RB Group - who gets how many reps ?

[fourthandshort]

Interesting update .. James Robinson recently had his weight dropped on roster from 225 to 215. My guess is he was told to take off a few lbs this summer. The only knock on him coming out of HS (where he broke many IHSA RB records, but at a 4A school) was his conditioning, which he could get away with at a 4A HS. So I'm sure the injury last season only made matters worse .. he did not look ready for UCA playoff game .. then winter break couldn't have helped any. So I view this spring/summer weight loss as a very good sign .. let the competition for reps between hin and Markel Smith begin !!!

Thought it would be interesting to hear opinions on how people think the RB reps will be split among following with my splits indicated:

Robinson: 45% .. I can see 900+ yards
Smith: 45% .. I can see 900+ yards
BIrch: 4% .. short yardage power
Henderson: 4% .. change of pace
Rogers/Kielbasa: split remaining 2%

Would love to hear how others see this working out.

p.s. assumes no injuires of course.

 

[fourthandshort]

a little food for thought on this topic .. NDSU has set THE standard for FCS success, and have done so largely with a very strong commitment to a run game. Their 2013 team was arguably their best team ever and the FCS's as well. But aside from being strong defensive team every year, they rely heavily on employing 2 or more strong RBs to wear other teams down .. fresh legs and healtheir bodies taking half the hits game in game out.

Plenty of reps available with our defense expecting to be very strong, and getting off the field. This means more time of possession for offense and more reps for James Robinson and Markel Smith to share a role in spotlight. I hope they are competing hard for mroe reps, but embrace sharing this role. Love the idea of James Robinson ripping off 3 straight 6-10 yard runs, then jogging off field, exchanging high fives with Markel Smith comig onto field .. should be fun to watch this potent 2-headed monster.

Here are NDSU's top RB stats from 2011-16:

Year Running Back GP-GS Att Gain Loss Net Avg TD Long Avg/G

2016 Lance Dunn 14-2 166 1015 19 996 6.0 6 56 71.1
2016 King Frazier 13-12 183 885 6 879 4.8 11 44 67.6
2016 Easton Stick 14-14 113 792 107 685 6.1 7 52 48.9

2015 King Frazier 15-13 219 1184 26 1158 5.3 11 51 77.2 ..Frazier led the way, but RB by committee otherwise
2015 Bruce Anderson 15-1 90 528 25 503 5.6 2 57 33.5
2015 Easton Stick 11-8 85 550 52 498 5.9 5 60 45.3 .. Wentz got injured
2015 Lance Dunn 13-0 95 489 21 468 4.9 3 60 36.0
2015 Chase Morlock 15-4 95 365 11 354 3.7 5 40 23.6
2015 Carson Wentz 8-7 63 343 49 294 4.7 6 29 36.8

2014 John Crockett 16-16 368 2028 34 1994 5.4 21 80 124.6 .. unusual year because Crockett was SR NFL draft prospect
2014 Carson Wentz 16-16 138 760 118 642 4.7 6 41 40.1
2014 King Frazier 16-0 111 627 11 616 5.5 4 33 38.5 .. still for 600+ yards as part timer

2013 Sam Ojuri 15-15 214 1427 29 1398 6.5 10 73 93.2
2013 John Crockett 15-1 190 1307 30 1277 6.7 11 71 85.1
2013 Brock Jensen 15-15 99 576 97 479 4.8 10 53 31.9

2012 Sam Ojuri 14-14 215 1059 12 1047 4.9 12 53 74.8
2012 John Crockett 15-1 194 1059 21 1038 5.4 9 57 69.2
2012 Brock Jensen 15-15 111 542 185 357 3.2 12 56 23.8

2011 Sam Ojuri 15-1 187 1137 32 1105 5.9 11 95 73.7
2011 DJ McNorton 14-14 197 1060 40 1020 5.2 13 60 72.9
2011 Brock Jensen 15-15 73 319 146 173 2.4 9 55 11.5

 

[Chi-bird]

Fourth, you mention barring injuries, but there's another area to consider - and that would be barring disciplinary reasons, attitude, grades, etc. I do think that we will see a good share early on (certainly vs. Butler and maybe all of non-conference play, but I think we will eventually see one of the backs emerge as a feature back with 75-80% of the carries......mainly because that seems to be Spack's m.o.

I think it's neck and neck through Indiana State and then once we go to Northern Arizona, one of the two will end up with less than 5 carries a game, which will be for a game or two, and then as the season progresses, it will be back towards 50-50.

 

[ThisIsTheLineup]

a little food for thought on this topic .. NDSU has set THE standard for FCS success, and have done so largely with a very strong commitment to a run game. Their 2013 team was arguably their best team ever and the FCS's as well. But aside from being strong defensive team every year, they rely heavily on employing 2 or more strong RBs to wear other teams down .. fresh legs and healtheir bodies taking half the hits game in game out.

And I think the run game was one of the biggest parts to our success 2014-2016. If we work to build that up again while continuing a strong air attack with a QB with a good arm, we should be in store for a good season.

 

[fourthandshort]

Fourth, you mention barring injuries, but there's another area to consider - and that would be barring disciplinary reasons, attitude, grades, etc. I do think that we will see a good share early on (certainly vs. Butler and maybe all of non-conference play, but I think we will eventually see one of the backs emerge as a feature back with 75-80% of the carries......mainly because that seems to be Spack's m.o.

I think it's neck and neck through Indiana State and then once we go to Northern Arizona, one of the two will end up with less than 5 carries a game, which will be for a game or two, and then as the season progresses, it will be back towards 50-50.

With Marshaun, there was pretty big drop off after him aband he rarely got tired or too beat up ... he was amazing in that regard. But I think there is so little difference with Robinson and Smith, take advantage like NDSU did .. it will wear defenses down to have 2 guys with fresh legs and bodies pounding away all game. Harder to game plan for us as well.

Other risk is you lose one of them after the season .. they are both sophomores. Smith used is RS, Robinson did not. As a tag team, they will dominate FCS the next 3 years once the OL finds their legs. This opens things up for pass game immensely .. talk about a potent platoon system .. it wil rival NDSU number .. 900+ each initially and could eventually get 1200+ once OL is in tact.

keep them both happy and healthy !!

 

[ISUBU]

Very unlikely that Kolbe will be running the ball as much as the NDSU QBs. He was credited with 80 rushing attempts last season, for negative net yardage. Each of NDSU's three quarterbacks in this list ended up with significant positive yardage. Shows the importance of the OLine too.

I think the rushing attempts will be spread around, but I also think Birch is going to get the ball more than 4% of the time. Of course this all depends on how effectively each of them runs it when they get it. If they're effective, maybe we'll look like YSU with two great RBs.

 

[Birdswin]

It is all about mixing it up and being able to have the threat of both being able to run or pass effectively. Unless it is a lopsided situation - you have to have at least the threat of passing in the 4th quarter when protecting a lead to run effectively - otherwise the other team can stack the defense against the run.

 

[fourthandshort]

Very unlikely that Kolbe will be running the ball as much as the NDSU QBs. He was credited with 80 rushing attempts last season, for negative net yardage. Each of NDSU's three quarterbacks in this list ended up with significant positive yardage. Shows the importance of the OLine too.

I think the rushing attempts will be spread around, but I also think Birch is going to get the ball more than 4% of the time. Of course this all depends on how effectively each of them runs it when they get it. If they're effective, maybe we'll look like YSU with two great RBs.

agreed .. my splits were little top heavy in hindsight