helu and Rex Burkhead were. I think they're working Okafor not because we need a "big back" or a "3rd down back," but because without the three freshmen coming in, we are very shallow at RB, and we desperately need someone with some athleticism like Okafor to step up.

 

[Fuzzy]

Personally i think this is the staff's attempt to get a 3rd down back. Since D-Tray left, we are lacking a big back, so I think this is them attempting to work with what they got. Honestly I would be very surprised if I saw Okafor turn anything here, but with Brown coaching I guess can never tell. That dude's got some coaching skills.

The whole "big back" concept is kind of trite I think, especially within our system (or what I think our system will be). Rex Burkhead is a perfectly capable 3rd down back. Even when we had D-Tray last year, we never used him (and I don't think that's where the offense went wrong). Furthermore, it appeared that he transferred because he was a "big back," and we were clearly not going to have any real use for him in our offense.

I think the coaching staff wants guys who are every-down backs, like Roy Helu and Rex Burkhead were. I think they're working Okafor not because we need a "big back" or a "3rd down back," but because without the three freshmen coming in, we are very shallow at RB, and we desperately need someone with some athleticism like Okafor to step up.

I like to think that they are working on Okafur because he has been through a lot and yet has not shined yet, he may never shine on the Husker football but I give kudos to the coaching staff for not giving up on the kid and on Okafur himself for not giving up.

 

[BIGREDFAN_in_OMAHA]

Personally i think this is the staff's attempt to get a 3rd down back. Since D-Tray left, we are lacking a big back, so I think this is them attempting to work with what they got. Honestly I would be very surprised if I saw Okafor turn anything here, but with Brown coaching I guess can never tell. That dude's got some coaching skills.

The whole "big back" concept is kind of trite I think, especially within our system (or what I think our system will be). Rex Burkhead is a perfectly capable 3rd down back. Even when we had D-Tray last year, we never used him (and I don't think that's where the offense went wrong). Furthermore, it appeared that he transferred because he was a "big back," and we were clearly not going to have any real use for him in our offense.

I think the coaching staff wants guys who are every-down backs, like Roy Helu and Rex Burkhead were. I think they're working Okafor not because we need a "big back" or a "3rd down back," but because without the three freshmen coming in, we are very shallow at RB, and we desperately need someone with some athleticism like Okafor to step up.

Right on the depth. But we do need a smash mouth short yardage back and Okafor is built for that.

 

[NUance]

Ron Brown: I want to find a role for Collins Okafor

It better be a dinner roll then. In fact, a bunch of them. With steak and potatoes. Kid's gotta bulk up if he wants to be our big back.

 

[Judoka]

To illustrate, Brown keeps pounding a fist into his palm. He wants Okafor to get downhill on running plays and stop trying to pick and slide well before he reaches the line of scrimmage. Even in high school, Okafor had a habit of drifting laterally to find daylight instead of blowing holes open.

Having never seen him play ball, could this be translated as: He's a timid runner and doesn't like contact?

 

[RedNLeader]

If Coach Brown as that much confidence in the kids then there must be something there that we dont see. If so thats good for us!

 

[Hunter94]

i didn't think Brown had that kind of time to waste.....the kid was behind D-Tray for gawds sake..throw him a biscuit and put him on the bench, :facepalm: next......

 

[PaulCrewe]

I hear someone is needed to distribute Gatorade. Sign him up