Will Kaleb Johnson Break 1,000 On The Ground Next Year And Other Musings...

Fryowa

Fryowa

Administrator
Haven't had anyone put up 1,000 since 2017 when Wadley did it. In '16 he and LeShon Daniels both did. Weisman did it with all purpose yards but I'm talking strictly rushing. Next one before that was Coker and then way back to Shonn Greene.

I'm fully aware that the trend is because since Shonn left Ferentz has gone RB by committee (the lone exception being 2011 when Coker got all the carries).

I'm gonna get bold here for a minute...

Could Kaleb Johnson be the next Shonn Greene? He's built like a 6' brick shithouse as a true freshman (search his name in Google images) and he certainly runs like him. When was the last time we consistently saw an Iowa running back find holes like he does and carry that many yards after contact? Yeah I know I'm getting a little ahead of myself but KJ is a damn good running back and he fits the mold. This is also the internet and hot takes are what it's made for. Listening to his interviews he's smart, speaks well, is hungry for the ball, and doesn't seem to be afraid of shit. I say we get our mojo back and make the kid a bell cow a la Shonn next year. OL [should] be better, Lachey, Vines, Bruce, and Johnson will [hopefully] be healthy to take some heat off.

LFG.
 
Outstanding running back and really a bright, articulate, engaging young man.

His skills are obvious: He is tough, physical and he showed his speed against Purdue.

After the game (it might have been earlier this week) Captain Kirk starts talking about the fact that the Williams running backs are now healthy and that he isn't ready to anoint Kaleb as the "next Shonn Greene."

Typical meathead response from Kirk. I like the Williams kids but they aren't even in the same universe as KJ from a talent standpoint. Maybe Kirk is simply trying to keep him grounded (who knows). I do understand that in the Big Ten, you don't want your star running back to get beat up and injured, although it sure seems like Wisconsin runs their star back a lot.....

I think he IS the next Shonn Greene, but for him to reach his potential at Iowa and have a career in the NFL, the following needs to happen:

1. In this era of cut throat NIL, Iowa has to make sure we don't lose him to another team.
2. Play the kid! He has to continue to be the featured back.
3. Get him out in space as a receiver as well. He looked great on the few balls thrown his way. Using him as a receiver early and often is going to keep those opposing linebackers honest.
4. Keep developing that O line. They opened up some holes against NW and Purdue that weren't there earlier in the year.

This cat is a special, generational talent. Surely the coaching staff and the two Ferentz meatheads see it?
 
I love his potential. You could see it way back in the Nevada game. He is the one guy on offense that gives me hope for the future.

If he stays healthy and maintains the right attitude, he could be destined for big things. Iowa could still use a decent 2nd back to complement him in the backfield. I am not sure if either Williams is the answer, but having a backup with experience always helps. Maybe there is a future freshman back that could be a better backup eventually.
 
Fryowa said:
Haven't had anyone put up 1,000 since 2017 when Wadley did it. In '16 he and LeShon Daniels both did. Weisman did it with all purpose yards but I'm talking strictly rushing. Next one before that was Coker and then way back to Shonn Greene.

I'm fully aware that the trend is because since Shonn left Ferentz has gone RB by committee (the lone exception being 2011 when Coker got all the carries).

I'm gonna get bold here for a minute...

Could Kaleb Johnson be the next Shonn Greene? He's built like a 6' brick shithouse as a true freshman (search his name in Google images) and he certainly runs like him. When was the last time we consistently saw an Iowa running back find holes like he does and carry that many yards after contact? Yeah I know I'm getting a little ahead of myself but KJ is a damn good running back and he fits the mold. This is also the internet and hot takes are what it's made for. Listening to his interviews he's smart, speaks well, is hungry for the ball, and doesn't seem to be afraid of shit. I say we get our mojo back and make the kid a bell cow a la Shonn next year. OL [should] be better, Lachey, Vines, Bruce, and Johnson will [hopefully] be healthy to take some heat off.

LFG.
Click to expand...
Right there with you! I saw enough of him early on, even before O line improvement, to think he will be a guy.
 
Chickenlounge said:
Maybe it's just me, but when he's running, it doesn't look like he's expending much effort or moving that fast, until you see 3 Purdue D-backs trying to catch him, and he is outpacing them. He's so smooth it doesn't even look like he's trying.

Edit -- Here's the run I was referring to: https://twitter.com/ByCodyHills/status/1588954647443566592?s=20&t=5mE9bVU39cz_YeawkIvudw
Click to expand...
It's a unique style for sure. I've heard guys try finding comps for him and Eric Dickerson is one that I found eye brow raising. On his long TD he had I couldn't help but wonder if that safety that he ran by was really really slow or what because the safety had an angle on him but he had no chance of catching him. Absolutely none.
 
Fryowa said:
Haven't had anyone put up 1,000 since 2017 when Wadley did it. In '16 he and LeShon Daniels both did. Weisman did it with all purpose yards but I'm talking strictly rushing. Next one before that was Coker and then way back to Shonn Greene.

I'm fully aware that the trend is because since Shonn left Ferentz has gone RB by committee (the lone exception being 2011 when Coker got all the carries).

I'm gonna get bold here for a minute...

Could Kaleb Johnson be the next Shonn Greene? He's built like a 6' brick shithouse as a true freshman (search his name in Google images) and he certainly runs like him. When was the last time we consistently saw an Iowa running back find holes like he does and carry that many yards after contact? Yeah I know I'm getting a little ahead of myself but KJ is a damn good running back and he fits the mold. This is also the internet and hot takes are what it's made for. Listening to his interviews he's smart, speaks well, is hungry for the ball, and doesn't seem to be afraid of shit. I say we get our mojo back and make the kid a bell cow a la Shonn next year. OL [should] be better, Lachey, Vines, Bruce, and Johnson will [hopefully] be healthy to take some heat off.

