• Hi Guest, want to participate in the discussions, keep track of read/unread posts and more? Create your free account and increase the benefits of your eGriz.com experience today!

Griz Running Game

mikegriz

Well-known member
DONOR
Question for the knowledgeable. Was just checking out the "spring game" and semi-ridiculous "Nguyengate" threads, and they made me wonder - isn't it a problem with the Griz running game that we tend to use 180 lb. Scat Backs (damned good ones) like they are Marshawn Lynch? Maybe my memory, but it seemed that Canada and Nguyen were most productive on the edges and that Van is best "in space.". Seems to me we need a big, ball carrying fullback so we can mix it up. Something Coastal Carolina does well - big guy up the middle a few times, then surprise; speedy, shifty guy to the edge. What do you in the know think?
 
mikegriz said:
Question for the knowledgeable. Was just checking out the "spring game" and semi-ridiculous "Nguyengate" threads, and they made me wonder - isn't it a problem with the Griz running game that we tend to use 180 lb. Scat Backs (damned good ones) like they are Marshawn Lynch? Maybe my memory, but it seemed that Canada and Nguyen were most productive on the edges and that Van is best "in space.". Seems to me we need a big, ball carrying fullback so we can mix it up. Something Coastal Carolina does well - big guy up the middle a few times, then surprise; speedy, shifty guy to the edge. What do you in the know think?

I believe we have the right RB personnel already to do just that in Canada, Van, Counts, Nguyen, and Favors. Counts is the only one I'd consider a power back. Canada can run with more power and do a little of everything, he lacks patience sometimes though. Van is unreal in space, he also runs very hard. His problem was a damn nagging ankle injury. Nguyen runs with more power than his brother did, he is plenty shifty as well. I am not sure what his top end speed is though. Favors is definitely fast. We don't know enough about him to know his running style. I can see him getting to a comfortable 195 to 210 lbs though.

The biggest question mark of our RBs, can our coaching staff properly use the personnel and get the most out of them?
 
Just spitballn here but even egriz posters would have a 50/50 chance of guessing where those backs were going.
 
Without intending to comment on or question the premises in the first post, the fall roster lists the rb's at these weights: Canada (190), Van (195), Nguyen (187), Counts (215) and Favors (175). Don't know what they are on the spring roster.
 
mtgrizrule said:
mikegriz said:
Question for the knowledgeable. Was just checking out the "spring game" and semi-ridiculous "Nguyengate" threads, and they made me wonder - isn't it a problem with the Griz running game that we tend to use 180 lb. Scat Backs (damned good ones) like they are Marshawn Lynch? Maybe my memory, but it seemed that Canada and Nguyen were most productive on the edges and that Van is best "in space.". Seems to me we need a big, ball carrying fullback so we can mix it up. Something Coastal Carolina does well - big guy up the middle a few times, then surprise; speedy, shifty guy to the edge. What do you in the know think?

I believe we have the right RB personnel already to do just that in Canada, Van, Counts, Nguyen, and Favors. Counts is the only one I'd consider a power back. Canada can run with more power and do a little of everything, he lacks patience sometimes though. Van is unreal in space, he also runs very hard. His problem was a damn nagging ankle injury. Nguyen runs with more power than his brother did, he is plenty shifty as well. I am not sure what his top end speed is though. Favors is definitely fast. We don't know enough about him to know his running style. I can see him getting to a comfortable 195 to 210 lbs though.

The biggest question mark of our RBs, can our coaching staff properly use the personnel and get the most out of them?

I did neglect Counts! With him in the mix, I could picture maybe doing what I saw Coastal Carolina doing. I mean no disrespect, I think Canada, Nguyen, Van are great when, as you point out, they are used properly. I'm looking for that 5 yd up-the-middle guy. Maybe that's Joey.
 
PlayerRep said:
Without intending to comment on or question the premises in the first post, the fall roster lists the rb's at these weights: Canada (190), Van (195), Nguyen (187), Counts (215) and Favors (175). Don't know what they are on the spring roster.

OK (the exaggeration was intentional by the way) but it changes nothing. Mick keeps sending Jordan Canada up the middle for little production and one hell of a lot of wear and tear
 
My recollection is that Canada and Nguyen have run decent or even fairly well up the middle in some games. In some games, no one seems to run well up the middle.
 
PlayerRep said:
My recollection is that Canada and Nguyen have run decent or even fairly well up the middle in some games. In some games, no one seems to run well up the middle.

Well said, and that inconsistency is on the coaching and OL.
 
ALPHAGRIZ1 said:
Just spitballn here but even egriz posters would have a 50/50 chance of guessing where those backs were going.

Actually, it's a 33% chance. Either, left, right or center. ;)
 
mikegriz said:
mtgrizrule said:
mikegriz said:
Question for the knowledgeable. Was just checking out the "spring game" and semi-ridiculous "Nguyengate" threads, and they made me wonder - isn't it a problem with the Griz running game that we tend to use 180 lb. Scat Backs (damned good ones) like they are Marshawn Lynch? Maybe my memory, but it seemed that Canada and Nguyen were most productive on the edges and that Van is best "in space.". Seems to me we need a big, ball carrying fullback so we can mix it up. Something Coastal Carolina does well - big guy up the middle a few times, then surprise; speedy, shifty guy to the edge. What do you in the know think?

