Running Backs

BigD

BigD

Well-Known Member
I know after his Freshman year I picked out Shonn Green to be a great one, also before he made his first carry I mentioned Goodson would be another good one.

My pick for this year (despite the offensive line question mark) is Kaleb Johnson. Watch for this kid to be shades of Shonn Green.
 
If Johnson has an Oline half as good as what Greene had he'd be a 1500 plus yard guy no sweat. My other question besides how good will Oline be in regards to him is how many touches will he get? Greene was used as the bell cow. He got 30 touches some of those games I think. 25 plus touches for half the games I bet.

I get the feeling 20ish touches is where the coaches will want Johnson will be. I'm not so sure they'll use him the same way they did Greene even though they could. Having 2 other capable backs plus youngsters coming in Washington Jr looks like a kid to keep an eye on too makes it so there's no need to run Johnson into the ground.
 
Hawkfnntn said:
If Johnson has an Oline half as good as what Greene had he'd be a 1500 plus yard guy no sweat. My other question besides how good will Oline be in regards to him is how many touches will he get? Greene was used as the bell cow. He got 30 touches some of those games I think. 25 plus touches for half the games I bet.

I get the feeling 20ish touches is where the coaches will want Johnson will be. I'm not so sure they'll use him the same way they did Greene even though they could. Having 2 other capable backs plus youngsters coming in Washington Jr looks like a kid to keep an eye on too makes it so there's no need to run Johnson into the ground.
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I couldn’t agree more. The talent appears to be there to make it so opposing defense’s won’t be able to focus on just the running backs. Iowa also got a big fullback in the portal that is very powerful and can catch and run the ball quite well.

So the big question mark is the offensively line and of course the mind capacity of the offensive coordinator. Where’s the guy that beat up Ohio State a few years ago? Whatever Brian was on for that game, please give him more of it! He had Ohio State’s defense guessing and off balance that they.didn’t know what was coming next.
 
BigD said:
I couldn’t agree more. The talent appears to be there to make it so opposing defense’s won’t be able to focus on just the running backs. Iowa also got a big fullback in the portal that is very powerful and can catch and run the ball quite well.

So the big question mark is the offensively line and of course the mind capacity of the offensive coordinator. Where’s the guy that beat up Ohio State a few years ago? Whatever Brian was on for that game, please give him more of it! He had Ohio State’s defense guessing and off balance that they.didn’t know what was coming next.
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Yeah Johnson is a stud he's capable of big things. He's a first guy off the bus kinda guy. BF and his play calling is also a huge X factor. That OSU game ISU game on the road and USC bowl game are the 3 crowning jewels of BFs tenure when it comes to play calling. He did exactly what you said kept teams off balance and did a great job of being aggressive and mixing things up. I'm not the biggest BF fan I feel like I've been consistent with my takes on him. But gotta give him the flowers when he deserves them too.

When he called 3 straight QB sneaks against USC may have been the most glorious thing I'd seen
What gives me hope for this yr is that he has 2 stud TEs to work with. Just like he did against OSU that day. If anything he underutilized Fant much of his career and I'm sure at the end of this yr we'll say the same about one of or both of our studs. It's tough to do but they are both matchup nightmares and together forget it. BFs got some toys to play with now and a QB that can execute damn near anything he'd want to do. I don't see any excuses
 
I was around and watched both Greene and Bell. Those guys were fun to watch. I kinda chuckle when Greene would lay people out. They would be sitting on their backside wondering what hit ‘em!!! LMAO!!!
 
Any of you guys old enough to Remember Owen Gill? He was good enough to play a few Sundays. I was in my mid-teens when Hayden showed up. Before Hayden got here people went to the games to get drunk and watch the band at halftime, then stagger home after the halftime show.

Playing in a Rose Bowl seemed like a pipe dream. My Dad was old enough to tell me about those early sixties teams.
 
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BigD said:
I was around and watched both Greene and Bell. Those guys were fun to watch. I kinda chuckle when Greene would lay people out. They would be sitting on their backside wondering what hit ‘em!!! LMAO!!!
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Greene and Bell made my all time Iowa RB mount Rushmore when we did that poll a few years back.

My other two were Kinnick and Sedrick Shaw.
 
BigD said:
I know after his Freshman year I picked out Shonn Green to be a great one, also before he made his first carry I mentioned Goodson would be another good one.

My pick for this year (despite the offensive line question mark) is Kaleb Johnson. Watch for this kid to be shades of Shonn Green.
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You mean the Kaleb Johnson on the Doak Walker award watch list. That’s really going out on a limb….Just messing with ya, totally agree can’t wait to see him kick ass.
 
Hawkboys said:
Nick Bell anyone?
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My favorite Nick Bell moment (I think it was actually a preseason NFL game)....

Watching at a friend's place, who of course had his stereo hooked up to his TV. Complete with cabinet speakers. Sans screen, so you could see the cones and stuff.

Ennwayz, Nick gets the ball, rumbles a few yards and right into a linebacker. Nick got the better of the play and moved the guy a few yards before going down. I just remember actually being able to see out of the corner of my eye, the diaphragm on that speaker physically move when Bell hit him.

I just remember feeling so confident when Rodgers would hand the ball off to him. Or throw the ball to Filloon. I was so newly invested in Hawkeye football by that time, and the stakes were pretty high at times in that era. I don't handle the anxiety well when Rose Bowl bids (or the contemporary equivalent) and whatnot are attainable.
 
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