I believe Drennan’s going to be a big part of our offense. He looked very good. His experience at wide receiver is going to get him routes out of the backfield. Will need to put some good weight on this summer. I was impressed.
Donut
- Thread starter Kybluedude
- Start date
He looked seriously good. He has clearly passed Smoke IMO and at least on Saturday, he even looked better than McClain. McClain adds more as a pass catcher than Drennan does but McClain doesn't get north/south in the hole as well as Drennan.
The backup RB will be a fight for sure...and LaVell Wright ain't going anywhere to boot.
I do agree..>Somke is an afterthought with this group.
I do agree..>Somke is an afterthought with this group.
You have to remember that starring in the spring game is nice but in truth it is not full speed football. The defense is holding a little back. Wait until the season to know how effective a guy really is moving the ball.
Quite frankly, I was surprised Smoke came back. Obviously, CRod will get the bulk of the carries. Late in the season, it seemed McClain had caught/passed Smoke. Add in the few times Wright has looked electric carrying the ball and now Drennan looking more like a contender, I just don't see Smoke getting a ton of touches. He seems average to above average in a lot of areas (picking up extra YAC, seeing the hole, catching the ball, blocking, etc.). In past years, he would've been a big contributor. This year, it seems like we have a wealth of talent and each one is a bit better in at least one area than Smoke. I've been a little disappointed in McClain, mainly due to the staff really being high on him but the production on the field (in very limited snaps, to be fair) hasn't moved the needle for me yet. Smoke might still get enough snaps to keep him happy.
It was mentioned on broadcast that Drennen had put on weight in the off season.
Just a FYI....Smoke was the leading rusher in the spring game, think he had 54 yards on 10 carries.
True, really can't read anything into the spring game. These things are so tightly scripted it's senseless to expect much. For instance, in the 2d Half Sat most of the LBers on D were walk-ons who won't play anything more than STs if that. But you're right...makes for interesting conversation.
Don't think he goes anywhere but if he did my guess would be Troy with Sumrall.
So not by much. But I wouldn’t count out Smoke. Stoops has historically been loyal to his older/experienced players.
As I pointed out elsewhere, both Smoke/Drennen were running against walk-on LBers. Still, averaging 4.5-5.5 YPC is good, glad both are here. Neither are 20 carry/game guys.
Ahhh.......the kiss of death.
Looking great in the spring game..........
Looking great in the spring game..........
Wouldn't go that far, unless Joker is the OC/HC. That guy had a big mfing dog house for players that did unexpectedly well in spring or fall. Coshik Williams and Will Fidler come to mind
Definitely glad they're here.
It all depends on the situation though. Smoke could be a 20 carry guy. Never seen Drennen do that, but I won't count anyone out that has his physical gifts, if he really applies himself. 20 touches? We might find out this fall
Smoke would be injured 3/4th the season if he was a 20 cpg game. Seriously? He would get killed.
When healthy, I would take Smoke over both McClain and Drennan - although Drennan, with the additional good weight, looked like a different player on Saturday.
I root for all the players, but, at the end of the season, McClain did not live up to the season-long hype for me. He’s young. There’s time. But I believe a healthy Smoke would‘ve done more with those opportunities.
There are some plays that Smoke, the veteran, makes that I don‘t see those other guys making yet, for example, the block against Florida to spring Wandale for the TD and the throwback to Levis against U6. TBH, how many other RBs, period, throw that perfect ball back to Will? I will be surprised if Scang does not use that weapon a couple times this year.
That said, Wright is the player that I could see displacing all of them to be the #2 back before the season is over.
I root for all the players, but, at the end of the season, McClain did not live up to the season-long hype for me. He’s young. There’s time. But I believe a healthy Smoke would‘ve done more with those opportunities.
There are some plays that Smoke, the veteran, makes that I don‘t see those other guys making yet, for example, the block against Florida to spring Wandale for the TD and the throwback to Levis against U6. TBH, how many other RBs, period, throw that perfect ball back to Will? I will be surprised if Scang does not use that weapon a couple times this year.
That said, Wright is the player that I could see displacing all of them to be the #2 back before the season is over.
As Freddie says, it's not personal - it's personnel
Smokes a good kid, played well in spots. But he is ill suited for our new O, the McVey Shanahan system. He doesn't have the shimmy or shake, far too many of his carries in 2021 resulted in negative plays, or he ran away from big holes.
By the Iowa game Coen made McClain basically co-starter with CRod. Smoke was a DNP CD.
Smoke fits best in a Gran simple straight ahead uncomplicated scheme. Get ball, run north-south. Though to be honest there were far too many times in 2019 & 2020 Smoke was getting carries that should have gone to CRod.
Smokes a good kid, played well in spots. But he is ill suited for our new O, the McVey Shanahan system. He doesn't have the shimmy or shake, far too many of his carries in 2021 resulted in negative plays, or he ran away from big holes.
By the Iowa game Coen made McClain basically co-starter with CRod. Smoke was a DNP CD.
Smoke fits best in a Gran simple straight ahead uncomplicated scheme. Get ball, run north-south. Though to be honest there were far too many times in 2019 & 2020 Smoke was getting carries that should have gone to CRod.
Similar threads
Latest posts
-
The Ukraine war. (Yes, we'll mind our manners)- Latest: WayneDougan
-
-
