RB Antonio Pittman (Official Thread)

[BuckeyeNation27]

As I screamed about 25 times last Saturday.........YEAH PITT!!!!

 

[Buckin' A]

Run Tony run!

 

[NorthShoreBuck]

Until I read this article I did not know Marcus McKinnie was his father.
I used to play baseball and football with Marcus in Barberton.
I bumped into him a few times after his Purdue days. I thought he had a tryout with the Browns.

Good luck Antonio!

 

[HineyBuck]

Mr. Pittman seems to be maturing nicely. What I like is in every interview he goes out of his way to compliment his line. He seems to be forming a very good relationship with them. And that will pay big dividends as the season wears on. They love blocking for a guy who knows who butters his bread. Mangold said something to the effect that, "Tony says if we give him a crease, he'll get yards. So we figure if we can give him a big hole, he'll get touchdowns." That's what team is about.
:osu:

 

[gstock05]

RB Antonio Pittman (official thread)

I love pittman. He has been not only solid, but very productive so far this year. For a small runningback, he runs with a ton of power, has good shiftiness, and has amazing vision. I know he's smaller, but he's getting bigger, and will only get bigger as he becomes an upperclassmen.

People were quick to compare him to Wiley and Pearson, but just look at his stats. I believe if i'm correct that he's on pace to have a 1500 yard season or so, and it will only get easier after Penn State as not many other Big 10 run defenses are better than PSU, Texas, or Iowa. So logically as our line and offense grows, and we face worse defenses, he should only get better.


My question, is does anybody here think that by his senior season he could actually be a star runningback? Everyone here in buckeye country loves the bigger guys, but if he can get up to 205ish, theres no reason he can't be absolutely dominant. Especially if our line gets better behind Boone, and others. I hate to make comparisons, but he's been quoted as saying he studies NFL film of Clinton Portis and Tomlinson. Anybody think by the time he's a senior, he can get to that level? Almost like a Cadillac Williams type of person. I just think he has "It".

 

[strohs]

Did you watch the Iowa game?
I would say that answered the question for me.

 

[LordJeffBuck]

Pittman doesn't have "IT" - he has decent speed and tremendous heart, but he lacks vision, timing, maneuverability, and breakaway speed. He will be a good back, but he lacks the "extra dimension" to be a great back. The comparison to Pepe Pearson is apt. IMO.

 

[IronBuckI]

LJB, normally I agree with you, but I have seen nothing to indicate that he has a problem with any of those aspects other than not having blazing speed. He has had no problem finding holes. He has hit those holes on time, allowing him to break the arm tackles that defenses have been trying to get him with. His maneuverability has also been very good, squeezing through holes that didn't look like they were there,and getting around guys that you didn't think he could get around. Maybe I'm just used to the stiff breeze makes you fall down kind of back, but I don't see any of the weaknesses that you mentioned, save the speed, and I'm not sure that is even a glaring weakness. He may not be a star, but it won't be because of the things that you mentioned.

 

[LordJeffBuck]

LJB, normally I agree with you, but I have seen nothing to indicate that he has a problem with any of those aspects other than not having blazing speed. He has had no problem finding holes. He has hit those holes on time, allowing him to break the arm tackles that defenses have been trying to get him with. His maneuverability has also been very good, squeezing through holes that didn't look like they were there,and getting around guys that you didn't think he could get around. Maybe I'm just used to the stiff breeze makes you fall down kind of back, but I don't see any of the weaknesses that you mentioned, save the speed, and I'm not sure that is even a glaring weakness. He may not be a star, but it won't be because of the things that you mentioned.

Pittman does a nice job of finding the hole, but lacks vision "through" the hole; in other words, he has a hard time turning the five yard gain into the fifteen yard gain. Granted, he's only a true sophomore, so maybe he'll improve.

I like Pittman, but I don't think that he'll be a great one like Byars, Smith, George, or Clarett; if he's somewhere between Pearson and Raymont Harris, then I'm okay with that.

 

[Taosman]

100% in agreement with LJB! Pittman is a good solid Pepe Pearson type back. Doesn't have the complete package. Can't be "the man" for a whole season. We must have the other backs step up and help. Haw has shown potential and Wells can help out also. I'm not impressed with Schnit so far. And those two goal line fumbles!

 

[sandgk]

and it will only get easier after Penn State as not many other Big 10 run defenses are better than PSU, Texas, or Iowa.

Funny thing about this statement, its wrong. Wrong when it includes Iowa, somewhat right about Texas (#29 in the nation) and on the money about Penn State (but only because we do not face Wisconsin), yet still wrong in asserting that beyond Penn State there are no worries.
Iowa does not have a strong run defense - they thought they did, and ahead of the start of the season so did many writers.

