SEC Pre-Spring Rankings: Running Back
- Thread starter Smashcat
- Start date
Not even a mention of Damien Harris on the Bama writeup. Bet he would've been mentioned in UK's. Just sayin'....
Ranking UK 12 on that list is nothing shy of idiotic. I know it's an ESPN knee jerk reaction to put UK at the bottom of every list but there is no way Florida, Miss State, Missouri, South Carolina or Texas AM are better than UK at this point. And I'm not 100% sold that Auburn will be either. You can even argue we should be up there where UT was. I know Jalen Hurd had 800+ yards to Boom's 500+ but Boom did share the spot with 3 other guys and even missed 2 and a half games. ESPN needs to hire some people that do their homework before coming out with these lists. This looks like something someone would come up with after about 10 minutes of research.
Stanley "Boom" Williams and Jojo Kemp were OK last year, but the Wildcats need them to be much better this fall.
Can't help but laugh at some of these articles and rankings...I know they are doing the whole stable of RB's so comparing individuals doesn't tell the whole story - but lets just do a side by side comp of 2 RBs
RB -1
6.6 Yards per carry
TD in every 14.8 rushing attempts
9.5 yards per reception
TD in every 17 receptions
RB -2
5.6 Yards per carry
TD in every 17.58 rushing attempts
5.9 yards per reception
TD in every 5.5 receptions.
RB1 - STANLEY BOOM WILLIAMS
RB2 - JONATHON WILLIAMS
Obviously I like ARKs OL much more - but that's not what is being ranked here.
Can't help but laugh at some of these articles and rankings...I know they are doing the whole stable of RB's so comparing individuals doesn't tell the whole story - but lets just do a side by side comp of 2 RBs
RB -1
6.6 Yards per carry
TD in every 14.8 rushing attempts
9.5 yards per reception
TD in every 17 receptions
RB -2
5.6 Yards per carry
TD in every 17.58 rushing attempts
5.9 yards per reception
TD in every 5.5 receptions.
RB1 - STANLEY BOOM WILLIAMS
RB2 - JONATHON WILLIAMS
Obviously I like ARKs OL much more - but that's not what is being ranked here.
They signed Scarborough in the 14 class, he couldn't enroll until this semester, which means he will also have a spring practice head start on the other guy. Along with the other four star RB in the class. Not to mention the other RBs returning that saw playing time, one outstanding.
Scarborough is also the "jumbo" back Saban seems to prefer, the top rated back that went to FSU that was their first choice was also a jumbo back.
Drake coming back was a big blow for Harris or Scarbourgh getting many touches this fall. Bama usually gets 2 backs plenty of touches, but unless injuries happen that 3rd back doesn't get very many. Wouldn't be a shock to see him transfer out, Bama has had quite a few backs leave since Saban arrived, but the only way he will get back to the SEC is go the JUCO route like Alvin Kamara did. Otherwise he would be sitting 2 years to attend an SEC school.
I'm sure this meaningless ranking was based mainly on "what's coming back". Here are the top 50 SEC rushers ranked by Total Yards against SEC opponents. Since the article was about RBs we can exclude the QBs from this list. Barring any guys that are going pro or otherwise not playing in 2015 here is "what's coming back"
UK Returns 1115 Yards Boom 486, Kemp, 323 and Horton 306
MSU Returns 1771 Yards Robinson 1203, Shumpert 274 and Holloway 294
MO Returns 1084 Yards Hansborough 1084
SC Returns 1808 Yards Davis 982, Wilds 570 and Williams 256
aTm Returns 1520 Yards Carson 581, T. William 560, B. Williams 379
AU Returns 798 Yards Grant 364, Louis 220 and Thomas 214
TN Returns 1199 Yards Hurd 899, Lane 300
Naturally "ranking" RBs based on their yardage numbers is a reflection on O-line play and offensive philosophy as much as the inherent skill of the RB. Nonetheless, based on above, UK seems "better off" than only AU, on par with MO and TN (but both return a true "featured back'), and "worse off" than MSU, SC and aTm.
I think Williams is a terrific back but needs more opportunities. For reasons no one knows UK let Towles be the featured runner last year but I don't expect that to be the case this year.
Peace
Thats not accurate. At least 2 of those, Davis at SC and Robinson at MSU are leaving for the pros and won't be back.
They didn't state that this had anything to do with what was returning. Even if they did the rankings wouldn't be in that order except for the top 3 teams. From #4 down they have to be projecting. Otherwise Vandy would be higher on the list and MSU might be dead last.
Besides MSU loses Robinson so they should be near the bottom. SC loses Davis. aTm loses T william. Also how could have Florida or Auburn ahead of UK based on that criteria. Florida loses Jones and Taylor is certainly not ahead of either Kemp or Williams at this point. Missouri being ahead of UK is debatable at best. Probably not even that.
