The board has been relatively quiet for the last few days so I wanted to take a moment to throw one out there just for discussion sake...

Running Game
Last year EMU had one of the top running attacks in the MAC despite our starting RB being injured or suspended at various points throughout the season. Gillette has shown he can carry the team with his legs against lower level MAC competition (see the Ball State game) and Greene had a NICE game as a true freshman against Virginia, but didn't put up big numbers against anyone else. There was a great deal of buzz about Dominique Sherrer last spring, but then came the nagging high ankle sprain which kept him out or less than 100% most of the season.

Coming into the 2011 season we'll be returning Sherrer, Greene and welcoming Brumfield to the Eagles backfield. We will also have a couple new faces on the offensive line.

JUST FOR DISCUSSION SAKE
What do you all think the chances are that EMU has a 1,000 yard rusher in the 2011 season?
I'll share my answer after some others respond.

(07-13-2011 09:11 AM)KPJ Wrote:  The board has been relatively quiet for the last few days so I wanted to take a moment to throw one out there just for discussion sake...

Running Game
Last year EMU had one of the top running attacks in the MAC despite our starting RB being injured or suspended at various points throughout the season. Gillette has shown he can carry the team with his legs against lower level MAC competition (see the Ball State game) and Greene had a NICE game as a true freshman against Virginia, but didn't put up big numbers against anyone else. There was a great deal of buzz about Dominique Sherrer last spring, but then came the nagging high ankle sprain which kept him out or less than 100% most of the season.

Coming into the 2011 season we'll be returning Sherrer, Greene and welcoming Brumfield to the Eagles backfield. We will also have a couple new faces on the offensive line.

JUST FOR DISCUSSION SAKE
What do you all think the chances are that EMU has a 1,000 yard rusher in the 2011 season?
I'll share my answer after some others respond.

Slim.

The way to have a 1,000 yard runner is to have a single dominant runner and a QB who is mostly a passer.

EMU could put up some good running numbers but the yards will be spread among Gillette and the RBs.

Sherrer could have a breakout season if 100% healthy (and he should be).

(07-13-2011 09:11 AM)KPJ Wrote:  The board has been relatively quiet for the last few days so I wanted to take a moment to throw one out there just for discussion sake...

Running Game
Last year EMU had one of the top running attacks in the MAC despite our starting RB being injured or suspended at various points throughout the season. Gillette has shown he can carry the team with his legs against lower level MAC competition (see the Ball State game) and Greene had a NICE game as a true freshman against Virginia, but didn't put up big numbers against anyone else. There was a great deal of buzz about Dominique Sherrer last spring, but then came the nagging high ankle sprain which kept him out or less than 100% most of the season.

Coming into the 2011 season we'll be returning Sherrer, Greene and welcoming Brumfield to the Eagles backfield. We will also have a couple new faces on the offensive line.

JUST FOR DISCUSSION SAKE
What do you all think the chances are that EMU has a 1,000 yard rusher in the 2011 season?
I'll share my answer after some others respond.

KPJ,

Great question, everyone should be able to comment on this.

From what I’ve interpret on this board I believe the odds are about 50/50 (Again I am too new to know for sure). From my years of following college football, the most important things are

(1) Having a good RB (strong, good quick feet, great eyes, good hips, take a hit etc)
(2) A respectable game (This means QB and WR)
(3) Good Offensive Line (strong, smart, good sizes, good feet)
(4) Good Offense Coordinator/methodology (A proven track record)
(5) A defense that’s able to keep the game close.


Again, I am too new to EMU football to answer any of these questions. I know at NU we didn’t have a OL that was good enough for the BT. I think the 1st and 2nd games will tell us something but game 3 and 4 with be when the tire meeting the road.

i agree with Steve. too many guys in the mix at running back (and some rushes will go to Gillette). also, how long has Sherrer been on the team? i'm going to guess 300 years. maybe more.

It'll be interesting to see how good Sherrer is when healthy. He's likely the top back coming in to camp.

Greene was very, well, green last year. Had 2 long runs against VA but very little of anything else.

It'll be very interesting to see how the freshmen progress and if any of them will get signifigant playing time.

Dominique White was moved from DB to RB. I remember watching him in the HS state championships and thought he looked like a quick, shifty type of runner.

A good OL can make an average RB and QB look exceptional.

(07-13-2011 12:06 PM)EMUAARON Wrote:  i agree with Steve. too many guys in the mix at running back (and some rushes will go to Gillette). also, how long has Sherrer been on the team? i'm going to guess 300 years. maybe more.

Sherrer is the key.

As has been posted before, Sherrer was considered English's top RB last year before a high ankle sprain essentially wiped out his entire season (should he have been med. redshirted????).

If he has Priest type skills and Brumfield has the moves we expect then we'll get as many yards as we need running, exclusive of Gillette's runs.

I think guys like Greene, Welch, Scherrer are average at RB and none of them ever came close to beating out Priest as a starter. To beat EMU you must shut down the running threat and force Gillett to pass.

