Which RB in the last 20 years...

[alexava 6,973]

On 2/11/2020 at 7:41 PM, AUght2win said:

1. Biggest surprise - Kenny Irons. Nobody expected anything out of the backfield that just lost 2 top 5 picks the year prior. Especially from some no-name transfer from South Carolina. But Irons was incredible. 
2. The biggest bust - Malik Miller. A bust so big he didn't make the list. Good kid, it's just he came in from Madison Academy right after Kerryon did. I thought a lot of people (Kerryon included if I remember correctly) dubbed him to be the next great power back. Good kid, just too slow. 
3. The biggest disappointment - Michael Dyer. Obvious reasons.
4. The most underrated - Corey Grant. Dude could FLY and also bowl you over. Was a vital member of 2013 team.
5. The most underutilized - Kam Pettway. Were it not for like 4 dismissals/draft exits/injuries, he never would have even carried the ball. Had like the best YPG average at Auburn ever. Only got him for really just one season.
6. The one you could have one more year - Kerryon in 2018. We would have beaten Miss State, LSU, and Tennessee. Would have gone into the UGA game undefeated with vengeance on our mind. I know that team had a lot of problems besides running back, but if you look at the offense, really the only difference from 2017 was Kerryon was no longer there. 

I agree with most of this, especially #6. I don’t understand how people put a player who used all his eligibility as one they would like to have another year. 

[wde1968 262]

16 minutes ago, alexava said:

Not sure we flip caddy if Rudy didn’t bolt. 

True but wow what could have been. 

[twilli13 600]

On 2/23/2020 at 4:28 PM, alexava said:

I agree with most of this, especially #6. I don’t understand how people put a player who used all his eligibility as one they would like to have another year. 

Other major difference from 2017 to 2018 was offensive line....we lost 4 starters...several of which were pure road graders. Kerryon would have helped, but run blocking was not in the same stratosphere in 2018 as in 2017. 

[passthebiscuits 6,847]

I’m no good at these, but my guys Ben Tate and Kerryon Johnson gotta get some love. 
 

[ellitor 33,104]

On 2/5/2020 at 11:05 PM, bigbird said:

1. Biggest surprise
2. The biggest bust
3. The biggest disappointment
4. The most underrated
5. The most underutilized
6. The one you could have one more year

1. Tre Smith vs Bama
2. Jovon
3. Dyer
4. Kam Pettway (When not high)
5. K-Mart
6. Ronnie (My favorite of this group)

[PigskinPat 2,579]

I’ll have to look at the rest of the questions, but one of my most underutilized players of all time was Tristan Davis. Guy was fast as all get out and could return the ball like a beast, but carried the ball only a handful of times.

[alexava 6,973]

2 hours ago, ellitor said:

1. Tre Smith vs Bama
2. Jovon
3. Dyer
4. Kam Pettway (When not high)
5. K-Mart
6. Ronnie (My favorite of this group)

Explain #5

[auburnphan 6,050]

On 2/5/2020 at 11:05 PM, bigbird said:

...would you say has been the
1. Biggest surprise
2. The biggest bust
3. The biggest disappointment
4. The most underrated
5. The most underutilized
6. The one you could have one more year

 

1.CAP/Barber

2.Jovon

3. Dyer/Rock Thomas not listed

4. Carl Stewart

5.  Jacobs, Stewart, Lester and Rock Thomas (not listed)

6. Brown or Irons

[McLoofus 35,182]

12 hours ago, PigskinPat said:

I’ll have to look at the rest of the questions, but one of my most underutilized players of all time was Tristan Davis. Guy was fast as all get out and could return the ball like a beast, but carried the ball only a handful of times.

He was like Grant, except with even less lateral agility (and vision?). And, presumably, he played safety because he couldn't catch. 

Even Grant was able to make a push as an NFL RB. Davis kicked around the league for a minute as a return guy but never made any real noise IIRC. 

Definitely one of the true freaks to play for Auburn, though. 

[Beaker 2,457]

13 hours ago, alexava said:

Explain #5

I am  pretty  sure Ellitor  got the numbers mixed up.   K Mart may be one of my biggest disappointments;  got more touches than he earned.

[Beaker 2,457]

1. Biggest surprise
2. The biggest bust
3. The biggest disappointment
4. The most underrated
5. The most underutilized
6. The one you could have one more year

 

1. Barber

2. Roc Thomas

3. Dyer

4. Pettway

5. ?

6. Ronnie Brown

[McLoofus 35,182]

29 minutes ago, Beaker said:

I am  pretty  sure Ellitor  got the numbers mixed up.   K Mart may be one of my biggest disappointments;  got more touches than he earned.

