Fall Camp Updates - Running Backs

RedDenver said:
KingBlank said:
suh_fan93 said:
I would give Ozigbo a slight edge over Imani Cross. Bigger backs with big back speed so nothing overwhelming there. Ozigbo has a little shiftiness but Imani had just a little too. Ozigbo is/could be a good back imo in those slobberknocker games where he could come in and ground and pound on an already (hopefully) tired defense. Goal line situations. If they could develop him into a good blocking back too I think he could be great in that role.
Click to expand...
lol no
Click to expand...
Excellent analysis
Click to expand...

Lol. Well his screen name is King 'Blank' after all.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Newby was always good enough to remain the starter, but he was constantly dinged or tweaked. Even in games where he started and played, they've often show him limping to the sidelines and being tended to.

 
Lest we forget Tre was a true freshman last year battling for PT against Zig (a true sophomore) and Newby (a senior). He was also hampered by a leg injury late last season and didn't play in the bowl IIRC. Most of the local analysts seem to think Tre has the highest ceiling of the bunch.

I'm still in a wait and see mode with Wilbon. Both Benning and Abdullah seem to think very highly of him and I sometimes wonder if this has played a significant role in some of the fanfare surrounding him.

As with all positions, I just want the guy who gives them the best chance to win to play.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
durability is always an issue..........that's what caught up with Newby. Wilbon is a wildcard for me, hard to get a clear read on his issues?

 
No running back has been able to separate themselves so far in camp.

» Running backs: Little to report here. As offensive coordinator Danny Langsdorf said Thursday, no back has pulled away from the pack, Tre Bryant isn’t practicing and each back has reportedly had a pretty good camp. NU may know what it has here better than it does at wideout, where the Huskers have to develop some backups lest the starters get dinged up. Mikale Wilbon had a good grab on Thursday. Fullback Luke McNitt did, too, and a few good lead blocks.
Click to expand...


I don't know what to think about this. On one hand, I've always preferred having "the" guy, but I don't know what that looks like in this offense. Are all of the backs better at something than the other, but incomplete as a whole? Is there "a" guy who the coaches want to see separate themselves but so far hasn't held up their end of the bargain? And what does separating yourself look like in this offense?

 
They mentioned that they haven't really done full-contact stuff yet, and they're hoping they'll see some separation when they do.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
I like having a solid 1-2 combination at RB; having only one guy means injury and fatigue can really hurt the team but having a bunch of guys seems like none of them are good. I'm hopeful a couple separate themselves during the games.

 
I favor Ozigbo because I see the ability to do a variety of things but the most important, in our more passing oriented offense, will be to have the ability to send power into the inside run game.  If you play smaller 'scat' backs all the time, defenses are going to feel more comfortable putting a little smaller, faster front across from you in order to get a faster pass rush coming after the QB.  If the defense doesn't fear our ability to play smashmouth power run game coming right at the defense, then they will come smaller, faster quicker.  I think you would like to have your Mr. Inside and Mr Outside (one of the reasons I like two RBs as the lone set back takes away so much of the fakes and deception and so on away.  The defense has only one RB in single set back formations.  It is not hard to figure out who will get the ball on a run play if there is only one option.

Defenses must respect the FB (inside traps, etc) which means they must stay a little tighter, giving the speed RB a chance to turn the corner more often on the wide run plays.  The spread option requires the QB to be the other RB in effect.  That's fine if you are deep in running ability QBs who can throw decent.  Those are few and far between.

 
It's far too early in Wibon's career to make suggestions/assumptions about his abilities based on 24 carries split over two years. They would be closer to conjecture than anything else.

I want the best guy to play. Period. I don't care about the name on their back.

 
Back
Top