Best A-back to play at GT?

Best A-back to play at GT?


  • Total voters
    177

dressedcheeseside

Helluva Engineer
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Robbie vs Roddy stats.

Roddy played 4 yrs vs Robbie's 3.

Roddy had over 100 more carries than Robbie.

Roddy had 3 more tds. (14 vs 11)

Looking at ypc is a better stat to compare the two. Robbie averaged 8.8 ypc vs Roddy's 7.6.

Receiving.

Robbie had more catches and yards in less time.
(38 catches for 698 yds, vs Roddy's 23 catches for 413 yds)

The ypc is nearly identical (RG = 18.4, RJ = 18)
 

AE 87

Helluva Engineer
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13,016
Robbie vs Roddy stats.

Roddy played 4 yrs vs Robbie's 3.

Roddy had over 100 more carries than Robbie.

Roddy had 3 more tds. (14 vs 11)

Looking at ypc is a better stat to compare the two. Robbie averaged 8.8 ypc vs Roddy's 7.6.

Receiving.

Robbie had more catches and yards in less time.
(38 catches for 698 yds, vs Roddy's 23 catches for 413 yds)

The ypc is nearly identical (RG = 18.4, RJ = 18)

Good look. Still, I have mixed feelings about the usefulness of comparing stats like this. Roddy was only the feature A-Back in 2008 which featured a string of bad games when Nesbitt was hurt and right after, and 2010 was a drain on almost all offensive stats.

Over the last 6 games in 2008, including the disastrous bowl game versus Iowa, Roddy carried the ball 50 times for 513 yds (10.26 ypc). Over the last 6 games in 2013, Robbie carried the ball 48 times for 471 yds (9.8 ypc).

If you look at 2011 and 2012, Orwin was the feature A-Back in both years with Roddy and Robbie. In 2011, Roddy had 57 carries for 458 yds (8.04 ypc). In 2012, Robby had 54 carries for 429 yds, 7.94 yds/carry. Orwin Averaged 10.08 yds/carry in 2011, and 8.63 yds/carry in 2012.

So, while it's close, I still have to go with Roddy Jones.
 

bigsands

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
169
The stats don't support my vote, but if I had to pick one A-back to line up for the Jackets it would be AA. For overall career and impact, I would switch to Roddy - the first one is always special! Obviously Godhigh and Smith were great to watch and had their moments, too.
 

dressedcheeseside

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Good look. Still, I have mixed feelings about the usefulness of comparing stats like this. Roddy was only the feature A-Back in 2008 which featured a string of bad games when Nesbitt was hurt and right after, and 2010 was a drain on almost all offensive stats.

Over the last 6 games in 2008, including the disastrous bowl game versus Iowa, Roddy carried the ball 50 times for 513 yds (10.26 ypc). Over the last 6 games in 2013, Robbie carried the ball 48 times for 471 yds (9.8 ypc).

If you look at 2011 and 2012, Orwin was the feature A-Back in both years with Roddy and Robbie. In 2011, Roddy had 57 carries for 458 yds (8.04 ypc). In 2012, Robby had 54 carries for 429 yds, 7.94 yds/carry. Orwin Averaged 10.08 yds/carry in 2011, and 8.63 yds/carry in 2012.

So, while it's close, I still have to go with Roddy Jones.
That a real good look at running the ball. I think Robbie was a better receiver. One thing that doesn't appear in the stats is drops. My recollection has Robbie with better hands as I remember several key drops by Roddy. The fact that they were so close as runners, the receiver pushes Robbie over the top. Both were really good Abacks.
 

InsideLB

Helluva Engineer
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Robbie had some serious clutch receptions. He was a 5'-5" possession receiver. Lotta want to in that kid.
 

jzgt22

Jolly Good Fellow
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285
I am likewise-- for me there has been nothing more breath-taking than Orwin Smith out wide on the pitch. The possibilities alone made you sit up and watch. I literally moved to the front of my seat on those plays. If it were only isolated to that one ability, it probably wouldn't be that close for me.

But, for all-around production and fun-- it's got to be Robbie Godhigh. He's the model now I always hope for. Yellow Jacket tough, willing to block and always wanting the ball. He was the man. Robbie could also get out on the wheel-route like possibly no one else I've seen.

Fify
 

AE 87

Helluva Engineer
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That a real good look at running the ball. I think Robbie was a better receiver. One thing that doesn't appear in the stats is drops. My recollection has Robbie with better hands as I remember several key drops by Roddy. The fact that they were so close as runners, the receiver pushes Robbie over the top. Both were really good Abacks.

