kevin
Guru
Now that Tre smith and Dan Burks are no longer starters. How many whiterunning backs are left in college football.
white running backs
- Thread starter kevin
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I think only one white back in major college ball is the featured back: Brian Leonard of Rutgers. Everyone else has been shuttled to backup or splits carries and gets less then half of the teams hand-offs.
Actually I just checked and another guy got one more carry then Leonhard so the white purge has been completed in the pros and Div I.
Payton Hillis of Arkansas looks to be a back-up now also.
Actually I just checked and another guy got one more carry then Leonhard so the white purge has been completed in the pros and Div I.
Payton Hillis of Arkansas looks to be a back-up now also.
Jimmy Chitwood
Hall of Famer
not the case...Hillis is still the number 1 guy at Arkansas. the game against Vandy was simply a case of the D keying in on him, and the coaches used that in the first half to spring other backs. he is FAR AND AWAY the best back on the Hogs' roster. also, Leonard is still a fullback. he and Hillis are very similar, in that both are very versatile and often line up at different positions, ie. TB, FB, TE, and in the slot.
Burk split carries last year as well, and Tre Smith looks to be the most talented of Auburn's backs. however, it appears that Auburn's coaching staff is using him more as a third-down back because of his hands and tremendous blocking ability, despite his size, when picking up blitzes.
Kyle Bell looks to be emerging for CSU. in their two losses, he was clearly the best back on their roster, averaging nearly 5 yards a pop. and if talent means anything, he will become the featured guy.
also, there's Jayson Bird at Idaho who was the starter before breaking his collarbone this past weekend. but that's it at the D-1 level, as far as i know.
a thing to note however, is that it appears that the white running backs around the country suffer from being too versatile, if that is possible. they are all willing to block, they can all catch, and they don't bitch when they don't get enough touches. their unselfishness is often part of the reason their coaches aren't featuring them enough so far this year, or so it appears. aside from the fact that Heaven forbid they feature a white tailback, anyway...
Burk split carries last year as well, and Tre Smith looks to be the most talented of Auburn's backs. however, it appears that Auburn's coaching staff is using him more as a third-down back because of his hands and tremendous blocking ability, despite his size, when picking up blitzes.
Kyle Bell looks to be emerging for CSU. in their two losses, he was clearly the best back on their roster, averaging nearly 5 yards a pop. and if talent means anything, he will become the featured guy.
also, there's Jayson Bird at Idaho who was the starter before breaking his collarbone this past weekend. but that's it at the D-1 level, as far as i know.
a thing to note however, is that it appears that the white running backs around the country suffer from being too versatile, if that is possible. they are all willing to block, they can all catch, and they don't bitch when they don't get enough touches. their unselfishness is often part of the reason their coaches aren't featuring them enough so far this year, or so it appears. aside from the fact that Heaven forbid they feature a white tailback, anyway...
My comment about coaches that use the "excuse" of using white runners differently (less) because they have multiple skills is BS. Every single black runner that is any good always gets praised for his blocking, his catching, his power, his speed. They say to put your best guys on the field and give them the ball if you want to win. If a white runner is your best you don't use him as a decoy or hold him back for special plays you put him out there and let him carry the load.
white lightning
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I agree.I think that all of these guys are great runners.Peyton Hillis is special but he and Leonard will only be allowed to be fullbacks if they ever play on Sundays.Bell has a slight chance to be a running back at the next level but even he could be moved up and forced to be a fullback.Tre Smith would have to stay at the running back position is he made it because of his size.Smith is lightning quick and has great moves.He just needs more touches.Give this kid the ball 15 to 20 times and he will get better every game.Unfortunatley,it won't happen.He will be lucky to get 5 carries a game.One guy to watch although he is at a small school is Ed Pricolo.This kid is amazing.He should be playing at a big school in Div.1A.He is that good.I am keeping an eye on him.He may just have a chance to play on Sundays.He makes rushing for 150-200 yards look easy and he plays on a very bad team for the last 2 seasons.His style is similar to Sanders when he was in college.
Many big black tailbacks avoided being made into fullbacks by having terrible blocking techniques and often missing their assignments, in addition to pronouncements that they were tailbacks not blocking backs. White fullbacks and all fullbacks have become relics. It is not a running position at all anymore, more like a poor mans tight end.
Not one coachis innovative or courageous enough to separate himself from the herdand go bak to the split backfield, where both the fullback and halfback ran the ball. Coaches seem to be even more conformist than the average American, and the average American is often decried by independent thinkers as sheep or cattle. The very strong disinclination to rock the boat is a large factor in the caste system. No coach wants to become instantly controversial in a negative way by giving equal opportunity to white runners, receivers, andat all the defensive positions.Edited by: robcat
Not one coachis innovative or courageous enough to separate himself from the herdand go bak to the split backfield, where both the fullback and halfback ran the ball. Coaches seem to be even more conformist than the average American, and the average American is often decried by independent thinkers as sheep or cattle. The very strong disinclination to rock the boat is a large factor in the caste system. No coach wants to become instantly controversial in a negative way by giving equal opportunity to white runners, receivers, andat all the defensive positions.Edited by: robcat
Jimmy Chitwood
Hall of Famer
i forgot one...Marcus Schnoor from Iowa. he was the starter going into last season, but he hurt his knee. he also started the first game this year, but that's the only Hawkeye game i've seen, so i'm unsure of his status now...
