Should Cross have redshirted?

RexIsMyDogg

RexIsMyDogg

Four-Star Recruit
Ameer has been stellar and I wish Heard would get more touches as it looks like he could take it to the house on every run. Imani has looked good too. I just think it would've been smarter to redshirt him so we can have him for one more year with Armstrong or Stanton.

Imani reminds me of Brandon Jackson a little bit. I know many of you will say he was needed when Rex got hurt, but I think Ameer and Braylon could've carried the load. Now with Rex back this weekend, how many touches will Cross get? Enough meaningful ones to justify burning a shirt? Just curious how you guys feel. Oh, and I don't envy Ron Brown one bit on his decisions of who to play when...

 
Well, I think if anything can be said with absolute certainty about Nebraska football, it's that we won't have issues at the RB position in the future. We always have a good stable of runners. I don't see much of a point in redshirting him "just in case" we can't fill that position in the future. Because we'll always be able to.

So if he wants to play, let him get some touches when he can. I don't think we want Rex or Abdullah being required to carry a huge number of times every game. It's too wearing on the body as the season goes on. Spread it around some when we can.

 
Imani can be used in situations that warrent a big strong back for short yardage. Like 3rd and 1's behind a fullback. Like goal line situations. He is a beast, and has that chance to make that 3rd and 1 into a 30-40 yrd gain.

God this is a nice problem to have. :thumbs

 
Pretty early in the season and he is already making an impact. I'd have to say the answer is fairly obvious, that no, he shouldn't have redshirted. If he can make an impact immediately, get him on the field.

 
Freshmen that can play, need to play, it helps recruiting. Stoops says he only recruits players that can play immediately, not saying all will, but if he feels they need a redshirt he passes on them. We need to get to that level, that is what seperates the top teams from us now. They recruit and play freshmen, keeping the pipeline open to young kids that have that talent level.

He has done a good job, his name is known, and others see him getting a chance. Our concern should be what can we do to win, not what can we do to make the player better by development. We want the ones that are ready to play. If and when they aren't then the development year is for them.

I think the more freshman play the better this team will get, until we reach the 90's level, Still a long ways off.

 
I feel comfortable in saying that any coach worth his salt will recognize the ability of having a thud back like Cross. When is the last time we had a big back to use? Remember last year when we, at times, struggled with 3rd and short? Rex is (Ron Brown's description) a war daddy. Rex is a known entity. It will be great to see him back. Now imagine a fresh Rex all season. Give him the majority of carries, but rotate the young guys. With Rex, AA, Heard and Cross we finally have the four horsemen of the apocalypse in the backfield (Marrow a FB so not included). A great problem to have. Throw in Marrow and we have a lot of beef in the backfield. What are the 3 guys averaging? I think it is over 6 per touch. Teams stack the box to stop the run and a new improved Martinez SHOULD be able to make them pay with his arm (if the OL does much better than UCLA and Beck calls a good 4 quarters).

Limited diamond with any of the above combination will be a nightmare. Imagine if Beck can install a RB screen like UCLA and Ark St. Even more trouble for DC's to worry about.

I think that Bo, after the UCLA debacle, is really open to anything that keeps the O and D more productive. This includes keeping Rex fresh and spreading the carries out.

Again, a great problem to have. Not to mention, from the outside looking in, none of those guys seem to be selfish. I think they can all keep egos in check and just play.

 
skersfan said:
Freshmen that can play, need to play, it helps recruiting. Stoops says he only recruits players that can play immediately, not saying all will, but if he feels they need a redshirt he passes on them. We need to get to that level, that is what seperates the top teams from us now. They recruit and play freshmen, keeping the pipeline open to young kids that have that talent level.

He has done a good job, his name is known, and others see him getting a chance. Our concern should be what can we do to win, not what can we do to make the player better by development. We want the ones that are ready to play. If and when they aren't then the development year is for them.

I think the more freshman play the better this team will get, until we reach the 90's level, Still a long ways off.
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Absolutely agree with the bold. Don't recruit projects........recruit producers.

You get freshman playing and look at the experience you have senior year. 2 deep across the roster. No drop off from the 1's to the 2's. Vets helping and teaching. Everyone contributing. Sounds like a recipe for success or the 1990's at NU.

Also lets recruits know they will play, not that "they might". Look at the Gamecocks with Lattimore and Clowney to name one team. Sammy Watkins at Clemson etc.....

 
Pretty much hindsight at this point. We didn't forsee Abdullah becoming legit after limited carries in his first year. Braylon has been able to run more aggressively as well. Would love to see Rex remain healthy the rest of the season. I like that they are giving Cross some snaps. Gives them confidence so when they are called on, no matter how big the game is, they won't have jitters.

 
No, I think we've needed a change of pace back for a few years going now, and this kid isn't going to Enunwa this season away. (Not on you, Quince.) He'll get quality reps, and there's no substitute for live snaps. Frankly, I think part of our problem is a hesitancy to play the younger guys. (Which I understand. Freshman fumble, forget assignments, miss blitz pickups.) I think we live with all of that because this is the first legitimate thumper we've had since Castille, probably.

I see a lot of benefit by putting the kid out there. These days, the only guys I really, really don't want to see on the field as true freshmen are on the lines, both sides of the field. (Barring a Clowney type phenom, who don't come around often.) Sometimes you have no choice, but to me that is the lone remaining 5-year required position.

 
In the long run maybe so but you gotta play the best players. Who would have guessed that Ameer would be so stellar early on and that Heard can carry his own as well. Like stated earlier in this thread we can still use him for short down situations and this experience will only help him. We still got Cross for a couple more years so it will be ok.

 
skersfan said:
Freshmen that can play, need to play, it helps recruiting. Stoops says he only recruits players that can play immediately, not saying all will, but if he feels they need a redshirt he passes on them. We need to get to that level, that is what seperates the top teams from us now. They recruit and play freshmen, keeping the pipeline open to young kids that have that talent level.

He has done a good job, his name is known, and others see him getting a chance. Our concern should be what can we do to win, not what can we do to make the player better by development. We want the ones that are ready to play. If and when they aren't then the development year is for them.

I think the more freshman play the better this team will get, until we reach the 90's level, Still a long ways off.
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I love playing true freshman! If they are ready to go then play em. Also has that reshirt for something unforeseen.
 
They had to play him. His presence has to be accounted for and he needed the experience. This year will allow him to see where he stands in D1 football and what to improve on for next year. I cannot wait to see him with a year in the strength program while he gets D1 speed training. He's bigger than 225lbs. He's around 235. The staff needed to know what they had with Imani so they could go into next year extremely comfortable with their backs.

 
I think it was a good idea to play him. He is a different style back than anyone else on the team, dude is a bruiser. The only way I see it burned is if he doesn't see any more PT all year. I mean he already has 18 carries(2 more than Heard fwiw). If Cross ends up with ~60 he will be in great shape for 2013 with solid experience and a real shot to be the #2 behind AA.

 
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