Thoughts on Greg Knox?

[ShotgunDawg]

I think Greg Knox is somewhat of a fascinating coach for us right now & was just curious what everyone else's thoughts were

On one hand I believe it's almost criminal how Knox has handled our running back situation this year. We don't play the most talented players, have failed to develop the young guys in over a year, have misevaluated the RB over the past few years that has led us to the spot we are now, & the RBs are fumbling like it's going out of style. Overall, this position units has been absolutely brutal this season. About the only thing they've done well is catch balls out of the backfield.

On the other, and I not sure how many people realize this, Knox is our special teams coordinator & this is possibly the best special teams that MSU has had in the Mullen era. Our starting kicker hasn't missed yet, we've returned a kickoff for a TD, a punt for a TD, another kickoff called back on a phantom hold, our punting has been relatively consistent, considering how much we punt, & we've blocked a punt two weeks in a row.

So, with one position unit Knox is doing his worst job since he's been at MSU & at another position unit, he's doing his best work.

It's just interesting how this is working out.

Is there any chance that the addition of Special Teams to his list of responsibilities has taken away from the time he needs to be spending with the running backs?

[Jack Lambert]

Shump hasn't panned out. He still might. I remember Norwoods first two season not being really good and then the light came on for him. So you never know. The other guys are young and Holloway is just too small. However if Williams can ever prove to Dan that he can hold on to the ball he would get the start.

[thf24]

Interesting problem indeed. One positive I see in it is that if he is playing enough of a role in special teams to take away from his primary running backs coach duties, it means Mullen has finally relinquished a significant amount of control in that area. If you're right, Shotgun, the new problem is that we need to find someone else to handle special teams other than a key position coach.

[Irondawg]

I do know this. When D. Lee fumbled he had the ball in the inside hand and not the outside, just like Williams did against A&M. My immeidate thought is that either these young RB's are slow learners or they weren't coached hard enough to not make the same mistake in back to back weeks.

There's not telling who is to blame for our craptastic running game this year. Reality is that it's probably a bunch of little things that when put together equal our big problem.

[ShotgunDawg]

Interesting problem indeed. One positive I see in it is that if he is playing enough of a role in special teams to take away from his primary running backs coach duties, it means Mullen has finally relinquished a significant amount of control in that area. If you're right, Shotgun, the new problem is that we need to find someone else to handle special teams other than a key position coach.

You can only have so many coaches, so you have to allocate them in a smart way. Personally, I think Knox has done a poor job this year with the running backs in somewhat of a transition year. I'm almost certain that the coaches didn't project in their recruiting that Robinson would leave early & thus didn't recruit a JUCO running back. Looking at the JUCO running backs from last year, there were only two that were worth a crap & both committed early. So this left our coaches up a creek without a paddle.

However, with most of the offensive line returning next year, Lee, Williams, & possibly Dear being a year older, Nick Gibson getting into the mix, & Mullen having a QB that he isn't afraid to get hurt, I expect the running game to improve dramatically.

[Pinto]

We have to keep Knox for his recruiting. Also, how much of the rb problems is him and how much is Mullen. Mullen loves upper class men .

[ShotgunDawg]

We have to keep Knox for his recruiting. Also, how much of the rb problems is him and how much is Mullen. Mullen loves upper class men .

Yeah, I'm not sure. I know our special teams have gotten better under Knox, but I'm not sure how much of that is him or Mullen

[justwin]

great topic.

the only thing that I come up with is maybe Mullen is right in the way he's doing this to prepare for the final push. I'm over questioning it.

Maybe giving Holloway all of those snaps and catches last weekend has permanently gotten him to where he catches everything out of the backfield, boost his confidence, etc. There was a point in his career where he couldn't catch and he made several nice acrobatic catches vs La Tech which is a 180 from where he was. I have to think they know that you can't keep going to the well with Holloway, but maybe they wanted him to get ready for the final stretch by getting several touches in spite of going to the well vs La Tech. I have to think it was predetermined to get him a dozen touches last week.

I like how they're using Shump now. Very limited touches. So, progress on that front.

When I saw Aeris Williams make the catch for 3 yards and the quick pass by Dak this past weekend where he got hit as soon as he caught it, it finally confirmed that Aeris is better all around than Shump. That same type of outlet pass to the flat has been dropped twice by Shump and the one Williams caught was as tough to catch as Shump's two drops if not tougher.

the burst, vision, and toughness that Lee & Williams have running the ball is a necessary ingredient that we need going forward. We're slowly adding them to the recipe. Not as quickly as I (or most) would like though

So, to answer your question, I'm anxious to see if this trend continues through Mizzou. Ideal trend being Dak gets 1/3rd of the carries; Williams/Lee get 1/2 the carries and Holloway gets the remaining 15% of the carries vs Bama. Overall, I still need to see our run game next two weeks to come to a better conclusion.

