Midseason Review: Running Backs
by Peter Bean on Oct 9, 2007 8:53 AM CDT
in Football
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We continue our midseason positional reviews with a look at Texas' tailbacks.
Statistics
Overview
There's an ancient Chinese proverb which says: "He who does not protect his goods should not expect more goods in the future."
Okay, I definitely made that up, but if there were an ancient Chinese proverb about goods protection, I'd be using it to note Jamaal Charles' killer fumble problems. The trouble dates back to last season and, perhaps not coincidentally, the beginning of Texas' current four game conference losing streak. Charles put the ball on the ground late in the game against Kansas State just as Texas seemed to be wrestling back control of the contest. (Or, if you prefer, two games before that, to Lubbock, where Charles lost two fumbles and Texas barely escaped with a 35-31 comeback win.)
In the 2007 opener, Charles fumbled against Arkansas State, though the replay officials reviewed the play and ruled him down. Charles then coughed up two fumbles against Central Florida, enabling the Knights to hang around a game Texas should have won comfortably. And then, of course, there was Saturday's disastrous turnover on the one-yard line versus Oklahoma. On the opening drive of the third quarter, Texas marched down the field and was in terrific shape to take a 21-14 lead. Charles was given the ball on the five, had a clear path to the end zone, was hit by a diving linebacker at the one, and had to watch helplessly as the ball squirted away. The Sooners recovered and won by a touchdown.
Some fumbles are a matter of misfortune, but the best running backs fumble infrequently because of the way they protect the ball. It's a skill like any other, and Charles hasn't developed it yet. He must, if he wants to reach his full potential. There's simply no room in the gameplan for a tailback who can't protect the footbal.
Vondrell McGee has impressed in his limited role this year, including a wowing performance to close out the Rice game. Currently, he's being used only in goal line situations, a usage pattern which will be discussed in the next section.
Chris Ogbonnaya has proven not to be much of a rushing threat, but he's a superb blocker and pass catcher. Antwaan Cobb has done a very nice job as fullback; if Texas evolves into a team running more I-Formation sets, Cobb will be a fine player to use in that role.
Adjustments
At what point does Charles' fumbling cost him playing time? And at what point do the coaches, like with John Chiles, decide it's time to see what they have with Vondrell McGee?
This isn't to say that Charles isn't a useful player. Or even that he's not a damn good player. He is both. This is just elementary personnel management. Honestly, one has to wonder just how much mental damage the Simms-Applewhite debacle did to Mack Brown. He's been protective of starters ever since, mortified to use the young kids with upside, embracing an "avoid controversy at all costs" attitude about personnel decisions.
Unfortunately, that's a reactionary attitude. One gets the impression that Mack Brown has grown so sensitive to the fickle media and Texas fan base that he's decided to dig in his heels and just Do Things His Way. Most of his ways are things which benefit the team and the program, but this resistance to using creatively and generously his young talent has become - ironically - controversial.
There is not only the question about whether limiting the young kids' touches hurts the overall performance of the team, there is the question of whether it will begin to have an effect in recruiting. It hasn't so far, but the recruiting world is a bizarre, crazy, ever-changing one. There's nothing which guarantees young kids will forever look past the likelihood that they won't be featured for 2-3 years.
Mack's done a fabulous job getting guys like Jamaal Charles and Vondrell McGee to Texas. He's done a fabulous job of creating a program that has enough talent to compete for big prizes pretty much year in and year out. But he's become needlessly defensive and over-protective about some of these tougher questions. At $3 million per annum, that won't do. The best and the brightest are fluid with what they do. They learn from mistakes and seek outside criticism to help improve.
Admittedly, this is a damn abstract way to talk about adjustments in the running game. But the problems with this program right now have much more to do with what's happening in the coaches' heads than what they players are capable of on the field. There's no use talking around it. Even if they aren't listening.
--PB--
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GD Charles...
I still say that Charles is stuck in the wrong system for his talents. Watching how LSU uses Keiland Williams and Trindon Holliday, and I see exactly how special Charles could be if he could get those kinds of carries 20 times a game. Unfortunately, his line is miserable at run blocking, and he doesn't have a bruiser back as a tandem partner.
