Robert Godhigh - The Cutback

AE 87

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Sounds a lot like Vad. The big difference is his experience with the option in hs. I'm sure he was told in no uncertain terms we are a run first team so we should expect no blow back from not passing so much like we did with Vad.

Fwiw, we passed more under Justin in 2014 than under Vad in 2013. I think the reason for this was simple: we could do it effectively. I agree with @Techster that CPJ calls his offense on the basis of what it can do reliably so that if LJ shows he can be productive passing, we'll pass more.
 

Northeast Stinger

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Something tells me CPJ is BURNING to unleash his complete offense...something he was close to doing in 2014.
Agreed. I think he is philosophical about the limits that come with certain players and tries to not put pressure on them to do more than they can do. But I think he absolutely has the Platonic Ideal in mind of what this offense is supposed to look like when firing on all cylinders. Hope we get to see that sooner rather than later.
 

dressedcheeseside

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Fwiw, we passed more under Justin in 2014 than under Vad in 2013. I think the reason for this was simple: we could do it effectively. I agree with @Techster that CPJ calls his offense on the basis of what it can do reliably so that if LJ shows he can be productive passing, we'll pass more.
I agree, but we're still are and will always be a run dominated offense. And I think it comes down to more than just physical skill set. It has more to do with mentally mastering the offense starting with the reads and progressing to speed of execution.
 

chewybaka

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Good thought to share.

And as I reflect it occurs to me that we might say something similar about WR and B-back. Not that we haven't come pretty close to the perfect B-back and the prefect WR. Dwyer at B-back was pretty near perfect and Thomas and Smelter certainly would be hard to improve on at WR. But you got me thinking. A-back, B-back and WR are all positions that can really highlight a player's skill sets if you get the right person in the position. If we were to finally get the perfect A-back and couple that with the best WRs and B-back we have had in the past, the offense would put up basketball scores.
Orwin Smith?
 

LongforDodd

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Godhigh was awesome, but imagine he was 6" taller with more breakaway speed and that's what a guy like Demetris Robertson could bring to the position. It always makes me laugh a little bit when people talk about how no ABs have a shot at the NFL...if a guy is NFL material he would be an absolute stud at AB. So many opportunities for big highlight plays, both running and receiving. That game there was the perfect example of the huge impact an AB can have in all facets of the game.
Yes, that's where salesmanship comes into play during recruiting.
 

John

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What particularly struck me about Godhigh were his hands. Especially for an AB, he's pretty high up there right below some of the top WRs we had since 2008.

 

bke1984

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What particularly struck me about Godhigh were his hands. Especially for an AB, he's pretty high up there right below some of the top WRs we had since 2008.



That was an incredible catch. He's the only reason that pass wasn't picked off...
 

deeeznutz

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Orwin Smith?
I loved Orwin, but the thing that gives Robbie a leg up on him is blocking. Orwin never really got comfortable as a blocker, and saw the field early because of his running ability (very rare for us). Godhigh was just as good a blocker as he was a runner (best at the position at both). To reiterate: I love both of these guys, they were both AWESOME ABs, but I have to give Godhigh the edge.
 

AE 87

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Until another AB goes for 200+ against u(sic)ga betwixt the hedges, Roddy will be the greatest a-back ever.

Yeah, I think people forget what Roddy was able to do with the ball in his hands in 2008 when he had an A-Back who could block opposite.
 

vamosjackets

GT Athlete
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Part of Robbie's game reminds me of a great wrestler ... his balance. It's so hard to get a great wrestler off their feet, to get them on the ground. That and their ability to change levels/direction explosively. His thick lower body just looks like that of a world class wrestler.
 

TechTravis

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Yeah, I think people forget what Roddy was able to do with the ball in his hands in 2008 when he had an A-Back who could block opposite.
I wonder if that's something we should consider going back to. A bigger playside AB who almost functions like a TE. Maybe get Trey Klock a lower jersey # and have him start leveling linebackers...
 

takethepoints

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Scary thing about the AB position is we still haven't had the "perfect" AB, yet some of them have been ultra productive anyhow. … Just my opinion...but I still think AB could be one of the most exciting positions in all of football.
I bet we're about to get one: Nathan Cotrell. Coach seems to think he's our own McCaffrey. I'm pretty sure that he'll start at AB and return KOs and (maybe) punts. And he can catch.

Right now all of this is supposition, of course, but that Cotrell had moved into a starting position after two weeks of fall practice made me real, real unhappy that he got hurt last year. Hope I'm right about this year.
 

Skeptic

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Godhigh is up there as one of my favorite A-backs...
Every time I think of Godhigh and Laskey it reminds me that the star system has faultlines everywhere, and that coaches who can find those faultlines and stand up to popular opinion, much of it sad to say coming from message boards, can pluck out some of those unheralded 2-star recruits and grow them to 4 or 5-star players before they leave campus, while many of the 4s and 5s out of HS spend their eligibility on special teams and practice teams. I remember a book about Sandy Koufax, who became arguably one of the great pitchers ever, but who rode the bench his first few years despite an occasional gem when he was allowed to pitch. The former Dodgers' GM at the time said of the manager, Walter Alston, "Walter did not have much scout in him." Some of those GT coaches have a lot of scout in them for sure.
 

Skeptic

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I wonder if that's something we should consider going back to. A bigger playside AB who almost functions like a TE. Maybe get Trey Klock a lower jersey # and have him start leveling linebackers...
But in the option, which is the playside? If my meager understanding is right nobody knows until the QB gets his count, and then flopping a big guy to playside is kind of like hot wiring the defense into the huddle. Even Lucas Cox, who would knock corners, the occasional LB or safety into next week, had to flow with the option count and sometimes got the pitch. Kind of entertaining.
 

dressedcheeseside

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But in the option, which is the playside? If my meager understanding is right nobody knows until the QB gets his count, and then flopping a big guy to playside is kind of like hot wiring the defense into the huddle. Even Lucas Cox, who would knock corners, the occasional LB or safety into next week, had to flow with the option count and sometimes got the pitch. Kind of entertaining.
Exactly. Either way, it benefits us having a big burly Aback if not from the crushing blocks then then from the punishing runs.
 

iceeater1969

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Navy wr looked like skinny tight ends ( yes I know they were seniors)
They often both shifted in tight - right next to ab. They would down block or seal lb and were big enough to not get steam rolled. Plus they were big enough to get away w legal holding.
Would love to see big ab/ wr package on one side and speed package on other on other side. I think we are getting bigger at wr.
What a fun offense when we are tough up the middle. Bring on 16!
 

Skeptic

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What particularly struck me about Godhigh were his hands. Especially for an AB, he's pretty high up there right below some of the top WRs we had since 2008.


Fought for possession after the catch, too. The other day I looked at Vad Lee's stats at James Madison. He was lost for the season in October, but he had an outstanding career at James Madison, running and passing. A great outcome for both GT since it removed a certain controversy between Thomas and Lee as to starting, and Vad Lee, who probably was going to lose the starting job to Thomas and could see it. I'll be interested to see if he can catch on to an NFL team. Nice kid apparently so I'd like to see it happen.
 
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