Fred Russell, LadellBetts, Tavian Banks, Sedrick Shaw, Shonn Greene

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nileclarke

Well-Known Member
These are just a few names of running backs who pretty much handled the ball carrying duties exclusively during their best years. It can be done. I agree that it would be much better to have not lost Hampton, but Paki is very capable as a backup in spot duty. Obviously the weight falls on Robinson now, but based on the examples listed above, it can be done. The sky is not falling just yet.
 
nileclarke said:
These are just a few names of running backs who pretty much handled the ball carrying duties exclusively during their best years. It can be done. I agree that it would be much better to have not lost Hampton, but Paki is very capable as a backup in spot duty. Obviously the weight falls on Robinson now, but based on the examples listed above, it can be done. The sky is not falling just yet.
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It can be done but its definately not preferred. To really be successful you need to have atleast 2 capable backs. Even Tavian backed up Sed pretty often. Defenses have gotten bigger and stronger and guys just cant withstand the beatings of a full season. Greene was an exception not the rule, that guy was a man amongst boys. A quick glance across college football today would show most teams have two capable guys and dont solely rely on one back. There are exceptions but I think college football has changed some. I dont know what the odds are of Robinson making it through the entire season healthy are especially being only 3 games in. There are alot of hits ahead.
 
nileclarke said:
These are just a few names of running backs who pretty much handled the ball carrying duties exclusively during their best years. It can be done. I agree that it would be much better to have not lost Hampton, but Paki is very capable as a backup in spot duty. Obviously the weight falls on Robinson now, but based on the examples listed above, it can be done. The sky is not falling just yet.
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It happens all the time across college football, not sure why fans dont understand that. It actually was just recent that coaches started at wo back system(Minn Barber/Maroney). And I do agree with what you are saying this team will be fine.
 
The problem is I don't think ARob is in those guys categories.

I like ARob, he's a good football player, and he's proven he can get it done, but the rest of those guys (with maybe the exception of Freddie and even he got a look from the Phins if I remember) were NFL caliber backs, and I don't think ARob is.

We are going to have to get other guys involved in the offense.
 
It does happen all the time, I'm just not convinced Robinson is an every down back. Especially in the AZ game, Hampton was really emerging as the better of the two IMO. I would be much more comfortable with him taking the full load. Hats off to Robinson though - go get em!
 
The Register had a stat the other day that said in KF's 11 years as head coach, only 3 backs started and finished the season healthy while averaging more than 20 carries per game. Russell, AY, and Greene. For whatever reason, we've rarely been able to have a "workhorse" running back able to stay healthy.
 
Rawkhawk73 said:
The Register had a stat the other day that said in KF's 11 years as head coach, only 3 backs started and finished the season healthy while averaging more than 20 carries per game. Russell, AY, and Greene. For whatever reason, we've rarely been able to have a "workhorse" running back able to stay healthy.
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Probably because we run inside so much with the zone blocking and subject them to a lot of head-on contact.

In any event, we have a stud QB and kick@$$ WRs. Throw the damn ball. Play like an NFL team. Play to your strengths.
 
The very same Jewell Hampton that is the cause of this concern ran for 463 yards and 7 td's on 91 attempts backing up Shonn Greene. Not to take anything away from Shonn, but I don't think he belongs on the list of backs that "pretty much handling the ball carrying duties exclusively".
I agree that Adam will do just fine as the feature back.

Unrelated note: I didn't realize how many kick return yards Jewell had back in '08. Pretty impressive for a true freshman.
Hampton 2008 StatisticsRushing
No. Yds. Avg. TD Lng
91 463 5.1 7 22
KO Ret.
No. Yds. Avg. TD Lng
23 537 23.3 0 52
 
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Iowa Hawkeyes
RUSHING No Gain Loss Net TD Lg Avg
Robinson, Adam 20 88 14 74 0 24 3.7
TEAM 1 0 2 -2 0 0 -2.0
Vandenberg, J 3 5 10 -5 0 3 -1.7
Totals ... 24 93 26 67 0 24 2.8

Recognize this box ... from last year's Ohio St game.

Nothing spectacular but certainly serviceable. If it can be done against that team (the best team Iowa faced all last year and the best team they will face this year), it can damn sure be done against most teams over the course of a season.

2010 Iowa running back situation is 10X better, right now, than at any point after Jermelle Lewis went down in 2004.

Sweet Joheebus, stop the f^@&!ng histrionic hand-wringing, already! I'm a realist 1st and an optimist 2nd but the OVERreaction to this loss and the loss of Hampton is making me look like a Pollyanna!
 
Historically speaking, Iowa has always been a one-horse team where RBs are concerned. There's usually been a clear #1 RB, with the #2 only coming in to spell the #1 when needed.

This runningback-by-committee thing happened last year out of necessity, because neither had ANY experience and neither significantly separated himself from the other. Ferentz even said last year that is NOT how he would prefer to have it. He wants to establish an every down back.

The last couple game were only split carries to see who would perform best (and get Hampton back up and running). The only problem I can see now with Hampton out is we really don't have a home run threat type of guy at the #1 spot this year.

It's not the end of the world though, as Robinson has good power to pick up the tough yardage.
 
Robinson is good, but he's not that good. He's been injured before and that usually makes people more prone to injuries down the road.

He's a good back, but he's not built to take a week in/week out beating from the likes of Wisconsin, Michigan State and Ohio State.
 
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