Running Backs

[roetbombaaa]

People can talk all day about how slow A-Rob is, but they'll be eating their words the minute he breaks his first run. I re-watched the game last night, and if you look back to the second and third drives (where the Hawks started moving the ball) you'll notice that A-Rob had 2 runs in which if he made just one more guy miss, he was gone. I thought he looked pretty speedy Saturday...maybe it's just me, but he's faster than everybody thinks...

 

[deanvogs]

If you look at the game in the 4th quarter A-Rob was gassed. Completely spent and it showed with how he ran the ball. I'm not concerned with his durability at all, however at some point this season we are going to NEED the running game to grind out a 1st down or two in the 4th quarter to eat up the clock and perserve a win. We are NOT going to be capable of doing that if A-Rob is in the kind of shape late in the game he was on Saturday.

IMO we need to get another back at least one series in the 2nd half to keep him fresh. I think we would have done that when we went up 21 in the 4th had the D kept Michigan out of the endzone. Had we gotten the ball up 17 or 21 points there is little doubt in my mind we would have seen Coker.

Morse being banged also means Rodgers is unlikely to be seing time in the HB spot anytime soon, but I wouldn't mind seeing him get carries at FB in the 1TE, 2WR, 1FB personell group.

While I would also like to see Cooker in the game early, to save Arob for the end a little more, I don't think Arob was "gassed".

Look at the stats, he had 12 rushes for 50 yards, and 1 reception for 26 yards that was an amazing run after the catch, that got us a first down, and basically sealed the game, by getting us into FG position. The rushes were going against a D that knew at that point we would be running the ball. I would be ecstatic if we could count on 76 yards of offense out of Arob, every game in the 4th quarter.

 

[HAWKEYEinOHIO]

ARob looked great yesterday and may win Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week, but we need to get Coker some carries. It wouldn't hurt to put the ball in Roger's hands a few times too. This running back situation makes me nervous.

I agree...now that we are into the meat of our schedule it is going to get more risky and difficult to get Coker some carries. My big concern is his ability to hold onto the ball. Robinson has done an excellent job holding onto the ball during the past 2 years. He does not have the speed or amazing quickness but he has held on to the ball very well and he fights for yards like no one else we have seen in quite some time. His body cannot hold up to the pounding like he is taking with 30 some carries each and every week. I am more then a little concerned.

 

[HAWKEYEinOHIO]

ARob looked great yesterday and may win Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week, but we need to get Coker some carries. It wouldn't hurt to put the ball in Roger's hands a few times too. This running back situation makes me nervous.

This kind of thinking is what lead to our two losses last year. Vandy didn't have any experience or 1st team reps when Rick went down.

I agree....Vandy did not get any game reps due to close game after close game and that did impact our game against Northwestern. I think he did very well taking all things into account against the Bucks, but if he would have had more game reps I think the Northwestern game could have ended differently. I think we need to start getting Rodgers some reps even as the FB and try to work Coker in there for even 5 carries a game....anything is much better then nothing. It will go a long way for him!

 

[Fors98121]

ARob looked great yesterday and may win Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week, but we need to get Coker some carries. It wouldn't hurt to put the ball in Roger's hands a few times too. This running back situation makes me nervous.

Good point, but a road Big Ten game is not a good time to call any plays for the sake of building experience. Gotta win the game, and Adam is a workhorse who isn't prone to fumbling the ball. I'm not saying we, as outside observers, know whether Coker is prone to fumbling, but we do know Adam is not. Can't risk it against an offense with multiple dynamic weapons.

Mr. Robinson has become co-MVP, in my opinion, with Stanzi. Knock on wood, but those two are the ones I think we could least afford to lose.

 

[Fors98121]

Good point, but a road Big Ten game is not a good time to call any plays for the sake of building experience. Gotta win the game, and Adam is a workhorse who isn't prone to fumbling the ball. I'm not saying we, as outside observers, know whether Coker is prone to fumbling, but we do know Adam is not. Can't risk it against an offense with multiple dynamic weapons.

Mr. Robinson has become co-MVP, in my opinion, with Stanzi. Knock on wood, but those two are the ones I think we could least afford to lose.

... so, I guess I just provided a counter argument to my own post. That's the catch-22 with the guy: Don't wanna lose him to injury, but also can't afford to give less-proven backs many touches in a tough game.

 

[tm3308]

... so, I guess I just provided a counter argument to my own post. That's the catch-22 with the guy: Don't wanna lose him to injury, but also can't afford to give less-proven backs many touches in a tough game.

That's just it. We are now heading into what will likely be the two most physical games on the schedule (increasing the chances of injury), and our backup running backs have essentially no game experience. I agree that a game in the Big House is not exactly the ideal time to give a true freshman some experience, but it's better that potentially getting him his first experience when we're playing top 10 teams, even at home. It's just a lesser of two evils kind of thing, IMO.

 

[SmalltownHawk]

A lot of you are correct, ARob is not prone to fumbling. But based on last year, he was pretty injury prone. I was hampered for a good portion of the year and played well under 100 % for the last few games. I agree, we need to get another back some carries, because if ARob goes down(which has happened in the past) we want our other back to feel cofident and be competent in the system.