LFG.
Click to expand...

The key is the O-line will definitely be more veteran and consistent. Wait until he has consistent holes to run through. Yea, he's gunna be a good one for a few years.
 
guffus said:
I love his potential. You could see it way back in the Nevada game. He is the one guy on offense that gives me hope for the future.

If he stays healthy and maintains the right attitude, he could be destined for big things. Iowa could still use a decent 2nd back to complement him in the backfield. I am not sure if either Williams is the answer, but having a backup with experience always helps. Maybe there is a future freshman back that could be a better backup eventually.
Click to expand...

When I see he's going to get the ball, I get a little giddy with hope. It's a good thing.
 
Chickenlounge said:
Maybe it's just me, but when he's running, it doesn't look like he's expending much effort or moving that fast, until you see 3 Purdue D-backs trying to catch him, and he is outpacing them. He's so smooth it doesn't even look like he's trying.

Edit -- Here's the run I was referring to: https://twitter.com/ByCodyHills/status/1588954647443566592?s=20&t=5mE9bVU39cz_YeawkIvudw
Click to expand...

The thing with him and watching that play, he seems to always be going forward and not side-to-side. It seems we've had some RB's in the past years that dance around too much at the LOS and tended to go to the side too much. Kaleb finds his holes going forward.
 
To me, KJ has changed the whole trajectory of this season. I know a bunch of other kids are playing well, but he is so, so interesting.

It gives me a major reason to watch the next 3 (hopefully 4) games.
 
Agree with his high potential.
His potential is high enough that I am concerned about him testing the transfer portal even after this season. And every season.
With the current free-agent aspect of the portal, plus NIL money, development programs like Iowa run the risk of having players leave for greener pastures every year.
This years #1 RB at Alabama did well as a freshman at Georgia Tech and bolted after one season for bigger and better things.
 
I think he has a chance to be the best RB of the KF era. He's not there yet, but the way he runs with speed and power give him a chance. Time will tell.

One thing that I noticed early on this year when he was limited mostly to returning kicks was his speed. He is so smooth! No wasted motion in his body. Now that he is getting carries you can also see the vision and his ability to break tackles. He has a chance to be special.
 
Could he?
Absolutely.

Will he?
I dunno. It's up to Kirk and the omnipresent AIRBHG/injury.

If I had to bet, I would say "no". And if it goes the way I think it will go AND he manages to do it...there's an awful good chance they're playing in Indianapolis.

Then again, he got well over double the number of his average carries in the Purdue game.
So, I dunno. Maybe it won't go the way I think it will go. And I'd almost put money on him getting 1000k.

I also see that they're maybe dabbling with tossing him the ball. As a 2000 Rams fan, it didn't bother me that Marshall Faulk's rushing numbers were not all that gaudy. He had a zillion receiving yards....99.99% of them being YAC.
 
ChosenChildren said:
That's how screwed up college football is right now
Click to expand...
the-big-lebowski-thats-like-your-opinion-man.gif
 
Fryowa said:
A million yards? :)
Click to expand...
Whoops.

Like comedy, math is hard. Also my fingers (like my mouth) works faster than my brain.
Stuff comes out so fast, I switch gears so quickly. I remember having this internal debate when I was typing that...."do I type out 1000 or just go with '1k'?" Well, I did both. I've always thought my brain was like watching a train go by. I see an interesting train car/thought and grab at it and start yapping about it. And then I see another one, so I grab that too. And then all the sudden I'm talking about 8 things at once.

And in reality, it's more like a toy train. Going around in circles. Because I generally keep repeating the same stories and shit over and over. Getting worse as I get older.

But yeah. If he gets 20+ carries....
1400? Something like that? Not out of the question.
 
As far as answering the question from the OP Mr Fry I'd say yeah he should anyway. He coulda this yr if the Oline and O just woulda had a half a brain. Any dude that can go off for 200 in a game and do some of what he has is more than capable. It's just not up to him if he can do 1000 or not next yr besides staying healthy. Dude should be getting 20 plus touches. Hell I wouldn't be scared to give him 25 plus. He's built for it. What are ya saving him for? It's not like the others are so talented that they demand to have the touches split evenly. He's head and shoulders the best they have. I say run him into the ground since he's the best they've got.

We once gave Canzeri like 30 plus touches in a game didn't we? One possession he had like double digit carries in a row or some shit. And he was like 5'7 185 tops. If we can do that with him and use a guy like Weisman like we did why can't we hitch our wagons to # 2 and see what he can do
 
Chickenlounge said:
Maybe it's just me, but when he's running, it doesn't look like he's expending much effort or moving that fast, until you see 3 Purdue D-backs trying to catch him, and he is outpacing them. He's so smooth it doesn't even look like he's trying.

Edit -- Here's the run I was referring to: https://twitter.com/ByCodyHills/status/1588954647443566592?s=20&t=5mE9bVU39cz_YeawkIvudw
Click to expand...

He doesn't lower his shoulder and blow people up, but defenders just fall off of him. He doesn't juke people onto the ground, but defenders don't seem to ever hit him square. He doesn't look like he's moving fast, but he dusts people when he sees daylight.

KF mentioned a Larry Johnson comp, seems like a good one.

www.youtube.com

LARRY JOHNSON - Junior Highlights (2001)

www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
 
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