But yes, the fumbles are completely unacceptable, and what's worse is that Charles doesn't seem to think it's that big a problem. Oh Jamaal, Jamaal. Get Vondrell in there and see what he can do. If LSU can rotate 3 backs AND the Loux in there for carries, surely we can spare a few for Mr. McGee.
One thing I'd like to see as well is more zone reads with Charles and Chiles. Oh, and no more fumbles. That would be nice.
by jc25 on Oct 9, 2007 9:50 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Do we have a backfield coach?
Isn't there supposed to be a coach for the running backs? If we have one, how is it not possible that Charles' poor ballhandling has not been noticed and corrected? This is not a difficult thing. And the problem has been apparent for years.
by Caradoc on Oct 9, 2007 10:26 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Yes
That would be Ken Rucker, who unfortunately has been distracted by something a little more pressing this season (prostate cancer). Other coaches filled in during 2-a-days and early in the season.
by SelimSivad on Oct 9, 2007 10:37 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Mack...
Peter - You nailed it regarding Mack and the press/fans.
by HornChamps on Oct 9, 2007 10:28 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
the cure for fumbles
- the pine.
- strap the hand holding the ball to the opposite shoulder, making the player hold the ball tight to his body. Then run drills (10 yard and 20 yard sprints, tire steps, etc.) for 45 minutes, half the time with each hand. Do this twice a day for a whole week. Aside from the player wanting to avoid the annoyance of doing the strapped down drills, it builds muscle memory for holding the ball without the player having to think about it.
If that doesn't work...
- the pine
Seriously, what I remember about the great coaches in college and NFL history was their intolerance for fumbling. Two fumbles in a game got you benched for a half. One after that got you benched for a game. One after that made you a "third-down" specialist. One after that cost you your scholarship
by burnt in ny on Oct 9, 2007 10:28 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Charles
I'm going to have to come to Jamaal's defense here. Yes, the fumble-itis has been excruciatingly painful at times, and one can speculate that it cost Texas the game against OU (because you can never really know).
However, I looked up PB's own pre-season projections for Charles:
I'm still an optimist with Charles, and think he (and the offense as a whole) suffered from the inevitable adjustment pains (Life After VY). I like Charles' chances this year to crack 1,000 yards, and I think he'll flourish as Texas' primary back. He and Selvin weren't the ideal complementary parts. I see Charles improving on his 2006 numbers, though I don't know that he can match his freshman season production in terms of yards per carry.
2007 projection: 195 carries, 1,150 yards, 11 touchdowns
So far, through 6 games, he is on track for these numbers for the regular season (not including whatever bowl game Texas gets to play):
238 carries, 1,244 yards, 14 touchdowns
All around, Charles has exceeded the high expectations. He has proven that he can handle a lot of carries per game, and he can be more of a physical power-up-the-middle running back.
He just has one problem - the habit of fumbling. It's frustrating that it hasn't been corrected yet, but I do still believe it's something that can be fixed. You can say he doesn't protect the ball well enough, but some of those fumbles resulted from great defensive plays, too.
I'm all for mixing McGee in a little more, but I'm not ready to give up on Charles yet.
by SelimSivad on Oct 9, 2007 10:36 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Net yards for fumbling RB's
I always thought that they should calculate, as an educational stick, RB's yards as what they gained minus the difference between where the offense was at the time of the fumble and where the offense started when they got the ball back. (This ignores any points, opposing team time of possession, or momentum gain that might also result from the fumble). Charles' "net" for the OU game would have been -12 yards. To be fair, they should do the same for QB interceptions. If we did this for the whole season, how would his stats stack up to expectations?
by burnt in ny on Oct 9, 2007 10:53 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Mack and Mr. McGee
Here's how Mack is thinking about McGee.
OK I put him in for running downs. He carries three times for 13 yards, doing OK so far. It's second and seven and we call a play action pass. Mr. McGee doesn't see the blitzing LB or takes the wrong angle in chipping the DE. The defender blows through and injures Colt McCoy. Uh, game over.