Jimmy Chitwood
Hall of Famer
time will tell with Schnoor. Ferentz seems to not give a crap about skin color and plays guys based solely on ability. if Marcus is the man, he'll get the job. and Iowa is about the only Big Time program that can honestly say that, i think...
white lightning
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Look for Peyton Hillis to have a huge game this weekend.That loss really hurt and I don't see them blowing another big lead.I say Hillis goes over the century mark for the 2nd time this year & scores 2 td's.
Jimmy Chitwood
Hall of Famer
WL i sure hope so! but my Hogs are going up against USC, and those guys are much better than the Razorbacks. hopefully, we can pull off a MAJOR upset! and Hillis will most likely be the guy to help us do it, that's for sure.
Colonel_Reb
Hall of Famer
Although he isn't being used hardly at all this week. Tre Smith has run for 52 yards on 7 carries. Looks like he's making the most of the limited carries he is getting. If he starts the whole 4'th quarter, he should go way over 100 yards.
white lightning
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What game were you watching?I'm confused.Smith didn't get to carry the ball at all today.I saw the box score with him having 0 touches.He only had 2 punt returns.It's a total joke.Tre has been benched for no reason..Am I wrong on this?
Colonel_Reb
Hall of Famer
No, he got to run with it one drive in the 3'rd, and has 52 yards and a TD currently. I doubt he'll get it any more though. Now they are giving it to Stewart. He's almost passed Tre with the same number of carries, but not quite. I guess they want Tre to finish last in yardage.Edited by: Colonel_Reb
white lightning
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Brian Leonard of Rutgers had a big game today with 23 rushes for 129 yards.He also had a nice game receiving.I love watching this kid run the ball.He is like a raging bull coming at you!Keep it up Leonard!
hedgehog
Mentor
Kyle Steffes from DIV IAA NDSU is having a good seaon thus far, rushing for 179 yards and one TD last week.
[url]http://www.gobison.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=11850&SPID =695&DB_OEM_ID=2400&ATCLID=189111 [/url]
[url]http://www.gobison.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=11850&SPID =695&DB_OEM_ID=2400&ATCLID=189111 [/url]
white lightning
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Peyton Hillis had 10 rushes for 57 yards today in another Arkansas loss.He also returned kicks.It's a shame he has to split carries with 2 or 3 other running backs.He could easily put up 100 yards a game rushing.
At the end of the first half,Auburn is up 17-0 but Tre Smith hasn't gotten a carry.He will probably get a few carries in the 2nd half but it is obvious that his running back days are about over.What a shame.He is only played now late in the game after it has been decided!
At the end of the first half,Auburn is up 17-0 but Tre Smith hasn't gotten a carry.He will probably get a few carries in the 2nd half but it is obvious that his running back days are about over.What a shame.He is only played now late in the game after it has been decided!
hedgehog
Mentor
I was watching the highlights tonight on ESPN and saw a white guy from what looked like the tailback position score the winning touchdown. He was number 16 and his name is Brian Toal (a sophomore) . He had only 4 carries for 2 yards, and he is listed as a linebacker on their roster. However it also said he was one of the most coveted recruits in BC history and was a running back in high school and he also won the 100m and 200m in track. Is this someone to keep an eye on? Or is hebeing used as a fullback? Any BC fans out there?
Doc Holliday
Guru
KJV1 said:
I remember Brian Toal...He was the MVP of a senior all-america bowl game as a running back....Big kid and pretty fast.....I was kinda bummed out because they said he most likely will play linebacker in college.....I hope maybe they will move him back to running back..
High School
Earned All-America honors from USA Today and Parade magazine ... selected as the 2003 Gatorade Player of the Year in New Jersey ... also gained All-America accolades from SuperPrep and Tom Lemming ... selected as the New Jersey Defensive Player of the Year by the Star-Ledger ... played both linebacker and running back for the Ironmen ... played in the 2004 US Army All-American Bowl in the Alamodome in San Antonio ... was a two-time All-State first-team selection ... led Don Bosco to back-to-back NJSIAA Parochial Group 4 titles (2002 and 2003); took a screen pass 57 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of a 14-13 title-game victory over Bergen Catholic in 2003 ... rushed for 1,063 yards as senior; scored 32 touchdowns and recorded 194 points in 2003 ... made 106 tackles and 10.5 sacks in his final season ... his father, Greg, was his head coach ... also excelled on Don Bosco's track team; won the 100, 200 and shot put events at the league meet as a junior.
From the BC player profile.
Earned All-America honors from USA Today and Parade magazine ... selected as the 2003 Gatorade Player of the Year in New Jersey ... also gained All-America accolades from SuperPrep and Tom Lemming ... selected as the New Jersey Defensive Player of the Year by the Star-Ledger ... played both linebacker and running back for the Ironmen ... played in the 2004 US Army All-American Bowl in the Alamodome in San Antonio ... was a two-time All-State first-team selection ... led Don Bosco to back-to-back NJSIAA Parochial Group 4 titles (2002 and 2003); took a screen pass 57 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of a 14-13 title-game victory over Bergen Catholic in 2003 ... rushed for 1,063 yards as senior; scored 32 touchdowns and recorded 194 points in 2003 ... made 106 tackles and 10.5 sacks in his final season ... his father, Greg, was his head coach ... also excelled on Don Bosco's track team; won the 100, 200 and shot put events at the league meet as a junior.
From the BC player profile.