All the talk about needing better WR, but what about RB?

[Irondawg]

I know we are playing 2 true freshman there which does make it hard to judge, but I keep waiting for even a handful of moments where they make an above average play. I know we have tons of other problems, but just seems we need a back capable of breaking a few tackles as against a zone we're not just going to find a bunch of seams to run through.

Seems we could use a guy who can hit what should be a decent hold and just bust through a tackle or drag a LB 3 yards? We don't appear to have that kind of bruiser on the roster and don't appear to be recruiting one either. ( I know Howard is built more like that but I'm still not sure he ends up in the class)

What are your thoughts of what kind of back you think Marks and Johnson will become?

[viverlibre]

The drop to our current RBs from Kylin Hill is unreal (i realize that Kylin's talent is off the chart). They do down so easily, never run though a tackle, make a move or regain their balance after a defender looks harshly at them.

Hopefully, it's just an adjustment period, but you can usually tell if a RB is going to be good early on in his career.

Our starter is a 4 star recruit, hopefully he puts it together.

[StarkVegasSteve]

The drop to our current RBs from Kylin Hill is unreal (i realize that Kylin's talent is off the chart). They do down so easily, never run though a tackle, make a move or regain their balance after a defender looks harshly at them.

Hopefully, it's just an adjustment period, but you can usually tell if a RB is going to be good early on in his career.

Our starter is a 4 star recruit, hopefully he puts it together.

It's really not a far drop at all. Kylin is a rotation guy in the NFL at best. He's never going to be a feature back. He doesn't have the breakaway speed or consistency(see his record number of tap outs). I can count on one hand the amount of times he had a breakaway touchdown in his 3+ years. All that jumping doesn't get you anywhere in the NFL except on the bench or the IR. If these guys had a line who could block or were able to get 1 on 1 matchups they'd be just about the same as Kylin. And I'm not trying to knock Kylin because he's a good RB, but give me a Vick Ballard or a Ladarius Perkins any day of the week over a Kylin Hill. Marks will surpass Hill before his time at MSU is done.

[viverlibre]

It's really not a far drop at all. Kylin is a rotation guy in the NFL at best. He's never going to be a feature back. He doesn't have the breakaway speed or consistency(see his record number of tap outs). I can count on one hand the amount of times he had a breakaway touchdown in his 3+ years. All that jumping doesn't get you anywhere in the NFL except on the bench or the IR. If these guys had a line who could block or were able to get 1 on 1 matchups they'd be just about the same as Kylin. And I'm not trying to knock Kylin because he's a good RB, but give me a Vick Ballard or a Ladarius Perkins any day of the week over a Kylin Hill. Marks will surpass Hill before his time at MSU is done.

Did you smoke a bowl at lunch? Kylin is (was?) one of the best RBs in college football, I have no idea of his NFL potential though. He broke a ton of tackles and made a lot of people miss. I'm not implying he broke a bunch of 60 years runs, but he turned a lot of 3 yard runs into 8 yard gains. Our current bunch turns 8 yard plays into 3 yard gains by going down easily from a shoestring tackle. Our current RBs don't seem to have his instincts (that he displayed early on), hopefully next year will be better.

I'd be glad to have Vick, Lardarus, ATrain, the Bowling Ball, Boobie, JJ, Michael Haddix, Michael Davis, Kevin Bowie, Keefer McGee (RIP), and many others. We've been spoiled at the RB position.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Did you smoke a bowl at lunch? Kylin is (was?) one of the best RBs in college football, I have no idea of his NFL potential though. He broke a ton of tackles and made a lot of people miss. I'm not implying he broke a bunch of 60 years runs, but he turned a lot of 3 yard runs into 8 yard gains. Our current bunch turns 8 yard plays into 3 yard gains by going down easily from a shoestring tackle. Our current RBs don't seem to have his instincts (that he displayed early on), hopefully next year will be better.

I'd be glad to have Vick, Lardarus, ATrain, the Bowling Ball, Boobie, JJ, Michael Haddix, Michael Davis, Kevin Bowie, Keefer McGee (RIP), and many others. We've been spoiled at the RB position.

Kylin wasn't the best running back in this conference or division. Najee Harris, Jerrion Ealy, Kevin Harris, Zamir White, Isaiah Spiller, Eric Gray....I'd take any of those players over Hill. Hell I'd take Snoop Conner over him too. Kylin isn't special. It's not hard to see. He's a solid college RB. But he's not irreplaceable and there's a lot of RBs I'd take over him. And the number one reason I'd take any of those players over him....ATTITUDE. Those guys run hard no matter the situation. Kylin runs hard when it's convenient for Kylin.

And no, I'm not smoking a bowl.....although to get through this season I've needed one a few times.

[viverlibre]

Kylin wasn't the best running back in this conference or division. Najee Harris, Jerrion Ealy, Kevin Harris, Zamir White, Isaiah Spiller, Eric Gray....I'd take any of those players over Hill. Hell I'd take Snoop Conner over him too. Kylin isn't special. It's not hard to see. He's a solid college RB. But he's not irreplaceable and there's a lot of RBs I'd take over him. And the number one reason I'd take any of those players over him....ATTITUDE. Those guys run hard no matter the situation. Kylin runs hard when it's convenient for Kylin.

And no, I'm not smoking a bowl.....although to get through this season I've needed one a few times.

