The Future of Running Back at Running Back U
by aubtigerman on Jan 18, 2012 12:05 AM CST
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There are changes coming to Auburn's offense for 2012. With the hiring of a new offensive coordinator, the Tigers will likely take on a new look. And for the fifth consecutive year Auburn will have a Quarterback race in the spring.
Questions abound on whether Clint Mosley can hold on to the position or whether Kiehl Frazier will finally measure up to his pre college hype. Some expect incoming freshman Zeke Pike to make a push for the driver's seat.
The quarterback race is not the only position to watch however, when the spring rolls around. Another question, second only to who will be the No.1 QB is, "Who will take Mike Dyer's place as the workhorse for the running game?"
Dyer was All-SEC, had back to back 1,000 yard seasons, and broke Bo Jackson's freshmen season rushing record. While Auburn will have plenty of depth at the position, he will be a tough act to follow.
During his two years on the Plains, it looked like he was poised to place his name at the top of the list of Auburn's all time greats - names such as Frederickson, Fullwood, Bo, and Cadillac. However, Dyer decided to scuttle those plans with his decision to transfer to Arkansas State.
Now that he is gone, who will be next to take up the mantle of No.1 running back at Running Back U?
Will it be senior Onterio McCalebb?
It would be safe to say Onterio is a fan favorite. He has blazing speed and the ability to break a game open in a single play. There have been times he has had success running the ball inside.
Yet at 5'11", 175lbs. the question still remains about his ...
... ability to be an every day back and take the constant pounding between the tackles. The MVP of the Chik-fil-a Bowl, he has 2,016 career rushing yards with 18 touchdowns.
Will it be sophomore Tre Mason?
Mason didn't see the field that much in 2011 as a running back but he shined in the Chik-fil-a Bowl with 64 yards and a touchdown. As the (Rivals) No.14 running back in the nation coming out of Park Vista High School in Lake Worth, Fla. he ran for over 4,600 yards and scored 68 touchdowns.
At 5'10", 200lbs. he may be able to handle the inside game better but he needs to improve his ability to pass block and catch passes. He dropped a few this year. He is an outstanding kick off specialist and the potential dual threat of him and McCalebb on kickoff returns could be a problem for opponents.
Will it be freshman Jovan Robinson?
Jovan is a solid AU recruit from Memphis, Tennessee who is prepared to sign with Auburn on February 1st. At 6'1" and 220 lbs. many think the impact of the T.J. Yeldon defection will be negated with Robinson joining the Tigers' rotation.
He scored 75 Touchdowns and had 4,900 yards rushing at Wooddale. He doesn't have the speed of an Onterio McCalebb but he is built to take and deliver punishing blows. Videos of his high school games reveal a player that is extremely hard to bring down.
A quote from the Rivals site says, "Some recruiting analyst have called Jovan the most college ready 2012 football prospect in the state of Tennessee."
Will it be red shirt sophomore Corey Grant?
Grant, an Opelika graduate was ranked his senior year as the state's top running back by both Rivals and Scout and was listed as the No. 5 all purpose back in the nation. The 5'11" 194lb. running back won both the 100-meter and 200-meter state championships while at Opelika.
He transferred last year from Alabama and because of NCAA rules had to spend the 2011 season on the scout team. He received the Scout Team Player of the Year Award for his outstanding work. Coach Luper believes he has great potential.
Will it be red shirt freshman Mike Blakely?
Blakely transferred in from Florida in 2010 and had to sit out a year. Ranked by Rivals as the No.6 running back in the nation coming out of high school, he is expected to contribute early.
His physical resemblance to Dyer is almost uncanny both in build and looks. Also like Dyer he has strong legs that keep moving after he takes a hit and again like Dyer he tends to fall forward when he is stopped.
Blakely, 5'9", 198lbs. ran for close to 3,000 yards and scored 39 touchdowns the last two years of high school despite ankle and shoulder injuries. Reports are that he is a good blocker with good hands. I'm not a handicapper but the dossier on Blakely makes him look like the perfect fit to step in to Dyer's shoes.
Will it be someone else?
Auburn also has junior Anthony Morgan returning and there is always the possibility that another back might still be inked on national signing day. However, Morgan 5'11' 195lbs.was converted from defensive back to running back in 2010 and may be returning to the other side of the ball next year.
