What two things do these 4 guys have in common?

dressedcheeseside

Helluva Engineer
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Glass half full

If I'm not mistaken, both Lynch and Mills were plug and play guys. Lynch in 2015 and Mills in 2016. Neither had prior playing experience and came onto the scene pretty big. Maybe someone will do the same in their stead this year.

I'm not real concerned about the ABs regardless.
Those four guys were on the field together. There was a cumulative effect to their impact on our performance.
 

dressedcheeseside

Helluva Engineer
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One of the things I like about our system is that it doesn't require superstars at the skill positions to make a ton of plays on their own. The system itself provides a ton of yards if it is just executed at a decent level. If the guys playing execute, we will be fine. If they do a little on top of that, we will be more than fine. Missing players hurts, but it probably hurts less than in a deep handoff type of system.
Our team system still requires individual battles to be won. Better players are more likely to execute their assignment (do their job) against other teams better players. Stepping down a level in skill makes it that much harder to beat the Clemsons, UT's, Uga's, etc. There is a truth that has become cliche, but it's still true: football is a game of inches. If a guy is a hair slower, a hair less quick, a hair less decisive, a hair off target, etc... it matters.

And some of the backups may be just as skillful as the guys they are replacing, but the lack of experience hampers the full potential of that skill to be realized. You hear all the time guys who've been in the system a while say "Now I can play fast..." It's not that they were slow to begin with.
 

Josh H

Jolly Good Fellow
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Not trying to short any other backs but Clinton is without a doubt our best receiving slotback. His abilities would be missed.

Qua Searcy has a few things to say about that. He had a big game against BC last year with a clutch 4th down reception.

It is crazy though just how many times Lynch was wide open last year with no one around him.
 

Sideways

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2016 Mills was a true freshman with a spring practice. Marshall was a sophomore with 1 years game experience. We lost 1 year game experience and 2 years game experience for 2017.

They are being replaced by 2 redshirt sophomores with no/little game experience and 1 freshman with fall camp. I like the talent, but the game experience will be missed. I believe we will be presently surprised by this group.

This is not 2015 with a true freshman and a transfer at running back. But, the missing game experience will have some impact.

Lynch is a player. He will be backed up by Nathan. Lynch had excellent hands and had excellent timing on rocket tosses. Nathan is a blocker/hard nosed runner. I have no data on Nathons hands. I expect Lynch back this year, but it would be foolish to prentend he is not a key weapon to help defeat UT

The OP had a very sobering post. Let's see how these other guys step up.

It's bad enough to lose Marshall, then Mills, and now Lynch along with the aforementioned JT5. It's going to come down to who seizes the moment. A really great opportunity for a young player to break out on the big stage. Who will step up for Georgia Tech? Who for Tennessee? Both teams have a lot more questions than answers at the moment.
 
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One of the things I like about our system is that it doesn't require superstars at the skill positions to make a ton of plays on their own. The system itself provides a ton of yards if it is just executed at a decent level. If the guys playing execute, we will be fine. If they do a little on top of that, we will be more than fine. Missing players hurts, but it probably hurts less than in a deep handoff type of system.
It does not REQUIRE, but is sure do help.
 

Boomergump

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Our team system still requires individual battles to be won. Better players are more likely to execute their assignment (do their job) against other teams better players. Stepping down a level in skill makes it that much harder to beat the Clemsons, UT's, Uga's, etc. There is a truth that has become cliche, but it's still true: football is a game of inches. If a guy is a hair slower, a hair less quick, a hair less decisive, a hair off target, etc... it matters.

And some of the backups may be just as skillful as the guys they are replacing, but the lack of experience hampers the full potential of that skill to be realized. You hear all the time guys who've been in the system a while say "Now I can play fast..." It's not that they were slow to begin with.
I guess that is why I said losing players hurts. You get my drift.
 
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