Starting RB for the 2014 season will be?

[alexava 6,973]

Tre is actually quicker than Emmitt.

AGREE!

[Rednilla 5,391]

i personally feel that if roc comes in and shows what he can do, he will take the starting spot. i really like grant and cap is a good player, but neither of them are crazy talented. I think grants has more natural talent than cap but he lacks the size, so i feel that roc just needs to establish himself in fall camp. Gus will start the best player on the field which we saw in 2010 when dyer (A true freshman) was started after the established senior mario fannin.

I STRONGLY doubt that Roc will come in and take over as starter from day 1, no matter what. Picking up pass blocking schemes at this level generally takes more than the two weeks of fall practice, and with three guys returning who are all well acquainted with the system, there is no reason to rush him along. Dyer wasn't the opening game starter in 2010, either...pretty sure that Mario Fannin held that distinction, and Dyer was worked in more as the season went along.

Besides, I think you're selling CAP, Grant, AND Barber a little short. After all, the first two combined for more than 1,200 yards last year in spite of Tre getting most of the carries, and everyone has been raving about Barber's natural ability. If he hadn't been hurt during his junior season of high school, then he would have been on the recruiting sites' radar before his phenomenal 1,700 yard senior campaign, and thus rated at least as a high four star...

I do not disagree with you, and i will not be surprised if cap or grant or even barber take the starting spot. i think they all good backs i have just watched roc first hand in high school and there is no denying that he has more natural talent than any of the other rb's we have on the roster. i do think he will definitely have to figure out pass blocking and adjust to the SEC college football level. That being said his natural ability reminds me so much of carnell Williams. Maybe not at the beginning of the season but i think as the season progresses he takes that spot.

I've heard mention of, and said myself, that Roc and Barber remind me in a lot of ways of Caddy and Ronnie Brown. Carnell Williams was the best pure runner I've ever seen at Auburn (Bo was slightly before my time), and Roc has that same kind of quality; Ronnie was probably the more complete all around back, and I would venture to say Barber is, as well.

We'll just have to see how it all works out. In any case, we're pretty well stocked in the running game!

[Eagle Eye 7 2,535]

I guess I am trying to understand what I am missing here. Folks keep saying that Corey is small, yet he is the same size as Tre and 5 to 7 pounds lighter than CAP (also about 20 pounds heavier than Roc). Anyone with the team will be glad to tell you he is the strongest player pound for pound on the team and one of the strongest over all. Top that with being one of the fastest players in the country. Add in the attitude he showed last year with running folks over before going out of bounds. Tre had an All American year last year and CAP and Corey both put up over 600 yards in limited playing time averaging about ten yards per carry. Believe me, most every coach in the country would like to have either on his team starting. Also remember that Tre was sharing carries until he got the hot hand. Gus and Rhett both said over and over that the only reason Tre was ahead was because he got hot first and they would not pull him unless he went down. It is absolutely no question that Corey and CAP will be the starters unless they give it up due to injury or turnovers. Peyton will be the third back in. I agree Roc will find some playing time. Gus is not to big into redshirting.WDE

[I_The_Pariah 0]

i personally feel that if roc comes in and shows what he can do, he will take the starting spot. i really like grant and cap is a good player, but neither of them are crazy talented. I think grants has more natural talent than cap but he lacks the size, so i feel that roc just needs to establish himself in fall camp. Gus will start the best player on the field which we saw in 2010 when dyer (A true freshman) was started after the established senior mario fannin.

I STRONGLY doubt that Roc will come in and take over as starter from day 1, no matter what. Picking up pass blocking schemes at this level generally takes more than the two weeks of fall practice, and with three guys returning who are all well acquainted with the system, there is no reason to rush him along. Dyer wasn't the opening game starter in 2010, either...pretty sure that Mario Fannin held that distinction, and Dyer was worked in more as the season went along.

Besides, I think you're selling CAP, Grant, AND Barber a little short. After all, the first two combined for more than 1,200 yards last year in spite of Tre getting most of the carries, and everyone has been raving about Barber's natural ability. If he hadn't been hurt during his junior season of high school, then he would have been on the recruiting sites' radar before his phenomenal 1,700 yard senior campaign, and thus rated at least as a high four star...

