Is the next Duke Johnson or Geovani Bendard....

[danny daniel]

Dark horse candidate - Willis. Remember seeing him in for mop up duties in a game (Pitt?) and wondering who was #45. His first few carries were so so but the next couple showed surprising speed and power.

Agreed. IMO Willis is like Connors and Byerly, more than capable but has not had the opportunity for significant PT, playing behind all those senior ABs. I am expecting a pleasant surprise from his blocking and occasional power runs. (He has dropped some passes in scrimmages so I am not sure about him as a receiver.) Because he knows his assignments I expect to see him in AB relief early in the season and competing with our talented freshmen for PT. He has enough size and speed to help us, and is our third most experienced AB.

 

[mqpayne]

Quaide is going to be a big positive surprise.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

Quaide is going to be a big positive surprise.

Toby Gerhart 2.0?

 

[Frenchise]

Anybody know anything about how Clinton Lynch may perform?

 

[slugboy]

Yup. Most A-backs don't get enough touches. I absolutely loved the B-back tandem of Laskey & Days in the last 1/3 of the season. It proved deadly to our opponents.

I thought that Roddy and Allen got a lot of touches at A-Back--could be a faulty memory, though

 

[Yaller Jacket]

If Snoddy returns to where he was just before he was hurt, he's the one I'm looking for big things from.

 

[deeeznutz]

Ever team will shadow JT, unless someone else forces their hand.

It's funny how much things have changed from the days of Tevin (and Vad 2012) running this offense. Back then, pretty much all defenses wanted to force TW to carry it as much as possible and they would sell out to stop the dive and pitch. Now, teams are scared to death of JT beating them so they are going to try and force him to get the ball out to the others. So all those guys who have worked on a plan to attack us over multiple years now have to go back to the drawing board.

 

[DrJacket]

I remember Orwin Smith being a super productive A-back when healthy. That would be primarily his Jr./Sr. seasons. He was electric, and got a lot of touches. Even then, he was struggling with foot injuries a bit. We hated to see his eligibility run out.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

It's funny how much things have changed from the days of Tevin (and Vad 2012) running this offense. Back then, pretty much all defenses wanted to force TW to carry it as much as possible and they would sell out to stop the dive and pitch. Now, teams are scared to death of JT beating them so they are going to try and force him to get the ball out to the others. So all those guys who have worked on a plan to attack us over multiple years now have to go back to the drawing board.

And not having the QB run is the very best thing for this offense. For the longest time making the QB run and beating the crap out of him so that he couldn't pass was the key to success. No one is an accurate passer after fighting for yards up the middle.

After the UNC game, JT stopped fighting for the extra yards (and hits) and did much better.

I think we have so many *good* players that a few will become *great* at AB or BB. As I've said Leggett is my pick at BB, but I don't care who it is as long as someone steps up. At AB we have Snoddy and Andrews who are proven but a bunch (6?) behind them who will see playing time as their practice blocking and performance warrants.

I'm not worried about the O, it's still the DL and even ST that needs more improvement.

 

[96Jacket]

Our AB's never do any kind of inside runs

Well, that's not true. The huge majority of their yards come outside but we have a number of counter option and quick-hitting designated handoff plays that send A-backs between the tackles with the ball.

 

[Supersizethatorder-mutt]

I don't know that he can learn the system fast enough as a freshman, but one of Lands-Davis's HS coaches says he's going to be a monster

 

[InsideLB]

If Snoddy returns to where he was just before he was hurt, he's the one I'm looking for big things from.

Agree. He is dynamic.

 

[InsideLB]

I like Omari Jarrett as a prospect. Will need to develop but looks quick fast and skilled on tape.

Cotrell has some serious tools as well.

These guys have to learn the assignments and get the blockinh down first though.

 

[4shotB]

B Back has a big potential to break out quickly ala Days in 2014.

Days was awesome in the latter part of the year. However did he break out "quickly" as a result of sheer athletic ability or as a result of spending years in the system at qb, a- and b-back? Remember, he was the #2 behind Laskey until Zac's injury.

I guess we will find out this year if one can "break out" solely based on athletic ability alone in CPJ's offense. Or if it takes time. of course athletic ability is a prerequisite - I don't think I would get any significant carries even after 7 or 8 years in the system. But then again, I'm always my harshest critic. Maybe CPJ could spot some hidden potential, mold me and get something out of me that I didn't know I had - that always happens in FB movies. But I digress here a little bit.

 

[Boomergump]

After the UNC game, JT stopped fighting for the extra yards (and hits) and did much better.

Great observation. I agree totally. Pretty much from the beginning this season, JT respected possession of the FB much more than 2013. He didn't try to force everything into a huge play. The next major step in his development, as you stated very well, was his willingness to get on the ground or run out of bounds in an effort to preserve himself and manage the game. Bravo to JT.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

And not having the QB run is the very best thing for this offense. For the longest time making the QB run and beating the crap out of him so that he couldn't pass was the key to success. No one is an accurate passer after fighting for yards up the middle.

After the UNC game, JT stopped fighting for the extra yards (and hits) and did much better.

I think we have so many *good* players that a few will become *great* at AB or BB. As I've said Leggett is my pick at BB, but I don't care who it is as long as someone steps up. At AB we have Snoddy and Andrews who are proven but a bunch (6?) behind them who will see playing time as their practice blocking and performance warrants.

I'm not worried about the O, it's still the DL and even ST that needs more improvement.

One thing's for sure, JT is one tough little dude. He's not afraid to run up the middle or anywhere else, for that matter. He took a helluva shot from that monster MLB from Miss St and I thought he was gonna be out for a while. He was just sitting on the ground and not moving till one of his OL's just came up behind him and litterally picked him up and put him on his feet. JT just shook it off and went back to work. On the next play he scrambled and made a great pass. Dude's tough, no question about it.

 

[dhbartlett12]

And not having the QB run is the very best thing for this offense. For the longest time making the QB run and beating the crap out of him so that he couldn't pass was the key to success. No one is an accurate passer after fighting for yards up the middle.

After the UNC game, JT stopped fighting for the extra yards (and hits) and did much better.

I think we have so many *good* players that a few will become *great* at AB or BB. As I've said Leggett is my pick at BB, but I don't care who it is as long as someone steps up. At AB we have Snoddy and Andrews who are proven but a bunch (6?) behind them who will see playing time as their practice blocking and performance warrants.

I'm not worried about the O, it's still the DL and even ST that needs more improvement.

This is all very valuable insight. but I want to say, on punts and kickoffs this year we had ZERO disasters!!! I'll take that every year.

 

[GTech63]

I certainly hope this turns out to be the case. With who's returning, if we can find a reliable WR, I think we could be every bit as good offensively in 2015 (if not better, factoring in JT's continual improvement all the way through the Orange Bowl). Add a more explosive B-Back than we've had the last few seasons, and the offense would graduate from merely mind-blowing to an unstoppable force of nature.

IF our defense continues to improve on the pace of the 2014 season!!

 

[TheSilasSonRising]

OL & DL is what matters.

 

[dhbartlett12]

OL & DL is what matters.

OL: check
DL: should be better, hopefully way better.