Camping Out: Running Backs

[Mavric]

Cross keeps positive outlook, loses 20 pounds

6 hours ago • By BRIAN CHRISTOPHERSON | LINCOLN JOURNAL STAR

Imani Cross was 240 pounds just a few months ago. It was the kind of 240 pounds that would make most males jealous, mind you. After all, we're talking about a guy who was doing 41 chin-ups carrying close to that weight as a freshman. He smiles about that 240 now. Some of it was by design. "And a little bit of midnight snacks," he'll admit.

So the Husker running back cut out the late-hour cravings, did his workout magic, and got down to 220 pounds just before his senior year. "I feel great. I feel healthy, and that's the main thing is just trying to take care of my body and treat it like a temple," he said after Tuesday's practice.
LINK

Be interesting to see if it changes his running style. Maybe a bit shiftier at 220?

Unfortunately, this is the story of his career. He was big his freshman year, the lost 20-25 lbs for his sophomore year, hoping to be a little more agile. Then he was back up last year saying he feels more comfortable with the extra weight. Now he's back down again.

 

[Mavric]

Not sure if the video is from today but I assume it is as he just posted it.

 

[xlbder]

I predict Imani will be the leading scorer among the running backs in his senior season.

Just for fun, I'll out on a limb and guess Imani will have 100 carries, 530 yards and 11 TDs in the regular season..

The other backs will combine for another 1200 yards and another 13 TDs.

Tommy will get 3 TD rushing, and 15 passing. Other QB will get 5 TDs.

The return game will post two TDs, defense will get 1. That totals 50 TDs on the season, for 300 points.

The kicking game will add 44 PAT points., and let's say 54 points on FG. Let's add one safety for an even 100 points here.

So 400 points on the season, a 9-2 record,

if I turn out to be right, I'm going to be a spokesperson for Weller's Whiskey. That's where those numbers came.

Maybe I'll be as famous as Jared...

 

[kbbccandyman]

xlbder ... if you turn out to be right ... I'll get ya a jug of good old "Texas Brown Water". Don't laugh, it's good stuff. After you try it, you might want to be one ot their spoespersons too.

 

[RedRedJarvisRedwine]

If our RBs only rush for a combined 1700 yds, I think we will be in trouble. I know we are transitioning to a more pass oriented offense but that's only around 130 yds per game. Granted Tommys probably gonna get another 500 or so throughout the year but we need to be getting around 200-250 out of RBs per game imo.

 

[RedRedJarvisRedwine]

^^^ I guess I'm not taking into consideration any sweep plays with our WRs but I'm still expecting more yards rushing combined by our RBs.

 

[lo country]

With all that talent at RB, the talk of specific packages and no clear number 1, any chance we actually use 2 back sets? Seems like a great idea to me. Get more playmakers on the field.

 

[lo country]

With all that talent at RB, the talk of specific packages and no clear number 1, any chance we actually use 2 back sets? Seems like a great idea to me. Get more playmakers on the field.

 

[broganreynik]

I predict Imani will be the leading scorer among the running backs in his senior season.

Just for fun, I'll out on a limb and guess Imani will have 100 carries, 530 yards and 11 TDs in the regular season..

The other backs will combine for another 1200 yards and another 13 TDs.

Tommy will get 3 TD rushing, and 15 passing. Other QB will get 5 TDs.

The return game will post two TDs, defense will get 1. That totals 50 TDs on the season, for 300 points.

The kicking game will add 44 PAT points., and let's say 54 points on FG. Let's add one safety for an even 100 points here.

So 400 points on the season, a 9-2 record,

if I turn out to be right, I'm going to be a spokesperson for Weller's Whiskey. That's where those numbers came.

Maybe I'll be as famous as Jared...

Well, we play 12 games, so 9-2 doesn't really work

 

[Igetbored216]

Has there been any talks of putting Newby out wide and using him on the sweep? Based on his skills, it seems like he would be a good candidate to run this play.

