RB situation for 2013

[War Machine Dawg]

I propose J-Rob carries the load and starts. Use Perk as a 3rd down/receiving/change-of-pace back to J-Rob. You gotta be hella physical to be a between the tackles runner in the SEC. I love Perk, but he ain't that guy. J-Rob is. I can probably count on one hand how many times I saw one guy tackle J-Rob or knock him down on contact last year. Seemed like he ALWAYS fell forward for an extra 1-3 yards. He reminded me a lot of Boobie in that regard.

If Griffin hadn't torn up his knee, I'd be on his bandwagon. But considering all the issues he had, particularly mental, coming back from his first ACL, I can't really get on board with him. That's always subject to change if he comes back and looks like he did at the end of last season. But I'm in "show me" mode with him.

I'm just not a big Milton fan. He looks the part, but you gotta hold on to the damn ball. He can't do that. Frankly, he was the 4th best back last season. I just don't see that changing.

Shumpert is a lock to redshirt.

All that said, we all know what WILL happen: Perk will start, take the bulk of the carries, and struggle to run between the tackles against legit SEC defenses. J-Rob/Griffin will look really good in limited touches due to their physicality, but won't get enough touches to matter. And Perk will be very underutilized in the passing game. But if we truly are going to see more of TR under center, we damn well better put a more physical back behind him in the I or one-back set.

[BogeyGolfer]

that means you don't have one that can get the job done. I agree with Todd, Robinson should be our every down back and use Perkins in the "athlete" role. I can't believe how many of you still want Perkins to be the man when it's obvious he can't run between the tackles. I'm not convinced that Shumpert will be at RB, he may end up at safety, just ask anyone who watched him play in high school where they think he needs to play.

[mathistondawg]

I want to see milton play for consecutive downs

[War Machine Dawg]

OK- this is crazy. But it's what I would do.

Use Perkins as an athlete. Line him up in the backfield, in the slot, put him in motion. We need to throw the ball to him some to take full advantage of him. He has shown that he can run routes, can be used in the screen game and he can also be an effective RB if he can get to the corner.

You aren't crazy, Todd. That's EXACTLY how Perk should be used. He's a wild card, do-it-all type that needs to be exploited. What he ISN'T is an every down RB capable of pounding it between the tackles against SEC DLines.

[PendingTransaction]

If we don't run block any better than we did last year, it won't matter who is running the ball.

[msstate7]

If we don't run block any better than we did last year, it won't matter who is running the ball.

I look for the ol to have a great year. Day, Malone, and esp Jackson are going to open up some holes in the middle.

[BeastMan]

WMD, I promise I wouldn't lie to you. Ask anyone that has gone to multiple practices and watched these guys in person a lot. Ladarius is our best back and it isn't even close. JRob and Milton both have bright spots but neither pass block well. JRobs doesn't receive out of the backfield well and Milton has to work on getting b/t the tackles grind it out yards. You aren't alone in wanting JRob to be the starter but I've never understood where that comes from. I think he'll be a dang good back for us but our fans hype him like he is the 2nd coming of Barry Sanders.

[Raytoraid83]

Perkins is probably the most under appreciated guy on the team. The man ran for over 1000 yds last year.

[FISHDAWG]

not crazy at all ... I like the idea of moving Perk around ... the defense would have a headache keeping up with him

[Coach34]

If we don't run block any better than we did last year, it won't matter who is running the ball.

alot of that had to do with scheme more than it did the OL- and why you are seeing us getting more TE's involved, as well as getting under center.

[FISHDAWG]

same here ... I only remember Milton making 1 fumble (and it was pretty bad) last year and now it seems like he has been labeled as a fumbler (if that's a word)

[Coach34]

You aren't alone in wanting JRob to be the starter but I've never understood where that comes from. I think he'll be a dang good back for us but our fans hype him like he is the 2nd coming of Barry Sanders.

He averaged over 6 ypc last season.
He had 2 different games in which he had a 50+ yard run- and then barely touched the ball again.

Last year's bowl game:

JRob 7 carries, 91 yards
LDP- 19 carries, 84 yards

People want to see JRob get 15 carries and let's see what happens.

[War Machine Dawg]

Exactly, Coach. I don't give a damn what these guys look like in practice. I'm sure Perk looks like a beast running against our questionable DL. But I know what my eyeballs told me in real SEC games last year: Perk isn't physical enough to run between the tackles against LSU, Bama, aTm, etc. I love the guy, and have said for a while he needs more touches, but those touches need to come in the passing game & runs to the edge. Let J-Rob tote the mail between the tackles. He gets YAC, Perk doesn't. It's really that simple.

As for Perk going for 1000 yards, I admit it's a great accomplishment. But go back and look at his game-by-game totals. How many of those 1000 came against our best opponents? I'd say fewer than 250. He was great at going for ~100 yards against JSU, Troy, TN, etc. But when teams with REAL DLs came along, he struggled big time. Perk has a role, and it should be a big one. But that role isn't as an every down RB.

[War Machine Dawg]

same here ... I only remember Milton making 1 fumble (and it was pretty bad) last year and now it seems like he has been labeled as a fumbler (if that's a word)

It wasn't just fumbles in games, Fish. It's that we'd heard all last spring & into fall that he'd had butterfingers in practice, too. Then he comes out and has about 4 fumbles in games. THAT'S why he's been labeled as not being able to hold onto the ball. If it was just 1 fumble in a game, it's not an issue. But it's been an ongoing problem with him for over a year, by all accounts.

[BeastMan]

What your eyes told you in real SEC games? JRob had 55carries and few were against the "real SEC" games as you say. Milton didn't fumble 4x last year. No idea where you got that from. I have no issue with you liking JRob, I like him too but you thinking he is better than LP just isn't close to the truth.

[FISHDAWG]

thanks for clearing that up ... wasn't aware of the problem in practice and I could only remember 1 fumble (but it was at a really bad time to fumble) ... I hope he can get it together because the guy looks like a tank