I do not disagree with you, and i will not be surprised if cap or grant or even barber take the starting spot. i think they all good backs i have just watched roc first hand in high school and there is no denying that he has more natural talent than any of the other rb's we have on the roster. i do think he will definitely have to figure out pass blocking and adjust to the SEC college football level. That being said his natural ability reminds me so much of carnell Williams. Maybe not at the beginning of the season but i think as the season progresses he takes that spot.

I've heard mention of, and said myself, that Roc and Barber remind me in a lot of ways of Caddy and Ronnie Brown. Carnell Williams was the best pure runner I've ever seen at Auburn (Bo was slightly before my time), and Roc has that same kind of quality; Ronnie was probably the more complete all around back, and I would venture to say Barber is, as well.

We'll just have to see how it all works out. In any case, we're pretty well stocked in the running game!

yes i completely agree im ecstatic just thinking about a 1, 2 punch with roc and barber. I cant even fathom to imagine how great it would be if we get jovon back though, that would definitely the best trio of running backs in the nation!! needless to say as long as Gus is at auburn were never going to have to worry about running backs, they all want to play for Gus!

[alexava 6,973]

i personally feel that if roc comes in and shows what he can do, he will take the starting spot. i really like grant and cap is a good player, but neither of them are crazy talented. I think grants has more natural talent than cap but he lacks the size, so i feel that roc just needs to establish himself in fall camp. Gus will start the best player on the field which we saw in 2010 when dyer (A true freshman) was started after the established senior mario fannin.

I STRONGLY doubt that Roc will come in and take over as starter from day 1, no matter what. Picking up pass blocking schemes at this level generally takes more than the two weeks of fall practice, and with three guys returning who are all well acquainted with the system, there is no reason to rush him along. Dyer wasn't the opening game starter in 2010, either...pretty sure that Mario Fannin held that distinction, and Dyer was worked in more as the season went along.

Besides, I think you're selling CAP, Grant, AND Barber a little short. After all, the first two combined for more than 1,200 yards last year in spite of Tre getting most of the carries, and everyone has been raving about Barber's natural ability. If he hadn't been hurt during his junior season of high school, then he would have been on the recruiting sites' radar before his phenomenal 1,700 yard senior campaign, and thus rated at least as a high four star...

I do not disagree with you, and i will not be surprised if cap or grant or even barber take the starting spot. i think they all good backs i have just watched roc first hand in high school and there is no denying that he has more natural talent than any of the other rb's we have on the roster. i do think he will definitely have to figure out pass blocking and adjust to the SEC college football level. That being said his natural ability reminds me so much of carnell Williams. Maybe not at the beginning of the season but i think as the season progresses he takes that spot.

I've heard mention of, and said myself, that Roc and Barber remind me in a lot of ways of Caddy and Ronnie Brown. Carnell Williams was the best pure runner I've ever seen at Auburn (Bo was slightly before my time), and Roc has that same kind of quality; Ronnie was probably the more complete all around back, and I would venture to say Barber is, as well.

We'll just have to see how it all works out. In any case, we're pretty well stocked in the running game!

we agree on that.

[McLoofus 35,182]

I'll be disappointed if CAP and Grant get 70% of the carries.

Why?

Just me hoping that either Barber or Roc really "wows" the coaches during fall camp. CAP and Grant are both good backs in their own right but I guess I'm just looking for a little more... Maybe Tre spoiled me the last few years.

Gotcha. I'm optimistic about CAP and Grant, but there's nothing wrong with hoping for more.

One thing we haven't spoken much about on this thread is fumbles. Ball security was not a forte of our offense's last year, so any help our RBs can give Coach Horton in cleaning that up might play heavily into the decision as to who gets the most carries.

[I_The_Pariah 0]

good point, and cap definitely had some ball security issues.

[homersapien 11,374]

Carnell may have our the best "pure runner" if you include elusiveness and the ability to juke tacklers. I'd have to go back and study film of Lionel James first.

But Bo was in a class by himself.

