AU's Next 1000 yd Rusher

[Tigersin10 0]

I gotta go with Omac as well. Mainly because of senior leadership and experience.

Until someone else gains the coaches trust in game time situations.

[Plaric 4]

Tre or Kiehl.....either our line will perform and Tre will be running hard....or our line wont perform and Kiehl will be running for his life...

[Rednilla 5,449]

Guys, let us not forget that Dyer ran for 1,000 as a true freshman with Mario Fannin and OMac both to split carries with, not to mention the amount Cam ran the ball. Just because OMac is a senior doesn't mean that he's going to get significantly more carries; running the ball is one of the easiest transitions a high school player can make going to college. Onterio might be in more often in passing situations because of his blocking ability and the penchant he has shown for catching the ball out of the backfield, but that's not going to help his rushing yards.

Quite honestly, he's the only one that I can't see getting to 1,000. The only way I see him even getting close is if he averages better than 8 yards a carry again, like he did in 2010, but I rather doubt he's going to be the third biggest threat on the ground, and as such I think he'll be keyed upon more than he was during the NC run.

If I had to choose one, I'd go with Blakely. It's close, but I don't think there's an appreciable difference between him and Dyer as a runner, and I think he's going to end up being the closest thing to a bell cow that we have running the ball.

[AUSWEN 0]

Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if Omac has more receiving yards than rushing yards this year.

[lionheartkc 6,150]

I picked Grant... no because of raw talent but because of heart.  From everything I read about what he had done this year and last year, it just seems like he's the kind of guy who sets his sites on being the best and doesn't stop working until he gets there.

[AU64 10,122]

Omac had over 30 catches last year....I see more this season.  I hope we are able to redshirt Jovon.  

IMO, it would be a waste to have five RBs and then be splitting the carries among them.    JMO of course but the team can get the same yardage with two RBs (or 3 RBs) plus Omac and KF than it would with four RBs.   Better for Jovon to spend some time in "development" unless there are some injuries.

[Rednilla 5,449]

Omac had over 30 catches last year....I see more this season.  I hope we are able to redshirt Jovon.  

IMO, it would be a waste to have five RBs and then be splitting the carries among them.    JMO of course but the team can get the same yardage with two RBs (or 3 RBs) plus Omac and KF than it would with four RBs.   Better for Jovon to spend some time in "development" unless there are some injuries.

But the kicker here is that he brings something to the table than none of the others do, and thus he might be able to add value that none of the others can. Ideally, yes, he would redshirt, but he is the big bruiser that none of the others are.

Now, we have enough size to get away with redshirting him, especially with Prosch leading the way through the hole, but I just don't know that we will.

[Guest jrljr]

We have some incredible ATHLETES at the RB position. IMO MB is maybe the only natural at RB. The others seem to be guys with a world of talent maybe learning the position. (I may be wrong about Mason, wasn't he recruited as an Athlete?) The reason I guess I'm so high on Jovon is he has all the skills (i.e. moves, power & speed) and he's over 6' and 20+ lbs bigger. This is all just my opinion of course, feel free skewer me if needed. Lol. I just have a feeling in my gut about him. He already has a chip on his shoulder with something to prove. I expect he will work his A$$ off. If he RS's so be it, but I see a star in this kid.

WDE Jovon!!! 

[Mr.Plainsman 0]

We have some incredible ATHLETES at the RB position. IMO MB is maybe the only natural at RB. The others seem to be guys with a world of talent maybe learning the position. (I may be wrong about Mason, wasn't he recruited as an Athlete?) The reason I guess I'm so high on Jovon is he has all the skills (i.e. moves, power & speed) and he's over 6' and 20+ lbs bigger. This is all just my opinion of course, feel free skewer me if needed. Lol. I just have a feeling in my gut about him. He already has a chip on his shoulder with something to prove. I expect he will work his A$$ off. If he RS's so be it, but I see a star in this kid.

WDE Jovon!!! 

