FR RBs: Get experience now? Pros/Cons?

[Rocky Style]

Clearly our offense needs a running back who can move the ball forward consistently with a run on first and second down.  This would open up play action pass and Grothe running.  What are the pros and cons of getting these two freshman RBs Ford and Taylor heavy amounts of carries in the upcoming games?  They need to develop for our offense to get to the next level.  I am thinking about investing in the next two years here guys...  Frankly, I do not care what .com bowl we get to this year and I am more concerned about maximizing the next two years we have with Grothe.

We clearly have some young WRs that are going to come along nicely and if we can get the running game going they will be able to shine even more.

What do you think?  Ben Williams is a great blocker and has nice hands and would work great in tandem with another RB as support.  However, a championship team needs to be able to run the ball in tough games against a good defense and we do not have that right now.

[TRUTH D. Antagonist]

i haven't been a huge advocate of sticking Ford in for every down because i fully acknowledge that BBQ is a more complete back that blocks and catches better than Mike.

but at this point, what we're doing is NOT working.

good defenses can key in on Grothe because they don't respect our running backs.  they're able to spy for the run and send LB's on blitzes without giving up much on pass coverage because they know BBQ is not gonna burn them.

i say get Ford some experience now.  give him at least 10-15 carries.  run some double-back sets (i feel like i've been saying this ALL freakin YEAR) so we can utilize Ben for his blocking/catching and maybe some misdirection to keep defenses guessing as to who's gonna run.

if Ford gets 12 carries a game, at least 1 or 2 of them are likely going to be big gains.

it makes NO SENSE to me that the coaching staff recognized the need for a dynamic runner at Auburn, but have put the handcuffs on Ford ever since.  if he's good enough to get 21 carries at Auburn, he's **** sure good enough to get 10-15 against UConn or Cinci or (hopefully) Syracuse.

[Rocky Style]

but at this point, what we're doing is NOT working.

good defenses can key in on Grothe because they don't respect our running backs.  they're able to spy for the run and send LB's on blitzes without giving up much on pass coverage because they know BBQ is not gonna burn them.

There is no denying these statements.

What we are doing is NOT working, and defenses have figured us out.  Why not make a change?

[mulheap]

Clearly our offense needs a running back who can move the ball forward consistently with a run on first and second down.  This would open up play action pass and Grothe running.....

South Florida - 9:52 

1st-10, SFla44 9:52  M. Ford rushed up the middle for 6 yard gain

2nd-4, 50 9:32  M. Grothe incomplete pass to the right

3rd-4, 50 9:32  M. Grothe passed to C. Mitchell to the right for 9 yard gain

1st-10, Cinc41 8:52  M. Ford rushed up the middle for 4 yard gain

2nd-6, Cinc37 8:22  M. Ford rushed up the middle for 4 yard gain

3rd-2, Cinc33 7:52  M. Grothe rushed to the left for 1 yard gain

4th-1, Cinc32 7:23  Cinc committed 5 yard penalty

1st-10, Cinc27 7:10  M. Grothe passed to B. Williams to the left for 8 yard gain

2nd-2, Cinc19 6:40  M. Ford rushed to the right for no gain

3rd-2, Cinc19 6:10  M. Grothe incomplete pass to the right

4th-2, Cinc19 5:49  M. Grothe passed to C. Mitchell down the middle for 6 yard gain

1st-10, Cinc13 5:29  M. Ford rushed to the right for 4 yard gain

2nd-6, Cinc9 5:09  M. Grothe rushed to the right for 7 yard gain

1st-2, Cinc2 4:50  M. Ford rushed to the left for 5 yard loss

2nd-7, Cinc7 4:20  M. Grothe rushed up the middle for 7 yard touchdown. D. Alvarado made PAT

[flsportsfan83]

Clearly our offense needs a running back who can move the ball forward consistently with a run on first and second down.  This would open up play action pass and Grothe running.....

South Florida - 9:52 

1st-10, SFla44 9:52  M. Ford rushed up the middle for 6 yard gain

2nd-4, 50 9:32  M. Grothe incomplete pass to the right

3rd-4, 50 9:32  M. Grothe passed to C. Mitchell to the right for 9 yard gain

1st-10, Cinc41 8:52  M. Ford rushed up the middle for 4 yard gain

2nd-6, Cinc37 8:22  M. Ford rushed up the middle for 4 yard gain

3rd-2, Cinc33 7:52  M. Grothe rushed to the left for 1 yard gain

4th-1, Cinc32 7:23  Cinc committed 5 yard penalty

1st-10, Cinc27 7:10  M. Grothe passed to B. Williams to the left for 8 yard gain

2nd-2, Cinc19 6:40  M. Ford rushed to the right for no gain

3rd-2, Cinc19 6:10  M. Grothe incomplete pass to the right

4th-2, Cinc19 5:49  M. Grothe passed to C. Mitchell down the middle for 6 yard gain

