Are three Good runningbacks better than one fulltime back?

bobcatbaby · Post by **bobcatbaby** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 6:19 pm

i have a feeling all three of our backs will be spliting game time this year. they all have sumthing different about them. Jd can pass block the best protect lulay thats improtant. Jason Gathings has good speed and power and Evin groves is a Freshmen unexperianced but has great moves and vision. The question is should they all get the same amount of carrys or should one see the feild more than the other two?

MSUcantouchus · Post by **MSUcantouchus** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 6:29 pm

I don't think they will split time. Kramer has shown in the past that he likes to pick one back and use him nearly exculsively. The first few games they may rotate but by game 3 or 4 it will be just one.

MSUcantouchus · Post by **MSUcantouchus** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 6:33 pm

Although personally I don't think using 2 or 3 would be a bad idea. I would love to see both Groves and Gathing get a chance to get in the grove of a game and show what they have.

gtapp · Post by **gtapp** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 7:11 pm

It has been stated before that Bailey is a one back O-Coordinator. JD will have to be given a rest and you know how fast you get pulled if you fumble so the others should see some time.

Post by **SonomaCat** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 7:11 pm

Doesn't J.D. have asthma or something, and needs to be pulled periodically for a blow (usually resulting in a Beale loss/fumble near the goal line)? If that is still the case, one of the other guys will have to get at least a bit of time.

Hell's Bells · Post by **Hell's Bells** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 8:48 pm

Bay Area Cat wrote:Doesn't J.D. have asthma or something, and needs to be pulled periodically for a blow (usually resulting in a Beale loss/fumble near the goal line)? If that is still the case, one of the other guys will have to get at least a bit of time.

you know i agree with you on this one. wouldnt it be easier to have definate rolls for JD, Gathing, and grove? JD can get the most caries and all of the goal line caries, while the other two can fight it out for the rest of the caries. Doesn't it make sense to have your best back at the goal line?

94VegasCat · Post by **94VegasCat** » Wed Apr 27, 2005 7:13 am

I'd like to see JD and Groves in the backfield in a shotgun formation with a draw play to Groves. This little guy has some great moves and can really scoot. JD in my opinion is a really good all around back. He catches, blocks, and runs well. He does tend to have fumblitis on occasion, but he is going to be better than people remember.

What about our fullback, I know that he has been hurt, are they thinking about changing his position? For the life of me, I have forgotten his name. Great kid and great family. I hope he can find a home on the team. Linebacker maybe???

grizhatr · Post by **grizhatr** » Wed Apr 27, 2005 8:06 am

Why do you guys want JD at the goal line? Do you not remember what happend against EWU? I personally think you want an explosiong at the goal line, and from the two scrimmages I have seen, that is Jason. JD is overrated.

Grizlaw · Post by **Grizlaw** » Wed Apr 27, 2005 8:36 am

Personally, I've always been of the "Lloyd Carr" view on this topic: if you have one awesome back who is capable of being the featured back in your offense, that's better than having two or three backs sharing time. That doesn't mean the featured back gets 100% of the carries, but he should get the lion's share.

That said, you have to go with the personnel you have. The Griz were a better offense when they had Yo than they were when they had Green, Waller and Lex sharing time, but that's irrelevant b/c they don't have him anymore.

As for the Cats -- I don't know enough about their personnel to have an opinion, but if they have one back who can shoulder most of the load, I'd stay with him most of the time.

John Wayne · Post by **John Wayne** » Wed Apr 27, 2005 12:38 pm

The Oline has a chance to be the best it has ever been. the cats have 3 running backs not one. JD picks up blitzes really well, catches the ball and is very smart. Gathing brings a toughness. Even Groves is the future and has the ability to be a complete running back. Recivers are deeper than ever and the guys really can catch the ball. If Lulay could win with Ave o-lines that usuall were not complete and firing on all cilinders until mid october, and usuall only have 1 go to reciever with the rest always learning and not complete until mid october, RJ was great but the past two years the season was a learning experienc for new backs in Bailys offense. If he could win in the past under those circumstances, I think this year will be very special for bobcat fans!!! The D is very solid at LB and maybe as good as it has been in the past. Mac is 2 time all conf marudas would have got somthing if he could have played the whole year and this year will be challenging for all big sky Lowe is a pure athlete that will bring the toughness of his D line experience, King is a future all conf play so the LB's are deep Secondary may not be what we had in 03 but they all have experience with force leading them they should be great. Now the only things I think will hurt us is the health of the D line but we have some studs in matakis papich and the kid from cheney. I think Kwitkowski will get them ready and we will be fine with the great LBs. The kicking game has never been great at msu for years but the kid from gf shows promise lulay will punt and the cats will win the big sky and host a first round playoff game!! The teams of the past that Lulay won with were put together in the last half of the season. MSU football is ready right now.