Pretty sure E meant what he said. Several of us agree with him. And disagree with you. KMart earned a lot more touches than he got. He was hardly the only talented player on offense that wasn't utilized properly the last 5 years. 

[ellitor 33,104]

42 minutes ago, Beaker said:

14 hours ago, alexava said:

Explain #5

I am  pretty  sure Ellitor  got the numbers mixed up.   K Mart may be one of my biggest disappointments;  got more touches than he earned.

Nope! & I'm not the only 1 to have K-Mart #5. @bigbird does too in his OP as well as at least Loof & Zeek. Underutilized doesn't necessarily equate to # of touches. It's more about how a player is used relative to their strengths. Even though K-Mart had a # of touches at times he was never used for his primary strengths well, which is speed on the edges & in open space. If we had utilized him properly K-Mart would have been deadly at times. Care to add anything to that Bird?

[alexava 6,973]

37 minutes ago, ellitor said:

Nope! & I'm not the only 1 to have K-Mart #5. @bigbird does too in his OP as well as at least Loof & Zeek. Underutilized doesn't necessarily equate to # of touches. It's more about how a player is used relative to their strengths. Even though K-Mart had a # of touches at times he was never used for his primary strengths well, which is speed on the edges & in open space. If we had utilized him properly K-Mart would have been deadly at times. Care to add anything to that Bird?

We saw later in the season when he was in open field and caught from behind that he didn’t have the open field speed we all assumed. I think that’s why he didn’t get used that way. What I liked about him was his quickness to the hole inside, we just didn’t have many holes. I don’t know who I would have taken snaps and carries away from to get him more. As he seldom impressed. 

[McLoofus 35,182]

I saw a quote somewhere where Gus loved how KMart runs but "didn't see him as an every-down SEC back" or something like that. Huh? Very revealing about the kinds of decisions that have been made on offense all these years. Chad Morris, take the wheel. Please. 

There's a lot of talk about how to use guys like KMart and Worm. They're running backs. You use them by giving them the ball and letting them run it. Maybe even get really wild and throw it to them on occasion. 

I hate it that KMart didn't get to play for Morris. I'm really glad Worm gets to. At least until Gus gets jealous and takes the reins back.  

[AUsince72 11,084]

K-Mart should have had at least 13 more carries on Dec. 2, 2017.  He was SEVERELY underutilized that day....

[Barnacle 9,064]

17 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

I saw a quote somewhere where Gus loved how KMart runs but "didn't see him as an every-down SEC back" or something like that. Huh? Very revealing about the kinds of decisions that have been made on offense all these years. Chad Morris, take the wheel. Please. 

There's a lot of talk about how to use guys like KMart and Worm. They're running backs. You use them by giving them the ball and letting them run it. Maybe even get really wild and throw it to them on occasion. 

I hate it that KMart didn't get to play for Morris. I'm really glad Worm gets to. At least until Gus gets jealous and takes the reins back.  

It's going to be interesting to see what Morris does. I think we all have our own opinions about who should play more, or who should be utilized differently. I'm curious to see whether Morris will validate some of those opinions, or whether he will use some players more or less the same way Gus used them. KMart would have been a heck of a test subject. 

[McLoofus 35,182]

30 minutes ago, Barnacle said:

It's going to be interesting to see what Morris does. I think we all have our own opinions about who should play more, or who should be utilized differently. I'm curious to see whether Morris will validate some of those opinions, or whether he will use some players more or less the same way Gus used them. KMart would have been a heck of a test subject. 

Definitely. Playcalling will tell us a lot. If it changes significantly and the players involved don't- minus Whitlow, of course- then I might have to eat some crow on player evaluation and utilization. If neither changes much... well... you and I might have to find somewhere else to meet up for 5:00 beers....

[Barnacle 9,064]

23 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

you and I might have to find somewhere else to meet up for 5:00 Jägerbombs?

 

[alexava 6,973]

3 hours ago, AUsince72 said:

K-Mart should have had at least 13 more carries on Dec. 2, 2017.  He was SEVERELY underutilized that day....

That’s the only argument I’ve heard make sense. 
I just never saw him do enough to crow about his lack of opportunities. Without injuries I don’t think he was ever better than 3rd string. I don’t see him as a speed sweep guy because I didn’t see the speed. 

[AUsince72 11,084]

1 hour ago, alexava said:

That’s the only argument I’ve heard make sense. 
I just never saw him do enough to crow about his lack of opportunities. Without injuries I don’t think he was ever better than 3rd string. I don’t see him as a speed sweep guy because I didn’t see the speed. 

My viewpoint of KMart is that we just didn't see enough to know, in terms of his overall AU career. 

