Hughes

[irishfan]

Hughes just seemed like he was pissed off when he ran. I hope with that game he's passed Gray on the depth chart.

 

[jason_h537]

Hughes just seemed like he was pissed off when he ran. I hope with that game he's passed Gray on the depth chart.

But i thought Gray was our best back

 

[tommyIRISH23]

Marc Edwards was just a flat out beast. He was a combination between heart and power. He got so low and just used his center of gravity to smash through whatever was in his way.

Hughes, aside from the other night, doesn't seem to have the mentality that Edwards had. Although, like another poster said, he did seem angry and doing what he should be, using his body as a wrecking ball.

I dont agree that CW should not use a FB bc it doesnt fit the conventional pro-style offense. Does the wild-cat fit the prostyle? Im not saying give the FB 30 carries a game. I think itd be a good edition to add on the roster. With Floyd gone I'm afraid we wont do to well in shoot outs and taking it to the wire could go bad real quick. A full back pounding and smashing into the defensive line 10-15 times a game will take its toll. Especially on goal lines, 3rd and shorts, and also beat up the dlines to give allen the ball more and more late in the game and break it open.

I dont care really if something doesnt fit the stereotypical "pro-style" norm aslong as it works. A fullback would get those long 3rd and 3's and goals that stole momentum and wore the other team down. I miss it. It cant be used as a every down back. But 10-15 plays a game isnt to much. Plus, a solid hard nosed fullback would give jimmy some good protection back there.

 

[irishfan]

But i thought Gray was our best back

Should be getting 30-35 carries a game too

 

[tonyroberts4life]

Overall it seems the Irish have a ton of talent at the rb position and not enough plays to utilize them. Between aa hughes gray and riddick, this team seems like it could convert to more of a run first pass second team. With the loss of floyd, why look for someone to fill his gigantic shoes? Instead change our offensive schemes and run the hell out of the ball (much like we did at purdue). The only downfall of the purdue game was when they ran the ball they didn't put the pass in the mix. It was either the run or the pass, not much of a combination. Tate and rudolph make for enough playmakers with the pass game if the defense is defending the run right? This offense still has the weapons to score 30, they just have to manufacture those scores now.

 

[WabashFalcon]

Overall it seems the Irish have a ton of talent at the rb position and not enough plays to utilize them. Between aa hughes gray and riddick, this team seems like it could convert to more of a run first pass second team. With the loss of floyd, why look for someone to fill his gigantic shoes? Instead change our offensive schemes and run the hell out of the ball (much like we did at purdue). The only downfall of the purdue game was when they ran the ball they didn't put the pass in the mix. It was either the run or the pass, not much of a combination. Tate and rudolph make for enough playmakers with the pass game if the defense is defending the run right? This offense still has the weapons to score 30, they just have to manufacture those scores now.

And leave Jimmy's laser, rocket arm on the sideline?

 

[tonyroberts4life]

No No this would open more up for jimmy.
What I said was that they need to manufacture points now. With the absence of floyd Jimmy's numbers will be hard to come by. If they mix it up rather than doing one or the other, than that void where floyd was at is not as big of a factor. Make them stack the box then take your chances with tate and rudolph in the air. This team has a ton of playmakers that could come out of that backfield, use them!!

 

[sonomairishfan]

Is this the type of play that this team has been lacking in the Weis era. Hughes showed straight north south physical running, and putting Allen with him in that backfield will take some serious pressure off Clausen. Clausen is getting all of the hype right now, and be it well deserved, but should we be running the ball more? It seems like this team hasn't had a problem running the ball on anyone thus far, and Hughes just showed another big dimension of this offense. He is the type of traditional bruising back this team always had in the past, should he get more carries?

i think you are right. the o-line was dominating the smaller Purdue d-line and blasting them off the line of scrimmage and for some reason, the power running game was abandoned. we should use the size of the o-line to bust people in the mouth all game long. call me old fashioned if you want, but that style worked and CW stopped dropping the hammer. i think CW gives up on the run way too easily.