Kristen Hoskins - a Gopher recruiting hidden gem

[Gopher_In_NYC]

The small guys I see that succeed are either the fastest guys on the field (often these guys still are just mainly return specialist) or are also extremely well built and strong,

Agreed they are ripped, they can break tackles add are durable.

Good list below, but a couple of them, did have excellent pro careers -

Sproles

• 3× Pro Bowl (2014–2016)
• NFL 2010s All-Decade Team
• First-team All-American(2003) - an amazing college player

Loved his game and he was 5’6” 190 lbs.

Jones Drew

• 2× First-team All-Pro(2010, 2011)
• Second-team All-Pro(2009)
• 3× Pro Bowl (2009–2011)
• NFL rushing yards leader(2011)

8,147 career rushing yards in 9 seasons with 2,944 receiving yards and 79 TDs.

Loved his game also, I was an undersized PF in hoops - do they hold a special spot in my fandom, and he was 5’7” 210 lbs

By comparison, Hoskins came in at 160 and is listed at 175 now.

but are just short like Maurice Jones Drew, Darren Sproles, Jacquizz Rodgers for example. Trindon Holiday, Chris Rainy, and Jeff Demps would be the speedster types that actually carved out larger roles in college, but didn’t transition those roles to the NFL.

 

[Tech Machine]

When you take as many bullets as I do sometimes you gotta stand up and remind people you were right on occasion.

Nothing wrong with being right. Even just occasionally, I know how that goes.

 

[btowngopher]

And Ky Thomas has been the #1 RB on the Kent State roster for two years with over 4 yards per carry on a bad team. So, not exactly a bust.

4 ypc is an extremely low bar.

 

[btowngopher]

Ky Thomas averaged 5 yards a carry as a freshman. He was impressive.

Hasn’t been since he left.

 

[SeaBee_Gopher]

The small guys I see that succeed are either the fastest guys on the field (often these guys still are just mainly return specialist) or are also extremely well built and strong, but are just short like Maurice Jones Drew, Darren Sproles, Jacquizz Rodgers for example. Trindon Holiday, Chris Rainy, and Jeff Demps would be the speedster types that actually carved out larger roles in college, but didn’t transition those roles to the NFL.

Or super quick. It's amazing sometimes seeing the jitterbugs among the giants. The quickness difference is very evident.

 

[Deusen]

Best of luck to Kristen. I know your still lightning in a bottle so go do it. Go Gophers

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

Wasn’t there like one Edwards run in a non-conference game that he absolutely exploded down the sideline for like a 40 yard gain? And that was basically the entirety of his output at the U.

I also remember being pumped about getting him and then seeing him and how small he was.

Good example of how raw speed alone just doesn’t do it all by itself.

I really wanted him to work out.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

And Ky Thomas has been the #1 RB on the Kent State roster for two years with over 4 yards per carry on a bad team. So, not exactly a bust.

Ky Thomas didn’t play a snap in 2023.
Kent Stare is 1-23 since he enrolled there.
Last year he had 500 yards and 1 TD on an 0-12 team. He had more yards and TDs in his time splitting carries at MN than he has had in the three years since, combined.
I’m not trying to rip on Ky Thomas but he hasn’t found success since he left. Pretty much every order RB on that roster has been significantly more successful.

If you think a Big 10 recruit isn’t a bust because he can get some playing time at one of the worst Bcs programs in the history of college football, I think we have different expectations.

 

[60's Guy]

Ky Thomas didn’t play a snap in 2023.
Kent Stare is 1-23 since he enrolled there.
Last year he had 500 yards and 1 TD on an 0-12 team. He had more yards and TDs in his time splitting carries at MN than he has had in the three years since, combined.
I’m not trying to rip on Ky Thomas but he hasn’t found success since he left. Pretty much every order RB on that roster has been significantly more successful.

If you think a Big 10 recruit isn’t a bust because he can get some playing time at one of the worst Bcs programs in the history of college football, I think we have different expectations.

Simply comparing the production of Thomas to that of Hoskins. Not suggesting Ky Thomas has been spectacular but that he has been more productive than Hoskins.
Note: It is difficult to gain yards on a bad team, with a bad record.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

Simply comparing the production of Thomas to that of Hoskins. Not suggesting Ky Thomas has been spectacular but that he has been more productive than Hoskins.
Note: It is difficult to gain yards on a bad team, with a bad record.

Note: it’s easier to get playing time and carries on a bad team.

 

[btowngopher]

Simply comparing the production of Thomas to that of Hoskins. Not suggesting Ky Thomas has been spectacular but that he has been more productive than Hoskins.
Note: It is difficult to gain yards on a bad team, with a bad record.

Joking aside, I do think you were on to something with this one. I think Hoskins speed was probably exaggerated, but also let’s not just assume he can’t be a good player just because the coaches haven’t given him the opportunity.

 

[Ski-U-Ham]

Joking aside, I do think you were on to something with this one. I think Hoskins speed was probably exaggerated, but also let’s not just assume he can’t be a good player just because the coaches haven’t given him the opportunity.

Every practice is an opportunity

 

[John Galt]

Agreed they are ripped, they can break tackles add are durable.

Good list below, but a couple of them, did have excellent pro careers -

Sproles

• 3× Pro Bowl (2014–2016)
• NFL 2010s All-Decade Team
• First-team All-American(2003) - an amazing college player

Loved his game and he was 5’6” 190 lbs.

Jones Drew

• 2× First-team All-Pro(2010, 2011)
• Second-team All-Pro(2009)
• 3× Pro Bowl (2009–2011)
• NFL rushing yards leader(2011)

8,147 career rushing yards in 9 seasons with 2,944 receiving yards and 79 TDs.

Loved his game also, I was an undersized PF in hoops - do they hold a special spot in my fandom, and he was 5’7” 210 lbs

By comparison, Hoskins came in at 160 and is listed at 175 now.

If you have to go back 10-15 years to find an example, your example probably blows.

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

If you have to go back 10-15 years to find an example, your example probably blows.

Awesome to see the Yuletide Spirit has you in its grip

Those weren’t my examples, champ. I was responding to a specific poster who posted those players (post 51, it’s after post 50 and before post 52) and said they didn’t have success as pros, whereas my data refuted that premise, ☀.

Nice try, but as usual when you try to “get me”, you whiff. Happy Holidays

 

[btowngopher]

Awesome to see the Yuletide Spirit has you in its grip

Those weren’t my examples, champ. I was responding to a specific poster who posted those players (post 51, it’s after post 50 and before post 52) and said they didn’t have success as pros, whereas my data refuted that premise, ☀.

Nice try, but as usual when you try to “get me”, you whiff. Happy Holidays

I actually said Holiday, Rainy, and Demps didn’t have success. As to my examples being old, yeah they are, never said small players succeeding is commonplace, just pointing out the type of small players that I’ve seen succeed, they don’t grow on trees obviously.

 

[Gopher_In_NYC]

I actually said Holiday, Rainy, and Demps didn’t have success. As to my examples being old, yeah they are, never said small players succeeding is commonplace, just pointing out the type of small players that I’ve seen succeed, they don’t grow on trees obviously.

We’re on the same page regarding your above comments and I was directly responding to a poster, who occasionally stalks me on the sports board, as he misses my “wisdom” from the OTB. I felt your examples were excellent and as correctly noted, those type of diminutive athletes who are impactful, are rare in any sport, a handful off the top of my head: Jose Altuve, Ozzie Albies, Spud Webb and Mugsy Boggs - all under 5’8”.

I misread your initial post, didn’t see the correct punctuation regarding the players including Jones Drew and Sproles, my bad, and Demp and his cohorts.