Who starts at running back against UNI?

[CycoCyclone]

Croney blocks the best and is the toughest in between the tackles among returning backs, so he gets the start.

As others said, Kene will get his touches, would not be surprised to see Lang if Croney tires, but by end of season that rotation will be Hall and Brock heavy

 

[CYdTracked]

I think it may be a lot like 2016 when Montgomery took over for Warren. The guy who ends the season as the lead back likely won't be the Week 1 RB1 on the depth chart but will show something in the first few weeks of the season and make it hard to keep them off the field. Good thing is we should have some depth and options at RB that if we had an injury it's not a huge blow at that position.

 

[demoncore1031]

If we can push around UNI (we hopefully can), and open holes Kene will have a huge game with his speed but he needs that initial hole much like Mike Warren

Agreed. Up to this point Kene hasn't ran up the middle a whole lot. Most of his carries have been to the outside. But I think he will be fine running any play call, it's just gonna be a matter of the line opening holes as you mentioned.

 

[CyCloned]

I rewatched to OSU game last night. (The internet was out) Lang got the start, but Kene and Croney each played quite a bit. Kene had some really nice runs, made some guys miss and got to the outside a couple times. Blocking was not great. Croney had a couple of nice runs, but also had some bad reads and got stuffed pretty bad several times. He did the best job of blocking and did not look lost out there. Lang was the best RB as far as making cuts and quickness. Guy looks like a pretty decent back. Blocking was not the best, but I would say better than Kene. Brock called his own number way too many times in the second half, and got buried several times. It will be interesting to see who emerges from the mix. I expect some level of growth from all 3 guys. Probably the guy that holds on to the ball and blocks well will get the start. Missing DM already....

 

[CyCloned]

After today's press conference I want to change my vote to Lang. Kene had a minor injury today. CMC said he would be fine on Sunday, but that might be enough to knock him out of the race

 

[TXCyclones]

This is why the worries about replacing Montgomery are overstated in the national media. He was great but we have the depth to sustain without him. We have 3 backs who have done well in the past in their brief opportunities and we have two highly touted freshmen.

I understand this opinion... BUT does anybody remember what happened without Montgomery in Austin last year? Our backs looked horribly pedestrian by comparison. I hope that there's no falloff but seeing that UT game first hand... oof.

 

[LincolnWay187]

Croney showed he could hold onto the ball and take a hit while pushing forward which i think Campbell prefers, as do i. While kene and lang could be okay and have more speed they are lacking the aforementioned qualities.

 

[BWRhasnoAC]

Croney showed he could hold onto the ball and take a hit while pushing forward which i think Campbell prefers, as do i. While kene and lang could be okay and have more speed they are lacking the aforementioned qualities.

My only problem with Croney is he tends to run a little too high(needs more knee bend, lower his center of gravity) Otherwise he looks like a very solid all around back. I imagine he takes the lion's share of high pressure snaps, with everyone else getting sprinkles until a clear #1 displaces from the crowd.

 

[CyCloned]

Croney showed he could hold onto the ball and take a hit while pushing forward which i think Campbell prefers, as do i. While kene and lang could be okay and have more speed they are lacking the aforementioned qualities.

I don't remember Lang having any ball issues, but then again, most of these guys have had a lot more carries in practice then in games. I thought Lang fought for extra yards on the few carries he had.

 

[CloneGuy8]

Good to hear about Lang. He gets forgotten about since he dealt with some injuries, but he is a talented back

 

[FinalFourCy]

I understand this opinion... BUT does anybody remember what happened without Montgomery in Austin last year? Our backs looked horribly pedestrian by comparison. I hope that there's no falloff but seeing that UT game first hand... oof.

DM ran 11 times for 33 yards in that game. Lang and Kene combined for 10 rushes for 54 yards. Not much of a fall off in that one

 

[CyCloned]

DM ran 11 times for 33 yards in that game. Lang and Kene combined for 10 rushes for 54 yards. Not much of a fall off in that one

I think the difference is that teams had to pay special attention to DM, the other guys not so much.

Also, lets face it, the TX defense has ISU figured out. Manning will be earning his pay if he can figure out what they are doing to stop ISU. TX defense is pretty good, but other teams have certainly had success against them.

 

[dualthreat]

I'll go out on a little bit of a limb and say it's between Lang and Hall. I think Kene gets carries but will mostly be KR. Croney will be like Mike Warren during his junior senior years.

Brock red shirts but still sees time in garbage time at some point this season.

 

[Gunnerclone]

Croney has proven he can run and keep the ball, he can block, and he can catch out of the back field against the Big 12. He’s been an underrated piece of the offense as a 3rd down back. He’s paid his dues and unless someone is blowing the roof off he deserves to be RB1 on the depth chart.

 

[FinalFourCy]

I think the difference is that teams had to pay special attention to DM, the other guys not so much.

Also, lets face it, the TX defense has ISU figured out. Manning will be earning his pay if he can figure out what they are doing to stop ISU. TX defense is pretty good, but other teams have certainly had success against them.

Meh. The other difference is that DM the benefit of carries against a UT defense protecting a lead.

There may be a drop-off, but last year’s UT game didn’t show it. To say they looked pedestrian compared to DM in that game is a lazy, false assessment. Perhaps that poster was thinking of a different game.