When we recruited Brumfield I made the comment that he reminded me of a high school version of Priest. The guy has carried the load and is a mule for work. My prediction is that Brumfield will be the starter before the season is up.

I look at Hill as strictly redshirt material at this point. Fleming provides depth.

(07-13-2011 01:57 PM)emu79 Wrote:  I think guys like Greene, Welch, Scherrer are average at RB and none of them ever came close to beating out Priest as a starter. To beat EMU you must shut down the running threat and force Gillett to pass.

When we recruited Brumfield I made the comment that he reminded me of a high school version of Priest. The guy has carried the load and is a mule for work. My prediction is that Brumfield will be the starter before the season is up.

I look at Hill as strictly redshirt material at this point. Fleming provides depth.

Guys as I said before Brumfield is the real deal...

The way I see it, everything revolves around Gillette. If Gillette's passing game improves, our running game will improve.
If his passing game stays the same or he gets beat out by one of the other QB's I see our offense looking much like it did last year or worse...

I'm not concerned about the O-Line. I think they will be just fine.

(07-13-2011 01:57 PM)emu79 Wrote:  I think guys like Greene, Welch, Scherrer are average at RB and none of them ever came close to beating out Priest as a starter. To beat EMU you must shut down the running threat and force Gillett to pass.

When we recruited Brumfield I made the comment that he reminded me of a high school version of Priest. The guy has carried the load and is a mule for work. My prediction is that Brumfield will be the starter before the season is up.

I look at Hill as strictly redshirt material at this point. Fleming provides depth.

Two, or three, points:

I believe that a HEALTHY Scherrer would have beaten out Priest. Scherrer's season was a total waste as he was injured for most of the season.

2nd, Scherrer and Brumfield are very different runners. I believe Scherrer is like Priest while Brumfield is a smaller, faster runner.

I'm with Pudge on Brumfield. FROSH RBs can play like the kid Lewis at Pitt.

Beg to differ with you Steve, Scherrer had more than one season to beat out Priest for the starter's job. I'll stick with my prediction that Brumfield will be the starter at some point in the season.

But on another topic, maybe we should have a thread like this for each position KPJ like TEs, WRs, QBs, DLs, etc.

I'm sure some of us have different takes which makes it interesting.

(07-13-2011 06:27 PM)emu79 Wrote:  But on another topic, maybe we should have a thread like this for each position KPJ like TEs, WRs, QBs, DLs, etc.

I'm sure some of us have different takes which makes it interesting.

That is the plan, I'll start a new position tomorrow.

(07-13-2011 07:33 PM)KPJ Wrote:  

(07-13-2011 06:27 PM)emu79 Wrote:  But on another topic, maybe we should have a thread like this for each position KPJ like TEs, WRs, QBs, DLs, etc.

I'm sure some of us have different takes which makes it interesting.

That is the plan, I'll start a new position tomorrow.

Great! Looking forward to it.

(07-13-2011 06:27 PM)emu79 Wrote:  Beg to differ with you Steve, Scherrer had more than one season to beat out Priest for the starter's job. I'll stick with my prediction that Brumfield will be the starter at some point in the season.

But on another topic, maybe we should have a thread like this for each position KPJ like TEs, WRs, QBs, DLs, etc.

I'm sure some of us have different takes which makes it interesting.

Funny thing about Brumfield.

Apparently most schools passed on him yet here we think he is a big time prospect.

How can we be so right and the D-I coaches so wrong?

Funny thing about Brumfield.

Apparently most schools passed on him yet here we think he is a big time prospect.

How can we be so right and the D-I coaches so wrong?
[/quote]

Personally I am hoping he will be for us what Garrett Wolfe was for NIU. A lot of BCS schools passed on Wolfe due to his size. I suspect/hope the same is the case with Brumfield.

Who was the last rb to really play a major role as a Freshman at EMU? Was his name Ashanti Watson who was #13 in 99?

(07-14-2011 07:27 PM)KPJ Wrote:  Who was the last rb to really play a major role as a Freshman at EMU? Was his name Ashanti Watson who was #13 in 99?

Tim O' Conner out of Glenville rings a bell.

(07-14-2011 07:18 PM)theleftboot Wrote:  Funny thing about Brumfield.

Apparently most schools passed on him yet here we think he is a big time prospect.

How can we be so right and the D-I coaches so wrong?

Personally I am hoping he will be for us what Garrett Wolfe was for NIU. A lot of BCS schools passed on Wolfe due to his size. I suspect/hope the same is the case with Brumfield.
[/quote]


Agree. I'd like to see Brumfield's numbers vs. Wolfe's when he was a frosh.

I'd like to see Brumfield's legit 40 yard times and Wolfe's as a frosh and the frosh weight and maybe some lifting numbers to see how they compare.

My guess is that the key question will be Brumfield's strength. If he is strong and muscular his size won't matter.

Was Wolfe a step faster then Brumfield is???

Also the kid Lewis at Pitt who was undersized but a tremendous college RB.