I believe we have the right RB personnel already to do just that in Canada, Van, Counts, Nguyen, and Favors. Counts is the only one I'd consider a power back. Canada can run with more power and do a little of everything, he lacks patience sometimes though. Van is unreal in space, he also runs very hard. His problem was a damn nagging ankle injury. Nguyen runs with more power than his brother did, he is plenty shifty as well. I am not sure what his top end speed is though. Favors is definitely fast. We don't know enough about him to know his running style. I can see him getting to a comfortable 195 to 210 lbs though.

The biggest question mark of our RBs, can our coaching staff properly use the personnel and get the most out of them?

I did neglect Counts! With him in the mix, I could picture maybe doing what I saw Coastal Carolina doing. I mean no disrespect, I think Canada, Nguyen, Van are great when, as you point out, they are used properly. I'm looking for that 5 yd up-the-middle guy. Maybe that's Joey.

Haven't you been listenting to to the only football qualified egrizzer? He and MD know you can only count on doing what was done in the late 60's/early 70's, and be successsful today. That is the correct way, and if you think otherwise, well that just proves you didn't play or coach football back when it was real. And taking from what other programs do successfully now? Well, that only shows you don't know "Jack". Don't you get it, Coastal Carolina and NDSU are doing it all wrong, they just get lucky. Frankly, I was shocked MD and/or PR weren't plucked by NDSU for its coaching staff in January.
 
Jordan Canada ran for 1,062 yards, 5.0 ypc, scored 16 rushing TD's and averaged 78 yards per game in 2013. It's not possible to put up those kind of numbers with "little" productivity up the middle. PERIOD. He also told the Missoulian's Bill Speltz that he and all the running backs like the pro style offense much better.
 
havgrizfan said:
Jordan Canada ran for 1,062 yards, 5.0 ypc, scored 16 rushing TD's and averaged 78 yards per game in 2013. It's not possible to put up those kind of numbers with "little" productivity up the middle. PERIOD. He also told the Missoulian's Bill Speltz that he and all the running backs like the pro style offense much better.


This year, when the OL does their job, Jordan Canada will be up around 1500 rushing. This OL this year will be much better than last years! Rushing is kind of a simple process, the OL make a hole and you run thru it, not to it. Canada is a senior this year and it his maturaity will show by his numbers.
 
I really doubt the o-line will be any better this year than last year.. They got beat so many times last year. I'll be surprised if that changes..
 
grizcountry420 said:
I really doubt the o-line will be any better this year than last year.. They got beat so many times last year. I'll be surprised if that changes..

I believe they will be better in run blocking because of their quickness, yes quickness. Last year Kistler and Poehls were fairly slow because of thier sure size. I guess once they all finally get healthy, we will see what we have. Sure hope they can get rid of the injury bug!
 
reinell30 said:
grizcountry420 said:
I really doubt the o-line will be any better this year than last year.. They got beat so many times last year. I'll be surprised if that changes..

I believe they will be better in run blocking because of their quickness, yes quickness. Last year Kistler and Poehls were fairly slow because of thier sure size. I guess once they all finally get healthy, we will see what we have. Sure hope they can get rid of the injury bug!

I hope you're right.. I think a lot of our running will be outside of the tackles. I don't think we have what it takes to directly run it up the middle. I could be wrong though.
 
grizcountry420 said:
I really doubt the o-line will be any better this year than last year.. They got beat so many times last year. I'll be surprised if that changes..
This is my concern also. Not to knock on the Hines brothers too hard but there's a reason they've been in the program for five years and are just now starting. It's cus there not that good. They may be average but not great. I'm really expecting one or two of the younger guys take their jobs by the end of the year. Mabey the interior will consist of Weyer, Deitrich, and Kelly or Todd by mid season. I commend the Hines bros for persevering all theses years to be a quality back up. We need more then that though.
 
alabamagrizzly said:
grizcountry420 said:
I really doubt the o-line will be any better this year than last year.. They got beat so many times last year. I'll be surprised if that changes..
This is my concern also. Not to knock on the Hines brothers too hard but there's a reason they've been in the program for five years and are just now starting. It's cus there not that good. They may be average but not great. I'm really expecting one or two of the younger guys take their jobs by the end of the year. Mabey the interior will consist of Weyer, Deitrich, and Kelly or Todd by mid season. I commend the Hines bros for persevering all theses years to be a quality back up. We need more then that though.

They've only been in the program 3 years. Both were juco transfers.
 
grizcountry420 said:
I really doubt the o-line will be any better this year than last year.. They got beat so many times last year. I'll be surprised if that changes..

Nothing is going to change, offense, defense or special teams. We will give up 500+ yards against any team worth a damn and do nothing to change that during the game. But it wont be the players or coaches fault.

There is no blame ever when it comes to UM football, not now not ever, not legally.

You have been warned.

:coffee:
 
In this offensive system (last year I guess), I do not recall us being able to run wide plays very effectively. I think the reason is that our O-linemen are not quick and mobile enough to get outside, so our backs get stuffed way too much on these plays. I wish we would get away from recruiting these 6'7 behemoths who have little quickness. Give me a 6'4", 285 ATHLETIC kid any day, and I'll shown you a running game using zone blocking, pulling linemen, and trap plays. Think Pittsburgh Steelers.
 
Back
Top