Ford third string | We'll Be Fine at RB

[Rocky Style]

Why are people so concerned that Ford must be the guy? 

ummm because he was a 5 star recruit and hyped up to be our future back for four years.  Instead he is getting beat out by a walk-on and playin RBBC.

though im with you the best overall rb should get the #1 its pretty obvious why people are hoping ford will be our guy.

Also he is a proven superbeast that moves the ball forward.  I don't know how much that matters but I thought it did.  Might help take pressure off the passing game/better red zone. 

Hey is Under Armor going to be selling #26 jerseys?

[usfgrad84]

 Why are people so concerned that Ford must be the guy?  

ummm because he was a 5 star recruit and hyped up to be our future back for four years.  Instead he is getting beat out by a walk-on and playin RBBC.

though im with you the best overall rb should get the #1 its pretty obvious why people are hoping ford will be our guy.

What a coach says three weeks before the season starts has no bearing on what will transpire during during the season.  I guess people didn't learn last year that who is on the field when the game starts means very little as to who  is the FEATURE back.  Even in limited play and missing a game, Ford wasn't the starter, but still got almost 40% more carries than any other RB. 

It is very silly to base  who the starter should be on what his star ranking come out of high school is.  I am not saying this is the case here, because as usual, with a Leavitt coached team, until we see the team take the field, nothing that comes from a coaches mouth publicly means much.  , t this level it has nothing to do with star rankings or raw physical ability if you don't put the work in and do what is necessary.  Taylor is good enough to surpass Ford as the feature back if Ford doesn't put in the work and effort.  From what I have heard Ford made the voluntary offseason workouts a little too voluntary while Williams and Taylor were monsters in the gym and came in physically more ready to compete.  That doesn't mean that after a few days that Ford won't be there as well. 

At this level it will need to be about preparation for the season and doing the things necessary for Ford to continue to excel and keep getting to the next level.  Our own recent history, like every other team has a list of guys that shouldn't have been to the next level and did and also guys that had everything going for them and blew their chances.  Plain and simple, star rankings don't mean **** when you hit the field.  That's why a 2 star center is now the best DE in the country, and our 4 star QB recruit (Carlton Hill) is playing in a 3rd tier school if he is playing at all. 

I am as big a Ford fan that there is and I still feel pretty confident he'lll be the feature back because I don't put much stock into what a coach says to a reporter imediately after a crappy practice.  Especially so early in the season. But if Taylor passes him on the depth chart because he has become better than him I am not too concerned.

[Rizman]

Maybe the coaches are doing it to show him A) he is not gods gift to running backs and he needs to work harder especially on blocking and other aspects of the game.  Motivation might be the name of this game.

[windbane]

Benny is number one because he know's his assignments and can pick up the blitz. 

Plus, he's a senior and we all know that is the Leavitt way - so B starts - I'm cool with that.

That doesn't mean we won't see a hell of a lot of Taylor and Ford in the back field.  We will see them plenty.

We all know Ford is good.  Why do you think he had so many touchdowns and the most rushing yards of all the backs. 

Because he is good and Leavitt trusts him down on the goal line. 

Leavitt has a lot of weapons right now and can use them in various situations.  Not a bad place to be.

running back by this committee will not work

Tell that to 13-0 Auburn with Ronnie Brown and Cad Williams, or to CJ Spiller and Davis, or to Reggie Bush and White (I'm sure you are a huge fan of them since you love USC so much).  Oh, and how about all those Super Bowl champions in a row with multiple running backs?  Patriots, Bucs, Steelers, Colts, and Giants (look at the playoff stats of Ahmad Bradshaw).

In other words, you have no idea what you are talking about.  It's all about how good the backs are and how you use them. 

I love our backs but seriously comparing those specific college tandems to our backfield is LOL.  Yes RBBC works when you have that kind of talent but our backs are no where near as good as those tandems.  Also the NFL is irrelevant to college comparisons and also all those NFL teams you listed had ELITE NFL lines  when they won those super bowls. 