However, IMO he should have been given a lot more work in '17 to A: gain more experience thru more reps and B: give KJ less wear & tear thru less reps.

And on that date.....it bore itself out.

[McLoofus 35,182]

12 hours ago, AUsince72 said:

My viewpoint of KMart is that we just didn't see enough to know, in terms of his overall AU career. 

Yeah. It's interesting that our (over)work(ed)horse backs have "needed those carries to get going" and "get stronger as the games go on", but RBs that are only sporadically used, only ran in for one weird play, etc have somehow proven themselves unworthy. 

[AUsince72 11,084]

1 hour ago, McLoofus said:

Yeah. It's interesting that our (over)work(ed)horse backs have "needed those carries to get going" and "get stronger as the games go on", but RBs that are only sporadically used, only ran in for one weird play, etc have somehow proven themselves unworthy. 

Yes, and awhile back mommaworm made a great point when talking about the subject.  A player in any position, in any sport, cannot consistently just stand around for 30 minutes, come in for 1 play, come out for 15 minutes, come in for 1 play, etc....  Think about baseball and relief pitching.  The reliever doesn't come in, fresh off the bench.  He throws several minutes worth of warm-up pitches.  Even pinch hitters get the chance for practice swings to get revved up.  Think about yourself (not just you, Loof, but anybody)....get off the couch, go outside, and SPRINT!  It actually physically hurts, you're liable to pull a muscle & you're not comfortable.  Now, instead, lightly jog a few minutes, break a sweat, THEN sprint.  THAT way it doesn't hurt, you feel more in control.....heck you probably even run a lot faster.

A running-back can't run laps before going in.  He's got to stand there, at he ready, and in KMart's case (NTM Worm, Joiner & Barrett, etc...) they come in 1 play and whether good/bad comes back out.  They can't get warmed up, loosen up those muscles and maximize their quick-twitch abilities.

This is unavoidable for a situational player which, unfortunately, is Gus' favorite thing in the whole wide world, or a 3rd stringer, but for an immediate backup (such as KMart was, especially in '17) it just makes sense to give them some complete series in every game to maximize their abilities and, who knows, maybe shock you with how good they are when it's game time.

[McLoofus 35,182]

3 minutes ago, AUsince72 said:

Yes, and awhile back mommaworm made a great point when talking about the subject.  A player in any position, in any sport, cannot consistently just stand around for 30 minutes, come in for 1 play, come out for 15 minutes, come in for 1 play, etc....  Think about baseball and relief pitching.  The reliever doesn't come in, fresh off the bench.  He throws several minutes worth of warm-up pitches.  Even pinch hitters get the chance for practice swings to get revved up.  Think about yourself (not just you, Loof, but anybody)....get off the couch, go outside, and SPRINT!  It actually physically hurts, you're liable to pull a muscle & you're not comfortable.  Now, instead, lightly jog a few minutes, break a sweat, THEN sprint.  THAT way it doesn't hurt, you feel more in control.....heck you probably even run a lot faster.

A running-back can't run laps before going in.  He's got to stand there, at he ready, and in KMart's case (NTM Worm, Joiner & Barrett, etc...) they come in 1 play and whether good/bad comes back out.  They can't get warmed up, loosen up those muscles and maximize their quick-twitch abilities.

This is unavoidable for a situational player which, unfortunately, is Gus' favorite thing in the whole wide world, or a 3rd stringer, but for an immediate backup (such as KMart was, especially in '17) it just makes sense to give them some complete series in every game to maximize their abilities and, who knows, maybe shock you with how good they are when it's game time.

...meanwhile, RB1, who has taken 10 of the first 12 carries, finally breaks off a 30 yarder and... is immediately rushed up to the LoS to run straight up the RG's arse. Nah, would've been a terrible time to give Fresh Legs McSpeedyfeet a series. 

Just mind numbing stuff. 

[woodford 3,659]

1. Biggest surprise - Peyton Barber
2. The biggest bust - Roc Thomas
3. The biggest disappointment - Jovon Robinson/Michael Dyer
4. The most underrated - Brad Lester/Ben Tate
5. The most underutilized - Brandon Jacons
6. The one you could have one more year - Tre Mason/Kerryon

RBs 2000-2019

Rudi Johnson
Heath Evans
Caddy
Ronnie
Tre Smith
Brandon Jacobs
Kenny Irons
Brad Lester
Carl Stewart
Ben Tate
Mario Fannin
Ontario McCaleb
Michael Dyer
Tre Mason
CAP
Corey Grant
Peyton Barber
Kam Pettway
Jovon Robinson
Kerryon Johnson
Kam Martin
Boobee
Shaun Shivers
DJ Williams
Harold Joiner