James Aldridge

[UNTITLEDPROJECT]

NO. IM NOT GOING TO SAY HE NEEDS TO START.

What I will say is that; last season, Defenses HAD to respect the big man Powers-Neal. He was able to break and bruise. He made D's respect the power game. Darius cannot. Our receivers are getting doubled and sometimes tripled because they just dont respect Darius enough.

If we get the ball more to Aldridge, we can procure the lack of respect were getting in the backfield. Darius was getting beat at the line way to often. It goes much further than just simply the PUSH at the line. Anyways.

i HAVE NO understanding why this hasnt happened. Is it trust with the ball? Are they scared Aldridge might get hurt?

Thoughts...

 

[irishtexan]

I want to say the staff might be worried he could aggrevate his old injury, but, i agree he needs to see the field.

 

[tommy]

i think it might be more of them worried about the pass blocking and catching it out of the bcak field but why wouldnt you have a 2 back set sprincled in there with dwalk and james teaming up

 

[UNTITLEDPROJECT]

Powers-Neal was HUGE last season. It killed us that we lost em to his....incident.

If we could mimick that with Aldridge - lethal.

 

[jiggafini19]

Awful tough when no one blocks up front.

Don't care who it is, he goin' doooooown.

 

[UNTITLEDPROJECT]

Not even close to being true.

Raeshon broke many tackles last season.

If you have a bruiser theyre going to have to respect him. REGARDLESS if he touches the ball. Rendering our WR's open.

 

[BGIF]

Not even close to being true.

Raeshon broke many tackles last season. ...

He had 31 carries for 100 yds.

Just how many tackles did he break building that 3.2 ypc average?

 

[Stealingshrimp]

I'm going to try this from a different view.

WTF are you thinking? Darius has started for 3 years now, he's our back. He's a great back that has GREAT vision. His "mythodical" runs devastate defenses. How is he supposed to run when the O-line is abysmal!! Darius has no help and is still a force!

Changing backs would not be fair to darius, he's earned that job. He a cool confident runner, and putting aldridge in would destroy that confidence. ANyway, aldridge won't be anywhere as good as darius. Is that not obvious to you all!?!?!

RIGHT>!???

 

[tommy]

how the hell do you know what james is going to do

 

[rontdtarchala]

pleeez give me a break! we need to be able to show some dang speed back there and some break away ability or they key our receivers and give us little chance to succed...

 

[tommy]

speed yea its great but smash mouth run over a bitch is much better james showed some of that in 4 plays like i said i dont want d walk out of there he doesnt have to be there is plenty of snaps to go around but im a nobody in actuality so how can i or any one else say better then weis would say

 

[mirertobrooks]

DW took a pounding today. He is one tough kid, I don't know how much more he can take, I'm not concerned with his speed, he just gets worn down by the 4th quarter. It showed today in my opinion. It's amazing he's stayed healthy. Sometimes we forget about all the routes he runs, the pass blocking, to go along with the carries and receptions.
I guess my point is that what he does every Saturday is pretty amazing, hopefully this 4 game stretch will be as easy as it looks and he can chill in the 4th quarter after he gets his 100 and 2 td's.

 

[UNTITLEDPROJECT]

He had 31 carries for 100 yds.

Just how many tackles did he break building that 3.2 ypc average?

Dude he played half the season, and was used as a bruiser. If you remember he made a few KEY runs on 3rd and 4th downs. My point is that its a transition that our O needs in the backfield.

To the braintrust that didnt read the beginning of my post.

I DONT THINK HE SHOULD START. I just want him to get some PT to soften up the D Lines.

 

[isotopes]

I think the biggest benefit would just be getting Dwalk a chance to a breather. "He's not fast enough.... he's not a strong enough runner..." He's is their best all around back right now period. He had 75 yards all purpose. With the way the line has played this year hes been pretty damn good. He is the reason the Irish came out of GT winners. Also, with an offense that has stressed the screen pass like no other, teams are able to walk a couple steps furth up to the line which cuts down on the rushing yards for any running back whether its darius or aldridge or prince....