Agree 100% about Jovon but every rb on our roster was recruited as a rb. With the exception in Grant and that's only bc he went to UAT first. We wanted him as a rb. I think Mason is going to prove alot of ppl wrong. He'll be up to 210-215 by the time he graduates. That's plenty big enough for a rb in the NFL. Look at Ray Rice 

[AUSWEN 0]

We have some incredible ATHLETES at the RB position. IMO MB is maybe the only natural at RB. The others seem to be guys with a world of talent maybe learning the position. (I may be wrong about Mason, wasn't he recruited as an Athlete?) The reason I guess I'm so high on Jovon is he has all the skills (i.e. moves, power & speed) and he's over 6' and 20+ lbs bigger. This is all just my opinion of course, feel free skewer me if needed. Lol. I just have a feeling in my gut about him. He already has a chip on his shoulder with something to prove. I expect he will work his A$$ off. If he RS's so be it, but I see a star in this kid.

WDE Jovon!!! 

Ummmm I agree that Robinson will be a great RB in time, but all of the other guys were all considered running backs coming out of high school (at least on Rivals). The only one that doesn't have typical RB size is Omac. Jovon is a bigger back for sure, but the others are not JUST athletic, they just aren't big backs. They are all big enough to run between the tackles just fine. I think Mason will be the workhorse, with Blakely and Grant subbing in throughout the game. Omac will continue in his normal role, with increased passing. I agree with the redshirting idea, just because there is so much experienced talent ahead of him. The biggest part of "learning the position" is typically learning college level blocking skills, which he will be behind on compared to the guys that have been here a while.

[Guest jrljr]

I stand corrected on how guys were recruited. I thought OMac was an Ath before he went to prep school. It really doesn't matter. I hope they all get 1,000 yds!!! 

[AUSWEN 0]

I think they will all have a 1000 yard season before they are done, that's for sure

[SuperNova 0]

I'd love one runningback to emerge as the bell cow where Loeffler gives him the rock 20-25 times a game, but I have a feeling that the running game very well might be by committee, thus no 1000yd rusher for the first time in Chizik's tenure at Auburn. Who knows. What says you?

I get what you're saying but I hope that's not the case.

Running back's who have to carry that kind of workload, are VERY prone to injury...i.e. Marcus Lattimore...

I voted no one, due to lack of depth, but i honestly would like to see us average around the 200 yard mark per game as a team. 

Speaking in code again Dad? Are you saying 200 yards rushing and 200 yards passing avg. per game?

Looks like we are running the BigBird offense - 50/50 run/pass right???..... 

[AUpreacherman22 3,945]

I think we will emphasize the run enough that even though we have several ball carriers, one will reach 1000.  I agree with those that say we will limit KF's carries, Omac will continue in his role as a change of pace guy, and JRob is too young to get many carries with the depth we have in front of him!

So that leaves MB, Tre, and Grant as the most likely options.

I chose Grant. I just feel like there is something special about this kid!  He is extremely talented and he is smart, has a great attitude, and a ridiculous work ethic based on everything I have read on him. 

I wish all the Tigers in orange and blue the cery best this season and in their lives!

[Collins3 0]

My vote was Mike Blakely. A day was the best.

[bikeriderga 135]

I voted Tre Mason due to the fact that the coaches pretty much indicated that he would be a starter.

I believe OMac will have 1000 all purpose yards. Not all will be rushing yards, but combine rushing, catching, and returns and probably will be over 1000 yards.

Blakely or Grant could get close to 1000 as well.

[C'viewTiger 247]

I voted that we wouldn't have a 1,000 yard rusher due to depth, but I could see it from any except OMac. Onterio just isn't big enough to withstand the amount of carries it takes to get there.

OMac is who I voted for the get 1000. Not sure he will do it, but he's the one I believe has the best shot at it. Until another running back proves he can step up and take the bulk of carries OM will still be the leading rusher. 1000 shouldn't be all that farfetched for him. He averaged 6.5 YPC. If he keeps around that and rushes 13x a game that 84.5 yards. 84.5 X 13 = 1098.5 for the season.

Two points. First off, his yards per carry is higher partially because he carries the ball so infrequently. The more times he touches it, the more the defense is going to key on him.

But more than that, even if his ypc remained constant, 13 carries a game translates to 169 carries, if you include the bowl, which is 57 more than his total in any other season. Put another way, it increases his workload by just over 50%. He's just not built to withstand that kind of beating, not in the SEC.

