BOOM williams
- Thread starter screwduke
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Boom will probably not be considered 1 of the top 5 running backs in the SEC in 2015, because Horton and Kemp will get enough carries to prevent that perception from happening about 1 running back in particular. But this might be Kentucky's best group of running backs in some time. Our entire offense will be improved at every position. I expect Boom to be a difference maker for us, but I also expect a breakout season from Horton.
Boom, Horton, and Kemp combine to give us a top 5 running game in the entire SEC and possibly the greatrst group of RBs we have had at Kentucky, in my own wothless, uneducated, opinion.
I have to take exception to this. This group of running backs is the same as last years, but minus 2, so it's hard to see how it can be better and definatly not deeper. In fact if we get hit with any type of injuries at all were are in big trouble. The freshman King will probably be pushed into action early.
RB depth is a fragile thing, you can go from having 4 good RB to 1 in a hurry. In 14 we had Gurley and Marshall, Gurley got a high ankle spring and Marshall had a knee injury by the forth game, we were down to a converted DB, a signing day offer and a walkon for 4 games. Last year our depth looked great, Gurley gets suspended, Marshall's knee gets twisted, Michel breaks a scapula of all things and we are down to Chubb and the signing day offer kid. Defenses are just so big and fast now, tough on RB's bodies.
They certainly won't be deeper but I can easily see them getting better. They aren't the same back they were a year ago. Boom and Horton will not be true freshmen. It is certainly reasonable to expect them to be improved perhaps even drastically improved. I consider it to be very reasonable to expect a 1000 yard back this year.
Unless he just isn't ready King will play as a freshman. You need to have at least 4 backs. I don't see any of our walkons playing ahead of him.
we lost 1 that played. not 2. how can we lose 1 guy and pick up 1 guy and go from, stacked at rb, to woefully short of depth at rb? we have 3 guys that have experience and 2 that have had very successful games against good D's. horton looked good but needed to get his pad level lower and get some shiftiness. he's lost 15# so that should help both.
if we'd of got king in a joker class we'd all be doing the happy dance about getting a usa today all american but because we missed on dh we are gonna poopoo the whole group. we got 4 really good scholly players. 1 pretty good walkon if injuries get that bad and we got a couple wr's that can play rb if it gets worse than that... and just cause i've seen this same exact thought expressed before... "you want to play a walkon or wr at rb in the sec?".... no, that is the 5th or 6th option. didnt we only play 4 last year? and that was OK.
if we'd of got king in a joker class we'd all be doing the happy dance about getting a usa today all american but because we missed on dh we are gonna poopoo the whole group. we got 4 really good scholly players. 1 pretty good walkon if injuries get that bad and we got a couple wr's that can play rb if it gets worse than that... and just cause i've seen this same exact thought expressed before... "you want to play a walkon or wr at rb in the sec?".... no, that is the 5th or 6th option. didnt we only play 4 last year? and that was OK.
IMO if it comes down to it I think that Timmons could be a very good option at RB. IMO he is better suited to play RB than WR. He definitely could be a great third down RB option.
It would have been great if UK could have gotten Harris at RB but the cupboard is not bare at that position. The problem I see is that most of them are of the scat back variety and they need some backs that can get those tough inside yards.
It would have been great if UK could have gotten Harris at RB but the cupboard is not bare at that position. The problem I see is that most of them are of the scat back variety and they need some backs that can get those tough inside yards.
That's sort of putting lipstick on a pig. We had 5 backs last year. Heard missed significant time due to a high ankle sprain, Clemons reinjured his knee, and Williams suffered a concussion which caused him to miss time. That's three injuries to 5 backs. So even with 5 we were thin at times. Now we start with three experienced scholarship backs and an undersized true freshmen that was recruited primarily as a return guy and 3rd down back. Sure it's reaonsable to expect the returners to have improved incrementally from being in the program another year but for a position that has more injuries than any other postion no way is it a position of strength for us this year. (see Grumpys post).
Players don't stay the same, they get better with more experience and conditioning. Boom and Horton played last year as true freshmen. Typically, lots of improvement occurs between the freshman and sophomore year. Boom and Horton will be better players this year. Kemp has struggled with injuries and practice habits. Word is that Coach Dawson has connected with Kemp, and Jo Jo has stepped up his game. People are underestimating what SK brings to the table. Every offensive position will get better this year.