So LOL means laughable out loud, now?  Whatever.  The only thing you said of relevance to what I said is "Yes RBBC works..." because that's what I said.  The point is that using more than 1 featured back isn't necessarily a bad thing.  I think you are selling short Ford's ability, but even if he's not NFL talent, using more than 1 back isn't a negative.

I'm all for using Ford as the featured back, but it's very possible Taylor has gotten a lot better.  All the RBs can contribute.  Using the phrase RBBC has a bad connotation.  Having depth does not.  Using depth at RB is always called RBBC.

[twillybull]

I'll take an ass-busting, hard working Ben Williams over a lacksidaisy Emmett Smith / OJ Simpson type any day.  I am in no way saying that Ford isn't busting his butt... maybe this is a motivational tool.  

If Leavitt and Franks think that should be the depth chart (and I'm sure every position will change from now until kickoff) then that's the depth chart.  I'll trust them to make the best call.

This is probably a motivational tactic, after all we don't want any of our sophomores getting a big head (mohawk or not).

[Orlando Bull]

Not for nothing, but hasn't every article written had info from coaches and people who know saying that Ford worked hard in the off season and didn't miss one workout even though they were optional?

I would swear that I have read that like 6 times.

I think it is funny that something like this comes out and people start saying that he isn't working hard, missed workouts, etc.

Coaches are motivating and not giving up any information.

They know this stuff is all over the place. I tend to agree that he probably had a bad practice and a message was being sent. Also, if you remember, our depth chart last year had two backs, so maybe it is...

1. Williams

2. Taylor

And then...

1. Ford

2. Kelly

[TRUTH D. Antagonist]

Ford had 600+ yards last season [first amongst RBs] as an out-of-shape true freshman that hadn't played a down of football in 2 years, and was splitting time with BBQ and Taylor to boot.

the guy moved the ball last year, PERIOD... and if the reports that i've read are true: that he has been practicing hard, his physical conditioning had improved and his speed has increased since last year, i don't see why this guy shouldn't get 20 touches a game.

that said, i'm not going to take anything said by the coaches this far out too seriously, but if we get two or three games into the season and Ford shows a spark when he has the ball but isn't getting sufficient touches for some odd reason, i'm calling for some coaching heads to roll.

i like BBQ.  he has all the intangibles and is amongst the best blocking backs in CFB, with soft hands to boot.  he definitely belongs on the field... BUT HE IS NOT A FEATURE BACK IN THE RUN GAME.

yes, he bailed us out of the FAU game with some huge yardage, but FAU's defense isn't exactly Auburn, and that FAU game might not have been as close as it was had Mike Ford actually f***ing played that game.

just saying.

[Bull Dozer]

Benny is number one because he know's his assignments and can pick up the blitz. 

Plus, he's a senior and we all know that is the Leavitt way - so B starts - I'm cool with that.

That doesn't mean we won't see a hell of a lot of Taylor and Ford in the back field.  We will see them plenty.

We all know Ford is good.  Why do you think he had so many touchdowns and the most rushing yards of all the backs. 

Because he is good and Leavitt trusts him down on the goal line. 

Leavitt has a lot of weapons right now and can use them in various situations.  Not a bad place to be.

running back by this committee will not work

Tell that to 13-0 Auburn with Ronnie Brown and Cad Williams, or to CJ Spiller and Davis, or to Reggie Bush and White (I'm sure you are a huge fan of them since you love USC so much).  Oh, and how about all those Super Bowl champions in a row with multiple running backs?  Patriots, Bucs, Steelers, Colts, and Giants (look at the playoff stats of Ahmad Bradshaw).

In other words, you have no idea what you are talking about.  It's all about how good the backs are and how you use them. 

I love our backs but seriously comparing those specific college tandems to our backfield is LOL.  Yes RBBC works when you have that kind of talent but our backs are no where near as good as those tandems.  Also the NFL is irrelevant to college comparisons and also all those NFL teams you listed had ELITE NFL lines  when they won those super bowls. 

