Marlon Mack Could Emerge as the Indianapolis Colts’ Top Running Back

[Brad]

Marlon Mack Could Emerge as the Indianapolis Colts’ Top Running Back

 

July 2, 2018 Charon Vonberg

The Indianapolis Colts are on their way into training camp with no clear feature back on the roster. Marlon Mack, Robert Turbin, Nyheim Hines, and Jordan Wilkins are all expected to participate in a backfield by committee.

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Mack is most likely to emerge as the Colts’ top option at running back as both Hines and Wilkins are rookies, and Turbin will miss the first four games of the season due to a PED suspension. Christine Michael is also an option for the Colts.

Mack indeed showed plenty of potential in his rookie campaign with the Colts, but there is one thing that could hold him back from becoming a premier back in the NFL and that is consistency. Boom-or-Bust is a perfect term to describe Mack’s rookie season. He had six 20+ yard runs in just 93 carries but led the league in percentage of runs that resulted in no gain or a loss (32.2 percent).

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Earlier in the offseason, Colts General Manager Chris Ballard spoke on Mack’s rookie season in Indianapolis. He ended the year with 93 carries for 358 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns in 14 appearances. He was also targeted 33 times in the passing game and recorded 21 receptions, 225 receiving yards, and a receiving touchdown.

“Look, everything with Marlon was better than I expected, everything,” Ballard said. “And I know he had some pass-protection issues, but he also did some good things in pass protection for a rookie back. He ran between the tackles better than I ever expected. Just because it was that outside-run (stuff), they were in that high-tempo offense, outside run-scheme – that was a hard evaluation to know if he could do it, but our scout (Jamie Moore) was driven by the kid. He kept saying he had done so much work on Marlon. You know, what his makeup was. He had played safety in high school, so he had some toughness. The coaches raved about his toughness. He said it was just kind of a byproduct of the offense.”

It’s likely that the Colts’ lead back role is Marlon Mack’s to lose heading into training camp. He could emerge as a real contributor to a high-powered offense led by Andrew Luck. Mack certainly has the tools to flourish in 2018, but we will have to wait and see if he can handle the load.

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[Capital H]

Most likely his 1 shot to become a "feature" back in todays NFL. Hope he can figure out the fumbleitis and become a bit more consistent at turning the 2 and 10 into 2 and 6.

[NewEnglandBull]

Still not buying that he can take the long term punishment of an everyday back but I am pulling for him to make it happen. 

Edited July 4, 2018 by NewEnglandBull

[raptorcj]

On 7/4/2018 at 4:33 PM, NewEnglandBull said:

Still not buying that he can take the long term punishment of an everyday back but I am pulling for him to make it happen. 

It only takes a few bone-chilling NFL hits to put RBs out of business--half-season here, season there is about all it takes to move down the roster when all this talent keeps coming out.

But if MM has anything, it's the ability to make guys miss. He's also improved his strength a lot, so those things coupled with a strong mind could take him a very long way. I'll be a Colts fan this year.

[DELdaBull]

Has to stay on the field.  Number 1 ability is availability.  

[Fold FB Invest in BB]

He's a 1000 yard back in Dallas. Sucks that he ended up on the team with the worst Oline in the league.

[BullyPulpit]

On 7/4/2018 at 1:42 PM, Capital H said:

Most likely his 1 shot to become a "feature" back in todays NFL. Hope he can figure out the fumbleitis and become a bit more consistent at turning the 2 and 10 into 2 and 6.

Granted it is a small sample size, but he only had one fumble (which wasn't a turnover) in 105 NFL carries (regular and preseason) last year. By comparison, Frank Gore had 3 fumbles on 263 carries. 

[Capital H]

On 7/6/2018 at 11:49 AM, BullyPulpit said:

Granted it is a small sample size, but he only had one fumble (which wasn't a turnover) in 105 NFL carries (regular and preseason) last year. By comparison, Frank Gore had 3 fumbles on 263 carries. 

He had a few additional plays that I think the stats bailed him out on.  That first game there was a bad exchange that didnt go against him.

He also dropped a pitch that the Titans recovered, which didnt go against him.

 

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap3000000882940/Marlon-Mack-drops-toss-from-Brissett-Kevin-Byard-hops-on-fumble-at-4-yard-line

Edited July 16, 2018 by Capital H

[BullyPulpit]

19 hours ago, Capital H said:

He had a few additional plays that I think the stats bailed him out on.  That first game there was a bad exchange that didnt go against him.

He also dropped a pitch that the Titans recovered, which didnt go against him.

 

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap3000000882940/Marlon-Mack-drops-toss-from-Brissett-Kevin-Byard-hops-on-fumble-at-4-yard-line

Thanks for sharing, I missed that. Although it wasn't the best toss (a little high and outside when it looked like Mack was trying to cut back towards the middle) Mack needs to at least secure the ball there.