There does not seem to be
- Thread starter gary2
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What the hell are you doing? We just finally pull out a win in Bball and
you're over here posting football?? what gives?.....Just kidding ya!
I am talking about the PG, The Trib, the Pitt website, Pgh Sports Now, the powers that be on this website, etc..
There were write ups on the Campbell and the Wheeler moves. I would actually like to see someone comment on Carter at RB. As it is, it is just a change I noticed on the roster listing.
I certainly understand where you’re coming from and agree that there should probably be an article on this.
However, let’s be honest, for all intents and purposes, V’Lique “the Freak” Carter was a running back last year too. He just didn’t line up behind the quarterback to start most plays. That said, when he entered the game you knew they were running a jet sweep or a fake jet sweep.
How many actual receptions did he have? It wasn’t many, I’ll tell you that much.
I like trying him at running back even though I think that’s a different type of running that what he did last year. I’m not sure if he has the strength or the wiggle to turn that into something special? However, I’m also not sure that he doesn’t have either or both of those qualities?
I am absolutely certain that Carter has unusual speed and we should be able to find a spot for that asset somewhere in our lineup.
However, let’s be honest, for all intents and purposes, V’Lique “the Freak” Carter was a running back last year too. He just didn’t line up behind the quarterback to start most plays. That said, when he entered the game you knew they were running a jet sweep or a fake jet sweep.
How many actual receptions did he have? It wasn’t many, I’ll tell you that much.
I like trying him at running back even though I think that’s a different type of running that what he did last year. I’m not sure if he has the strength or the wiggle to turn that into something special? However, I’m also not sure that he doesn’t have either or both of those qualities?
I am absolutely certain that Carter has unusual speed and we should be able to find a spot for that asset somewhere in our lineup.
He was in essence a running back who didn't go through the tackles last year.
Here's his run vs receiving production once he started playing last year:
"…rushed for 202 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries (8.1 avg.) and also had three catches for nine yards on the year…"
https://pittsburghpanthers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=10191
I would be surprised if much changed this season, because I don't see him as an every down running back.
Here's his run vs receiving production once he started playing last year:
"…rushed for 202 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries (8.1 avg.) and also had three catches for nine yards on the year…"
https://pittsburghpanthers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=10191
I would be surprised if much changed this season, because I don't see him as an every down running back.
I would like to see him get 15 carries a scrimmage in the spring just to test what he is capable of. I think he can be extremely effective with that kind of load.
I think he will have a lot more receptions this year. I think they will try to get him in a position where he catches the ball and is immediately an open field runner.
Agree. Expect Whipple to be a huge improvement over Watson.
KDKA interrupted prime time programming to announce it, what are you talking about?
My thought on it is that he hasn't shown more than straight running to know whether he could effectively act as a tailback out of the backfield with 'typical' carries... can he find the hole, show patience until it opens, cut back, bounce it out, take the pounding from DL (jet sweep guys rarely have to). I will have doubts until i'd see all that. But hopefully.
Normally, I'd agree. But then I think about Willie Parker - who didn't break many tackles either, but he had three years when he rushed for over 1,000 yds. Guys with that kinda speed are dangerous: one missed defensive assignment, and they're gone.
BTW, did you know that Willie Parker is an assistant coach at Heritage HS, (Wake Forest), which is in your general vicinity if you're in Raleigh.
From the RB position against Duke. He's got wiggle and quickness. He's a playmaker, just get him the damn ball 10-15 times a game.
I don’t fully understand the wiggle thing either. I thought he showed a fair amount of elusiveness last year in his admittedly limited role.
He wasn’t just out-sprinting guys to corner. He showed good vision and some elusiveness too. Most importantly, he showed a legitimate nose for the goal line.
Now, that doesn’t mean that he’s going to be a great running back. I have no clue how he will fare back there? I would imagine he has a helluva lot to learn – particularly in pass protection.
That’s so important because when he comes into the game it shouldn’t be a tip off as to what play you’re going to run. If Carter can even chip a rushing linebacker, that goes along way in opening up the playbook.
However, when you have that kind of rare speed and even a little bit of wiggle, that can take you a hell of a long way – especially in college football, where there’s a helluva lot more room out there.
He wasn’t just out-sprinting guys to corner. He showed good vision and some elusiveness too. Most importantly, he showed a legitimate nose for the goal line.
Now, that doesn’t mean that he’s going to be a great running back. I have no clue how he will fare back there? I would imagine he has a helluva lot to learn – particularly in pass protection.
That’s so important because when he comes into the game it shouldn’t be a tip off as to what play you’re going to run. If Carter can even chip a rushing linebacker, that goes along way in opening up the playbook.
However, when you have that kind of rare speed and even a little bit of wiggle, that can take you a hell of a long way – especially in college football, where there’s a helluva lot more room out there.
Thanks for posting the video...that was the first time that I'd seen it.
I have a relative who lives in the area, too, and he's acquainted with Willie.
#1 It's Pitt. #2 Probably seen as insignificant by the writers even for Pitt standards #3 the Stillers give no shortage of drama for them to salivate over.
Now, can we please throw a screen pass to the lad?
If he can produce like the NFL Willie Parker we can all be pretty happy I think. Ironically, i don't think College Willie Parker showed as much? That was back in the days the Steelers were still finding hidden gems at times. Maybe they did so again with Samuel...
His college coach, John Bunting, allegedly wanted to build a power-style running game and wanted Parker to bulk-up to fit that mold. So Parker languished on the bench his final three years at UNC.
