Gopher Current Running Backs Compared

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WAGopher

WAGopher

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I love as replying to HoustonTXGopher in the Trey Potts appreciation thread, but thought it was getting off topic, so I’m starting a new thread.

HoustonTXGopher said:
Yup, even a better feeling after watching Thomas yesterday. He showed me he is the most explosive backs that is currently healthy on our roster. He ran with great vision and beautiful cutback ability yesterday. So yes Bullish on Ky Thomas!
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I like Thomas too, but also Irving and Williamson, and for different reasons. I think the only knocks on Thomas is top end speed and power/strength. It’s very hard to teach speed, but I’m confident Ky is going to get much stronger each year. And he is plenty fast to get huge gains, just don’t expect him to house any 40+ yard runs.

Here’s how I see the three currently most used backs compared to each other:

Speed:
1. Irving
2. Williams
3. Thomas

Quickness (shiftiness):
1. Thomas
2. Irving
3. Williams

Vision:
1. Thomas
2. Irving
3. Williams

Strength:
1. Williams
2. Thomas
3. Irving
 

WAGopher said:
I love as replying to HoustonTXGopher in the Trey Potts appreciation thread, but thought it was getting off topic, so I’m starting a new thread.


I like Thomas too, but also Irving and Williamson, and for different reasons. I think the only knocks on Thomas is top end speed and power/strength. It’s very hard to teach speed, but I’m confident Ky is going to get much stronger each year. And he is plenty fast to get huge gains, just don’t expect him to house any 40+ yard runs.

Here’s how I see the three currently most used backs compared to each other:

Speed:
1. Irving
2. Williams
3. Thomas

Quickness (shiftiness):
1. Thomas
2. Irving
3. Williams

Vision:
1. Thomas
2. Irving
3. Williams

Strength:
1. Williams
2. Thomas
3. Irving
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You’re forgetting about patience to wait for blocks and holes to open. I’m not sure I see one of the three that is head and shoulders above the others here. I’d label them 1a, 1b, and 1c.
 

CentralGopher said:
You’re forgetting about patience to wait for blocks and holes to open. I’m not sure I see one of the three that is head and shoulders above the others here. I’d label them 1a, 1b, and 1c.
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Yes, patience could be a measuring stick, but it could also be part of vision, which is seeing the play develop and have an instinct of where to go.

I agree all three are very good.
 




As a midget myself I like Irving the best, but it has to be run only. Next year we are all going to be making Kramer to Leidner comparisons. Jerry Kill football is PJ Fleck football.
 

WAGopher said:
I love as replying to HoustonTXGopher in the Trey Potts appreciation thread, but thought it was getting off topic, so I’m starting a new thread.


I like Thomas too, but also Irving and Williamson, and for different reasons. I think the only knocks on Thomas is top end speed and power/strength. It’s very hard to teach speed, but I’m confident Ky is going to get much stronger each year. And he is plenty fast to get huge gains, just don’t expect him to house any 40+ yard runs.

Here’s how I see the three currently most used backs compared to each other:

Speed:
1. Irving
2. Williams
3. Thomas

Quickness (shiftiness):
1. Thomas
2. Irving
3. Williams

Vision:
1. Thomas
2. Irving
3. Williams

Strength:
1. Williams
2. Thomas
3. Irving
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I would put Williams ahead of Irving for vision. Maybe ahead of Thomas too
 


WAGopher said:
I love as replying to HoustonTXGopher in the Trey Potts appreciation thread, but thought it was getting off topic, so I’m starting a new thread.


I like Thomas too, but also Irving and Williamson, and for different reasons. I think the only knocks on Thomas is top end speed and power/strength. It’s very hard to teach speed, but I’m confident Ky is going to get much stronger each year. And he is plenty fast to get huge gains, just don’t expect him to house any 40+ yard runs.

Here’s how I see the three currently most used backs compared to each other:

Speed:
1. Irving
2. Williams
3. Thomas

Quickness (shiftiness):
1. Thomas
2. Irving
3. Williams

Vision:
1. Thomas
2. Irving
3. Williams

Strength:
1. Williams
2. Thomas
3. Irving
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I think Williams is the fastest of the three, and of all running backs we have. Otherwise I like the rankings!
 





noamfromm said:
He's no Berkeley Edwards but he's close to lightning in a bottle
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Irving is going to bust off a highlight reel long TD run here at some point. Just feels like everytime he gets the ball something special might happen.

Tough to say what will end up happening with Mo and Potts after this season, but no matter what, the future is bright at the RB position.
 