There were threads at that time pointing out how full of crap those rankings are. It is clear the that the author put forth no research on the article he just mentioned players that he had heard of. It was the kind of article you write at 4:50pm when you have a 5:00pm deadline. Any intelligent analysis would not rank UK 13-14 it would be closer to 6th or 7th at worst.
Timmons played RB in high school and contrary to what you posted he has been used some at RB on third downs while at UK. RB is not exactly a start over position for him. I do not think it is a stretch that he could be used as a third down RB/WR for third down situations. IMO he is a better fit at RB than WR
RB is probably the one position a kid can move to mid career and have some success. Frosh RB come in and have great seasons as proven last year around the SEC. Its not an ideal situation to change positions for a kid, but going to RB is the easiest. He either has vision, balance and the ability to break tackles or he doesn't. Now learning the pass blocking scheme and techniques would be a drawback, but for carrying the ball I see very little issues.
The pass blocking reason for a stud frosh back not seeing the field just kills me. Most good/great HS backs never learned to block, they carried the ball all the time. They weren't recruited to pass block either, so when Richt says a back isn't playing because he hasn't picked up pass blocking yet it kills me. If you want a pass blocker put a tackle at RB and be done with it, he isn't on scholarship to pass block, but I am old school and like running the ball. But its a skill they have to develope in today's game.
how many carries did clemons have last years? if we have all 4 of our sholly rb's get injured then we have a couple walkons that can get a through a game or 2. and if they get injured than you can move timmons or someone else there. that would be 6 injuries to get to that point though.
This post was edited on 4/6 9:22 AM by hmt5000
Im not sure if you're saying thats not a legitimate reason, because it most certainly is. They were recruited to be RB's and part of being an RB is pass blocking.
Come one, you really believe when coaches are looking a film deciding to offer a RB or not they are saying, he has the best vision of any kid I have ever seen, he averages 10+ yards a carry, over 2k yards rushing this season, 4.4 40, 6' 215 lbs, but did you see him miss those 2 blocks on those pass plays, we better hold off offering him. Meanwhile look at another kid's film, 6' 235, averages 3.5 a carry, 400 yards a season, 8 fumbles in 130 attempts, 4.8 40, but coaches say, WOW, did you see him pick up those rushers on pass attempts, lets put him to top of our board and get him. RBs are recruited because of their ability to carry the ball first, if they can block at all its a plus but no staff is going to pass on a great runner because he is a poor blocker. Todd Gurley was an awful pass blocker, never blocked before, it was a skill he didn't have, should UGA have passed on him because of that, same with Nick Chubb. They stick iit in there and try, they just aren't good at it, but it would be foolish of a coach to keep a back like either of those on the sideline because they lacked pass blocking skills But our 4th string back is a pretty good blocker, but starting him over Chubb would get just about everyone in Athens fired.
Thanks for pointing that out - that's my point exactly, we may be down to walkons at some point. Guess what, you don't win many games in the SEC with walk-on running backs with zero experience.
Mostly agree with that. Blocking at the RB position in college is mostly a learned skill and it involves understanding the protection that has been called, reading the defensive alignment and knowing how to react to a particular blitz. It isn't easy to pick up and some guys pick it up faster than others. So while you are looking at a RB prospect based on his ability to carry the mail, and also catch the football if that's part of your offense, it's also important to know that one missed assignment at the wrong time can put your QB out of the game, and if the QB has confidence in the blocking skills of the back he can perform much more comfortably in the pocket.
I agree Dee, is a skill he needs to learn, but if he is your best threat at RB, you don't keep him on the bench because he isn't good in pass protection yet. If that was the case, Brendon Douglas would have been UGA's starting RB last season because he was the best blocker and it wasn't close, personally I think that would have been silly.
No idea when you asked, but looking at the roster (not updatedd) it seems to be William Mahone a junior this fall and Jerry McCray a redshirt soph. A couple of FBs also, think our starter (pre experiment?) might still be a walkon also.
This post was edited on 4/8 12:41 PM by jauk11
This post was edited on 4/8 12:41 PM by jauk11
Thanks and to show my ignorance could you give any info on them-are they brothers-cousins? I haven't looked at a roster and honestly have never heard of them(I mean no disrespect to anyone for that comment other than myself for not knowing)
unless you're bama, osu or uga, you dont have more than 4 quality rb's anyway. you dont have 5th string rb's with experience and talent. if your top 3 go down you are gonna be playing untested freshmen or walkons at any school. we have to be a little realistic.