CelticCat · Post by **CelticCat** » Wed Apr 27, 2005 3:00 pm

I always think back to the Eagles when they ran the 3back set, with Staley, Westbrook, and Buckhalter (Spelling?). I thought that was a great offensive scheme.

Hell's Bells · Post by **Hell's Bells** » Wed Apr 27, 2005 3:26 pm

Honestly id like to see one dominant back but I doubt we have that. As for seeing JD at the goalline he is the best back we have and that is the time you would much rather have your best back

grizhatr · Post by **grizhatr** » Wed Apr 27, 2005 4:11 pm

Bell's tell me why you think that? I am curious.

catatac · Post by **catatac** » Wed Apr 27, 2005 4:52 pm

I know I'm getting off-topic here, but speaking of goal-line - I'm still ticked about the end of the Eastern game. My vote would have been to put the ball in the hands of your best player. Ours was Lulay, hands down. I think he could have snuck in from the 1 - given 4 tries!

BobcatLionFan · Post by **BobcatLionFan** » Wed Apr 27, 2005 5:26 pm

catatac wrote:I know I'm getting off-topic here, but speaking of goal-line - I'm still ticked about the end of the Eastern game. My vote would have been to put the ball in the hands of your best player. Ours was Lulay, hands down. I think he could have snuck in from the 1 - given 4 tries!

The problem we had last year was we had only ONE back. Thus he got really tired by the 4th quarter (having to pass block, pass routes, and run). He had very few plays off where he was not expected to go 100% (or where he was just the misdirection guy). Thus the poor decision at the Eastern game to bounce outside.

With 3 backs, you have a 70/30 substitution scheme (for two backs) and a 3rd back incase one gets hurt. 3 backs is a perfect number (one was just a lonely number last year).

longhorn_22 · Post by **longhorn_22** » Wed Apr 27, 2005 10:15 pm

Domineck had more rushing yards than Travis.

CelticCat · Post by **CelticCat** » Wed Apr 27, 2005 11:46 pm

JD finished the season with more yards than Lex did, excluding the playoffs.

Hell's Bells · Post by **Hell's Bells** » Thu Apr 28, 2005 1:26 am

grizhatr wrote:Bell's tell me why you think that? I am curious.

honestly i will answer your question with a question of my own: how well would dominick have done if he had not had huge gains called back by holding penalities? now we all know of his problems facing a goal line defence during the eastern washington game but there are two things are self evident:

1) he has the most experience out of the three backs mentioned..even ryno played backup and even fullback (there are things that even i wont ask why) during the 99 season while Lathion Tyler was the HB. experience helpes at this posation. Also because we are probibly going to be a passing team his catching and blitz pickup skills are going to be well needed. In short I don't trust the freshmen

2) He has the most yards out of the returning back in our roster

basically I hope we dont go to a primary back becasue...well...dominick is well....dominick *editing out cuss words*. I guess I was just spoiled by being able to watch Matt Enkelking *sp* and Ryno Johnson pound it up the middle for huge yardage but I dont see dominick being a dominint back that is required for a back in kramers offense.

Also I really dont see anyone else with the skills and experience necessary to take over the mantl. Potential...well yes but didnt ryan leaf also have potential? Just ask every reciever that he has ever passed to about his potential.

Soo here is what i would use for backs

Dominick *most carries and goal line situations*

Groves *Third down back and usage between the 50 and 30 yard lines..will be interesting to see this kid run a fly route or 2...really trip some teams up*

Jason Gathings *short yardage and fullback in the I formation - NOT A GOALLINE BACK*

BobcatLionFan · Post by **BobcatLionFan** » Thu Apr 28, 2005 1:25 pm

Looking at the pictures posted, most of Groves' runs were against 2 or 3 string players and most were depleted by injuries to the 1st team and the better 2nd team guys (such as Lou) were playing with the first group. Same with Jason. Groves and Jason also had the benifit of Bolton and Jensen playing a lot on the 2nd team OL.

JDs was against 1st string D guys all the time.

Just saying until Groves and Jason play against the first team guys, it's hard to know for sure.