Aldridge was the most effective runner in 2007.
I thought he did well when given opportunities last year (Washington)
I just prefer backs that can run between the tackles when needed. Charlie seems to prefer Dave Meggett/Ronnie Harmon type backs that catch passes in the flat. Just differing opinions.
Aldridge was not the same back after the knee injury. I like him at FB. We will miss him this week.
Weis does seem to prefer that type of back, Walker and Allen. But what have been his choices since he arrived. There was Walker and ...
Yet week after week people posted these same kinds of thread touting anyone that wasn't starting.
At a recent press conference, Weis noted that in his first couple of years there was a huge dropoff from RB#1 to RB#2 and that's not the case now. He said he would use other RBs and he did.
Allen got 15 carries.
Gray got 9.
Hughes got 8.
Riddick got 5.
Aldridge had 3 at FB.
Tate had a reverse.
Clausen had 2 carries.
Sorry folks despite your protestations the stats show #2 did get opportunities - as did others. The #1 RB got 15 carries, the backup RBs had 22. #1 only got 40% of the RB carries and 35% of the total carries. Pretty low number for a #1 RB.
The most critical carries of the game were Aldridge on 4th down. Allen from inside the ND 1 where ball security is essential. The guy that so many have pointed out goes down with the first contact ran the ball 3 straight times when everybody knew a run was coming. He took the ball up the gut and made the first down. The other critical carry was the short TD rush where Gray was replaced by Allen. I suspect the motivating factor was ball security. And I suspect Gray got the message loud and clear. Motivation is a key part of coaching.
In the mid-90's Holtz commented, "The favorite QB with ND fans is the one not starting".
We can update that now to RB.
I liked Aldridge's HS clips but the knee eroded some of that promise.
I liked Hughes running over people in HS. I though he would be the Big Back in Weis scheme. He hasn't got there.
Charlie and fans raved about Munir's speed in practice. In a game Munir couldn't turn the corner - time after time. He went to CB and transferred.
Hoskins and the names of other RBs are a distant blur.
The OL has been a problem. It has improved but is still a problem. Rudolph blocks much better than last year but he's still a liablity. I watched the first half of the Nevada game last night watching the RBs and the blocking. Allen got lit up on one play when Rudolph whiffed on his man. He missed other blocks. Rudolph wasn't blocking a 300 pound DT he had a 240 pound DE a guy HE outweighed by 20 pounds. He'll have a mucher tougher adversary in UM's Graham this Saturday. Duncan also had his hands full with his man. I'd bet his UM opposite with be a better athlete.
On the first Wildcat the play ran to the left toward the boundary. Allen fakes the handoff and then follows Tate to the left. The RT pulls and head left parallel with Tate. Nevada's LDE slices though the RT slot untouched and takes down Allen. Scheme or blocking? It wasn't the ball carrier. Whoever took the snap would have been taken down the way that play was executed.