 

[Irish52]

Speed generates respect. The faster one is, the more respect he gets. I'm surprised that Charlie hasn't found a way to get both Prince and Aldridge into the game. Darius is more effective as a pass receiver than as a runner in defenses with a demonstrated ability to stop the run..the UCLA game was a good example of a team able to stop the run. And yet, Charlie kept calling for the running play. I think the offensive play calling in that game was horrendous. We were extremely lucky to win that one. And again, the offensive line is simply not giving Quinn the time to complete the long pass.

 

[scooper]

Do you people think Charlie's an idiot? Post your damn coaching resumes. Do you think he sees Aldridge Walker and Prince every fricking day in practice? Are you seeing something that he's missing? The stupidity of people never ceases to amaze me.

 

[UNTITLEDPROJECT]

RIGHT. Im going to post my resume because I disagree. Im sure you ALWAYS AGREE with Weis then.

 

[scooper]

RIGHT. Im going to post my resume because I disagree. Im sure you ALWAYS AGREE with Weis then.

I disagree at times. But I don't speak in absolutes about why players that aren't playing should be. Know why? Because I don't watch them every day in practice. Because I don't know who is the better football player at this moment.

 

[UNTITLEDPROJECT]

Right. We dont see them all day. BUT. A. I never spoke in absolutes. B. Its a POSSIBLE solution for the ISSUES we are having.

For the first time in how many seasons are we seeing a one dimensional running game. WHY on Earth should I question that. I dont know.....

 

[scooper]

Right. We dont see them all day. BUT. A. I never spoke in absolutes. B. Its a POSSIBLE solution for the ISSUES we are having.

For the first time in how many seasons are we seeing a one dimensional running game. WHY on Earth should I question that. I dont know.....

This isn't the first time in many seasons. Unless you choose to discount the Deidrich era.

And you have to see that backs are making their first cuts behind this OL three yards deep. Speed can't help you there. The running game won't improve until they get a push in front of them. I don't care who is running the ball.

 

[UNTITLEDPROJECT]

Aldridge is a bigger kid. Once more, I repeat; I think he can mix things up. Crap, MSU was able to do such. The more options you have the better you look. I dont understand why you dont remotely agree with chancing Aldridge for SOME reps.

I dont even want him to start, just please get some reps.

 

[isotopes]

Like I said it would be nice to get them some touches especially for D walks sake, but these kids are still a bit off.

When prince is in he still shows a discomfort with the speed of the game... almost expects to turn on the burners and lose everyone but realizes it isnt h.s. In the stanford game he got met at the line or hit behind it and struggled to break tackles at points. he's your fastest player, but he doesn't quite have the power to turn that into something special.

James Aldrige looked great in those couple of plays last week. The hard thing to realize there though is that its the end of the game and you runnig against a dejected defense who isn't that good to begin with. Look at some of Svo's pictures. The holes hes running through are a mile wide. Plus you look at the fact hes coming off an injury. He needs to be eased back into the game.

Again, they are just freshmen. Still adapting to the speed of the game. You willing to have a kid learn when your down? Im taken Darius in the situation....

 

[UNTITLEDPROJECT]

.....
Again, they are just freshmen. Still adapting to the speed of the game. You willing to have a kid learn when your down? Im taken Darius in the situation....

I agree for the most part, but on a variety of occasions has Weis started Frosh in the backfieLd, ie Schwapp last season. He helped in a variety of important games.

Its driving me nuts because, I just feel like were to predictabLe running the ball, atm.

 

[domerfor life]

I don't care who starts, our line is not a top-flight line. We saw that against GTech, Michigan, and even Purdue. The best running back in the nation couldn't rush for 100 yds if defender's are constantly in the backfield. It doesn't matter. This thread will never end. There's a new one created every week. It's unfair to Darius. No he's not a bruiser or speed demon, but he's a complete back who got very little blocking today. So Aldridge would come in and gain what? 20 yds on 10 carries. Brady did get sacked 5 times today. Maybe we should fly in Clausen and get him so plays in. Brady's just not getting it done.