This is why I expect him to remain in the role he's been performing exceptionally well: the change of pace.

Red, I agree with what you said.  however, if the offense is consistently pounding the middle, Omac could have 2 carries/game and end up with 600-700 yds this season.  I know I am looking through O&B glasses but the kid is fast.  I'm not the biggest Omac fan but the kid is fast.  As you pointed out, I don't believe he's built to withstand constant punishment but around the ends, he can take it to the house in a hurry if everyone is looking for it up the middle.  Would love to see that become a reality.  Either way, want to see a LOT of 

[hunter021003 0]

i voted mason because he is going to be the primary back, the others will come in as a change of pace.

[Rednilla 5,449]

i voted mason because he is going to be the primary back, the others will come in as a change of pace.

Did Coach Chizik call and tell you that?

[bikeriderga 135]

i voted mason because he is going to be the primary back, the others will come in as a change of pace.

Did Coach Chizik call and tell you that?

No Coach Luper said it..

http://auburn.247sports.com/Board/42/Running-backs-coach-Curtis-Luper-on-Tre-Mason-6302733/1#a6308662

[johnnyAU 3,745]

I think someone emerges as the go-to guy, but I can't make the prediction as which RB it will be. For the first 3-4 games, it will be by committee.  After that, I'm thinking it's the one that's healthy, productive and can pick up blitzes that will get the bulk of the carries. It could be any one of those youngsters. It's great to be running back U!

WDE

[DO4AU2010 0]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Kiehl hit that mark but with the super backs we have I don't think he will have to.

[Rednilla 5,449]

i voted mason because he is going to be the primary back, the others will come in as a change of pace.

Did Coach Chizik call and tell you that?

No Coach Luper said it..

http://auburn.247sports.com/Board/42/Running-backs-coach-Curtis-Luper-on-Tre-Mason-6302733/1#a6308662

I'm not a member, so I can't read whatever he said. Still, I've heard nothing to indicate any running back has emerged as the primary back, much less that anyone other than OMac is going to be in a change of pace type of role. Besides, I don't think anything was so cut and dried as to keep fall practice from changing it.

[TigerWar 82]

i voted mason because he is going to be the primary back, the others will come in as a change of pace.

Did Coach Chizik call and tell you that?

No Coach Luper said it..

http://auburn.247sports.com/Board/42/Running-backs-coach-Curtis-Luper-on-Tre-Mason-6302733/1#a6308662

I'm not a member, so I can't read whatever he said. Still, I've heard nothing to indicate any running back has emerged as the primary back, much less that anyone other than OMac is going to be in a change of pace type of role. Besides, I don't think anything was so cut and dried as to keep fall practice from changing it.

A lot of folks, including myself, presume that Mason will be the primary back due to his limited use in the A-Day. I think he only had two carries, where he looked like a rocket ship in both, so that could be a telling sign of who the starter is at tailback.

However, Blakely really caught my eye during the spring game, but I've learned that you really can't base anything on A-Day after Cam Newton's spring game. None of us realize the beast we had in Cam based upon A-Day.

[Rednilla 5,449]

A lot of folks, including myself, presume that Mason will be the primary back due to his limited use in the A-Day. I think he only had two carries, where he looked like a rocket ship in both, so that could be a telling sign of who the starter is at tailback.

However, Blakely really caught my eye during the spring game, but I've learned that you really can't base anything on A-Day after Cam Newton's spring game. None of us realize the beast we had in Cam based upon A-Day.

Oh goodness no, you can't put too much stock into A-Day, because that's a watered down scrimmage put on purely as a show for the fans. The fact that I think Blakely has the best chance to become the primary back has absolutely nothing to do with A-Day.

The point about Mason only getting a couple of carries is an extremely good one, however, and he might well end up being the main guy. He certainly has the talent...I still remember being amazed at how well he ran through traffic and avoided defenders in high school. And considering how well this staff keeps things under wraps, the fact that I haven't heard anything concrete about who will start doesn't necessarily mean anything, even as closely as I keep up with it.