 

[xlbder]

I'm going to try that Rebecca Creek medicine. Looks like good stuff.

To clarify, there will be another 400 rushing yards, WR sweeps and QB carries, just predicting the output from the running backs.

I do think rushing will be less overall than under Bo. Ameer was a featured back. The platoon will rule I predict.

And I stand by the 9-2 season. Some game cancelled by natural disaster or terrorist attack.

-- Often wrong, never uncertain...

 

[suh_fan93]

So much depends on our offensive line this season. Honestly I think our running game could look downright ugly if the big uglies can't give them the creases that they need.

 

[lo country]

So much depends on our offensive line this season. Honestly I think our running game could look downright ugly if the big uglies can't give them the creases that they need.

With "little" experience I would agree. AA, like Barry Sanders, could make any OL look good. We can't dominate the LOS and make the running game a real threat, we are going to have some issues. Teams will continue to stack the box to stuff the run. My only thoughts (positive) is the MR and Langs have seen enough football to know how to counter this through play calling.....

 

[Enhance]

Has there been any talks of putting Newby out wide and using him on the sweep? Based on his skills, it seems like he would be a good candidate to run this play.

I believe I heard a soundbite from one of the coaches this week talking about how Newby could be used in a way they were hoping to use DPE. Newby has pretty good lateral speed, so, it's possible we could see him used on the sweep.

My biggest worry too right now is the offensive line. I'm taking away two positives right now though - first, as lo country said, you hope MR and Co. are able to counter inability with playcalling. Obviously, this won't fix many potential problems, but, may alleviate things to a degree.

Second, OL has been facing some very good players on the DL. Seeing that day-in and day-out gives them a learning opportunity and helps them improve.

 

[kbbccandyman]

Maybe Riley and the RB coach need to take a look at this video so they may get an appreciation for what Adam Taylor can do

so they can do something to encourage him to reach his potential. I can just imagine how discouraged Adam may be having not touched the ball in a game for over 2 years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NP_zQYt9o2w

The coaches may think they have an idea of what Adam can do, but after watching this maybe it could open their eyes as to what his potential really is if given the opportunity. Not giving him the opportunity to be productive is the fastest way to have the door closed to the Huskers for any future opportunities to recruit others from a great high school program.

Man, you've been a lot of fun to have around and provide insight on Adam and the Katy program, but do you not think that the coaches know better than you do?

The tone of your post(s) seems to be that you're sure the coaches think they know about Adam, but if they knew what you knew, they would see him more truly, and that seems kind of silly to me. I'm sure they have a better grasp of him as a player right now than any of us do, especially since we haven't seen him play the last two years, and we haven't seen how he responded from his injury.

These guys are successful, paid professionals. You're a guy on the internet linking film of 8th graders, and I'm a guy on the internet giving you grief for it. I'm still very high on Adam as well, in large part to your input through his recruiting process and since, but it doesn't look like he's ready to be a gamechanger yet.

After watching the game this weekend, I really question whether these paid professionals know what they are doing. They knew the Hail Mary was coming and even called a time out to prepare for it and it was an epic fail. Then maybe my eyes are failing but was that Adam Taylor #28 who downed a punt?

Ya, I don't think Riley knows what he is doing and he most likely has not seen that video. If he knew what he was doing Adam Taylor would be carrying the rock instead of downing punts and Nebraska would be 1-0 to start the year. And when the O-line falls apart because the back-ups have no game experience or chemistry with the starters ... it won't matter who is carrying the rock ... they are going to get stuffed every carry.

All for the sake of saying the O-line needs to prepared to play the whole game if necessary and they needed that experience. Riley got lucky with his experiment ... what would you think if a couple of the O-line got injured when they were a little fatigued.

And this RB by committee just proves he doesn't know what to do. Just watch a political figure who is asked about an issue he knows nothing about ... he/she will say the issue is important, so much so, that they support appointing a committee to figure it out. That's because they have no clue as what to do.

Gonna be a long season and could get real ugly. The beginning of ugly was on full display this weekend.