True freshman running back

Donate To GopherHole
S

swingman

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 12, 2010
Messages
3,143
Reaction score
2,022
Points
113
Ferentz finding a playmaker in true frosh RB.

Noticed PJ gave true frosh Hoskins a play vs Nebraska.

Interested to see if we see any more for Hoskins and if true frosh RB Evans gets any run down the stretch.

Maybe the Smith kid on the d-line as well?

 

I'm itching to see Evans at RB now that he's healthy and there's 4 games left including the bowl. Not a lot of carries behind Mo though, and Potts and Williams have demonstrated talent -- although I'd argue there's been something "off" with Potts.
 

MGGopher said:
I'm itching to see Evans at RB now that he's healthy and there's 4 games left including the bowl. Not a lot of carries behind Mo though, and Potts and Williams have demonstrated talent -- although I'd argue there's been something "off" with Potts.
Click to expand...
Agreed, I love Potts and I'm surprised he made a return after his health scare, but he has not been the same since. Seems to not be able to break a tackle at the line of scrimmage and doesn't have the speed to break around the edge. I'd love to be able to watch Evans here at the end of season if he is healthy
 


MGGopher said:
I'm itching to see Evans at RB now that he's healthy and there's 4 games left including the bowl. Not a lot of carries behind Mo though, and Potts and Williams have demonstrated talent -- although I'd argue there's been something "off" with Potts.
Click to expand...
I would not all be surprised if PJ hits the portal for an RB. Will be a lot to sell to a guy like Kenneth Walker was for Mich St. Would greatly prefer we don’t stand pat
 



cheeseheadgophfan said:
Watching highlights, Darius Taylor. has some of the best film I've ever seen from a HS running back. Not real big, and i know it's a big transition, but he could play as a freshman. All we heard was rave reviews on Evans during summer/fall practice.
Click to expand...
Darius Taylor's Highlights reminds me of Bucky Irving in a way, hopefully just without the transferring part...
 

btowngopher said:
I don’t think Potts and Williams are not good enough to be the featured rbs in an offense that runs as much as we do. If you are going to run this much you need really good rbs if you want a good offense.
Click to expand...
What?
 

btowngopher said:
I don’t think Potts and Williams are not good enough to be the featured rbs in an offense that runs as much as we do. If you are going to run this much you need really good rbs if you want a good offense.
Click to expand...

I would definitely agree. Granted Mo is excellent, but the drop off is drastic to Potts and Williams.
 



swingman said:
Maybe the Smith kid on the d-line as well?

Click to expand...

I remember seeing Smith get a little playing time in one of our early season blowouts. According to Sports Reference, he's appeared in 2 games.
 



GopherTakes said:
Darius Taylor's Highlights reminds me of Bucky Irving in a way, hopefully just without the transferring part...
Click to expand...

The other incoming freshman RB, Marquese Williams, had 27 D1 offers with 19 of those coming from P5 + Notre Dame. He was offered by 6 Big Ten schools (Minnesota, Iowa, Penn State, Michigan State, Maryland, and Rutgers).
 



btowngopher said:
I don’t think Potts and Williams are good enough to be the featured rbs in an offense that runs as much as we do. If you are going to run this much you need really good rbs if you want a good offense.
Click to expand...
Totally agree with you. Would sure be nice to still have Irving
 

Fresh legs this time of year on an RB are a great thing to have. Maybe Evans can provide that in the late season this year.
 

Next year, it will be interesting to see if we have a RB by committee strategy, or if one of them emerges as the bell cow we lean on. Can we have a successful running game without one featured back (like Mo)?
 


GopherTakes said:
Agreed, I love Potts and I'm surprised he made a return after his health scare, but he has not been the same since. Seems to not be able to break a tackle at the line of scrimmage and doesn't have the speed to break around the edge. I'd love to be able to watch Evans here at the end of season if he is healthy
Click to expand...
He's having almost the exact same type of season as last year statistically.
 


PMWinSTP said:
He's having almost the exact same type of season as last year statistically.
Click to expand...
Yeah his average is identical. I never would have guessed he was averaging 4.9ypc. Was that padded in some games against weaker teams? I feel like it hasn't been close to that against the better teams, whereas Mo seems to find his yards just about against anyone.
 

Word said:
IF MBS doesn't turn a sure TD into an INT, we beat Purdue.
Click to expand...
He catches that pass, we likely win that game and destiny is in our own control right now. MBS has to see the bench right now
 

PMWinSTP said:
He's having almost the exact same type of season as last year statistically.
Click to expand...