I would describe his style as a relatively simple combination of power and speed - lots and lots of speed. He would locate a potential lane then just turn on the afterburners leaving the pursuit to adjust their angles. If required, he would just run over you.

Bo didn't have much need for elusiveness. His speed and power was freakish. He looked like he was from another planet.

[IronMan70 3,277]

Very few true Freshmen RBs, especially ones that haven't come in early for Spring practice, are going to make a big difference in the first half of the season. They have to add strength, size, learn the playbook, learn to block bigger guys and get use to being hit by much bigger, faster players than they have ever seen before. It takes time unless you are a freak athlete like a Bo or a Herschel.

[McLoofus 35,182]

Very few true Freshmen RBs, especially ones that haven't come in early for Spring practice, are going to make a big difference in the first half of the season. They have to add strength, size, learn the playbook, learn to block bigger guys and get use to being hit by much bigger, faster players than they have ever seen before. It takes time unless you are a freak athlete like a Bo or a Herschel.

I still can't figure out what Derrick Henry did wrong to be left off that list. Not sure we win the Iron Bowl if he gets some of those late carries that we stuffed Yeldon on. Another curious coaching decision by Saban, unless Henry is seriously lacking between the ears. He's NFL ready right now.

[chimesAU 89]

Very few true Freshmen RBs, especially ones that haven't come in early for Spring practice, are going to make a big difference in the first half of the season. They have to add strength, size, learn the playbook, learn to block bigger guys and get use to being hit by much bigger, faster players than they have ever seen before. It takes time unless you are a freak athlete like a Bo or a Herschel.

I still can't figure out what Derrick Henry did wrong to be left off that list. Not sure we win the Iron Bowl if he gets some of those late carries that we stuffed Yeldon on. Another curious coaching decision by Saban, unless Henry is seriously lacking between the ears. He's NFL ready right now.

Agree completely. Dude is scary good. From what I saw last year and his HS tape, I think he's probably the best back in the country. Glad we avoided him last year.

[McLoofus 35,182]

Lashlee loves the confidence and practice habits of RB Cameron Artis-Payne. "He practices like a pro."

@JHokanson

Lashlee on RB Cam Artis-Payne: "He's the same every day, he doesn't have bad days."

@AUBlog

[mustache eagle 2,406]

Consistency will get someone a lot of playing time with a perfectionist coach

[Rednilla 5,391]

Carnell may have our the best "pure runner" if you include elusiveness and the ability to juke tacklers. I'd have to go back and study film of Lionel James first.

But Bo was in a class by himself.

I would describe his style as a relatively simple combination of power and speed - lots and lots of speed. He would locate a potential lane then just turn on the afterburners leaving the pursuit to adjust their angles. If required, he would just run over you.

Bo didn't have much need for elusiveness. His speed and power was freakish. He looked like he was from another planet.

I was born in 1984, so I didn't get to see either James or Bo. That's why I qualified the declaration of Caddy being the best pure runner I've seen at Auburn with the parenthetical statement about Bo being a little before my time...there's no doubt that Bo is in a class all his own.

[alexava 6,973]

Carnell may have our the best "pure runner" if you include elusiveness and the ability to juke tacklers. I'd have to go back and study film of Lionel James first.

But Bo was in a class by himself.

I would describe his style as a relatively simple combination of power and speed - lots and lots of speed. He would locate a potential lane then just turn on the afterburners leaving the pursuit to adjust their angles. If required, he would just run over you.

Bo didn't have much need for elusiveness. His speed and power was freakish. He looked like he was from another planet.

I was born in 1984, so I didn't get to see either James or Bo. That's why I qualified the declaration of Caddy being the best pure runner I've seen at Auburn with the parenthetical statement about Bo being a little before my time...there's no doubt that Bo is in a class all his own.

i was 12 when Bo won the heisman. I still consider it before my time as a football fan. I won't dare say caddy is better than Bo just the best I've seen that I really remember.

[Auburn4Winners 0]

Lashlee loves the confidence and practice habits of RB Cameron Artis-Payne. "He practices like a pro."

@JHokanson

Lashlee on RB Cam Artis-Payne: "He's the same every day, he doesn't have bad days."

