2010 tOSU Running Backs discussion

[korchiki]

As much as I'd like to see other guys get a chance, JT will switch things up when he thinks they deserve a chance. He has shown that although he prefers to play the older guys, he is willing to play young guys when they deserve a chance (Pryor, Carter last year, etc.). Let's wait and see what happens when we really get into Big 10 play. Just my .02.

 

[kn1f3party]

So its been the play calling and not Saine?

It has been something. Maybe not play calling all of the time or Saine and Herron some of the time, but something has prevented our ground game from blossoming. These two have very different running styles and it seems some similar plays are dialed up for them. Maybe the lack of production is just a necessary evil of unsuccessfully splitting play time.

I don't know, but I'd like to see more production and less pressure on TP.

 

[Taosman]

Saine is hurting with a bad turf toe and probably should be getting less carries/more rest, but JT is loyal to a fault. On one play in particular the hole opened nicely but Saine lost his balance and went down.
It's not like Hall and Berry are duds either. Both are more "natural" running backs than Saine. Hall has shown even more speed and elusiveness this year......
when given a chance. :(

 

[daddyphatsacs]

Guys....

Every year we have this same conversation with a different set of names. There are reasons that the depth chart exists. I do think that Hall probably gives us some added wrinkles at times. That being said, do some research and look back throughout the past 10 years or so............the backups always seem to look good in mop-up duty or whatever. IMHO Herron should be the feature back until Saine can get it back together. Boom has run the ball very well this season and deserves to get more touches going forward.

 

[Saw31]

Guys....

Every year we have this same conversation with a different set of names. There are reasons that the depth chart exists. I do think that Hall probably gives us some added wrinkles at times. That being said, do some research and look back throughout the past 10 years or so............the backups always seem to look good in mop-up duty or whatever. IMHO Herron should be the feature back until Saine can get it back together. Boom has run the ball very well this season and deserves to get more touches going forward.

GP, IA

 

[Electron Boy]

Guys....

Every year we have this same conversation with a different set of names. There are reasons that the depth chart exists. I do think that Hall probably gives us some added wrinkles at times. That being said, do some research and look back throughout the past 10 years or so............the backups always seem to look good in mop-up duty or whatever. IMHO Herron should be the feature back until Saine can get it back together. Boom has run the ball very well this season and deserves to get more touches going forward.

so in 2008 pryor should've just been the starter until boeckman "got it together"?

i mean, if a starter is underperforming, then they shouldn't be the starter. hall has been consistently good in real games during 1st string time, not just in mop up duty, and at this point saine is pretty clearly not one of the two best RBs on the team. i really don't know how you can say a guy averaging 2.1 ypc over his last 4 games should just flip roles with boom. saine is a really good player in some respects but this year he has been objectively awful running the ball, save for one game.

 

[buxfan4life]

Utilized how exactly for Saine? It is not like they are asking him to do impossible runs. The guy is 220 plus pounds but runs like he is a 175 lbs. scat back. Hell we just need a back to do what boom did yesterday, which is pound the ball. Saine being named captain has caused a problem...Saine is a unique back for sure but not sure it is what this team needs right now

He should be used as an edge runner, or for the screen passes/out routes because of his great hands. He literally needs to be in space to get his jets going. He is way to tenetive when running up the gut. That is what I meant.

It doesnt matter if Barry Sanders is our running back, that POS delayed handoff up the middle play isnt going to work. The other team has too many men to block in the middle for that slow developing play and the tried to run it with Saine 10 times it seemed on Saturday. Brandon is a better back out of the read option attack or the straight I formation and pound it in there. Herron has the vision for the slower plays but not the breakaway speed. Notice Boom's TD run, he breaks back left and jumps a fallen defender instead of pounding it in the middle. Result is always positive for him in those situations. Look where Brandon is more effective, off the edge or tackle or misdirection where he can find a lane and be gone.

Maybe Berry and Hall can pick a defense apart by "searching" the gaps in the line but when we run that slow developing right up the middle play, you can forget that being effective everytime except for it being play action.

I have always hated this call, even when we had Beanie in the backfield who could break that once in a blue moon. It gives the DL/LBs way too much time to shed blocks/run their schemes before the RB hits the LOS. If anything, turn it into a delayed draw rather than the QB showing the hand well before the RB gets the rock.

Guys....

Every year we have this same conversation with a different set of names. There are reasons that the depth chart exists. I do think that Hall probably gives us some added wrinkles at times. That being said, do some research and look back throughout the past 10 years or so............the backups always seem to look good in mop-up duty or whatever. IMHO Herron should be the feature back until Saine can get it back together. Boom has run the ball very well this season and deserves to get more touches going forward.

I agree 100% that Boom should be the back to get the most reps right now as he has proven to be the better RB, IMO. Saine has the tools, he just seems not to want to use them. I understand he has been banged up, but when hasn't he been? Every year we hear that Saine is not 100%, therefore that is why he is not playing up to his potential. I am sick of hearing excuses for why he runs like he does.