Here are the current conference rankings for rush defense

<TABLE class=statstable align=center><TBODY><TR align=middle><TD>1</TD><TD>Ohio St.</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>105</TD><TD>164</TD><TD>1.56</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>41.00</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR align=middle><TD>2</TD><TD>Wisconsin</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>116</TD><TD>262</TD><TD>2.26</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>65.50</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>5</TD></TR><TR align=middle><TD>3</TD><TD>Penn St.</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>166</TD><TD>340</TD><TD>2.05</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>85.00</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>16</TD></TR><TR align=middle><TD>4</TD><TD>Michigan St.</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>114</TD><TD>367</TD><TD>3.22</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>91.75</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>23</TD></TR><TR align=middle><TD>5</TD><TD>Purdue</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>113</TD><TD>337</TD><TD>2.98</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>112.33</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>41</TD></TR><TR align=middle><TD>6</TD><TD>Minnesota</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>128</TD><TD>466</TD><TD>3.64</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>116.50</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>47</TD></TR><TR align=middle><TD>7</TD><TD>Michigan</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>143</TD><TD>470</TD><TD>3.29</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>117.50</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>49</TD></TR><TR align=middle><TD>8</TD><TD>Iowa</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>190</TD><TD>639</TD><TD>3.36</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>159.75</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>75</TD></TR><TR align=middle><TD>9</TD><TD>Northwestern</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>136</TD><TD>817</TD><TD>6.01</TD><TD>8</TD><TD>204.25</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>101</TD></TR><TR align=middle><TD>10</TD><TD>Illinois</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>135</TD><TD>860</TD><TD>6.37</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>215.00</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>103</TD></TR><TR align=middle><TD>11</TD><TD>Indiana</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>122</TD><TD>652</TD><TD>5.34</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>217.33</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>104</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Iowa's Rush D numbers were not helped by the excellent performance of Pittman and others. However, they were not exactly tearing it up earlier versus Iowa State. Their only good rush D performances came against Northern Iowa and Ball St. The predictions of Iowa's Rush D dominance were overblown and incorrect.

As it stands right now Penn St. looks like it has a better Rush D than Texas, I'm not buying that yet though I'm not selling it either. Call it a question of giving correct weight to Penn State's prior opponents and adding in the big yards they gave up to Northwestern.
But, look one down the list to Mich. St., correct me if I am wrong but we do still meet the Spartans? Yep, just looked, they are on the schedule. Guess that means we will face yet another team with (on paper) a Rush D better than Texas, Spartans #23 rank vs Texas #29 rank. And, on this occasion I certainly am not selling. Michigan State faced Notre Dame who loves to have a strong running component to their game - you should not look past that game, not this year.

Oh,yes and as for Pittman as a "Star" running back, a la Byars or George. Nope. But that still puts him in very good company with several other Buckeye backs that got a 1,000 yd+ season (which we all would love to see him accomplish)

 

[ohiostate=life]

Can Pittman be a good running back? Yes. Could he be a great running back? Probably not only because he is going to be faced with a tough situation, as will we all, next year when Wells comes to town. If he can overcome Wells 1, Wells 2, and Haw in the off-season, then I believe he will be mentally the strongest player on the team. That is going to be a hell of a challenge. Anyone who comes out ahead of that competition next year will grow up a lot.

 

[IronBuckI]

Can Pittman be a good running back? Yes. Could he be a great running back? Probably not only because he is going to be faced with a tough situation, as will we all, next year when Wells comes to town. If he can overcome Wells 1, Wells 2, and Haw in the off-season, then I believe he will be mentally the strongest player on the team. That is going to be a hell of a challenge. Anyone who comes out ahead of that competition next year will grow up a lot.

That's a nice thought, but Antonio isn't just holding the job that's already been given to someone else. It's the other guys that have to overtake Pittman, not the other way around.

LJB, I agree with your overall assessment with the through the hole vision factored in. I also don't hold him on the same plane as the big guys, but think that, especially in a spread offensive scheme, that he can be "the guy" for an entire season. He is a strong runner that can be effective from the 'I' or from the spread. I think that this is yet another example of JT playing to his teams strengths, rather than taking an offense with one somewhat experienced RB and trying to run a smash mouth offense.

 

[ohiostate=life]

That's a nice thought, but Antonio isn't just holding the job that's already been given to someone else. It's the other guys that have to overtake Pittman, not the other way around.

True but I think we'll all agree, everyone will be looking at Chris to become the next Eddie George and he will be in the spotlight as the true freshman much like Clarett. In addition, Pittman may not even have gotten the job this year had Haw not totally screwed himself. So to say Pittman is sitting high on the pedestal is a little much.

 

[sandgk]

I dont believe IronBuck said Pittman was "high on the pedestal," fact remains he is the de facto number 1 back on the depth chart. Haw has potential, till he shows that in practice and then in well-earned reps on the field it remains just that potential. Right now he is effectively number 3 behind Maurice Wells.

As for the other Wells, no-one is given grant by JT and his crew to get onto the field of play based on High School numbers. Hopefully Chris takes the bull by the horns, the rock under his arms and tears up Spring & Fall Practice. At which point we have a legitimate who's on first or is it Wells debate on our hands - and think of this, a stable of good running backs on which to draw!