So LOL means laughable out loud, now?  Whatever.  The only thing you said of relevance to what I said is "Yes RBBC works..." because that's what I said.  The point is that using more than 1 featured back isn't necessarily a bad thing.  I think you are selling short Ford's ability, but even if he's not NFL talent, using more than 1 back isn't a negative.

I'm all for using Ford as the featured back, but it's very possible Taylor has gotten a lot better.  All the RBs can contribute.  Using the phrase RBBC has a bad connotation.  Having depth does not.  Using depth at RB is always called RBBC.

You made a ****** argument  so your card got pulled on it.  RBBC works when you have a great run blocking line otherwise a back needs to get carries to get in a rhythm and get in the flow of the game.  So yes RBBC works when you have a line that can consistently generate holes which our line has been pretty spotty about.  Also to be clear i just think this move is a motivational tool for Ford, CJL does this all the time (Just look at the Chris Robinson situation currently).  Baring injury Ford should get the majority of the carries.  

[windbane]

Benny is number one because he know's his assignments and can pick up the blitz. 

Plus, he's a senior and we all know that is the Leavitt way - so B starts - I'm cool with that.

That doesn't mean we won't see a hell of a lot of Taylor and Ford in the back field.  We will see them plenty.

We all know Ford is good.  Why do you think he had so many touchdowns and the most rushing yards of all the backs. 

Because he is good and Leavitt trusts him down on the goal line. 

Leavitt has a lot of weapons right now and can use them in various situations.  Not a bad place to be.

running back by this committee will not work

Tell that to 13-0 Auburn with Ronnie Brown and Cad Williams, or to CJ Spiller and Davis, or to Reggie Bush and White (I'm sure you are a huge fan of them since you love USC so much).  Oh, and how about all those Super Bowl champions in a row with multiple running backs?  Patriots, Bucs, Steelers, Colts, and Giants (look at the playoff stats of Ahmad Bradshaw).

In other words, you have no idea what you are talking about.  It's all about how good the backs are and how you use them. 

I love our backs but seriously comparing those specific college tandems to our backfield is LOL.  Yes RBBC works when you have that kind of talent but our backs are no where near as good as those tandems.  Also the NFL is irrelevant to college comparisons and also all those NFL teams you listed had ELITE NFL lines  when they won those super bowls. 

So LOL means laughable out loud, now?  Whatever.  The only thing you said of relevance to what I said is "Yes RBBC works..." because that's what I said.  The point is that using more than 1 featured back isn't necessarily a bad thing.  I think you are selling short Ford's ability, but even if he's not NFL talent, using more than 1 back isn't a negative.

I'm all for using Ford as the featured back, but it's very possible Taylor has gotten a lot better.  All the RBs can contribute.  Using the phrase RBBC has a bad connotation.  Having depth does not.  Using depth at RB is always called RBBC.

You made a ****** argument  so your card got pulled on it.  RBBC works when you have a great run blocking line otherwise a back needs to get carries to get in a rhythm and get in the flow of the game.  So yes RBBC works when you have a line that can consistently generate holes which our line has been pretty spotty about.  Also to be clear i just think this move is a motivational tool for Ford, CJL does this all the time (Just look at the Chris Robinson situation currently).  Baring injury Ford should get the majority of the carries. 

I'm pretty sure a featured back struggles just as much when the O-line sucks.

You can call it a "****** argument" but you have done nothing to show it isn't true.  The point stands:  if you have good backs you can play more than just 1.  If you have 1 back that is better than everyone, then it's better to give the ball to that one back.

The point that I disputed is that the committee approach can't work, which is what smazza said.  Giving examples in college and pros of when it works is not a "****** argument," it's evidence of it working.  It takes a good line to run no matter what you do with running backs.

I think most people can see how good Ford is so I'm not worried about his carries yet.  I don't think he got enough last year, but he fumbled and had bruised ribs or something.  We'll see.

[BullAdrian]

No doubt that CJL knows Ford is the best runner and he just want to conserve Ford's energy so Ford can pound in late quarters.  Similiar strategy with Bucs' Mike Alstott.