Ackerman: UF needs to shorten RB rotation

[BMF]

I agree w/ Brady here. The coaches are getting too cute w/ the RB rotation and need to settle on a #1.

He says Scarlett needs to be the #1 w/ Thompson at #2....the other two can wait their turn.

http://gridironnow.com/florida-gators-running-back-rotation/

Florida needs to shorten its running back rotation

By Brady Ackerman


One of the biggest questions about Florida’s offense is how long the Gators will continue to use a four-man rotation at running back. Honestly, I didn’t think they would do it for this long.

The rotation is hurting the Gators’ opportunities for explosive plays — 20 or more yards. I played running back and coached running backs, and the good ones get better with more opportunities. If you give one guy 20 carries and another guy 10-15, I think the result will be more long runs within the game plan. I don’t have any sort of scientific evidence to back that up, but I believe it to be true.

Florida has four runs of 20-plus yards this season, which is not good. To put that into perspective, the worst rushing team in the SEC (South Carolina) has three. All four running backs are similar in the UF rotation, and all have done good things. But could one of them do great things? I think so, and that means more carries in the flow of the game.

Mark Thompson had one of the most impressive runs by a Florida back this season against North Texas. Could he turn in more big plays if the tailback rotations was shortened? KIM KLEMENT/USA TODAY SPORTS

By opening the game with one guy going a couple of series until he’s tired, he’s able to get a feel for the defense — and the blocking, as well. The coaching staff can monitor his endurance, then have the second guy ready to go. A third guy could be involved in the game plan as a third-down back or two-minute running back. The idea that you should only play one is not what I am getting at, but more the idea of giving one an opportunity to shine.

I would play Jordan Scarlett and give him eight of the first 10 carries and see where that takes you. I think Mark Thompson is also a guy that needs carries before he will break one off. These two guys have combined for three of the four explosive runs this season. In the two games where the Gators ran the ball well, against Kentucky and North Texas, Scarlett had 20 carries for 105 yards and Thompson had 26 for 144 yards. Those should be the numbers for one game with their talent.

I like Jordan Cronkrite and Lamical Perine, but they will just have to wait their turn. Cronkrite could be that third-down/two-minute back I was talking about, while Perine needs to come in for mop-up duty in the fourth quarter or until one of the top two falters.

It’s hard to get in a rhythm when you’re only in for a series at a time. It also can cause a back to try to make too much happen instead of trusting the process because he knows he’s coming out.

The Gators have run the ball 153 times this season, with four explosive runs. Texas A&M also run the ball 153 times — and has 13 explosive runs. The Aggies have two running backs and a quarterback who can run, but they feed two guys.

The Gators are sitting at 10th in the league in rushing, but my eyes tell me the 2016 rushing attack is better than the 2015 edition. The key is explosive plays, and by narrowing the rotation, I believe they may find more of them in the future.

 

[T REX]

This was brought up before. I trust the coaches. Mac is 1-7 vs ranked teams. He knows what he's doing.

 

[LongTooth]

Thompson is a lumbering sack of garbage. No way. He should be the mop up back.

But I do agree with the premise. Scarlett has been looking stronger recently. He should become the workhorse, Perine should spell him, and Cronk should be the situational guy who is the Swiss Army knife type back.

 

[BMF]

This was brought up before. I trust the coaches. Mac is 1-7 vs ranked teams. He knows what he's doing.

Yep. The "I trust the coaches" posts/responses are the best on a message board. We should just shut the board down and "trust the coaches". Practically everyone who posts "I trust the coaches" said the same crap about Muschamp and Zook.

McElwain obviously gets another year or two unless he bangs a co-ed on the 50-yard line. So let's see what he does. But if he doesn't fire Nord and Summers he might as well start packing his bags. He won't win w/ those type of coaches. And if he stubbornly hangs onto them....well, bye!

 

[BMF]

Thompson is a lumbering sack of garbage. No way. He should be the mop up back.

But I do agree with the premise. Scarlett has been looking stronger recently. He should become the workhorse, Perine should spell him, and Cronk should be the situational guy who is the Swiss Army knife type back.

The article clearly says that Perine should be the "mop-up" guy....those words exactly.

 

[LongTooth]

The article clearly says that Perine should be the "mop-up" guy....those words exactly.

and I totally disagree with ackerman on that point. Perine is already a much better Div I back than Thompson will ever be. brady be crazy.

ackerman is basing his opinion off of one run that Thompson made vs UNT.