@AUBlog

I think the "He practices like a pro" statement was referring to Marcus Davis and not CAP..

either that or the practice thread has wrong.. one of the two

[IronMan70 3,277]

Lashlee loves the confidence and practice habits of RB Cameron Artis-Payne. "He practices like a pro."

@JHokanson

Lashlee on RB Cam Artis-Payne: "He's the same every day, he doesn't have bad days."

@AUBlog

I think the "He practices like a pro" statement was referring to Marcus Davis and not CAP..

either that or the practice thread has wrong.. one of the two

There is a 3rd option, that Lashlee used the "pro" reference to describe both of them. I just finished watching the video.

[McLoofus 35,182]

Carnell may have our the best "pure runner" if you include elusiveness and the ability to juke tacklers. I'd have to go back and study film of Lionel James first.

But Bo was in a class by himself.

I would describe his style as a relatively simple combination of power and speed - lots and lots of speed. He would locate a potential lane then just turn on the afterburners leaving the pursuit to adjust their angles. If required, he would just run over you.

Bo didn't have much need for elusiveness. His speed and power was freakish. He looked like he was from another planet.

I was born in 1984, so I didn't get to see either James or Bo. That's why I qualified the declaration of Caddy being the best pure runner I've seen at Auburn with the parenthetical statement about Bo being a little before my time...there's no doubt that Bo is in a class all his own.

You were pretty clear, about that and the "pure runner" qualifier. And it's a valid point.

Much like the conversation about who will start at RB in 2014, it's a good problem that it's so difficult to sort the hierarchy of great Auburn RBs.

[Auburn4Winners 0]

Lashlee loves the confidence and practice habits of RB Cameron Artis-Payne. "He practices like a pro."

@JHokanson

Lashlee on RB Cam Artis-Payne: "He's the same every day, he doesn't have bad days."

@AUBlog

I think the "He practices like a pro" statement was referring to Marcus Davis and not CAP..

either that or the practice thread has wrong.. one of the two

There is a 3rd option, that Lashlee used the "pro" reference to describe both of them. I just finished watching the video.

BOOM! I like it even better! Man our offense is seriously going to be STACKED this year!

[Rednilla 5,391]

Carnell may have our the best "pure runner" if you include elusiveness and the ability to juke tacklers. I'd have to go back and study film of Lionel James first.

But Bo was in a class by himself.

I would describe his style as a relatively simple combination of power and speed - lots and lots of speed. He would locate a potential lane then just turn on the afterburners leaving the pursuit to adjust their angles. If required, he would just run over you.

Bo didn't have much need for elusiveness. His speed and power was freakish. He looked like he was from another planet.

I was born in 1984, so I didn't get to see either James or Bo. That's why I qualified the declaration of Caddy being the best pure runner I've seen at Auburn with the parenthetical statement about Bo being a little before my time...there's no doubt that Bo is in a class all his own.

You were pretty clear, about that and the "pure runner" qualifier. And it's a valid point.

Much like the conversation about who will start at RB in 2014, it's a good problem that it's so difficult to sort the hierarchy of great Auburn RBs.

No kidding. It's been fun having a couple of bammers try to use the "Running Back University" label referring to UAT. There was one who challenged me to name any Auburn backs aside from Bo (kinda funny that even the bammers know better than to pretend he was anything less than phenomenal), obviously not expecting much, and I just started rattling them off in chronological order, starting with Brooks and Cribbs and continuing all the way through to Ben Tate (which wasn't hard to do, since there have been so few years we've been without a top tier back)...then threw the knockout blow by informing him that the first #1 NFL draft pick to come out of Auburn was a running back named Tucker Frederickson back in the 60s.

[homersapien 11,374]

Carnell may have our the best "pure runner" if you include elusiveness and the ability to juke tacklers. I'd have to go back and study film of Lionel James first.

But Bo was in a class by himself.

I would describe his style as a relatively simple combination of power and speed - lots and lots of speed. He would locate a potential lane then just turn on the afterburners leaving the pursuit to adjust their angles. If required, he would just run over you.

Bo didn't have much need for elusiveness. His speed and power was freakish. He looked like he was from another planet.