When Parker broke out with the Steelers there were UNC fans who used that as a further reason to want Bunting gone (as if the W-L record wasn't enough).
In his four years at UNC he averaged less than eight carries a game, so he sure didn't get much of a chance to do much there.
Gary, you have a tendency to believe what coaches say. Most of it is coach-speak. What you need to do is watch what moves they actually make.
The real question with Carter is whether he is REALLY getting a trial at RB, or is the move mostly about having only two healthy RB's on the roster for the Spring?
Given they signed a smurf speed guy in the 2019 class (who msy or may not RS) we could look at the move either way.
They badly need depth for the Spring, so he could be there just as a body, or he could be there to give Whipple another weapon in his multiple offense.
It probably doesn't bode well for Carter ever getting integrated into the passing game as a WR though.
I suspect Carter is sort of another Q Henderson, neither fish nor foul, who will mainly run jet sweeps and catch screen and flare passes.
In a sense, that's a shame. He is not that different physically from Dorsett or Willy Parker. He probably doesn't have the top end breakaway speed both had, but his quickness for the first 15-20 yards is pretty close. He COULD be a weapon, but a fairly ordinary high school career probably means he's missing something, perhaps the instincts that turn a guy from just a speed-burner to a star.
We'll see if he gets a real chance or is just glorified practice fodder.
Thanks for the reply. I am in agreement.
I just asked the Pitt PG bear writer what he thinks is going on.
well he's getting a chance to get real reps in spring ball. That's a good thing. even if, deep down in the heads of the staff, he isn't better than the incoming freshmen and only there to take reps, at least he's given a chance to get reps and show if he has anything. Who cares how he gets the reps or why, use this as a way to showcase to the staff that you belong..
If he doesn't and is passed over when the incoming freshmen backs get on campus, then no loss. Worst case, they'll move him back to WR and he'll be the "jet sweep" guy. It's not like he could have turned into an all conference WR but since he missed the reps in spring ball, that window will close and never re-open..
PG beat writer got back to me - He doesn't have any clear impression at this time - Said things will become more apparent as spring practice continues - Nobody seems to have the interest in this I do (You know me. I tend to focus on individual favorites:
Pickett, McGowens,P.Stewart,D.Prietley, J.Johnson, L.Kendall, T.Glover, Dave (the Big O) Olinger, etc)
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Dave Olinger. -I haven't heard that name in years. The 3-point shot might have made some guys a bit more relevant if thev were around now.
We'll always have the Duke game. But...I have a feeling not much is going to come from this. In fact if he IS our starting tailback come Sept, I have to feel it means something has gone kind of wrong. I'd be happy to eat my pessimistic words though.
Back in the day, I used to hang out with some of Majors' 85 or 90 freshmen. Even before that, I hooped with a bunch of DePasqua's younger guys. I played, poorly, in high school. I was big but blew out a knee my senior year. I thought about walking on, but when a trainer looked at my knee, he said no way.
But , I knew a lot of guys and knew more than a little of what went on.
I'd like to think it was a kinder, cleaner era then, but realistically, "politics" from monied boosters was as much or more of a problem then. Particularly when the coaches had to keep track of about 140 scholarship players.
The first year or two under Majors, Spring ball was chaos. Fall camp wasn't much better.
A lot of guys fell thru the cracks. There was just too much competition. Guys were lucky to get a few plays against decent competition. There were literally three full strings of offensive linemen - on the FRESHMAN team -, not counting the Varsity. Even GOOD , talented guys just got buried.
I knew guys who were really talented, but maybe got one or two plays in an intrasquad scrimmage to show what they could do. Other guys, who had a booster or a HS Coach with connections pushing for them got two, three or more shots. Politics!
DePasqua had loved him his Power -I. He recruited power inside runners. His last recruiting class had a kid who "didn't predict", (hit numbers in GPA and SAT scores to permit him to play or even practice as a freshman.) Sort of an early Prop 48 or non-qualifier, but you could get a year's scholarship to bring up your grades. So he was a total redshirt. No contact with the team.
He brought his grades up, kept his nose clean and was rolled in with Majors' first class in Spring ball. Kid was basically James Conner, 6-1 or -2, 230, legit 4.5. Could run like a deer and was like trying to tackle a truck.
Problem was, they had Dorsett signed for Fall, plus a half-dozen Southern speedsters. They didn't want a sledgehammer, they wanted rapiers. They moved my friend to fullback and gave him blocker's shoulderpads. The guy practiced all Spring, played 2 or 3 plays as a blocker in the Spring game. He worked to stay eligible, kept his scholarship, got his degree and actually worked for Pitt in a support role for 20 years or so. I don't think he ever got to dress for a game. Football paid his education though.
He could have been an NFL RB, if things had worked just slightly differently. Physically, he was everything Franco Harris or James Conner was. He just needed that one shot.
Maybe L'Vique Carter will get his chance. Maybe he'll grab it.
Maybe not.
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Carter was by far our mosrt electric playmaker on offense with the ball in his hands. I dont see him as an every down back just yet, but he should still be getting 20+ touches per game. Big move, this will help Pickett on some check downs as well.
20+ touches per game? What? If he is getting 20+ touches per game, he is your starting every down back.
Ollison avg’d 15 carries a gsme last year, Hall avgd 10. You give carter 20 touches a game, you’d be running the offense thru him.
How about we come back down to earth and optimistically say, 5 touches per game. Even that is a lot.
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