The geek in me guesses that if you took Potts median yards per carry, and not the average, if would be significantly lower. Potts has had a few long runs that probably skew the average upwards; he's taken way too many tackles-for-loss.
 
Last edited:

Word said:
Yeah his average is identical. I never would have guessed he was averaging 4.9ypc. Was that padded in some games against weaker teams? I feel like it hasn't been close to that against the better teams, whereas Mo seems to find his yards just about against anyone.
Click to expand...
With Mo back, his carries are way more spread out, so we are not seeing him take a bunch or majority of carries at any given time.
 

Panthadad2 said:
The geek in me guesses that if you took Potts median yards per carry, and not the average, if would be significantly lower. Potts has had a few long runs that probably skew the average upwards; he's taken way to many tackles-for-loss.
Click to expand...
One for 40, the next longest is 16 yards. When you have an RB who hardly ever has a TFL, anyone else in comparison looks bad, but I think Potts is pretty average in that stat.
 

GopherJack said:
Next year, it will be interesting to see if we have a RB by committee strategy, or if one of them emerges as the bell cow we lean on. Can we have a successful running game without one featured back (like Mo)?
Click to expand...
We did in 2019.
 

cjbfbp said:
The other incoming freshman RB, Marquese Williams, had 27 D1 offers with 19 of those coming from P5 + Notre Dame. He was offered by 6 Big Ten schools (Minnesota, Iowa, Penn State, Michigan State, Maryland, and Rutgers).
Click to expand...
yes dont sleep on him either!!

im excited for the 3 freshman RB's we will have on the roster next year in Evans, Taylor, & Williams

and here is a nice article just released about Williams
247sports.com

Minnesota RB commit Marquese Williams knows work needed for Big Ten success

Running back Marquese Williams, a Minnesota commit, knows what it will take to be successful in the Big Ten.
247sports.com 247sports.com
 

MGGopher said:
I'm itching to see Evans at RB now that he's healthy and there's 4 games left including the bowl. Not a lot of carries behind Mo though, and Potts and Williams have demonstrated talent -- although I'd argue there's been something "off" with Potts.
Click to expand...
Problem with the RB situation is that MO gets better as the game goes on and no one else gets any rythm. Maybe Evans has that ability to just jump in in spots. Hoskins has now played 2, so he could play 2 more. Not worth burning his Red-Shirt at this point.
 

From Iowa 247: Johnson 31 on most recent depth chart

Kaleb Johnson is emerging as one of the best freshman running backs in the country. The big-bodied runner put together his best career performance against the Boilermakers. He finished with 200 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries. He was bouncing off tacklers, making proper cuts and was an all-around pest for the Boilermaker defense. With three regular season games to go, Johnson is putting together one of the best freshman seasons for an Iowa running back ever.

After that performance against Purdue, Johnson put up 57 rushing yards on 22 carries against Wisconsin. Still, he came up with plays when Iowa needed him too and he'll look to get those tough yards against a good Minnesota defense this week.

"He just keeps improving. And there are a couple things to correct tomorrow," Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said. "I know that. Some switching the ball a little bit in traffic, things like that. There were a couple of them looked like he could have taken it north a little faster instead of going to the sideline. He's done a nice job. He's grown each week and has a great attitude. That's been consistent since we got going. He has a great attitude. He enjoys playing. You can see that when you watch him and he enjoys practice, too. Leshon did a good job. Hopefully we get Gavin, hopefully nothing too serious with him."
 

MaxyJR1 said:
Problem with the RB situation is that MO gets better as the game goes on and no one else gets any rythm. Maybe Evans has that ability to just jump in in spots. Hoskins has now played 2, so he could play 2 more. Not worth burning his Red-Shirt at this point.
Click to expand...
Yeah Mo seems to really get going in the second half. I imagine its because he tires out defenses and will lay his head straight into the chest of the guy coming at him.

I'd honestly love to see Evans play the opposite of Mo, hit the edge and explode in the gap.
 

MaxyJR1 said:
Problem with the RB situation is that MO gets better as the game goes on and no one else gets any rythm. Maybe Evans has that ability to just jump in in spots. Hoskins has now played 2, so he could play 2 more. Not worth burning his Red-Shirt at this point.
Click to expand...
What is the playing limits to retain red shirt?
 

You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom