Running Back Situation

[JeremyND07]

What is going on at the running back spot? Hughes and Aldridge have looked great. Jabbie looked good in limited time this week but why does Thomas keep getting carries? I think he has looked the worse out of all (5) backs this year! I say we use a 2 back set with Aldridge and Hughes then line Allen up in the slot. The only thing worse then musical QB’s is the way Weis is rotating these RB’s this year. They have no time to get in any rhythm. Last week Hughes has a great run and Weis throws Thomas in there to get the 1 yard TD. Is anyone else frustrated with the way the position is being handled?

 

[The Polish Irishman]

I have to agree with you. The 3 headed monster of Allen, Hughes, Aldridge makes me sleep a little easier a night. JJ plays on passing downs and picks the biltz better than the younger players. TT is a good special teams player, but he is one of CW guys with the C, so he throw me a bone every once in a while. I have no problem with TT getting a carry every once in a while, he has been good for the program. I think once the 3 headed monster develops more, then we have to find some balance. And for God's sake and my health, can we find someone to convert a 3 and 1.

 

[NDIRISH089]

Its very frustrating! I'm with you! I'm especially upset with not seeing aldridge or hughes much at all in the second half of the Purdue game. Aldridge and Hughes are tanks! and gifts from God, and Allens speed needs to be utilized.

 

[johnnd05]

Its very frustrating! I'm with you! I'm especially upset with not seeing aldridge or hughes much at all in the second half of the Purdue game. Aldridge and Hughes are tanks! and gifts from God, and Allens speed needs to be utilized.

Well, the fact that we were down 23-0 at the half had a bit to do with that, right?

 

[NDIRISH089]

Are you going to throw on every play if your down?

 

[piyachi]

Enough to try to catch up - why eat up time with the running game when a long bomb to Tate equals a TD in 5 seconds? The only reason you run when you are down is either faith that you will somehow gain a lot of yards (rare) or trying to keep the defense honest against the pass.

I agree in that I think we should be trying to use the 3-headed monster pretty much exclusively and forgo using TT outside of special teams. Jabbie I'm not so sure on, but I really think I'd rather see what JA or RH can do in pass protection than use him. Not a bad player, just not as good as those two.

 

[johnnd05]

Are you going to throw on every play if your down?

Well that is pretty much what we did, and it worked pretty damn well. I take it that Jabbie is much better in pass protection than any of the others, so that's why he was in there.

 

[WeisWeisBaby]

I really just want to know why on every 3rd and 1 I am throwing beer cans at my television, and every 3rd and 29 for the opposition I am throwing vodka bottles at my windows.... this is seriously where Notre Dame is struggling. If we are not able to run 3rd and 1, than just QB sneak it everytime or throw the ball. As for our defense on 3rd and 29, I really have no idea how everytime is able to complete those on us.

Regardless, our running backs looked amazing against MSU and I am quite confident that Hughes and Aldridge will be able to pick up where they left off once we can control a game or two, we just need to give it some time and get out of this horrendous schedule.

 

[johnnd05]

WWB, I agree completely. To be honest, one thing I'd be in favor of doing is sending Sharpley in on third- or fourth- and short: Unlike Clausen, he's got the size to run it up the gut like BQ did, and even if he does just hand it off, at least it gives the "D" one more thing to worry about.

 

[WeisWeisBaby]

I have to say one thing, I can't believe ND threw a BOMB on 4th and 5 to Tate, that to me is what we need to do more. We need to stop becoming so predictable, I understand we need to go back to basics but must we become so predictable that I know every 3rd and short we are going to get stuffed on the run?!

Out of all that has happened this year, I think playcalling on 3rd and short is the most disturbing, or should I say the lack of execution on 3rd and shrot. We need to sustain these drives, and we need to find a way where we can keep the opposing defense on its toes.

 

[CLEARWALL]

I have to agree with you. The 3 headed monster of Allen, Hughes, Aldridge makes me sleep a little easier a night. JJ plays on passing downs and picks the biltz better than the younger players. TT is a good special teams player, but he is one of CW guys with the C, so he throw me a bone every once in a while. I have no problem with TT getting a carry every once in a while, he has been good for the program. I think once the 3 headed monster develops more, then we have to find some balance. And for God's sake and my health, can we find someone to convert a 3 and 1.

If we'd get someone to BLOCK for a try once in a freaking while. It's sickening how everytimg we go for it on 4th or even a 3rd and 1, everyone decides to stop blocking. I swear, we pick up 8 yards on 1st down and then figure "oh well, no need to try anymore, this is cake."

 

[The Polish Irishman]

AA goes down to easy as well, he needs to learn how to shed tacklers. In the Pudure game, I think it was 3 and 1, we gave the ball to Robert Hughes and instead of running hard, he tried to go airbourne and landed well short. WIth his size, his feet shoud never leave the ground.

 

[WeisWeisBaby]

I agree, isn't Hughes a beast... I mean in the MSU game, he looked like personally is going to bring back the nasty running back we have been missing for years.

 

[JeremyND07]

Hughs is a beast and Allen and Alrdidge have shown some potential. I do like Junior Jabbie on 3rd down and long situations! There is NO rythem at the RB spot...one guy runs one play, another the next, then another...we can run 5 plays and see 5 different backs which makes it VERY hard for the offense to get into a rythem!

 

[WeisWeisBaby]

Yeah, I liked it a lot better when we stuck with just aldridge and hughes mostly in the MSU game, I felt like they were getting into a rythm there.