Now, like I have said previously, I think Saine has his place in the O as he has proven that coming out of the backfield for those swing routes, wheel routes he is a beast. But, he has not shown much running the ball after a handoff.

 

[woofermazing]

Based on how the carries were distributed near the end of the game, I think we know who is going to get the load when we want to pound the football.

Still think we need to see more of everyone in the meaningful part of games though, if only for a few carries. It gives the opposing coaches more to prepare for and the opposing defenses more to think about.

 

[Zander42]

I was said way earlier in similar discussions, probably not this thread, but Saine is a natural H-Back (Fullback location, but not in obvious running downs, where a bigger FB is required to clear the way).

We should use him more in this way as a standard set, probably the up back in an offset-I formation, or as a weak side back in the pistol/shotgun two back set, along WITH one of the other backs as TB. Then he can either motion to a slot position, delay and release into the flat, help pick up a blitz or run in misdirection and draw plays. He is great at all of these things. Don't know why it's not happening.

Edit: After thinking about it for a few minutes, I'll rephrase my last sentence; I don't know why it's not happening more. They have lined him up like this a few times this year and I think it's typically worked pretty well.

 

[CalvinistBuck]

Guys....

Every year we have this same conversation with a different set of names. There are reasons that the depth chart exists. I do think that Hall probably gives us some added wrinkles at times. That being said, do some research and look back throughout the past 10 years or so............the backups always seem to look good in mop-up duty or whatever. IMHO Herron should be the feature back until Saine can get it back together. Boom has run the ball very well this season and deserves to get more touches going forward.

A rational post, to be sure. Permit me to add a postscript.

Sometimes we, as Buckeye fans, think that our team should be able to impose our will on any team--especially against a team that we think is not very good. We're the BUCKEYES...We have 5 great backs and a highly-touted, experienced OL...We should be able to run on anybody...

The fact is, opposing teams have made it their priority to stop our ground game. Look at the opposition's defensive alignments. Every defense the Bucks have faced this season have dared us to pass. There has generally been too many defenders to block when running between the tackles.

To make matters worse, against Illinois, the passing game was ineffective (wind was a huge factor) and that certainly put added pressure on the run game. As has been said, Herron showed he was the better back for the situation at hand in the second half. And so the coaches used Boom.

 

[Bestbuck36]

The biggest problem with the running game being inconsistent is that we dont have the dominating tackles that we are accustomed to having at Ohio State. The strength of our line is the interior 3 and everyone knows it. Now running the ball straight up the gut takes precision and perfect timing. The defense is going to have more strength in that area too most of the time. The quick hitters, the draw, the read option cutback are going to be the most successful right now until Shugarts takes it upon himself to start dominating the way he can and Adams decides he wants to be as good as his potential says he should be.

The quicker backs with better vision will perform better when the Oline isnt dominating. Hall and Berry are probably our quickest backs. Saine is a straight line runner with very high top end speed but his vision slows him down at times. Herron has the best vision and the most power, other than maybe Hyde. The sick thing is that we've had a couple of backs in the past that had ALL of these qualities and they were dominant leading us to dominating running. At this point we kind of have to see how the Oline is playing and the defense is adjusting to see which back is going to be most effective. It makes for some difficult in game adjustments, which I havent always felt was the strength of our coaching staff either.

 

[kolOhioState88]

right, our tackles have left a lot to be desired imo.

i think saine may be better in the slot or on passing downs. he's got speed but not really the best moves for a running back.

boom is a solid big ten running back.

hall and berry now.... i see some amazing potential there, but that's usually the case with backups.

those kids sure can return kickoffs however

 

[kn1f3party]

so in 2008 pryor should've just been the starter until boeckman "got it together"?

i mean, if a starter is underperforming, then they shouldn't be the starter. hall has been consistently good in real games during 1st string time, not just in mop up duty, and at this point saine is pretty clearly not one of the two best RBs on the team. i really don't know how you can say a guy averaging 2.1 ypc over his last 4 games should just flip roles with boom. saine is a really good player in some respects but this year he has been objectively awful running the ball, save for one game.

I don't think this is necessarily the same. It isn't like we have Adrian Peterson sitting on the bench, or some other mutant like Terrelle Pryor.

Herron is a better true running back. Saine is a better everything else back. He has speed, he has great hands, he blocks well, and he has to be used somehow.

If I had the answers, I'd be on the staff. But I feel your pain.

 

[itownbuckeye]

Herron is a better true running back. Saine is a better everything else back. He has speed, he has great hands, he blocks well, and he has to be used somehow.

Why not use Saine as a 3rd down back?

 

[Meyer]

I don't like how in short yardage downs, the playcall is a handoff where the RB gets the ball 6 yards in the backfield not running downhill.

Yes this was a big problem. I saw on third or fourth and 1 our run call was incredible slow developing. Made no sense to me...