Riley touched on the running back competition, saying if one back doesn’t separate himself as the clear starter within a week, that position will become “more of a rotation deal.”
Who will separate at RB??
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I'm good with the committee. They all bring something different. All will also be needed for a long season. I'm sure one or 2 will start to separate a game or two into the season.
Agree. Health and ball security will probably be what leads to one of them being "the guy".
How would you rank our running backs with the other teams in the B1G. Seems like middle of the pack to me.
I would think our diversity of talents can give us a contrarian edge at times. If Oz could ride his streaks of power moves through the middle consistantly; we are in that top group when using the others situationally.
I agree with you in theory but as a whole this group is pretty average to me. When you look at our history of great running backs you can see where I'm coming from.
When you go to the situational backs it makes you too predictable. The ability to get and keep the D off balance is hurt by not having the do-everything, every down back. Even in HS we had this super fast but super small RB. We put in all sorts of packages for him and by the middle of the year we fooled no one and he about got broken in half a few times. There is always room for the hammer back and games when that might be the flavor of the day but overall, you gotta have the stud with all of the skills who can take a game over.There will be games when we lean on teams enough and the speed backs have their day in the sun and this board will be filled with "he should be starting" talk. Tre really needs to be the guy, at least heres hoping, he is still young.
While I wont say we have a stud that we know of, I do think we will have better rb play overall than last season.
Ozigbo has shown he can do it, but this offense and his health are question marks. Wouldnt be surprised to see him do well though.
Bryant is a better athlete and could do it, but is young.
Might be by comittee but i do believe our o line will be better this year. Or should be.
Ozigbo has shown he can do it, but this offense and his health are question marks. Wouldnt be surprised to see him do well though.
Bryant is a better athlete and could do it, but is young.
Might be by comittee but i do believe our o line will be better this year. Or should be.
Remember the days of old in Husker land when they earned their keep by pounding the rock and teams put everthing on the LOS to stop the run. And as I recall, we had some decent backs in those days.
Wilbon will carry the load this year. He'll be relied upon heavily in the 2nd half of the Oregon game and the lights will turn on. He's just a humble dude thats been overshadowed and hasn't had his chance to shine, give it time. GBR!
If bryant cant make it through the 2nd week of camp, idk how he's going to make it through the season.
Our running backs look average to me. And I think Riley agrees. You sense very little excitement from him or Langs about what we have there.
That said, I think we will be fine. All the backs are solid and provide good depth. And if our line and QB play are improved over last year, that should open up running lanes.
That said, I think we will be fine. All the backs are solid and provide good depth. And if our line and QB play are improved over last year, that should open up running lanes.
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We are not going to make our money with our RBs, but we have four guys that can play and hopefully make some plays. And if Lee does what a lot of FB mavens think he can, the running lanes should be a bit kinder.
Or take it as sign he is the RB who needs to be preserved. Someone who doesn't need the reps, lessen his wear now because come late October and November we will need him.
There are few if any NFL teams who play with one feature back these days. Carries are split much more than they used to be likely to reduce wear and tear and also to bring different dimensions to the team.
The only reason I pine for the days of the "feature" back is because we remember the special ones like Rozier, LP, Green, etc.
If the team is productive with 2 or 3 backs, works for me.
The only reason I pine for the days of the "feature" back is because we remember the special ones like Rozier, LP, Green, etc.
If the team is productive with 2 or 3 backs, works for me.
I agree. And this is why I question the staff's comments that they don't need to recruit a running back in this class because of all the backs that will return next year. I think that's just an excuse for the fact that they (especially Davis) haven't been able to land a highly rated running back last year or this year.
No matter how the order works out, I expect Ozigbo to play. He'll either be the man or a top back-up. He has some size and power that the other don't have, so I expect him to play a lot in situations (like short yardage) and against teams where our game plan is running up the middle. There'll be a couple of games like that.
I am guessing the starter will be Wilbon or Bryant. Whoever loses that battle may not get to play very much.
I am guessing the starter will be Wilbon or Bryant. Whoever loses that battle may not get to play very much.
IMO, Brant and Devine are pretty similar backs in their skill set. Wilbon is the wild card IMO with more shake and potential for an explosive play. Unfortunately he also has more potential for the explosive mistake it seems. I don't think having any of those guys in the game is going to tip a D for anything unless we run the same play repeatedly in the same situation for the same guy repeatedly.
To solidify my message board bona fides, I'm for giving more carries to whichever RB isn't getting many carries.
I'm good with Ozigbo and Bryant. I just don't see it with Wilbon, but would love to be proven wrong if he can turn into a big-play guy.
Maybe they just wanted to rest him knowing what they already know about his ability.
Iowa running back Wadley is hardly doing anything in their fall scrimmage's. Realize he has less to prove but we need our running back's fresh for the start of the season.
I'm excited about Tre Bryant. I think he can be special.
Wilbon can be solid to give him a rest and Oz for the short yardage.
I think we are middle of the pack infividually in the big10 at running back but as a committee, I think we are near the top.
Wilbon can be solid to give him a rest and Oz for the short yardage.
I think we are middle of the pack infividually in the big10 at running back but as a committee, I think we are near the top.
Wouldn't it concern you if you're trying to rest a player in the 2ND WEEK!!! We're not talking about the week before the game. We're talking the 8th or 9th day of practice and the 1st two days were just helmets.