I don't think ST has affected Knox's RB abilities though.



I think Greg Knox is somewhat of a fascinating coach for us right now & was just curious what everyone else's thoughts were

On one hand I believe it's almost criminal how Knox has handled our running back situation this year. We don't play the most talented players, have failed to develop the young guys in over a year, have misevaluated the RB over the past few years that has led us to the spot we are now, & the RBs are fumbling like it's going out of style. Overall, this position units has been absolutely brutal this season. About the only thing they've done well is catch balls out of the backfield.

On the other, and I not sure how many people realize this, Knox is our special teams coordinator & this is possibly the best special teams that MSU has had in the Mullen era. Our starting kicker hasn't missed yet, we've returned a kickoff for a TD, a punt for a TD, another kickoff called back on a phantom hold, our punting has been relatively consistent, considering how much we punt, & we've blocked a punt two weeks in a row.

So, with one position unit Knox is doing his worst job since he's been at MSU & at another position unit, he's doing his best work.

It's just interesting how this is working out.

Is there any chance that the addition of Special Teams to his list of responsibilities has taken away from the time he needs to be spending with the running backs?

[blacklistedbully]

I think you don't judge him on one season. We usually have a damn good run game. How long has Knox been our RB coach? And as has already been pointed out, he's a damn good recruiter.

Let's not throw-the-baby-out-with-the-bathwater.

[Barking 13]

Isn't Hev our "run game coordinator"? I think he may need some of the blame also.

[Coach34]

Isn't Hev our "run game coordinator"? I think he may need some of the blame also.

In title only. Hev does wtf Mullen tells him

Knox is one of our better Crooters also. I blame the RB situation on Walsh-Mullen....not Knox. Mullen can always look at Knox and say- "keep the damn Freshmen in there"

[shoeless joe]

Knox is a very good coach and great recruiter. Based on the latest I've heard I fully expect Aeris to get a lot more PT this next week. Hopefully that's not just smoke being blown.

[Todd4State]

I can't/don't believe that Knox is making the final call on which running back plays the most. I blame Dan for all of that. It sounds to me like Lee did something earlier in the season like missed curfew and it pissed Dan off and got him in the doghouse. The problem is the upperclassmen aren't performing and Lee/Williams are so now Dan is grasping at straws trying to find excuses to tell the fans why they aren't playing more. The narrative changes every week from not doing enough film study to blocking-which is hilarious when you watch Holloway "block", and now they fumble too much- it's to the point where no one is buying it.

But I think you also have to look at the big picture with Knox- Dixon, Ballard, and Robinson are all in the NFL. Two of those guys are playing big roles for their teams right now and the other has been beset with injuries. I still wouldn't be surprised if the NFL gives Shumpert a shot at FB. Perkins has been a practice squad guy. So, literally every year our starting RB has made the league at least as a practice squad guy.

And then you look at our backs now- Lee has about the same average per carry as Chubb and Fournette. Williams looks really good also. It's not Knox's fault- or Hevesey's fault for that matter that Dan is choosing to handcuff the offense because he wants to be Bill Walsh Mullen.

[Todd4State]

Knox is a very good coach and great recruiter. Based on the latest I've heard I fully expect Aeris to get a lot more PT this next week. Hopefully that's not just smoke being blown.

I hope you are right. I actually thought Aeris would start this past week and I was obviously wrong. Whatever happens, I do not expect Lee to be named the starter because I think he is in Dan's doghouse until this year is over. But that's not to say that we won't have Aeris as the starter and Lee getting the number two reps and basically splitting carries at some point going forward.

[Schultzy]

I do know this. When D. Lee fumbled he had the ball in the inside hand and not the outside, just like Williams did against A&M. My immeidate thought is that either these young RB's are slow learners or they weren't coached hard enough to not make the same mistake in back to back weeks.

There's not telling who is to blame for our craptastic running game this year. Reality is that it's probably a bunch of little things that when put together equal our big problem.
I'm being told by people in coaching circles they don't teach outside hand anymore to running backs. Not sure if accurate but they pointed out to me that Perkins carried left hand only his whole career.