 

[Durty South Swamp]

agree, perine looks better than all of them IMO. imagine what he will look like in a year or 2?

 

[LeeForThree]

I don't think you have to play just 1 or 2 of the RBs...rather I'd say give 1 RB 3 or 4 series, if they are not doing good things go to the next in line. If they are doing good keep giving them the majority of the snaps.

 

[BMF]

and I totally disagree with ackerman on that point. Perine is already a much better Div I back than Thompson will ever be. brady be crazy.

ackerman is basing his opinion off of one run that Thompson made vs UNT.

So Thompson shouldn't even be the 4th RB? Move Herndon to that spot? I was just replying to your comment about "mop-up" back and thought you may have mis-read because the article doesn't suggest Thompson as the "mop-up" guy.

I think we haven't seen enough of ANY of them. The coaches have gotten too cute, like playing Perine most of the Kentucky game....then not much the next game. Let ONE of them take the lead!

 

[GatorBart]

This was brought up before. I trust the coaches. Mac is 1-7 vs ranked teams. He knows what he's doing.

And why do you bring it up now? To be divisive? Your MO, I guess.

 

[LongTooth]

1. Scarlett, 2a Perine, 2b Cronk, 3. Thompson, 4. Herndon

That's how i'd rank them at the moment.

but i still agree with you and ackerman's overall point. one guy needs to be head and shoulders above the rest. THE GUY.

 

[gatormandan]

This was brought up before. I trust the coaches. Mac is 1-7 vs ranked teams. He knows what he's doing.

 

[T REX]

And why do you bring it up now? To be divisive? Your MO, I guess.

No. I'm looking for the staff to show me more than what they have so far. 6-0 is ancient history. Can't hang onto that forever.

 

[SGG]

It won't matter if we have a 15 back rotation if the playcalling is conservative and the line misses blocks.

What difference does it really make?

 

[GatorJB]

1. Scarlett, 2a Perine, 2b Cronk, 3. Thompson, 4. Herndon

That's how i'd rank them at the moment.

but i still agree with you and ackerman's overall point. one guy needs to be head and shoulders above the rest. THE GUY.

I agree with this. Scarlett has run the best imo, and Perine has looked more impressive to me than Cronkrite and Thompson. I don't think Thompson has very good field vision and instincts. Cronk has been good overall but still out-played by Scarlett and Perine.

 

[SoberJohn]

It's a no brainer that Thompson should get ALL the carries. He told us that he's have 1000 yards before the Georgia game. That means he's going to average 270 yards in the next three games. Everyone knows he's a "beast" ever since he committed to UF. If a Gator player brags, they ALWAYS back it up, right?

 

[cover2]

Situation kind of brings to mind the old saying about QB's...if you've got two QB's, you've got no QB's. Not quite like that, but you've got to wonder how the best back would do with 20 carries (hopefully not murdered behind the OL).

 

[Yankeetown]

Much as I respect Ackerman's opinion, I disagree.

Teams that win consistently SHOULD be running better in the 4th quarter than at the beginning of the game, because (1) they've worn the defense down some, (2) they have a more nuanced understanding of what's working and what's not than they did before the game started, and (3) they have set up counters and misdirections based on doing something unexpected out of formations they've shown the defense before.

So UNLESS THERE IS A *** CLEAR *** DIFFERENCE in the skill level/effectiveness of the running backs, having better results in the running game as the contest progresses are caused more by team factors than by any one or two backs "getting a feel for the game."

All 4 of our backs who have played have looked good at times, fair at times, and not very visible at times. (I'm leaving Herndon out of the discussion, has he even had a carry yet this season?) None has established himself as clearly superior. That being the case, keeping them all relatively fresh, and mentally in the game, makes sense. (Also, players who get PT and stay out of trouble rarely transfer.)

The main reason we haven't had a lot of long runs is attributable to the OL, IMO. Second-guessing the use of the backs is barking up the wrong tree.

 

[ATXGator]

Scarlett should be the starter with Perine #2 and Cronkrite as the third down back. Thompson needs to be made 4th until he learns to run angry and use his size.

 

[gatormandan]

It's a no brainer that Thompson should get ALL the carries. He told us that he's have 1000 yards before the Georgia game. That means he's going to average 270 yards in the next three games. Everyone knows he's a "beast" ever since he committed to UF. If a Gator player brags, they ALWAYS back it up, right?

It might have been possible if he were the lone back and he had blockers in front of him.