I think Mack's number one option right now is to keep McCoy upright. I don't think he has faith that John Chiles can move the ball as a QB, Rice game notwithstanding, because 1 for 6 in passing gets you the strong safety having dinner on the ball carrier's numbers every play. While JC is not as good as Chris Ogbonnaya in blocking, he has always been complimented for being able to find the blitzer and at least slowing them down.
But I don't understand why McGee can't come in for 6-8 plays at a time, particularly if UT has the ball in the opponents' territory and McCoy can avoid the sack by throwing the ball away and not necessarily kill the drive with one bad play.
With Iowa State coming up and no QB killer in sight, this is a good week to make JC pay and McGee play.
by burnt in ny on Oct 9, 2007 10:42 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Charles
Maybe, while too late, the tide is turning on this obvious situation. Funny the LB's don't get the same treatment.
From the Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
Texas offensive coordinator Greg Davis said Charles remains his starter for now but coaches "would have to" consider a change if the fumbles persist. Brown dismissed observations that Charles' fumbles have been more about bad luck than poor fundamentals.
"That's a copout," Brown said. "Luck doesn't have anything to do with it. If you've got it offensively, you've got to take care of it ... I've been in so many discussions when a running back says, 'I'm tucking it away good.' Well, not if they're getting it. That's fact."
by thirtyandzero on Oct 9, 2007 11:49 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Mack's comment...
Well, I am glad to hear that. I know we really don't know much of what is getting said to the kids behind closed doors and that's as it should be, but if this is the way he has addressed this problem in a quote for a newspaper, you can bet he's been pretty harsh on the subject when addressing it in person. Good for Mack.
by HornsFan87 on Oct 9, 2007 5:46 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
cobb correction
his reception went for a TD.
by BigTexBD on Oct 9, 2007 12:15 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
have you given up on the Priest Holmes comparison
when referring to Ogbonnaya?
by Beergut on Oct 9, 2007 12:18 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Lord yes
He's gotten so much bigger than I remembered him being. Or he always was and I just wasn't paying close attention.
Either way - yes. He's a useful player, but he's nothing like Priest.
by Peter Bean on Oct 9, 2007 12:26 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Cure for Charles
I have several points to make.
Cure for fumbling
My senior year we had a problem with running backs fumbling and recievers dropping the ball. Our coach gave each skill player a football to take with them after practice one day. I mean take WITH them. They were required to have it everywhere. If the ball was knocked out of thier hands anywhere, they were required to do push ups on the spot. Now this was in high school but the same logic applies. When someone asks you "why you carying that football Jamall? this is history class" Jamall: "I fumble". The coaches would give prizes for anyone who brought them a ball from one of these players. Let him carry that ball around campus for a week through 55,000 of his fellow students and maybe he will figure out if it matters. If not: pine.
GD!
Greg Davis suprisingly didn't lose the game Saturday. I was impressed with how well Foster and Palmer played. But with Enrique Iglasias and Malcolm Kelly it was just a matter of the law of averages making the UT secondary come up "short" (sorry i couldn't resist).
Let the door hit you on the way out
That being said, isn't it time for Mr Davis to be heading out? I mean doesn't Smell My Fart State need a new head coach? I think this should be his last year. Your thoughts?
And Sweed. Dammit, dammit, dammit. I loved watching him play. I really think he can be as good as Roy. I'm just sorry he had to deal with such a piss poor coordinator. And I will miss being able make a "Heartbreak Ridge" reference after every score. SWEED, SWEED, SWEED, SWEED, SWEED.
I'll close with this question. It may be a system deal, but why did UT not recruit Michael Crabtree? This guy looks like the real deal yall. If he plays the whole 4 years, he could rewrite the record books. Anyone? Bueller? Bueller? Bueller? Frye? Frye? Frye?
by UTHomeSearch on Oct 9, 2007 5:20 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Good post
As for Crabtree: WOW. That guy? Is awesome.
by Peter Bean on Oct 9, 2007 5:27 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm not sure...
... if you meant to call Juaquin Iglesias by "Enrique" or not, but it's funny either way.
And as for Greg Davis as HC at Smell My Fart State... that's classic.
by Sweed4Heisman on Oct 10, 2007 7:04 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
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