1st-10, Cinc13 5:29  M. Ford rushed to the right for 4 yard gain

2nd-6, Cinc9 5:09  M. Grothe rushed to the right for 7 yard gain

1st-2, Cinc2 4:50  M. Ford rushed to the left for 5 yard loss

2nd-7, Cinc7 4:20  M. Grothe rushed up the middle for 7 yard touchdown. D. Alvarado made PAT

Wow the O scores when ford is in...... But he still wont play...... Love the coaching at USF. The coaches are to blame for the 3 game skid.

[cptkid570]

Ben Williams is a good 3rd down back.  Good hands and makes plays out in the open.  Put Taylor and Ford in there on 1st and 2nd downs.

[flsportsfan83]

Ben Williams is a good 3rd down back.  Good hands and makes plays out in the open.  Put Taylor and Ford in there on 1st and 2nd downs.

and let one get into the flow of a game.

[usfgrad84]

My opinion is you play to win.  Period.  You don't sacrifice anything for next year.  That's not fair to guys like Moffitt, Jenkins, Trae, etc who have put 5 years into developing themselves and their program.  You push hard for the best bowl game they can achieve.

That being said, I believe, at this point, winning and getting Ford, Jamar Taylor and even Ricjhard Kelly involved more in this offense are not mutually exclusive.   If the line isn't cutting it and opening holes then let's give our 250lb true FB a shot at opening holes.  I find it intersting that we move the ball for positive yardage most of the time we run straight ahead.  It's when our RBs run 12 and 15 yards sideways behind the LOS is when they don't make any gains.  Perhaps there is a problem with the runs we are running and not the OlL after all.  With all the talk of how fast our guys are, I don't think our backs are fast enough to cut the corner and turn it up the field on outside runs.

[usfgrad84]

Clearly our offense needs a running back who can move the ball forward consistently with a run on first and second down.  This would open up play action pass and Grothe running.....

South Florida - 9:52 

1st-10, SFla44 9:52  M. Ford rushed up the middle for 6 yard gain

2nd-4, 50 9:32  M. Grothe incomplete pass to the right

3rd-4, 50 9:32  M. Grothe passed to C. Mitchell to the right for 9 yard gain

1st-10, Cinc41 8:52  M. Ford rushed up the middle for 4 yard gain

2nd-6, Cinc37 8:22  M. Ford rushed up the middle for 4 yard gain

3rd-2, Cinc33 7:52  M. Grothe rushed to the left for 1 yard gain

4th-1, Cinc32 7:23  Cinc committed 5 yard penalty

1st-10, Cinc27 7:10  M. Grothe passed to B. Williams to the left for 8 yard gain

2nd-2, Cinc19 6:40  M. Ford rushed to the right for no gain

3rd-2, Cinc19 6:10  M. Grothe incomplete pass to the right

4th-2, Cinc19 5:49  M. Grothe passed to C. Mitchell down the middle for 6 yard gain

1st-10, Cinc13 5:29  M. Ford rushed to the right for 4 yard gain

2nd-6, Cinc9 5:09  M. Grothe rushed to the right for 7 yard gain

1st-2, Cinc2 4:50  M. Ford rushed to the left for 5 yard loss

2nd-7, Cinc7 4:20  M. Grothe rushed up the middle for 7 yard touchdown. D. Alvarado made PAT

Wow the O scores when ford is in...... But he still wont play...... Love the coaching at USF. The coaches are to blame for the 3 game skid.

Our entire offensive philosophy just sucks.  This offense hasn't been successful against decent teams since 2004.  17 out of the last 37 games the offense has produced 2 TDs or less.  It's more than just the the last 3 games and more than just the playcalling.  Even when Hall was here we had a problem scoring and he was able to run the ball.

[Rocky Style]

My opinion is you play to win.  Period.  You don't sacrifice anything for next year. 

My opinion is that they would win if they put these guys in on first and second down, but I was going with the more politically correct method of getting them experience for the future.  Remember, what we are doing now is not working.

For some reason if you suggest that these guys (mainly Ford) run the ball it is taken as disrespect for Ben Williams.  I think he is a great player and can contribute greatly in a two back set.  Also on 3rd down Ben Williams would be great at protecting Grothe and/or catching out of a one back set.

I am talking about winning.