I wanted to highlight Connor Nelligan's big 2012 season because of
the VERY crowded pack of WR's we have going into the 2013 campaign.
When you factor in the incoming players, there's decent depth and a lot of talent at some other positions on offense too, especially tight end and QB.
But that brings us to the troubling lack of real depth numbers at the crucial RB position.
Marcorus Garrett is the best returning running back the Lions have had in over a decade. Cameron Molina showed some good, if brief promise, last season.
Griffin Lowry, Alec Fisher, and Trevor Bell, have maybe 15 total carries between them. There's only one incoming freshman RB that we know about in Alan Watson.
Even if Head Coach Pete Mangurian decides to go with a one-back "run and shoot" offense, you have to wonder what happens if, Heaven forbid, something happens to Garrett.
When you factor in the incoming players, there's decent depth and a lot of talent at some other positions on offense too, especially tight end and QB.
But that brings us to the troubling lack of real depth numbers at the crucial RB position.
Marcorus Garrett is the best returning running back the Lions have had in over a decade. Cameron Molina showed some good, if brief promise, last season.
Griffin Lowry, Alec Fisher, and Trevor Bell, have maybe 15 total carries between them. There's only one incoming freshman RB that we know about in Alan Watson.
Even if Head Coach Pete Mangurian decides to go with a one-back "run and shoot" offense, you have to wonder what happens if, Heaven forbid, something happens to Garrett.
Of course, having two or three solid RB's can sometimes wind up being a curse in disguise.
Columbia found that out the hard way in 2004 when Ayo Oluwole and Rashad Biggers were both healthy and raring to go but the coaches couldn't figure out how to juggle them. The result was a great opportunity was wasted and the Lions finished 1-9.
Focusing the running attack on one primary runner is a good method much of the time, so this is not a call for a "run it by committee" offense. It is, however, a call for making sure Garrett has a more than adequate understudy.
The final spring practice, (it seems more and more like there will be no actual spring "game" this year), should help answer some questions about who will step up at the RB position. Of course, the incoming frosh Watson won't be involved so it will still be an incomplete set of data.
But I am already very comfortable predicting that Columbia's overall rushing stats will improve in 2013, because of one important factor: sacks.
Yards lost from sacks are counted against a team's rushing yardage in the NCAA. And the Lions suffered a stunning 40 sacks allowed in 2012. Those sacks really knocked Columbia's overall rushing stats all over the place and skew the data.
Unless the Lions show NO pass protection improvement, I think it's safe to say the sacks allowed stat this coming season will be reduced and by contrast, Columbia's rushing attack will at least look better.
But the big question is whether the Lions can BE good and not just look "better."
20 comments:
SideLion had an interesting interview with Garrett at halftime of Pr MBB "game." He likes both running and receiving, seems to buy into Mangurian's approach, especially one-game-at-a-time (especially after Harv debacle), and sees the Campbell Center as a major addition to the program. He expressed some disappointment in not gaining 1K but was philosophical about it. Sounded like a very pleasant, composed young man.
Here's the thing, we are going to have an outstanding passing game, so much so that our opponents will have to drop back more players into deep coverage thereby allowing our running backs the opportunity to accelerate at high speed and then break away for big yardage. Ordinarily, an outstanding deep passing game benefits any running back, but it particularly helps speedy types who gain yardage running around people rather than over them. Fortunately for Columbia, the Lions have several such players at the wide receiver and other skills positions. You can expect several of those players to seize the opportunity and switch over to running back. If you look at the high school records of some of the players, you will see several who starred at running back in high school and are therefore likely to move to running back where they can make an impact in the improved passing game.
Brown did just that in the Eighties/Nineties. Brown's football fortunes improved dramatically when Coach Whipple implemented a Western type offense in the eighties. He brought in some gunslingers from the Far West and had them throw deep thereby opening up room for the running game. Incidentally, a Wild West Offense is much more fun for players and fans alike than a possession type offense. It also gives a team an identity which helps recruiting.
Hey everybody, get a look at Lion WR recruit Toure Douglas the night he won the "Mr. Vineland" competition at his school (he was already senior class president). Here all the candidates do a rockin' dance number together -- that's tall Toure in the middle with the best moves of all. Talented young man!
http://www.thedailyjournal.com/article/20130118/NEWS01/301180056/Crowning-moment-Mr-Vineland?nclick_check=1
Improve the OL and the running game will take care of itself. We have enough depth at RB.
Men's hoops lose by 25 and women by 62 to Princeton. At what point is enough , enough? Need a change at the top- zero Ivy titles in any sport( sorry Archery, no offense meant) 3 years and counting- disgraceful!
Lionrock, love your vision for Lions Football offensively in 2013. Question is, will the holes be there for our running backs, most of whom are the speedy finesse types rather than ones that gain yards after contact. Spreading the field with potential down field threats will theoretically help.
Nice All-Star shot of WR recruit Denzel Hill. He was also State Champ in 55-meter dash. 3.8 GPA
http://charlescountysports.com/general/2012-smac-all-stars-denzel-hill/
What; no comments on last night's win over Penn in men's BB?
Agree with Jake that you cant rely on Garrett so much by himself. Not only could he get injured of course, but you want to be able to rest him. And if we have one-sided game plan with mostly passing, then our QB's will be getting ALOT of pressure.
Apparently we have a new DC.
Coach M. posted last night that the team and staff were at full strength. Any word on the new DC?
I guess we're stuck waiting on any additional player names.
Coach M. tweeted last night that his staff and the team were at full strength. Any word on the new DC?
Coach Mangurian's tweet yesterday said, "Team and staff are at full strength, moving on." Does that mean that Lempa has been replaced and the recruits have completed their paperwork?
Is the spring game-scrimmage worth a trip to NY? Will it be May 4th?
While we're waiting, here's a nice All-Star shot of WR recruit Denzel Hill. He was also the Maryland State Champ in the 55-meter dash.
G.P.A. of 3.8.
from a column in the Los Angeles Times:
Ricky Wolff, a lineman at Encino Crespi, has a 4.4 GPA. He was 10 points away from a perfect SAT. He could be the class valedictorian and is headed to Columbia.
a video showing the inside of the Campbell Center is due to be posted this week
from a Los Angeles Times column:
Ricky Wolff, a lineman at Encino Crespi, has a 4.4 GPA. He was 10 points away from a perfect SAT. He could be the class valedictorian and is headed to Columbia.
why have you disabled commenting on recent posts?
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