First, if Saturday was the only time I've seen Marshall stopped for no gain or negative yards, I wouldn't think that he should move to AB. Problem = I have seen him stopped for no gain or negative yards a lot more then once and in crucial situations as well. As I said above, I'll trade getting us to a first from 3rd and 3 for a 20 yard run any day of the week. The guy who gets the first is likely to be one that gets the long runs as the D wears down. But I've already gone over why I think Marshall isn't that kind of game breaker. We have players both on the sidelines now and coming in next year who are.
Second, yes, we might very well have scored on that drive. Mistakes happen (more often when you are playing freshmen, btw), but there is no guarantee that they will continue. And, if we had, I think we would have won the game. Ugag was offensively impotent Saturday and we lost (again) by one score.
Third, as to your being baffled: there's a reason, as I've pointed out before, that all of Coach's BBs at Tech have been 6', 220 lbs or above. That reason is one I've expounded on at length and I won't do it again. But what it comes down to is that the position calls for above all else is a pounder; the two guys last year were close to perfect for that. Dwyer was perfect for the position because he was both a breakaway back and a pounder. Marshall is a great breakaway talent, but he can't pound. I think once we figure out how to use him he'll be a bigger asset then he is now.
First, you and stingyoa$$ might as well go start a petition to get him removed from bback consideration all together. You might be the only 2 to sign it, but it's obvious that you to will do whatever it takes to prove that he doesn't belong there. Everyone else seems to be excited about what he can do moving forward. Does he have flaws? Yes. He was the first true freshman ever to play, much less start at bback in PJ's time here. He's got things to learn, but he is special with the ball in his hands.
Second, where are these backs that will be better than him and beat him out? You do realize that everyone outside of Leggett and a kid that hasn't even signed yet had the opportunity to take the spot from him this year dont you? Many fit the very description of the ideal bback you just described. Call me crazy, but I don't think size is the most important thing for a bback. If he was built like Searcy or T. Marshall, I would agree with you that he does not have the size to take the pounding, but he's not. Have you seen his build? He is very solid with a strong lower half and has yet to go through an offseason of S&C.
Your boy MLD (who I think will be a very good aback for us) had every chance to beat him out in the fall. It was apparent fairly early that he wasn't going to so he got moved to aback. Q had an opportunity when he came back as well but was moved out to aback when we had the string of injuries. If he was better than MM than PJ would've moved him out there and left Q at bback. This is not to disparage either of those two guys either because I both think will play big roles moving forward. This is just to point out two things. One, how special MM is to have beaten out, not only them, but Skov and Allen to an extent as well as the year went on. Two, to prove that your size theory doesn't hold water.
If you were running the show Emmitt Smith would be an aback in our offense. Same goes for MJD, Ray Rice...and the list goes on. If PJ thinks like you do, no wonder we can get any elite RB's to come here. I'd love to hear that sales pitch. "You're one of the best backs in the country but your not 6' 220. We want you to come and dive at DB's feet for 90% of your reps. We'll try to get you 5-6 carries a game though."
Lastly, I'm not sying that MM needs to get 250/300 carries next year either. I like the idea of having a bruiser come in and pound on a D as well, just not as the feature back. I also think having 2 capable guys keeps both of them fresh which makes them both more dangerous at the end of the game when the D is hanging. I'd love to see MM get 175-200 carries next year assuming he's healthy with us utilizing him in some more creative ways (more speed option, screens, dump offs like the one in the uGA game) with Q or Allen getting the remainder. Go watch his 3 highlights from the Pitt game(#24 run D btw). That will show you what he can do when the line opens up holes for him and when we get him to the edge.
http://espn.go.com/college-football/video?gameId=400756955