At any rate, the Auburn offense will look different in 2012. The backfield may have a different quarterback, a different power back, with McCalebb handling sweeps and being even more involved in the passing game.
In addition, it looks increasingly like the new offensive coordinator may come from the Pro ranks. At least that's what one might take from a statement made by one of the Auburn recruits regarding a conversation he had with Coach Chizik this week.
Four star wide receiver Jaquay Williams said Chizik told him, "It's going to be a little bit of the same. Four receivers. Three receivers ... It'll be more a little pro style. It's going to be good."
Whether the new coordinator brings a pro style or a hybrid spread attack, the Tigers have to have a running back that can carry the heavy load. Who that will be is any body's guess. But rest assured there is enough hoss's in the stable to get the job done. The only question is ...
Who will be the next great running back at Running Back U?
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Last tallied on 01/18.
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I think it will be
Corey Grant. I think he has the right stuff.
Reading the Psalms as an Auburn Fan - available at amazon.com
I hope so!!
I’m looking forward to seeing him play. He’s not a big guy but he’s about the size Cadillac was.
I love the smell of Auburn in the autumn.....it smells like....victory.
overlooked
Grant also won the strength and conditioning award. Combine that with scout team award and it looks like this young man is aiming to get on the field.
"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass...and I'm all out of bubblegum."
by tigertracker on Jan 18, 2012 6:20 PM CST up reply actions
I know Dyer was suspended Indefinitely
But even living in Auburn I don’t know why specifically. Does anyone actually know the real reason?
The rumor I heard....that makes the most sense
Is that Dyer didn’t work at all on his school work and his was going to be academically ineligible until Fall semester, and that was only IF he got his butt in gear and did well in Spring AND Summer semester. Given his lack of desire to get and education, and the fact that he is going to the NFL as soon as he is eligible, he likely was never playing for Auburn again. That is the only reason I could think that Gus would be willing to let him come to Arky State. If he was a pot head or troublemaker, I can’t imgaine Gus wanting that to follow him to his new job. In fact if he has to sit out next year, I’d say its a pretty good bet he won’t ever play for Arky State either. Gus and Arky State will give him room and board for a year where Dyer is closer to home until he turns pro next January….and go from a 1st rounder to a 3rd/4th rounder.
I guess if you transfer grades are not an issue….not sure how that works.
I love the smell of Auburn in the autumn.....it smells like....victory.
They don't matter when you're an All-SEC Tailback
I’d be willing to bet that Malzahn’s thoughts are the Dyer will know he’s a 1/2 rd talent with a 3/4 rd grade and would be willing to play a year to up his draft stock again.
I figured it was a grades thing, but just didn’t know for sure.
Please dear Lord baby Jesus
Don’t bring that pro junk into my beloved Auburn. I like me field spread, huddles nonexistant, and motion galor!
by tab0017 on Jan 18, 2012 7:47 AM CST via mobile reply actions 1 recs
He was a grown man!!
Oh, the cleverness of me!
by GreenRoomTiger on Jan 18, 2012 8:19 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
Rec'
That’s funny!
2011 Chicken Bowl Champs!
by War Eagle Atlanta on Jan 18, 2012 3:26 PM CST up reply actions
Excited about Jovan Robinson
If he follows through on signing day he’ll be a future star at Auburn.
by GreenvilleAUfan on Jan 18, 2012 8:06 AM CST reply actions
They all look like great fits....especially for a pro style offense
Unless OMac shows me something I haven’t seen the last 3 years, he will remain that change of pace back. I know he did a great job in the Chik Fil A bowl but UVa looked like they had never seen the Zone Read play before. The key with Onterio is getting him blocking and getting his momemtum upfield where he can take off.
I really liked the aggression and fealessness i saw in Tre Mason last year. I would be happy with him getting a lot of snaps but would be wary about him taking too much punishment since hes not that big.
Of the new guys…..flip a coin. They all look like they could be immediate contributors but the main thing that any replacement for Dyer will need to do is protect the football. Dyer did a lot of great things but what made him a cut above is that he rarely ever put the ball on the ground. In fact no Auburn running back had fumbled last year until the Ole Miss game. That will be imperative since we will most likely have an inexperienced or confidence lacking QB at the reigns running a new offense……expect turnovers there.
