Hoge was terrific in those two playoff games in 1989, better than he ever was during the regular season, though he did make a lot of nice runs then also. The Steelers, after missing the playoffs the four previous seasons, started off '89 0-2, getting slaughtered at home by the archrival Browns 51-0 and losing the following week to archrival Cincinnati 42-10. But then they upset the Vikings in Week 3, and ended the season 9-7. To make the playoffs as one of the AFC's two wildcard teams they needed a bunch of last week scenarios to happen, and all of them did.
The first week they beat the favored Houston Oilers in Houston, on a last second field goal by Gary Anderson of around 50 yards. Anderson's father was on his deathbed and it was a poignant win. Hoge ran for over 100 yards.
The next week they traveled to Denver to play the heavily favored Broncos. Hoge had over 100 yards rushing just in the first half. Newspaper accounts quoted various Bronco defenders referring to Hoge as "The Tank" and "Jim Brown" while he was running over and around them. He was used less in the second half and the Steelers blew a late lead, ironically enough when Mark Stock, who was a Jeremy Ebert/Jerheme Urban type of White receiver in that he was constantly being cut and was always on the farthest fringes of the roster, dropped a key pass. Stock had unbelievably good hands, but a third down pass to him from Bubby Brister late in the fourth quarter bounced off him and Denver ended up winning the game, and then beating Cleveland the next week and going to the Super Bowl.
yeah I have both of those games, and the one who put that video up. I don't have any regular season footage of Hoge but he looked like a featured back in those two games, I would say well above average. I am wondering if they used him more like a short yardage back, more out of the fullback spot with short yardage plays during the regular season, or maybe a split role like Tommy Vardell. Drafted in the 1st round, top 10, and spent more than half of his time blocking, they used lots of split back sets and he had a lot of short yardage plays. Vardell should have had 1k rushing at least a few seasons.
notable accomplishment was being the blocker for Barry Sander's only 2k season, the only season he had a lead blocker the majority of the time, probably because Sanders was impatient waiting on his blockers, and Vardell was fast enough to get out there.
WASTED CAREER
[video=youtube;1_PB9xvGOSs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_PB9xvGOSs[/video]
Hoge did have two seasons with 1100 yards from scrimmage, one was just yards away from 1200. Whites are so great at catching the receiving. I know we are fixated on White backs with 1k rushing seasons but I think 1k from scrimmage is just as valuable.
White backs with 1k from scrimmage since Craig James:
1988 Merril Hoge 1192 yards from scrimmage 6 tds.
1990 Brad Muster 1116 yards from scrimmage 6 tds.
1991 Merril Hoge 1114 yards from scrimmage 10 tds.
1999 Mike Alstott 1188 yards from scrimmage 9 tds.
2010 Peyton Hillis 1654 yards from scrimmage 13 tds
2013 Danny Woodhead 1034 yards from scrimmage 8 tds
(he would have also had 1k from scrimmage in 2010 if he hadn't missed the first few games with the Jets, but he did break it in the playoffs, so technically no, but if it had been 16 games yes.
honorable mention, Gil Fenerty 1136 all purpose yards (was a return man as well) in 1990, and 712 yards from scrimage the next year 5 tds.
Alstott 2 yards short in 98 with 998 yards and 9 tds and Hoge was 11 yards short in 1991 with 989.
the blacker the league has gotten the easier it has been to run the ball, the White leaders for yards from scrimmage is Peyton Hillis with 1654 in 2010 and 2nd is Craig James with 1587 in 85. both very elite skillsets but I wouldn't rank them up there with guys like Jim Taylor (who is 3rd with 1580 in 62 in 19 tds) or John Riggins, who would have put up much greater numbers if he were heavily featured earlier on his career. He put up elite numbers in the playoffs and did well into his mid 30's on two repaired knees back when they ended careers, and he still wasn't that dedicated to working out, he partied and from what I have read, not the best diet. He is basically what I think of whenever I think of the movie the "Great White Hope" making fun of the idea of a White heavyweight contender in boxing back in the 90s (little did they know haha). In the movie they prop up this club fighter to fight the great negro, who doesn't take it that seriously, eats whatever he wants and wins the fight easily. Thats what Riggins did, at a time when the league was darkening and succeeded. Granted they ran a lot of plays designed to get short yardage so his ypc wasn't great (like the famous Superbowl run, it was a play designed to get 1 yard, he got much more)
So considering Whites have been pretty much shut out of the position, those are some good numbers.
As far as the whole "why don't coaches just ask for a nike logo on a suit", thats basically what a few coaches did with Reebok, they had to get special permission just for a few games from what I have read. The coach for FAU (or was not sure if he still is) wore a suit not too long ago, not sure what kind of contracts colleges have, but in the South, its hot, and wearing a suit is hot. I wouldn't mind wearing one if I lived up north. It used to get colder but it rarely gets that cold down here now. People were freaking out because we had a freeze warning during Christmas time. I can only wear my bomber jacket like 2 or 3 times a year now, except for when I travel.
but like I was saying, with the emergence of Woodhead, and the lack of talent, which is decreasing among blacks, we should in theory at least see more White utility backs, or 3rd down backs. I mean, the role they have Woodhead in, guys like Chase Reynolds can easily do the same thing. He doesn't have the same elite speed (still 4.5 and can play the slot as well) but they rarely use Woodhead's speed, but I doubt we see a significant increase. After the success with the White receivers we saw quite a few legitimate White receivers like Connor Vernon not get a shot. They don't want too many and upset the balance. If a few Whites were to go down permanently then would see these guys get a real shot. I mean if they gave just a few of these guys real shots every year the league would be quickly filled with Whites going over 1k at wr. We don't have as many rbs, but we have tons of wide outs and dbs at all levels in college, technically, looking at the prospects over the years, the league should have a majority of Whites starting at wr and safety.
The only two prospects I see this year at rb are Tyler Gaffney and Jordan Lynch, but I haven't looked at the lower levels yet. Not sure if Lynch will be converted and how his receiving skills are, I am sure he can pass block.
It would be nice to see at least 2 to 3 White backs get 1k from scrimmage every year. We have guys that are capable but are rarely used in the rotation. I am supposed to believe Burkhead can't perform better than BenJarvus Green Ellis? Brian Leonard can't get more reps with Bobby Rainey who is a marginal talent at best, with a few flashes. Curious to see how the the Gerhart situation pans out. His career stats should be more like his seasonal stats, 276 carries for 1305 yards, with 1900 yards from scrimmage and 8 tds. I think his recieving yards would be less but his td numbers would be higher.
Woodhead 376 attempts 1692 yards 12 tds, but that would probably be around 2k if he were used in a traditional role, and the carries are around what Chris Johnson had for his 2k season.
.