 

[Seymore]

This Post !

This Post !

I didn't start this post to gang up on Darius, or to doubt Weis as a Playcaller/decision maker. I was just stating, I dont understand why we used Aldridge two weeks ago for 4 plays at the end of the game and then dont see him again this week, exspecially when we're struggling and Darius is getting his ass kicked when the O line is playing like shit.
Darius was wearing down and I was hoping to see James get some touches. Aldridge looked good while he was in against Stanford, even though the game was over. Im not doubting Weis, Im just wondering why James didn't play when we needed him, exspecially after his showing two weeks ago. Hell maybe he's still hurt ! I dont know...Regardless, this post was not intended to be what it has become.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

Thoughts...

I agree with your starting post. We need to mix it up a bit. Trying someone fast back there might be a nice change.

I would like to see a 1-2 punch.

DW looks pretty tapped out back there by the 4th quarter. If Weis would spell him from time to time he would be more fresh and might actually gain some good yardage against tired D's.

 

[UNTITLEDPROJECT]

I hate when people misconstrue everything. If youre going to comment about whats being said, at least read what people are saying. Why would it be 'unfair' to Darius if another back gets touches? A 1-2 punch unfair!?? How many other teams in the nation have multiple players touching the ball in the backfield?

We have become so predictable with our running game. If you dont notice that, god help you.

 

[Vince Young]

Let me be as clear as possible:

OMG I LOVE DARIUS WALKER!!!!1!
HOWEVER...

...we also need a change-of-pace running back to COMPLIMENT Walker's running style. See the Georgia Tech game. Charlie was flipping back and forth between D-Walk and T2 all through the 2nd half, and we were running all over them. They each have their own running style, and having both backs in there forced GT's defense to adjust to an extra factor: which RB is in the game? One more thing for them to think about, which leaves them less time for thinking about something else. And while the DB is trying to figure out why Weis just subbed Thomas in for Walker and what that means, the DB pays a little less attention to, say, Carlson, who sneaks into the secondary and catches a clothesline pass from Quinn. Thomas makes a difference on that play without even touching the ball.

THAT is why we need a 2nd RB: to compliment D-Walk, and to give the defense one extra factor to try to figure out. It may mean a few less carries for Darius, but it helps the entire offense win games. And somehow, I don't think Darius would mind winning.

 

[UNTITLEDPROJECT]

Let me be as clear as possible:

OMG I LOVE DARIUS WALKER!!!!1!
HOWEVER...

YOU HATE D WALK!!!! ADMIT IT!!!!YOU HATE THE GROUND HE WALKS ON!!!!

 

[Stealingshrimp]

Quick question? Do any of you all see Darius in the NFL?
Ok.
Could a running back with aldridge's size and speed be successful in the NFL?

maybe weis is just doing this so we can sway some running back talent here.

It's so blatantly obvious that the running game is killing us right now. You can blaim the OL, alright. You can blame Darius, alright. The thing is we have alternatives to darius, we don't for the OL. I don't really understand what most of you expect the OL to do. How many backs in college football have you seen like Darius be successful : relatively slow, shifty, east/west runner. How does a front of 5 pick up 2DT's 2DE's 2-3LB's and safety help. His slow/shifty running allows the ENTIRE defense to come for the tackle. If our OLis really struggling against the run why do we not play a bruiser who hits the hole and fights for the yardage.
I just know that if Weis was game planning at Navy agianst Notre Dame, he'd say - why do they stick with that back - if you just run at him he's down. Darius is really no better than any back we've seen this year, he just plays for ND and is the sole back - so he has national attention.
It took possibly the worst DL's in DIV-1 college football this year for darius to be successful. If you have mediocre personel and any idea of a game plan you will shut him down. Why not aldridge?
WHY NOT?