What I like the most about the stable we have is that they are all very fast and would be perfect in a pro-style offense where throws to the running back coming out of the backfield are common. All of them look to give us an advantage when matched up against a linebacker in the open field.
If I’m the new coordinator I have two of them on the field at all times, ala Ronnie and Caddie, in a two back set or splitting one out on the edge as a Slot/H back. Make the defense defend both.
I know a lot of folks have trepidation about running the prostyle offense but we do have the tools to be successful IF we get good line play that can open some holes for the running backs. We have a good mixture of speed and size at receiver. A great TE that can block and be a threat downfield. If the interior running game can become a threat again, we will be surprised at how good that helps the QB look.
I love the smell of Auburn in the autumn.....it smells like....victory.
I think some of us may be getting the Pro Set confused with the Power I...
The NFL teams are currently running basically a variant of three styles of offensive schemes. The mixture of the West Coast passing attack, the Hurry Up No Huddle, which we used to call the two minute drill, and Power run sets, which some analysts call the “Heavy” package.
This type of offense is the style Auburn needs to run, so that we can take FULL advantage of whichever style of defense we play against.
In other words, Auburn needs an OC that can run the “Variable Pro Set”, not someone who has a system.
Too many time this past season, opposing coordinators knew what few plays we could run from each formation. That is where the mixture of offensive styles comes in handy. Being able to lineup in one formation, then switch to another formation, and still be able to run your playbook anyway.
It’s a best of both worlds scenario.
Come and join me at http://trackemtigers.com
by KoolBell777 on Jan 18, 2012 9:24 AM CST reply actions 1 recs
Yep
Well said, well spoken.
How many times did you hear an anylyst point out, “watch where Lutzenkirchen lines up….that the side of the field the ball is going on” - for a system designed to “spread the field” – thats the tell, that squeezes the field to 25 yards.
You have to be able to run a “vanilla” set that you can change to run anything from. I QB has to be able to audible to attack the weakeness he sees in the defensive formation. I’m not sure any of our QBs had that flexibility in Gus’s system.
I love the smell of Auburn in the autumn.....it smells like....victory.
With a copetent line we would be able to do this from Gus's or any other spread.
The need to overload a side with Lutz shows how bad our line really was. With more and more complicated and disquised coverages comming into college ball, you would have to be a dag gum future pro bowler to be able to call your own audibles. College QB’s don’t have the time needed to prepair for that. I agree a lot of people do confuse pro styles with “Nall ball” but the fact is its a boring offence to watch from a fan standpoint, and boring from an analasis standpoint. We need the flash hi-speed offence built and centered around basic run and PA pass. The kids get excited and interested about the high scoring gaudy numbers and we set the hook by showing them that we run the same basic plays as the pros, we just do it new and inventive.
by tab0017 on Jan 18, 2012 12:15 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
I have been saying adaptability the whole time. The Power I set is now worthless for Auburn...
We don’t have the capability to run the “Heavy” package on a regular basis. We RAN the ball more than anything and that didn’t go well at all. Our offensive line must get much better.
It's Auburn against the world. Good luck world.
This I copied from a Sporting News post...
Speaking of sacks allowed, Tigers quarterbacks were dumped 32 times for an embarrassing FBS ranking of 91st. It’s an especially pitiful number given how seldom—and poorly—Auburn threw the ball, with a passing offense ranked 105th.
Read more: http://aol.sportingnews.com/ncaa-football/story/2012-01-15/alabama-auburn-lsu-florida-south-carolina-arkansas-have-offseason-issues#ixzz1jpPRDeKG
Can’t blame the QB for all of that.
Come and join me at http://trackemtigers.com
Nope
But you can blame them for holding onto the ball for too long…..which was a big problem for both Moseley and Trotter.
One thing I like about the Pro Style/West Coast offense is that it teaches to QB to get into a rythem to throw the ball coming of the drop…be it 5 step or 7 Step.. They will have to learn to find that seam in the defense, call a hot route or check down the receivers…quickly, plant their feet and get rid of the ball. Doing that makes our youth and inexperience on the line, less of a liability.
I love the smell of Auburn in the autumn.....it smells like....victory.
With a look back at early games, this is what trotter did.
The holding on too long didn happen untill he started getting chased around every other play by free running defenders
by tab0017 on Jan 18, 2012 12:16 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
I gotta disagree with that
He was getting chased around becuase he still had the ball in his hand eyeballing a receiver that wasn’t open….hoping he would get open.