 

[patman1868]

I think that part of the problem is that it seems on 3rd and 1 there are never and lead blockers for the running back to clear the hole, why not put a fullback in the backfield also to help clear the way maybe that would help.

 

[johnnd05]

Lots of teams interchange multiple running backs successfully; I don't see why we can't do the same. Aldridge is pretty clearly the #1, and Hughes will spell him occasionally. Allen brings a change of pace, and Jabbie is the third-down back. That doesn't seem unreasonable to me.

 

[JeremyND07]

I agree John rotating backs is not the issue (3) is not an issue! It is when you try to rotate (5) that we seem to have a problem...give me the maryland I with Schwap, Alridge, and Hughes please!!! I can hear the pads popping already!!!

 

[ryno 24]

aldridge hughes and allen need to predominantley used

 

[fitz_bu47]

I like seeing all of them in their spots, but like some of you guys I think TT's time should be on every special team, not on offense. I love the guy and that he came back and everything he has done, but he is just not as talented a running back as these kids. As far as the short yardage stuff, if you have backs like Hughes and Aldridge and can't get a yard you don't deserve to win. It all starts w/ the hogs gettin off the ball, and right now in short yardage situations they are not doing it.

 

[WeisWeisBaby]

I say we starve the O-line before the UCLA game and then offer each guy a free steak for every pancake.

 

[Z-Bo]

Jabbie I'm not so sure on, but I really think I'd rather see what JA or RH can do in pass protection than use him. Not a bad player, just not as good as those two.

This is the dumbest thing possible to say. To rephrase your statement: "Oh, let's put guys Charlie Weis doesn't want in pass protection even though Weis is clearly worried about them being responsible for the QB's head taken off! ONLY CUZ I WANT TO SEE IT HAPPEN! LET'S SEE WHAT THESE GUYS GOT - WHO CARES IF THE QB GETS PUT IN THE HOSPITAL."

Give me a break.

 

[piyachi]

Well thank you for that well-reasoned response.

Perhaps I wasn't clear... What I am suggesting is that perhaps given a little playing time for the passing situations, JA or RH (or maybe even AA) could develop into a nice pass-protecting back. Clearly we don't intend to make JJ a featured rusher, so perhaps we could develop one of our featured rushers into a decent pass-blocker.

I mean of course the QB will go to the hospital if we put another back in to pass protect. Nice interpretation of what I was saying. Has it occurred to you that the other players that are rushing threats, could also block if given a little bit of development?

When we bring Jabbie in, it almost entirely telegraphs a pass play. If we had Hughes in, and he acted as a good pass blocking back (I see no reason this couldn't happen), then we keep the defense guessing. As is, perhaps the belief is that none of the other backs can do it. But I hardly think it qualifies as a terrible idea to give a few reps of pass protection to, say Hughes.

But wait, is this more of the dumbest stuff you've ever heard?

 

[Z-Bo]

Pass protection is about responsibilities and quick reads.

You can learn to become a better pass protector by dedicating yourself to the playbook and practice.

Basically, while we are regrouping, there is no need to commit a Philip Fulmer-like mistake of putting a freshman QB back there (Erik Ainge) with an average pass-blocker (recall the block that was missed that killed Ainge his freshman year?).

 

[KamaraPolice]

All i have to say is this:

DONT RUN WITH THE FULLBACK ON SHORT YARDAGE SITUATIONS!

you need them as a lead blocker. the quick hit to the fullback works when it catches the defense off-guard (1&10, 2&8), not fourth and inches.

 

[JeremyND07]

All i have to say is this:

DONT RUN WITH THE FULLBACK ON SHORT YARDAGE SITUATIONS!

you need them as a lead blocker. the quick hit to the fullback works when it catches the defense off-guard (1&10, 2&8), not fourth and inches.

I agree 100%...how many times are they going to try that with negative results before they stop doing it!? Quick hits too please...no more counters on 3rd and short! HB dive left & HB dive right with Schwapp clearing the way!

 

[howlingthunder]

We need the rythm - I agree. It calms the rest of the guys down. I think that we need explosiveness at WR. If we had that then a beater at RB would do. I miss The Rocket.

 

[johnnd05]

I agree 100%...how many times are they going to try that with negative results before they stop doing it!? Quick hits too please...no more counters on 3rd and short! HB dive left & HB dive right with Schwapp clearing the way!

I really do think that Sharpley should go in for short yardage situations. He's got the size to do what Brady did last year, and it's pretty clear that Weis doesn't want to make Clausen do that - at this point in his career, anyway. Plus, like I think I said earlier, even if all Sharpley does is hand the ball off, at least the possibility that he'll take it himself gives the defense one more thing to worry about.

 

[onenybrother]

We need to protect the quarteback better. If the back can't pick up the blitz he shouldn't be in there.

 

[The Polish Irishman]

We need the rythm - I agree. It calms the rest of the guys down. I think that we need explosiveness at WR. If we had that then a beater at RB would do. I miss The Rocket.

Darn I say there might be a "Golden" Rocket on the team now...

Side Note: I was just a kid when ND played Colorado in the Orange Bowl for the 2nd Time. The Rocket ran a punt back and the darn ref called a clip, but I contest to this day and have video proof it was not a clip. But back to my orginal point, My Dad made a sign that read "The Rocket's Golden Glare" surronded by shamrocks and ND symbols. And that is all you saw on the field when Ismail run that punt back. A golden glare running down the field. Good Stuff