Spring Position battle - B-Back

[yjack]

We were spoiled at B-Back by Dwyer. We aren't looking for a full-house backfield full back to give us 3 yards and a proverbial cloud of dust, no matter how consistent he is. We want point production from the position. If we don't have a BB that breaks through the line and has several long runs per game he just won't measure up in most fans' opinions.

 

[ATL1]

Well I think we have the best group of backs since Dwyer left.
Custis, Wilson, and soon Leggett will be more than solid and perhaps even explosive for Tech.
Takes gulp of Kool Aid.

 

[wingsrlevel]

[quotesrlevel, post: 34525, member: 346"]Cook said last year that it was Snoddy then Laskey as far as speed went at the BB position. This was said when Custis was practicing last spring. Custis seems to be another Sims ...speed wise. I tend to agree with TTP as far as if Laskey stays healthy he'll be a 1000 yard rusher in this offense.

Custis wasn't at Tech last spring[/quote]


sure was. He was there until right before the spring game and practiced with the team until they had to send him home.

 

[ATL1]

Custis wasn't at Tech last spring

sure was. He was there until right before the spring game and practiced with the team until they had to send him home.[/quote]

He didn't come to Tech until the summer. He did not early enroll.

 

[wingsrlevel]

sure was. He was there until right before the spring game and practiced with the team until they had to send him home.

He didn't come to Tech until the summer. He did not early enroll.[/quote]


you are correct. It was between the summer and start of fall camp. My bad.

 

[Boomergump]

I am pretty sure Custis was not there in the spring. I think some people are underestimating his speed. Travis is a smooth and fluid runner, giving the illusion that he isn't fast. I think he'll prove to be the fastest BB we have had in a couple years, that got a decent number of carries that is ( which excludes Snoddy). It will be interesting to see. I also think he will prove to be a tougher runner than some expect too. Choice had great instincts and vision. Those were his best attributes. I think Custis will prove to be a more powerful and explosive back than Choice. We can only hope that he sees the field as well as TC.

 

[wingsrlevel]

he was there in May and gone by August I believe. Funny how some look "slow" but we make excuses for that "look". Too often we try and talk ourselves into something that is just unknown, like VL the last two years. There were many who said he would be the best QB that ever played at GT. Time will tell who the best will be. Choice was a outstanding player that is a proven NFL player. I prefer to make the kind of statements "Custis will prove to be a more powerful and explosive back than Choice" at the end of a career rather than before he even plays a snap in college. I hope your right though. I guess we will know in 4 years.

 

[Boomergump]

he was there in May and gone by August I believe. Funny how some look "slow" but we make excuses for that "look". Too often we try and talk ourselves into something that is just unknown, like VL the last two years. There were many who said he would be the best QB that ever played at GT. Time will tell who the best will be. Choice was a outstanding player that is a proven NFL player. I prefer to make the kind of statements "Custis will prove to be a more powerful and explosive back than Choice" at the end of a career rather than before he even plays a snap in college. I hope your right though. I guess we will know in 4 years.

Me too. Except at that time "will prove to be" won't be the language used. It is a prediction, nothing more. It is ok to make those.

 

[Wrecking Ball]

wingsrlevel, great pic of Andy Reid btw.

 

[Wrecking Ball]

 

[Rodney Kent]

The statement of the best quarterback that has played for Tech brings up a topic that probably can never be finalized. It would always be according to one's own bias. Personally, the best and most athletic quarterback I have seen at Tech (started following Tech in the 40's) is Shawn Jones.

The second quarterback was similar to a card shark who could fool you while you were watching the cards carefully. His name was Bill Brigman; he was a quarterback in the Belly Series back in the 50's. He was so deceptive with his faking and handoffs to the running backs, that the defenses seldom knew who of the four backs in the backfield had the ball. He was a magician in the Belly Series; you see it then, you don't see it. You are looking at one back, yet another is already 15 yards downfield headed toward a TD. He would probably have continued to be the quarterback, but the NCAA went to one-platoon, and he was not a good defensive player.

The third was Lil Joe; he was a very good QB, but was a little less athletic than Shawn Jones.

The fourth was Lothridge; he did everything from quarterbacking to handling all the kicking.

The Fifth was probably a tie between Kim King and a few others. Others were good in some areas (such as fullback at quarterback for running the ball, and some were pure passers), however, Kim King was a good passer and a good field general.

In the one-platoon, Wade Mitchell was as good on both offense and defense as you could have in that situation at the time. However, he could never be compared to the two-platoon quarterbacks because of the duties of both offense and defense.

 

[Blumpkin Souffle]

Personally I think he's more of a Big Red

 

[stylee]

I'd like Snoddy to break out. I think people tend to think he's just not right for BB because of his size; however, I think just running the ball is the biggest requirement for the position. My best BB was skinnier than Snoddy.

He runs the option well. The biggest thing for him is avoiding the lost yardage.

 

[TechPhi97]

From my perspective, Laskey is the best BBack on the team since Dwyer. He has been more consistant than any of the others, and he always runs hardnosed into the line. He is also a good receiver from that position. He may not be the fastest or block as well, but I really don't care, since he is able to gain positive yards on most every play. If we passed more, his ability to pass protect would be better, but none of our teams gets that much practice in games at pass blocking, so all I look for his running ability.

Anthony Allen begs to differ.

 

[Rodney Kent]

They should have never moved Allen to B Back. He should have remained at A Back and played someone else at B Back. It weakened us at both positions. We would have been stronger with Allen remaining at A Back because he was a blaster when he hit any opposition. We could have used one of the existing B Backs behind Dwyer for the B Back position. It took Allen half way through the year to become comfortable at B Back.

 

[franklinjacket]

They should have never moved Allen to B Back. He should have remained at A Back and played someone else at B Back. It weakened us at both positions. We would have been stronger with Allen remaining at A Back because he was a blaster when he hit any opposition. We could have used one of the existing B Backs behind Dwyer for the B Back position. It took Allen half way through the year to become comfortable at B Back.

I don't see Lyons or Watson getting 1300 yards in 2010. I also disagree with the need for Allen at AB. We had Orwin, Roddy, Peeples, along with Bostic and Wright playing the position. Why would you want our best back getting 69 touches (Allen's 2009 total) instead of 243 touches (2010)?

 

[Boomergump]

I'm with you Franklin.

 

[AE 87]

I don't see Lyons or Watson getting 1300 yards in 2010. I also disagree with the need for Allen at AB. We had Orwin, Roddy, Peeples, along with Bostic and Wright playing the position. Why would you want our best back getting 69 touches (Allen's 2009 total) instead of 243 touches (2010)?

These are good questions. I hope you get answers.

 

[Rodney Kent]

Even though Dwyer was good on his own, the ability of Allen to destroy the defensive backs from the A Back position, took a lot of pressure of the B Back. The defense knew Allen was a strong threat to burst through any defenders. He was also quick to the hole. There was no doubt Orwin was a good back, but not as strong as Allen. Jones and Peeples were good and had flashes of brilliance, but never consistent. Also, Jones and Peeples were easily tackled once there forward progress was impeded. It really took extra effort by the defense to get Allen down when he hit the holes.

Again, I think whichever B Back was placed in that position, his productivity would have been good with Allen at the A Back position. This is just my opinion, and we all have one.

 

[redmule]

Speaking of Choice, to me his best attribute was that he was one of those backs that gets stronger as the game goes on. He punished tired defenses in the 4th qtr, and I'd bet 40+% of his yds came in the 4th. Godsey was that way at qb. He was a machine in the 4th qtr. Took both of them a while to get warmed up I guess.