Kenny Is #1

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

College FB News is listing their Top 30 SEC players regardless of position. Look who's #1. Where is Brodie?

www.collegefootballnews.com/sec/2005_Pages/All_SEC.htm

[rolltoomer 0]

DJ Hall better than Obomanu, Aromashoudu or Anthony Mix?

C'mon.

[PChamp119 96]

that's ridiculous. Kenny is good, but he wasn't that good. Marcus was better at his position than Kenny. If that weren't the case, Kenny woulda been up for the Doak Walker, or whatever award they give for the best RB. OL really are underappreciated.

[quietfan 233]

..What? You mean DeMarco Ryans ISN"T everyone's automatic choice for top LB in the conference?

[WarTim 3,457]

DJ Hall better than Obomanu, Aromashoudu or Anthony Mix?

C'mon.

205786[/snapback]

I doubt hall would even make the two deep @ Auburn.

[Guest Tigrinum Major]

Things like this are very stats driven, hence the love for Kenny and Hall, and the downplaying of players such as Kyle Williams, Marcus and the like. LBs get love for high tackle numbers.

Just watch who goes where in the draft this spring. I predict that Kyle Williams and Marcus McNeill go early. Very early. Very, very early. Top ten type of early.

[tgr4lfe 220]

that's ridiculous. Kenny is good, but he wasn't that good. Marcus was better at his position than Kenny. If that weren't the case, Kenny woulda been up for the Doak Walker, or whatever award they give for the best RB. OL really are underappreciated.

205787[/snapback]

Are you kidding?? Do you think Tre would have ran for over 1200 yards behind the same line given the same number of carries?? Maybe, but I doubt it. I don't know if Carl Stewart could have done it?? KI demonstrated an explosive running style much like what Cadillac did last year. Yes, OL are very under-estimated, appreciated,etc. But KI to his credit did gain a significant amount of yards after contact. And he basically did starting what 7 or 8 games!!

I found it great that Ringo was not even listed in top 5 QBs in the conference. DeMeco Ryans is a very good LB, but Patrick Willis from Ole Miss is awesome. he was all over the place when we played them. He even had a cast on his right arm that made him miss 3 or 4 tackles he would have easily had otherwise. Bad thing is he is back next year.

TM, for sure those two go in the first round. What do you think about Reddick's draft status? Think he might get drafted late 1st early 2nd?? I think he has a good shot at it. I hope he goes 1st round, but think it might be a little later.

[OKieAuburnDoug 1]

Only thing KI is missing is power...he has a hard time taking hits without getting leveled... :huh:

[vatz22au 142]

Only thing KI is missing is power...he has a hard time taking hits without getting leveled... :huh:

205970[/snapback]

Especially that run vs LSU...you know...the one where he hit right into the line....was grabbed by about 7 players, and took it all the way.

I think Kenny has displayed some power....maybe not as much as Ronnie's but Kenny's yards after contact is probably a high number. Hes a fiesty little guy.

[WaDE'05 8]

that's ridiculous. Kenny is good, but he wasn't that good. Marcus was better at his position than Kenny. If that weren't the case, Kenny woulda been up for the Doak Walker, or whatever award they give for the best RB. OL really are underappreciated.

205787[/snapback]

He was a semi-finalist, one of only two from the SEC, I believe. So he was apparently considered one of the top 8 backs in the nation. Still don't believe he is the #1 player regardless of posisiton in the conference, but he is definately top ten, and probabaly best at his position, with McFadden and Darby right there with him. I agree though Marcus gets no love.

[mcgufcm 4,107]

if i were doing that list (top players regardless of position in the college game) kenny would make my top 10, not my top 5. i'd go with marcus number one. period. he was the best player in the conference, and he'll be the first player from this conference in the draft.

1. marcus mcneil

2. kyle williams (i like him a little more than wroten)

3. demeco ryans (he's faster than willis)

4. claude wroten

5. max jean-gilles

6. patrick willis

7. kenny irons

8. leonard pope

9. dj shockley (the qb's in the sec were not even close to the best players on the field most nights, but he/cutler were the best at the qb spot)

10. greg blue (barely over willie evans... maybe that's just good team vs. bad team bias)

[freebody 0]

If that weren't the case, Kenny woulda been up for the Doak Walker

205787[/snapback]

Those individual awards really seem to be driven early in the season. They have those "watch lists" that come out at the beginning of the year, based on previous performance and preseason hype - K Irons was 3rd string back then. But you can bet he'll be on their little "watch list" next year.....

(Of course, ESPiN will probably be touting Peterson from chOklahoma or whoever next year's trendy flavor is)

[Guest Tigrinum Major]

Only thing KI is missing is power...he has a hard time taking hits without getting leveled... :huh:

205970[/snapback]

Doug, there is no way you could have been watching the same back I watched all season.

[OKieAuburnDoug 1]

Only thing KI is missing is power...he has a hard time taking hits without getting leveled... :huh:

205970[/snapback]

Especially that run vs LSU...you know...the one where he hit right into the line....was grabbed by about 7 players, and took it all the way.

