Gotsta ask: in your heart, do you think we'll have a running game?

[Guest BasketBull.]

Scratch Ricky off the list...

Among others, we've got:

Williams, Benjamin  RB  5-7  190  Jr. 

Samuels, Aston  RB  5-10  190  RFr. 

Ford, Mike RB 6-1 225 Fr.

Plancher, Moise  RB  5-9  190  So. 

Q: Will any of these 4 (or another RB) have more yards on the ground than Matt?

We need one RB to step up and gain 750+ yards, or it's going to be very tough to top last season's success. (I guess I could go along with a combo of big and small and over 750 yards.)

[Bull Martin]

Well, Plancher was supposed to be the bomb last year, but was sidelined with injury.  Ford is supposed to be the bomb this year, but he's still a freshman.

Not that I have anything against Bo Williams, but I was never too impressed by him. Maybe I'm Jaded from the Andre era, or maybe it was the dull running game last year.

So our running game lies in the hands of a Freshman, who has played semi-college ball at the millitary prep school, and a sophomore with about 4 runs in a college game.

I expect vast improvement over last year, hopefully the O-line can make holes and GrothE may have the reputation (atleast in the Big East) for the QB option play to work effectively. We just need one of the new guys to step up and make a cut or truck someone once in a while.

[Joe]

In my heart, we'll have a better running game then last year.

How good? I'm still not sure. So many variables.

I think its gonna take Mike Ford a few games to get accustomed to the field on gameday again. He hasn't been in a real game in a while.  He has the potential to be a good back, whether he comes out the gate as a good back is a tough call.

Moise Plancher has what it takes to be a very solid back too. My question there is his knee injury, it's hard, especially when you start thinking about it on the field.

The other two are decent backs, and thats it. Ben Williams was solid at times, but he is what he is a walkon who earned his scholarship.

Will we have a bad running game? No. Nothing like last year, guarenteed. Will it be great, good, or average? That remains to be seen.

[Rizman]

My heart says the first game our backs will look incredible.  We will all get our hopes high and the second game will be a slug fest.  Not much yardage on the ground but it will keep Auburn honest.  I think our passing game is going to be the maker in that game.  Third game, we will tune the running better and we will see an improvement not has good as Elon but much better than the Auburn game.  So, as the season goes on unless we have a diamond in the rough (Ford) or possibly a Texas recruite like Greg's blog was refering to then we will just be ok.

[usfbp]

What's in the hearts of fans doesn't put yardage on the score card or points on the board.  It's what's in the hearts of the RB that does.  At this point in time the Bulls RB's are for the most part untested/unproven.  Only time will tell.

[Bull Martin]

My heart says the first game our backs will look incredible.  We will all get our hopes high and the second game will be a slug fest.  Not much yardage on the ground but it will keep Auburn honest.

Auburn has one of those defenses that are going ot make us cringe.  We will be lucky to leave the game with 250 offensive yards.  This means the Auburn game will be on the shoulders of the defense and special teams.

The special teams situation still scares the hell out of me.  Hopefully GrothE can break the gridlock and find a way to get yards on these guys and make our special teams less of a factor. If we miss field goals in this game we wont win.

[D1DDY]

when do you think we'll see a power I formation

[Sunil]

I think one way or another we'll manufacture yards on the ground this year. It will take a few games for the backs to get going...but they eventually will. Make no mistake, we aren't going to turn into the old Nebraska offense...our passing game will setup the run. Especially early on, we'll be rushing to keep the defenses honest as much as we're looking for great rushing production.

Going into Auburn without Ponton concerns me, because that leaves Ben Williams as the only experienced back. Even with an experienced back, that's a tough place to get alot of ground yards. My hope for early on in the season is that...unlike last year....in Ford and Samuels we have guys who are capable of breaking a long one which oftentimes is the difference between averaging 3 and 5+ yards a carry. Big runs take the wind out of the sails of defenses, and have a way of disguising alot of other problems.

[Guest JulmisteForPrez]

No idea.

Anyone who says they know is full of bunk.

My guess is that if Ford hasn't entrenched himself as our #1, it's going to be another season for good ol' #8 as our leading rusher.

[dabull80]

A lot will depend on the offensive line and how they hold up.  My heart says Ford will break out right away and there will be no looking back.  I think RB is one of the few positions on a football team where experience is not always required.  A true natural RB can run no matter what.  Sure experience helps but you either have the inate ability to run or you don't.  The experience is needed more for blocking then anything and that is very important.  So my crystal ball says Ford will be a huge impact this year of course that is the same crystal ball that told me Amp Hill was going to have a big impact so it may be a little cloudy sometimes.