Line needs to improve or we need to get backs the ball outside more often if they don’t. It can’t just be slamming into a wall even if we had Breece or DM back.
Time for Sanders to be the featured back
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Line needs to improve or we need to get backs the ball outside more often if they don’t. It can’t just be slamming into a wall even if we had Breece or DM back.
This. Both Sama and Norton were hitting the hole way to soft, running indecisively isn’t going to work with a line that isn’t sustaining blocks.
I actually think Norton sees the field ok, but just seems to lack the burst of speed to hit the hole and struggles to get skinny in between the tackles. His pass catching is also subpar. I think he’d be a great committee/situational back, but I think it’s time to give someone else a shot at RB1.
Hold the phone, Dexter Green, Mike Strachan, Dwayne Crutchfield, Joe Henderson, Darren Davis, Ennis Haywood, Stevie Hicks, Alexander Robinson, Mike Warren and George Amundsen would like a word.
I don’t disagree there are some great backs in that list. The phrasing has always been his ceiling, not when he demonstrates right now.
It is hard to "hit the hole hard" when you are dodging one or two defenders before you even get to the line of scrimmage. On most of those plays I would say, "what hole?"
Yes the OL was bad. That does mean every RB was running well though and maximizing what was available. Poor OL play and poor RB play are not mutually exclusive.
IDK if he's dinged but Norton looks in slow motion going towards the LOS sometimes to me. He reminds me of a mack truck - hard to stop once he gets going but he needs a lane to take off
I agree. However any ball carrier is going to run more tentatively when they are regularly having to dodge a defender as soon as they get the ball. Even when there is no defender there they are going to be expecting one and not run as explosively. It is similar to a QB who is constantly under pressure hearing footsteps on the rare occasion he has time to throw.
May I introduce you to Barry Sanders? Or Troy Davis? And the list goes on. You're not wrong and , I'm not saying they never played with good offensive linemen but I've seen backs dancing around craptastic offensive lines.
We run so much inside zone I imagine because that is what Norton is good at. He's like Ezekiel Elliot. He's a one cut, foot in the ground, north-south runner.
Problem is, our offensive line is not good at inside / straight up zone blocking. Hence the square peg - round hole comparison.
That's where Sanders is different. Maybe Hansen but the sample size is too small to know for sure on him. Sama might be somewhere in between. If we had earth movers at the POA Norton would probably be our best back. Right now we don't have earth movers though.
Sure - and that's why I think Sanders is the best bet. He's no Barry - obvious statement is obvious - but I think he's the most shifty back we have. Maybe Hansen's the 2nd? IDK. Typically returners - receiving backs have that wiggle which is part of makes them good in space and good returners because they can change direction quick and shift weight fast.
Norton seems a bruiser and Sama a track star. Nothing wrong with either but with a below average OL at just moving defenders off their spot, that quick twitch might make a difference between 2nd and 7 and 2nd and 10/11. Neither is overally impressive but its closer to being on track than not
Norton seems a bruiser and Sama a track star. Nothing wrong with either but with a below average OL at just moving defenders off their spot, that quick twitch might make a difference between 2nd and 7 and 2nd and 10/11. Neither is overally impressive but its closer to being on track than not
He was anointed pretty early on, a lot of people on here especially wanted Jirehl Brock relegated after those handful of Norton runs in the SEMO game. They got their wish later in the season and I don't think they liked the results so far.Remember last year, when based on a handful of runs in the very first game (before he was injured), everyone was declaring him to be the next Troy Davis???
Good times.
Caveat - I think Norton has potential to be a good RB at Iowa State still. Watching him is not like watching Deon Silas, where it is evident to everyone watching that has the ability to see that he is not a P5 running back. Norton is the type of back that just needs better blocking to get going, and/or be more decisive and hit holes harder, even if they aren't very big holes. This is not a knock, I would say the majority of RB's are like this. It is just becoming clearer that he is not the next 'elite' RB at Iowa State most likely. If his career proceeds to be more akin to say a Stevie Hicks or Alexander Robinson than a Breece Hall or David Montgomery, then that is still pretty good IMO.
Yes. He reminds me of Stevie. Who was and still is one of my favorites.
He's great for short yardage, or if we are able to wear a defense down a little with quicker throws, maybe some tempo and a little bit of running mixed in - he'd be a great 3rd or 4th quarter back if we've got a lead or even just tired out their defense a little bit. I just don't know if he's great as a primary back who is not, at this time, great at reading penetration and or avoiding it when it gets to him quick
He's great for short yardage, or if we are able to wear a defense down a little with quicker throws, maybe some tempo and a little bit of running mixed in - he'd be a great 3rd or 4th quarter back if we've got a lead or even just tired out their defense a little bit. I just don't know if he's great as a primary back who is not, at this time, great at reading penetration and or avoiding it when it gets to him quick
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No need for ISU fans to go to the Barry Sanders comparison. Montgomery (especially) and Hall are great examples of RBs who were so good they found success despite poor OLs. It seemed like Monty was hit in the backfield on half his runs. But we were extremely fortunate to have starting NFL quality RBs for that long stretch, we no longer have that advantage.
Lol, that seems a bit drastic. I remember saying he looked good, but declaring him 1 of the top two backs in our program history seems a bit hyperbolic and crazy to me. Surely not "everyone" declared this right?Remember last year, when based on a handful of runs in the very first game (before he was injured), everyone was declaring him to be the next Troy Davis???
Good times.
I agree but they have to set it up better. On the one they did we had one blocker (TE ) who had to block two guys and basically blocked nether and play failed miserably.
Their long run in the first half was their guy out running our defenders. Speed is what is needed. I think if they can get Sama in the open he’ll out run most guys.