I think Kenny has displayed some power....maybe not as much as Ronnie's but Kenny's yards after contact is probably a high number. Hes a fiesty little guy.

205977[/snapback]

\

I mean head on hits or even guys hitting him from an angle..The LSU run was more from guys not wrapping him up. Caddy and RB both could pancake LBs AND safeties....KI needs to put on some more muscle. The NFL is a whole `nother animal when it comes to `hittin'!

[OKieAuburnDoug 1]

Only thing KI is missing is power...he has a hard time taking hits without getting leveled... :huh:

205970[/snapback]

Doug, there is no way you could have been watching the same back I watched all season.

206031[/snapback]

see my previous post..I watched EVERY televised game..all were recorded and watched more than once.....

a 5'10" 180 safety leveled him....no way most of Auburn's previous RB legends would've had that happen to them...he's real good but NOT great YET!!

[WaDE'05 8]

Only thing KI is missing is power...he has a hard time taking hits without getting leveled... :huh:

205970[/snapback]

Especially that run vs LSU...you know...the one where he hit right into the line....was grabbed by about 7 players, and took it all the way.

I think Kenny has displayed some power....maybe not as much as Ronnie's but Kenny's yards after contact is probably a high number. Hes a fiesty little guy.

205977[/snapback]

\

I mean head on hits or even guys hitting him from an angle..The LSU run was more from guys not wrapping him up. Caddy and RB both could pancake LBs AND safeties....KI needs to put on some more muscle. The NFL is a whole `nother animal when it comes to `hittin'!

206033[/snapback]

KI needs to put on more muscle? Have you seen this guy in the weight room. He's a freak. People line up to watch him do squats, because it looks so ridiculous to see a guy his size puttin up the weight he does. He is probably pound for pound one of the strongest guys on the team. If he is getting decleated on a regular basis, which I dont remember happening all that often, it has more to do with balance than strength.

[SKCAUB 0]

Only thing KI is missing is power...he has a hard time taking hits without getting leveled... :huh:

205970[/snapback]

Say WHAT!!!??? His YAC has to be pretty good...and the guy almost ALWAYS falls forward for extra yardage...you don't get 1200 yards in the SEC without being able to take the hits. Want to come over and watch the replay of the LS_Who, UGA and Bamar games? Sorry...(no I'm not)...but I TOTALLY disagree with that assessment!

[Guest Tigrinum Major]

Only thing KI is missing is power...he has a hard time taking hits without getting leveled... :huh:

205970[/snapback]

Especially that run vs LSU...you know...the one where he hit right into the line....was grabbed by about 7 players, and took it all the way.

I think Kenny has displayed some power....maybe not as much as Ronnie's but Kenny's yards after contact is probably a high number. Hes a fiesty little guy.

205977[/snapback]

\

I mean head on hits or even guys hitting him from an angle..The LSU run was more from guys not wrapping him up. Caddy and RB both could pancake LBs AND safeties....KI needs to put on some more muscle. The NFL is a whole `nother animal when it comes to `hittin'!

206033[/snapback]

So he's not your type of runner. I really don't care if he isn't a power runner. If he hits 100 yards a game eight or nine times straight next year, I'll be satisfied, even if he doesn't steamroll UT defensive backs on his way to the checkerboard.

This is like saying that you don't like Brandon Cox because of a throwing mechanic. As long as the kids are productive, who gives a flip?

[JB33 1]

My impression is that Kenny is a very powerful runner, but that he (at least sometimes) runs a little high. There were a few times this year where he was knocked off his feet, but every time (or at least every time that I saw) it was because the defender hit him high, around the shoulders - i.e., (as someone said above) knocking him off balance, not overpowering him. Carnell was the best (and Ronnie Brown became great at it - just ask Jason Allen) at "getting lower" than defenders and driving them backward. I think that's an area where Kenny can improve - he seems to have a lot of strength in his lower body, but, when he runs too high, he doesn't maximize it.

[mcgufcm 4,107]

kenny is strong. he packs a pop. and he's one of the top 5 backs in the nation. so anything you say about him is nitpicking.

at the same time, he does run a little high, and the thing that bothers me most when i watch him run is the wasted motion. he's the only back i've ever seen that high steps in a crowd (see the long lsu run... he was high stepping while getting pulled down). it works for him, but it just seems odd. like i said, nitpicking.

right now, i don't think he's as good as caddy or ronnie or rudi were. right now. he's great, but i think he was running behind the best line we've had since the dye days or at least since 2002 (great group). that said, he's very exciting and productive.

i think he'd help himself by watching carnell and sweetness. he's the same body type. carnell very obviously patterned his running style after payton (just like bush is a clear sayers knock-off which he and pete carroll admitted to TRYING to make bush run like sayers). i think kenny would benefit from watching some of that "hit them before they hit you" running.

right now, i'd say kenny reminds me most of a clinton portis or a curtis martin. smaller guy, not overpowering, dangerous homerun hitter that is surprisingly productive beteween the tackles. i'd love for him to look at film or martin, payton, and dorsett. those are guys he could learn from.