I was born in 1984, so I didn't get to see either James or Bo. That's why I qualified the declaration of Caddy being the best pure runner I've seen at Auburn with the parenthetical statement about Bo being a little before my time...there's no doubt that Bo is in a class all his own.

You were pretty clear, about that and the "pure runner" qualifier. And it's a valid point.

Much like the conversation about who will start at RB in 2014, it's a good problem that it's so difficult to sort the hierarchy of great Auburn RBs.

No kidding. It's been fun having a couple of bammers try to use the "Running Back University" label referring to UAT. There was one who challenged me to name any Auburn backs aside from Bo (kinda funny that even the bammers know better than to pretend he was anything less than phenomenal), obviously not expecting much, and I just started rattling them off in chronological order, starting with Brooks and Cribbs and continuing all the way through to Ben Tate (which wasn't hard to do, since there have been so few years we've been without a top tier back)...then threw the knockout blow by informing him that the first #1 NFL draft pick to come out of Auburn was a running back named Tucker Frederickson back in the 60s.

Good stuff. (I didn't know Tucker Frederickson was the first #1 DP).

[WarTiger 3,901]

Carnell may have our the best "pure runner" if you include elusiveness and the ability to juke tacklers. I'd have to go back and study film of Lionel James first.

But Bo was in a class by himself.

I would describe his style as a relatively simple combination of power and speed - lots and lots of speed. He would locate a potential lane then just turn on the afterburners leaving the pursuit to adjust their angles. If required, he would just run over you.

Bo didn't have much need for elusiveness. His speed and power was freakish. He looked like he was from another planet.

I was born in 1984, so I didn't get to see either James or Bo. That's why I qualified the declaration of Caddy being the best pure runner I've seen at Auburn with the parenthetical statement about Bo being a little before my time...there's no doubt that Bo is in a class all his own.

You were pretty clear, about that and the "pure runner" qualifier. And it's a valid point.

Much like the conversation about who will start at RB in 2014, it's a good problem that it's so difficult to sort the hierarchy of great Auburn RBs.

No kidding. It's been fun having a couple of bammers try to use the "Running Back University" label referring to UAT. There was one who challenged me to name any Auburn backs aside from Bo (kinda funny that even the bammers know better than to pretend he was anything less than phenomenal), obviously not expecting much, and I just started rattling them off in chronological order, starting with Brooks and Cribbs and continuing all the way through to Ben Tate (which wasn't hard to do, since there have been so few years we've been without a top tier back)...then threw the knockout blow by informing him that the first #1 NFL draft pick to come out of Auburn was a running back named Tucker Frederickson back in the 60s.

Are the idiot uaters actually using that?? That's hilarious. If they really want a saying to focus on their running backs they should try: "uat - home of the VASTLY overrated running backs" - regardless of who is back there.

Sorry for the thread hijack....Back to the real discussion of AUBURN running backs for 2014.

[TexasTiger 12,886]

From the film I saw, Barber has a pretty explosive burst. Or the film speed was off.

[bikeriderga 134]

Starting RB will be CAP. He will alternate with Grant. Grant will continue to be the speed back as well.

Think we will see Barber as the relief back this year, getting ready for key role next year along with ROC. ROC will be red-shirtted, unless one of the other backs goes down.

ROC needs time to heal and get some AU gym time.

Our offense is going to be so bad as* this year. Perhaps the best ever in AU history!

We will not be one dimensional. Our receivers are coming along and Slamming Sammie, Williams, Lewis, Davis, and CJ are going to light it up with Marshall throwing it at will. The play action passing game, coupled with the explosive running game, is going to be able to practically score at will.

If our defense improves just 30% over last year, we will definitely be undefeated. I actually look for our defense to be a tad better than they were in the NC game. They will not be giving up the "trash plays" like they did last year, they will be better prepared this year.

2014 is going to be all AU, mark it down. Not only do we have the returning talent, but we have the experience and the time to hone our craft. It is going to be something to see. The only thing that could derail our season is key injuries.

War Eagle

[TexasTiger 12,886]

Roc won't redshirt unless he has serious healing to do.