HitMeAgainIAmStillMoving said:
As a midget myself I like Irving the best, but it has to be run only. Next year we are all going to be making Kramer to Leidner comparisons. Jerry Kill football is PJ Fleck football.
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Bucko in space off the catch is a threat. He can 1-cut a swing pass a way the other two cannot. Still like the other two also.

Cant imagine another QB would be as slow as Leidner. And if that is the strategy then the results will be the same - butts kicked every year by Iowa, WI, and any helmet matchups. I don’t think that is the direction we should choose.
 




HitMeAgainIAmStillMoving said:
As a midget myself I like Irving the best, but it has to be run only. Next year we are all going to be making Kramer to Leidner comparisons. Jerry Kill football is PJ Fleck football.
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Fleck will not have an inept pass offense. He might abandon the passing game, but it’s way more of a threat when he chooses to use it compared to Kill teams.
 



PMWinSTP said:
We must be watching different teams...
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I've seen him dance around way too often and take a no gain or loss. He needs to learn when to just settle for the 2 or 3 yard gain.

I haven't watched yesterday's game yet though (currently on vacation). Maybe it will change my mind?
 
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Word said:
I've seen him dance around way too often and take a no gain or loss. He needs to learn when to just settle for the 2 or 3 yard gain.
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That’s probably true, but Bryce seems to just barrel ahead. He has improved since his freshman year though it seems. Irving does dance a bit, but I feel like a lot of young rbs do that, and I’m not sure that’s a vision issue. Interesting to note that Barry Sanders holds the record for most yards lost by a rb.
 

Mrs. Billd is excited about Bucko. Likes his inside spurts and sprints to the outside. I think he's pretty quick myself.

Pleasantly surprised overall. Not concerned at all with who's back there for each play. Very excited to see what they might do. Who would'a thunk?
 

BilldGopher said:
Mrs. Billd is excited about Bucko. Likes his inside spurts and sprints to the outside. I think he's pretty quick myself.

Pleasantly surprised overall. Not concerned at all with who's back there for each play. Very excited to see what they might do. Who would'a thunk?
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I think Irving has the most home run potential of any back we've had in 10+ years (based on speed and quickness).
 

Word said:
I've seen him dance around way too often and take a no gain or loss. He needs to learn when to just settle for the 2 or 3 yard gain.

I haven't watched yesterday's game yet though (currently on vacation). Maybe it will change my mind?
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For me, that's not really vision. I think it's him just occasionally not hitting the hole (no pun) hard. I actually think Irving might have the best vision. I actually think his vision, at times, can cause him to overthink a running play.

With Williams, I've seen numerous plays where he will run into the backs of his lineman. He's actually gotten better at this.
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
For me, that's not really vision. I think it's him just occasionally not hitting the hole (no pun) hard. I actually think Irving might have the best vision. I actually think his vision, at times, can cause him to overthink a running play.

With Williams, I've seen numerous plays where he will run into the backs of his lineman. He's actually gotten better at this.
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I'm lumping decision making in with vision. Not sure if that's what the OP had in mind.
 

I’ll take occasional 2-3 yard losses if there are occasional 40-50 yard gains. That is a net win.
 


noamfromm said:
I think Williams is the fastest of the three, and of all running backs we have. Otherwise I like the rankings!
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I read somewhere after last week that Williams is amongst the fastest players on the team and is the fastest RB.
 

MNfootballfan said:
I read somewhere after last week that Williams is amongst the fastest players on the team and is the fastest RB.
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He apparently stopped running track as a sophomore and his PR in the 100 was 11.55
 

UpAndUnder43 said:
My opinion?
1. Williams
2. Thomas
3. Irving
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Agree. And based on Nebraska game, where Thomas took Cam Taylor-Britt out on a blitz, giving Tanner throw a TD, I think 1 and 2 are very close, big drop off to 3. But Irving is a true frosh and weighs at most 190. An off season in the weight room will move him up the ladder.
 
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MNfootballfan said:
I read somewhere after last week that Williams is amongst the fastest players on the team and is the fastest RB.
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I don’t know any of our RBs 40 times. I have seen every back except for Williams caught from behind. Williams, once running flat out in the open field, seems to pull away from pursuers. He might have the kind of straightaway speed that isn’t initial burst or quickness, that requires two steps to get going, but is very fast once underway.
 

Gophergrandpa said:
I don’t know any of our RBs 40 times. I have seen every back except for Williams caught from behind. Williams, once running flat out in the open field, seems to pull away from pursuers. He might have the kind of straightaway speed that isn’t initial burst or quickness, that requires two steps to get going, but is very fast once underway.
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I agree with Williams' speed, but I don't think I've seen Irving caught from behind. I am curious to see what kind of speed he has in the open field, he seems to have a lot of speed getting to the edge, but eventually has been run down by defenders that had the angle.
 

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