I think there is a little recency bias in your analysis. I checked two rankings of RBs going into the 2020 season, he was rated number 9 by 24/7 and 6 by Athlon, that's for the nation, not the SEC. I don't like what he did either, but to argue he was not a top RB in college football (going into 2020) is crazy talk.

[Matt3467]

Did you smoke a bowl at lunch? Kylin is (was?) one of the best RBs in college football, I have no idea of his NFL potential though. He broke a ton of tackles and made a lot of people miss. I'm not implying he broke a bunch of 60 years runs, but he turned a lot of 3 yard runs into 8 yard gains. Our current bunch turns 8 yard plays into 3 yard gains by going down easily from a shoestring tackle. Our current RBs don't seem to have his instincts (that he displayed early on), hopefully next year will be better.

I'd be glad to have Vick, Lardarus, ATrain, the Bowling Ball, Boobie, JJ, Michael Haddix, Michael Davis, Kevin Bowie, Keefer McGee (RIP), and many others. We've been spoiled at the RB position.

Hill disappeared in the big games. He racked up the majority of his yardage vs inferior competition. Maybe I'm being overly harsh as well because I've really grown to despise him for tap outs.

[FISHDAWG]

Hill disappeared in the big games. He racked up the majority of his yardage vs inferior competition. Maybe I'm being overly harsh as well because I've really grown to despise him for tap outs.

he also disappeared for the season .... the Ultimate Tap-Out

[Matt3467]

It's really not a far drop at all. Kylin is a rotation guy in the NFL at best. He's never going to be a feature back. He doesn't have the breakaway speed or consistency(see his record number of tap outs). I can count on one hand the amount of times he had a breakaway touchdown in his 3+ years. All that jumping doesn't get you anywhere in the NFL except on the bench or the IR. If these guys had a line who could block or were able to get 1 on 1 matchups they'd be just about the same as Kylin. And I'm not trying to knock Kylin because he's a good RB, but give me a Vick Ballard or a Ladarius Perkins any day of the week over a Kylin Hill. Marks will surpass Hill before his time at MSU is done.

Right. I said before that aside from the Shumpert/Holloway era I'd rather have every starting back and many of our backups (Ducre, Griffin recently off the top of my head) from the past 26 or more years over Hill any day.

We've had Aeris Williams, Josh Robinson, Perkins, Ballard, Dixon, Norwood, Dicenzo Miller, James Johnson, Keffer McGee. Give me any one of those over Hill any day.

[R2Dawg]

Right. I said before that aside from the Shumpert/Holloway era I'd rather have every starting back and many of our backups (Ducre, Griffin recently off the top of my head) from the past 26 or more years over Hill any day.

We've had Aeris Williams, Josh Robinson, Perkins, Ballard, Dixon, Norwood, Dicenzo Miller, James Johnson, Keffer McGee. Give me any one of those over Hill any day.

Agree with that list better than Hill. Boy we have had some great RB over the years. A few other older ones - Haddix, Roberts, Davis, Bouie,

[Captain Falcon]

I am not really sure you can take much away from our RB play this year. We rarely run the ball and when we throw it to them they usually have to zero open field to work with. It's not like they are getting brought down a lot in one on one situations in the open field, they are often getting the ball with their backs turned to the defense and two or three guys waiting to hit them. It's hard to expect much from them when they are facing such an uphill battle to get any kind of yards right now.

[FISHDAWG]

We need another Ladarius Perkins for this system

[Brahmabull]

Our running backs will be fine once they go thru a full offseason in weight program. Need to strengthen lower body to help with tackle breaking.

[ShotgunDawg]

Our running backs will be fine once they go thru a full offseason in weight program. Need to strengthen lower body to help with tackle breaking.

This.

Mark looks great except he isn't strong enough yet. Once he adds some leg strength, he'll be breaking those tackles.

[Activated Alpha]

Give me Aeris Williams all day long. Over the past 15 years he has been one of the most underrated backs. Hell, if we had 2017 Aeris on our 2014 team we probably beat Alabama and Ole Miss

[R2Dawg]

Give me Aeris Williams all day long. Over the past 15 years he has been one of the most underrated backs. Hell, if we had 2017 Aeris on our 2014 team we probably beat Alabama and Ole Miss

I liked AW a lot too. Since AD, I think my favorite is Vic Ballard.

Back to topic, our backs are just fine for what Leach does. Leach ain't getting no backs like MSU is used to as long as he is here, ain't what he wants. No back like that wants to come here either for a team that passes 75 times a game.

[RiverCityDawg]

I tend to agree. I'm not counting the times they catch it an immediately get hit, so even setting those aside it just seems like they are making very few miss and not breaking very many tackles. I'm not writing them off, but we really need a big sophomore jump from those two.

[Cooterpoot]

I expect some shake up in the RB group. Both are solid & different styles. Hoping we can pull White.

[msstate7]

I really think it will be hard to pull upper talent backs with sec offers. Would you wanna play in this offense as a rb?

[Todd4State]

I really think it will be hard to pull upper talent backs with sec offers. Would you wanna play in this offense as a rb?

Actually, I would say our offense showcases a running back better in some ways than others because we ask the running backs to catch the ball a lot. And we also don't rely on them like we did a JJ Johnson so it prevents wear and tear- which could equal a lot of money long term.