Also the statement he made that this position needs some major work just shows that he has no idea what he's talking about. This was UK's strongest position last year.
I do agree that it is beyond puzzling that we let Towles be our featured runner. This is the 2nd year in Neal's offense that the QB was the primary rusher. I have long made it a point that the first sign of a weak play caller is an excessive amount of QB running plays. Granted there are some teams that design their offense for that so there are exceptions to the rule but in most cases that rule holds up pretty well. Under no circumstance should Towles have led the team in rushing attempts. He should have been 5th or 6th on the list.
True, but returning production is the usual foundation of these silly out of season puff pieces. Without specific facts, it is opinion. And if that's the case, my opinion, your opinion, anyone's opinion is just as good as Aschoff's opinion. The guys you mention as not returning do level the field.
But this (i.e., "low" ranking) is really just like every other aspect of UK football; if you are an "impartial observer" of the pro\gram there is a legitimate need to actually see better performance before predicting better performance. Works the other way as well; once you are good you are perceived as good until you show you aren't. Just the way it is.
Peace
1978. A 17 year old kid from Columbia, TN went to a Sigma Chi frat party as an freshman at Austin Peay State University. He had just transferred there from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. This kid had drank before, but on this night he drank until he passed/blacked out. He was charged with underage drinking. The judge told him that if he ever came before him again, he'd be in jail for 30 days, minimum. Then the judge dismissed the charges. He was not a scholarship athlete, went to school on Pell Grants and work-study.
That kid was me. And I never came before that judge again. From all accounts, Jalen Hurd is a good kid that made a mistake. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but your Wildcats will see him again this season.
im more worried about your qb than hurd. he's real good but i think he's the most overrated rb in the sec. he could very well be an eddie george type back and do very well and have a long career but i just dont think he has the speed or wiggle to break the long runs unless he just pops out the other side of pile.
congrats on not going back to court. do you know hurd personally or are just dashing any fire with him having legal/substance issues on other teams sites? seems like you guys have had your fair share (lets be honest, its more than your fair share) of kids going the wrong way with behavior issues. if this was 90% of the schools in america i'd probably agree with you but ut ain't exactly known for fostering good behavior in student athletes.
I don't think Boom has a CI screen name, so I will help him out.
Stanley Williams[/B] @boom_that_guy · 60m 60 minutes ago
12th huh lol yall funny!!
12th huh lol yall funny!!
Hurd may not be the guy that can do it all himself. However, with the team they are building around him he is going to look like a super hero in the future. Their quarterback's ability to run with the ball really opens up things for Hurd even more. Plus they are really adding some quality beef to that offensive line. Hurd won't need to have much speed or wiggle to take advantage. He should have the ball in open space and have some decent holes when he gets carries. Plus, linebackers are going to be on their heels with the QB also being able to pass the ball pretty accurately. He's going to be able to rack up a ton of yards whether we like it or not.
From the outside looking in, it seems to me that since Jones has arrived UT has cleaned up it's act substantially. Yes there has still been a few instances but we have had a couple as well as have just about every school.
"But this (i.e., "low" ranking) is really just like every other aspect of UK football; if you are an "impartial observer" of the pro\gram there is a legitimate need to actually see better performance before predicting better performance. Works the other way as well; once you are good you are perceived as good until you show you aren't. Just the way it is.
Peace"
Agreed, Wildcard. I come from the school that the best predictor of future performance is (usually) past performance. Given that UK's recent past performance hasn't been all that spectacular (sorry, just being honest strictly by W's and L's), I can understand why drive-by sportswriters would regard UK so low, even if I don't like it or agree with it. When we start winning, their perception/prediction of our performance will improve.
Peace"
Agreed, Wildcard. I come from the school that the best predictor of future performance is (usually) past performance. Given that UK's recent past performance hasn't been all that spectacular (sorry, just being honest strictly by W's and L's), I can understand why drive-by sportswriters would regard UK so low, even if I don't like it or agree with it. When we start winning, their perception/prediction of our performance will improve.
Not necessarily. When you go from nothing to something, to truly change perception, you then have to show that transition wasn't a lightning in a bottle situation.
That said, barring multiple injuries, IMO there is no reason why the Cats should not win at least 6 games this year and get a chance for #7 in a bowl.
Peace
IMO UofL will be UKs 7th win and any bowl win would be number 8. UK almost got you on your home field and you lost much more than UK did. Hey I know that I am going to get the old but UofLs replacements are better than those that they are replacing by your fan base but to quote the old song out of Porgy and Bess. "That ain't Necessarily So".