If you still have the games recorded, like I do, you can go back and see that Trotter really had trouble letting the ball go when his intended receiver wasn’t wide open. He was able to lead the comeback against Utah State, and beat MSU, because their secondary coverage was awful. Once we got into games where the primary receiver (Blake) was being doubled or covered by an excellent corner, Trotter really began to have trouble. he did particularly poor against Akansas and Florida (1st half) in that regard.
If you want to take the heat off Trotter I’d put it on the receiveers before I would the line, they did a really poor job of shaking coverage and giving Trotter a viable alternative to Blake.
I’ll give Moseley a pass, since he got gang raped by LSU, UGA and Bama but did very well against Ole Miss. The line was definitely overmatched in those games.
I love the smell of Auburn in the autumn.....it smells like....victory.
But if you will also notice
There were many many droppes passes to recievers who were open. I will admit the recievers deserve as much blame as the line though. But I’ll argue as much as the lay is long that you can easily run any play, wether it be power downhill running or quick high percent pass, from the spread.
by tab0017 on Jan 18, 2012 3:13 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
Lets discount Auburn and take the emoition out of the equation....
explain Florida to me then.
They have a good defense….they have speed everywhere……They can’t beat a good defense.
Even we made them look pathetic. And it wasn’t just their QB, we shut them down completely.
I love the smell of Auburn in the autumn.....it smells like....victory.
Easy, two things
Charlie Weis, and John Brantley’s injury. Their play calls were generally terrible, and they had absolutely zero passing game without Brantley.
They got destroyed when they had Brantley too.....
but nice try.
I love the smell of Auburn in the autumn.....it smells like....victory.
Outside linebacker, anybody???
"We see the door; we're here to knock it down"-Cam Newton
by Tiger on the mountain on Jan 18, 2012 12:44 PM CST up reply actions
We don't have much
gotta hope that Kris Frost and jawara White can come back from injury and make an impact there. After that its incoming freshman like Casanova McKinzy.
I love the smell of Auburn in the autumn.....it smells like....victory.
You can when you can't effectively make decisions and they hold onto the ball
O line wasn’t great, but I can’t even count the number of times that a QB dropped back and couldn’t make a decision. You don’t have Jason Peters and Joe Thomas protecting you against the very very good pass rushers of the SEC West.
The running back corp looks stacked.....
We just need the Oline to bulk up and play smarter….
"We see the door; we're here to knock it down"-Cam Newton
by Tiger on the mountain on Jan 18, 2012 12:45 PM CST reply actions
Looks like the stock of running backs just got bigger
Jay Prosch, All American fullback from Illinois just transferred to Auburn. His mother in Mobile is ill and he wanted to get closer to home. Welcome to the Plains Jay.
Now that the statue/altar/shrine is up, is it in Sabans contract that he gets to take it with him when he leaves?
More info on Prosch
He has been a blocking fullback and was selected as Special Teams player for 2011 for Illinois. He also got academic all Big 10 honors.
Smart kid, good blocker, hmmmm sounds like a power I, pro set fullback to me. What a plus it would be if he had good hands coming out of the backfield.
Now that the statue/altar/shrine is up, is it in Sabans contract that he gets to take it with him when he leaves?
I think this is a very exciting development.....
the situation with the mother is truly heartbreaking. Brain cancer is a freakin’ scary disease.
"We see the door; we're here to knock it down"-Cam Newton
by Tiger on the mountain on Jan 18, 2012 1:40 PM CST up reply actions
Kudos to son also for taking a reshirt year or sitting out a year to get closer
Now that the statue/altar/shrine is up, is it in Sabans contract that he gets to take it with him when he leaves?
Redshirt, jeez sometimes I can't get my foot out of the dumb bucket.
Now that the statue/altar/shrine is up, is it in Sabans contract that he gets to take it with him when he leaves?
He might not have to sit, because he’s moving closer b/c of a sick family member….but these rulz are fuzzy, at best, for me.
"We see the door; we're here to knock it down"-Cam Newton
by Tiger on the mountain on Jan 18, 2012 3:55 PM CST up reply actions
The NCAA is supposed to grant a waiver of that rule in that kind of case...but we'll see.
It's Auburn against the world. Good luck world.
Brain and liver cancer..
