Which type I-back do you prefer?

Which I-Back type do you prefer?

  • Speed, Quickness, Agility type

    Votes: 32 51.6%

  • Size, Toughness, Breaking tackles type

    Votes: 30 48.4%
  • Total voters
    62
I’ll always prefer the physical type back that can get you 3-4 yards regardless. There are always situations where that is needed. This offense can utilize so many different types of weapons in so many ways it’s crazy. Of course it requires numerous speed/finesse type players but those guys can’t always get you the first down or touchdown on 3rd and short and that’s important if you wanna keep your offense on the field. It’s good to see that we have both types available for differing situations.

 
I loved Quentin Castille, remember that guy? He was great to watch. But honestly it’s thought to get better than Helu and Burkhead, I feel they shared quite a few qualities. Big enough to lower the shoulder when necessary, sharp/timely cuts and enough speed to make a difference and heart. 

 
It's essential that your primary RB have power with ability to break tackles not just avoid them while it is a luxury to have a primary RB who can 'take it to the house' as they say with speed.

The NFL is of course expecting to have both speed and power with a good dose of shake and bake and minimal fumbling, good blocking and etc.

Frost's offense is different than Husker fans were used to under Devaney and Osborne and Solich.   Frost uses speed, some elements of trickery and deception, and a sort of organized chaos to overwhelm the defense.   It's sandlot football in many ways I think so he may not 'need' the powerful RB as much as the methodical physical force approach of BD, TO and FS.   However, red zone scoring often requires the ability to exert one's will and simply 'cram the ball in there' using plain old smashmouth ball.   You just can't get that from the smaller-less hefty- ball carriers.  You need to be able to push the pile and finish the runs falling forward.   That turns a short gain into a series of decent gains and most critically = first downs.   Move the chains consistantly and you score TDs, you control the time of possession, you wear down the opposing defense and save your own defense, and you win games.     

 
Unless I missed a post on him in this thread, Roger Craig should be mentioned somewhere. He had over 1000 yards rushing, along with Rozier, in 1981. Yes his injured-plagued senior season was a disappointment, but look at his NFL career — one year he had over 1000 yards in both running and receiving for the 49ers. His production in the NFL was similar to Green who was with the Packers. He had both power and finesse. A healthy Craig without Rozier in 1982 would amounted to over 1,500 yards rushing that year. If you remember, Osborne tried him at FB behind Rozier at the beginning of the 1982 season. 

 
Pedro G said:
His production in the NFL was similar to Green who was with the Packers.
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Which is something I always found entertaining when people would immediately dismiss Nebraska draft prospects because our backs didn’t catch a lot of passes. 

Roger Craig would catch 629 passes in the NFL. 

 
I choose bruiser because it is amazing to watch a running back trucking defenders or carrying a pile of people 5 yards before being brought down.  

 
Pedro G said:
Unless I missed a post on him in this thread, Roger Craig should be mentioned somewhere. He had over 1000 yards rushing, along with Rozier, in 1981. Yes his injured-plagued senior season was a disappointment, but look at his NFL career — one year he had over 1000 yards in both running and receiving for the 49ers. His production in the NFL was similar to Green who was with the Packers. He had both power and finesse. A healthy Craig without Rozier in 1982 would amounted to over 1,500 yards rushing that year. If you remember, Osborne tried him at FB behind Rozier at the beginning of the 1982 season. 
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The first year I remember NU football was 1982, which was Craig's senior year.  I remember that he was a very good back at NU.  I watched him have a great career with the 49ers in the NFL, and he and Tom Rathman wore "HUSKERS" on their nose bumper in Super Bowl XXIV.

He didn't make my list of RB's that I remember watching, just because I don't remember watching him.  Craig had a unique blend of speed, power, and great pass catching ability. 

 
It's not surprising to me that the "big, tough, tackle-breaking" RB is leading the poll so far.  Nebraska fans have always proclaimed how the team's strength and toughness were the biggest factors in dominance in the hey day (which isn't a wrong opinion).  Although I will comment that Osborne's best teams were a lethal combination of power and speed, which the best teams have.

I also find it interesting that when different I-backs are brought up (like Ahman Green) some people remember them for their toughness, while some remember them for their speed.  Great conversations!

 
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On a personal level I don't think there is anything better than watching a guy punish defenders with his running style, but I think that the speed and quickness kind of back that will be most successful in our program under Frost going forward

 
On a personal level as a fan I prefer a speed back because I wasn't blessed with great foot speed so to see a fellow human being moving at a high rate of speed is frankly breath taking.

If I were a player I'd probably prefer the more bruising guy as you can watch the other team slowly crumble away as you impose your will on the other team.

 
Xmas32 said:
On a personal level as a fan I prefer a speed back because I wasn't blessed with great foot speed so to see a fellow human being moving at a high rate of speed is frankly breath taking.

If I were a player I'd probably prefer the more bruising guy as you can watch the other team slowly crumble away as you impose your will on the other team.
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I'm with you.  I personally get great joy watching a guy with amazing speed and agility fly down the field or make people miss in the open field.  It was never something I was close to possessing, so I marvel at those who do have that ability, and I find it very entertaining to watch.

 
I think in the B1G you need to have one of each. We struggled to pick up short yardage last year in part because our line couldn't move anything, but also because even Ozigbo wasn't a true put your head down move the pile power back. I'm excited for the combo this year. The thought of Mo taking off on a big run only to be tackled inside the 5 or a long pass inside the 10 and then a winded defense has to try and stop Mills from lowering the boom into the end zone sounds awesome. My guess is Frost looks to have a true power back like Mills moving forward to help counter the big bodies in the B1G.

 
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