At this point is Eskridge better then Bennet?

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thailleagle

thailleagle

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After watching this game and last weeks game on tape I have come to the conclusion that Bennet's injury has forced him to change his running style. I watched the NIU game last year and it looks like now he runs more "cautiously" and it's affecting his decision on when to use his speed.......

I kept wondering why Eskridge was used so much last week and the game last night may have answered my question. I think Eskridge may be showing more in practice then Bennet and last night he looked a lot better not to take away from Bennet but I think the potential Bennet had to be a deadly weapon is gone and he may just now be a "regular" running back.......

Thoughts?
 


Bennett

I agree about Bennett. He looked slow. Our running game is in trouble. I know we want to establish the run, but we do not have the running backs. Against Cal we'd be lucky to gain over 50 yards with our running backs. I want us to gain 150 with our RB but I do not see us doing that.
 

I think the running game will be the achillles heel for this squad.
 

IMO Bennett is a much better back than Eskridge. Bennett hits a hole much quicker and over the course of the season Bennett will have a higher YPC average than Eskridge because of it.

Eskridge had a good game against AFA but he is held back by a lack of quickness. When making a cut he slows down so much that even if he breaks the tackle he is still standing in the same spot when the next defender arrives to tackle him.
 


In some ways I say forget about trying to pound the rock this year. I think we should play the spread more because we are going to have trouble running the ball against those big physical defenses in the Big Ten. I know you want to keep defense guessing but right now defenses in the Big Ten are not shaking in their boots over the Gophers running backs.
 

No offense to a couple of hard-working kids, but I can't think of a single thing that either of those two genuinely excel at. As of today, they are okay #2 backs. Having said that, there's time to continue getting better--though I've always found that vision-balance-instinct are not things you can really cultivate.
 

Eskridge improved during the game. In the 4th quarter he was hitting the hole quicker. It was if a coach told him to quit dancing and hit the hole fast, or we'll try someone else. Whatever happened, he had a pretty good 4th quarter.
 

People finally realizing

I think people are finally realizing that our running backs are average at best. That does not mean people hate them or wish anything bad on them. It just means people are starting to realize it just isn't all the offensive lines fault. Last year Gopher fans would always get mad when I said part of our lack of running yards is the running backs and not just the O-line or Dunbars spread offense. The O-line was terrible last year but they got blamed way too much. Now I think people are finally realizing our running backs are not game breaking type backs.

I still had hope for Whaley to be a game changing back, but the more games we play and he does not see the field, the more I have my doubts.
 



I've gotta agree with a lot of what was said here. Before last night I thought Bennett was clearly better last week, but Eskridge looked clearly better last night and I'm wondering if the dings Bennett took against Syracuse hurt his style too. Neither 1 is a top-flight guy, but Eskridge did look a bit better and so I'm hoping for improvement from him. And it sure would be nice to see Whaley, if he could stay healthy. Even nicer if some 4* guy or 2 or 3 comes in next year.
 

One thing for sure is that Eskridge is a better back than he was last year. Better than Bennet? too early too tell.
 

Gotta give Eskeridge his due last night.

Eskeridge showed some wiggle last night and a little toughness.
The running game will get better when the O-line and the backs start getting a rythem together.
Last night the right side of the line had opened up a hole and Eskeridge hesitated and did not hit the hole and got closed down from the pursuit. The line did there job there. Looked like coach Hammock gave him a little butt chewing after that play and then the kid hit the hole hard, a little less spinning his feet. He is a decent back when he moves ahead and doesn't try to dance so much behind the line. Bennet is a good back and Eskeridge is a good back, I think we will be fine once the line starts creating a few more creases. They have a lot of mass up front and height up front, they need to start standing some guys up getting a better center of gravity with there feet, take that and lean on the D a little better. Even if you can't overpower the guy in front of you lean on them with leverage, make them feel your weight. We need to take advantage of our height on the O-line, we have a lot of leverage advantage and should be able to use that even if we cannot straight up overpower people right now. We need to start laying on guy's a little longer in the pile to to tire the other side out, they will start to suck a little more wind if we lean on them more. Is that a little nasty yes, but you will get in there heads if you do.
 

I don't know anything but Bennet looked like he dinged up his shoulder in game 1 against Syracuse and a bad shoulder will make you a little tentative. That being said Eskeridge look like the better back against AF
 



Think Dontae Williams and Ethan Grant noticed?

As for this year, I think Bennett will turn out to be the better player. I like what he can bring to the table catching the ball out of the backfield. While Eskridge looked better last night, I'd be willing to bet as Grunkie said that Bennett has a better YPC by season end.
 

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