Yeah, I don't know an easy source for targets. Here's what we do have:
...........year. ...recept ....,.yds .... ypr ... td
Roddy 2011: ....,,8 ..,........139 ... 17.38 .. 3
Robbie2012: .... 15 ......... 227 ... 15.13 .. 4

This seems to favor Roddy too. He scored a TD every 2.7 catches, Robbie every 3.8.
 

dressedcheeseside

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Yeah, I don't know an easy source for targets. Here's what we do have:
...........year. ...recept ....,.yds .... ypr ... td
Roddy 2011: ....,,8 ..,........139 ... 17.38 .. 3
Robbie2012: .... 15 ......... 227 ... 15.13 .. 4

This seems to favor Roddy too. He scored a TD every 2.7 catches, Robbie every 3.8.
I was basing my evaluation off of career stats:

Robbie had more catches and yards in less time.
(Robbie's 38 catches for 698 yds over two seasons vs Roddy's 23 catches for 413 yds over three seasons)

Yes, we don't know how many times each was targeted, but it appears Robbie was targeted more which is telling in itself. I wish we had a drop stat.

Career ypr is nearly identical (RG = 18.4, RJ = 18)

Career tds: Robbie 6, Roddy 5

You're putting a lot of stock in a small sample size, especially for Roddy, 8 catches in one season.
 

dressedcheeseside

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The George Washington of A-Backs
I love Roddy on the radio broadcast. He's perfect for the job in that he's both very eloquent and very knowledgeable. Some guys have insight, but can't get the words out of their mouths. Some guys can talk up a storm, but don't have a clue what they're talking about.

I also loved the youthful exuberance and unabashed homerism in his shouts for joy after each of the kick and the pick. Just loved it!
 

Dottie1145

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I love Roddy on the radio broadcast. He's perfect for the job in that he's both very eloquent and very knowledgeable. Some guys have insight, but can't get the words out of their mouths. Some guys can talk up a storm, but don't have a clue what they're talking about.

I also loved the youthful exuberance and unabashed homerism in his shouts for joy after each of the kick and the pick. Just loved it!
He really is great. I was a huge fan of Wes, but Roddy and Brandon have a great chemistry in the box. We had one helluva season last year.
 

AE 87

Helluva Engineer
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I was basing my evaluation off of career stats:

Robbie had more catches and yards in less time.
(Robbie's 38 catches for 698 yds over two seasons vs Roddy's 23 catches for 413 yds over three seasons)

Yes, we don't know how many times each was targeted, but it appears Robbie was targeted more which is telling in itself. I wish we had a drop stat.

Career ypr is nearly identical (RG = 18.4, RJ = 18)

Career tds: Robbie 6, Roddy 5

You're putting a lot of stock in a small sample size, especially for Roddy, 8 catches in one season.

Sorry. I was assuming you'd remember the caveats of my earlier post. I acknowledged that you had a point with career stats, but suggested that they were perhaps not the best measure of comparison.

No comparison is perfect given the differences in seasons etc, but your use of career receptions and even receptions/season as a point of comparison is dramatically flawed. It ignores the fact that our 2013 offense in which RG was Vad's primary receiver was much different from the offense led by JN in 2008 and 2009.

I chose 2011 and 2012 as points of comparison because there was more similarity in the offense. They had the same # of years in the system, same QB, mostly, and Orwin was the feature ABack in both years. The difference in # of receptions seems to reflect that we threw the ball more in 2012 and that Stephen Hill and Tyler Melton were targeted more than Jeff Greene and Jeremy Moore.

I appreciate the contributions of both. I think they were comparable in many ways, but I give the edge to Roddy.
 

dressedcheeseside

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Sorry. I was assuming you'd remember the caveats of my earlier post. I acknowledged that you had a point with career stats, but suggested that they were perhaps not the best measure of comparison.

No comparison is perfect given the differences in seasons etc, but your use of career receptions and even receptions/season as a point of comparison is dramatically flawed. It ignores the fact that our 2013 offense in which RG was Vad's primary receiver was much different from the offense led by JN in 2008 and 2009.

I chose 2011 and 2012 as points of comparison because there was more similarity in the offense. They had the same # of years in the system, same QB, mostly, and Orwin was the feature ABack in both years. The difference in # of receptions seems to reflect that we threw the ball more in 2012 and that Stephen Hill and Tyler Melton were targeted more than Jeff Greene and Jeremy Moore.

I appreciate the contributions of both. I think they were comparable in many ways, but I give the edge to Roddy.
I agree that a true comparison is nearly impossible to construct via stats and I think a 8 catch sample is much too small to draw a viable conclusion. Let me ask you this: if you really needed a catch in a game deciding situation, who would you throw to? In my opinion, I'd take Robby hands down.
 

Skeptic

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I love Roddy on the radio broadcast. He's perfect for the job in that he's both very eloquent and very knowledgeable. Some guys have insight, but can't get the words out of their mouths. Some guys can talk up a storm, but don't have a clue what they're talking about.

I also loved the youthful exuberance and unabashed homerism in his shouts for joy after each of the kick and the pick. Just loved it!
Okay Cheese, a challenge for you, rate 'em: did you love Roddy more, or laugh harder at the Georgia radio team?
 

dressedcheeseside

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14,046
Okay Cheese, a challenge for you, rate 'em: did you love Roddy more, or laugh harder at the Georgia radio team?
I revel more in our success than the defeat of our rival so I'd say Roddie's call. However, the mutt radio call was fun to hear. Just think, just a few moments earlier they were celebrating another last minute win over the Jackets.... They experienced the exact opposite shift in emotions than we did.
 
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