….are about as bad as it gets in terms of things doctors can’t do much about. If he doesn’t get a waiver, the whole process is a joke.
......Drowning in cool elixir.
I agree with you totally man...
I just am always thinking in a negative manner against the NCAA. Though, they were fair to Auburn in Cam situation, they haven’t been that way since on anything. So, I hope they do grant the waiver, but I am not going to get my hopes up over it too much either you know?
It's Auburn against the world. Good luck world.
On a different note
I just read an article on al.com about Saban recruiting elite DL prospects. My question is, how the hell can he still be recruiting commits when he is already over the 25 limit and turning people away. I guess rules don’t apply when you are Saban.
Now that the statue/altar/shrine is up, is it in Sabans contract that he gets to take it with him when he leaves?
Greyshirts.
And he can pull scholly’s if the commit hasn’t enrolled. Long story short, he’s only committed to you as long as he needs you. When something better comes along…away you go. Its one thing for an 18- year old to be selfish and fickle, quite something else for a 55 year old man.
How any parent would let their kid commit to Saban is beyond me. I know its a cut throat business but Saban sees no difference between a 5* recruit and a prime cut of beef to be consumed, digested and evacuated.
I love the smell of Auburn in the autumn.....it smells like....victory.
by Col.Angus on Jan 18, 2012 2:48 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Sometimes you kill me Col.
You got a way with words …
Saban sees no difference between a 5* recruit and a prime cut of beef to be consumed, digested and evacuated.
AubTigerman
"The reason you come to Auburn is because of Auburn people.This is a special place, from the coaches all the way to the fans" - Andrew McCain OT
Love it... There is a logistical reason why bama can't market a Family... It is closer to a Factory.
you do it and you wipe it up.
Not to be antagonistic
but you guys have signed more players than Saban over the past 5 years.
We weren't on probation.
2011 Chicken Bowl Champs!
by War Eagle Atlanta on Jan 19, 2012 11:41 AM CST up reply actions
I don't know.....maybe its because you have restrictions when you are on probabtion?
Are you really trying to defend Saban? Saban ROUTINELY oversigns and then puts the greyshirt on underperformers. This isn’t a secret or anything.
We have had to oversign when we could becuase Tubberville did such a terrible job recruiting that we almost lost a whole class (’08).
I know you like to pick fights but do a little research first.
I love the smell of Auburn in the autumn.....it smells like....victory.
I wasn't trying to defend Saban
I’m against oversigning. I wasn’t trying to pick fights (thus the I’m not being antagonistic comment) I was just pointing out that you guys have signed, and lost, more players over the past 5 years than he has.
But I think the objection was to greyshirting
(take Justin Taylor as a recent example), which we haven’t done much, to the best of my recollection.
We may sign more, but we’re not exactly in a position to be shelving them.
"The ball will be spotted at the six-inch-yardline."
why i stilll would give yall the nod for “running back U”, we’re closing in! ya’ll had Bo and company, but our rb tradition is catchin up slowly but surely, happy offseason, and roll tide~
by TheYellowHammer on Jan 18, 2012 4:34 PM CST reply actions
Tre Mason will take back the title this season...
I have been saying for over a year that Tre Mason would be a difference maker. I even said that he was under rated in high school. This season he will have bulked up a full year and he has the frame to take a bit of a pounding. He will also have the FB making holes for him too(hopefully anyway). The FB addition did make the running back corp even that much better.
It's Auburn against the world. Good luck world.
The big difference in the two schools was Bo.
…..Alabama’s had a lot of good ones over the years, too, but I’m not sure any were quite as good as that. I’d say Shaun Alexander was closest. I sure was glad when he graduated!
......Drowning in cool elixir.
Shaun was good but...
he couldn’t have carried Bo’s jockstrap with a briefcase.
It's Auburn against the world. Good luck world.
Run..run...run... I welcome the 16 and 18 play drives again...
The last game I remember seeing it…along with crazy stingy AU D… Was the wils win at Gainesville in2007. I say,…Bring it back baby.
War damn eagle.
you do it and you wipe it up.
Running Back U
This is my first post but I do like what AU has in it’s RB stable with O-Mac, Grant, Mason, Blakely and incoming Jovon Robinson. Speaking of JR, I read earlier this week he is academically eligible. Now, if the OL improves, this year’s offense will be far better than last year….at least I hope so.
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