What's up with Chris James?

[VincePITT]

From what I've read, Qadree Ollison was playing because Chris James went down with an injury too. Narduzzi said James is day-to-day, but expects him to be ready for the Akron game! Narduzzi never gave a report to what type of injury James had! James is not as big as Ollison, but does have the speed to take it to the house from anywhere on the field!

 

[VAPITTALUM]

You won't hear Narduzzi provide specifics on injured players. Too many teams will gameplan based on targeting the injury.

 

[Panther Parrothead]

[QUOTE="Panther Parrothead, post: 307356, member: Coaches never like to reveal the nature of injuries. Why give the opposition a bullseye to go after?

 

[TIGER-PAUL]

'Available' for Sat.
Poteat back to rb

 

[ThePanthers]

James was out most of the game Saturday too. Narduzzi won't say much though nor do I expect him to.

 

[vegasgreed]

i think james was ahead of him on last years depth chart. this years depth chart, i think ollison is ahead of james. those guys and hall are going to play and get their fair share of carries.

 

[thebadby2]

i think james was ahead of him on last years depth chart. this years depth chart, i think ollison is ahead of james. those guys and hall are going to play and get their fair share of carries.

I think James had a tweaked groin last Sat. Some posters are writing him off already despite his extremely impressive true freshman year. He will be a big factor when at 100%.

Ollison is a beast as I thought he would be when we signed him.

While Conner can't be replaced, RB is the one position where we have enough quality depth to survive a major hit.

I'm worried about the O line. We have depth but we keep having to reshuffle the line due to injuries. That hurts the offensive continuity and consistency big time.

 

[rc79]

'Available' for Sat.
Poteat back to rb

Is the Poteat move official? He'll need time especially if they had him bulked up to switch to LB.

 

[SteelCityChamps]

Is the Poteat move official? He'll need time especially if they had him bulked up to switch to LB.

Official.

 

[rc79]

Outstanding Steel. Thank you.

 

[Black_Man_Panther]

A groin injury is like a hamstring... could be a nagging season-long thing which could be really bad news.

I think James had a tweaked groin last Sat. Some posters are writing him off already despite his extremely impressive true freshman year. He will be a big factor when at 100%.

Ollison is a beast as I thought he would be when we signed him.

While Conner can't be replaced, RB is the one position where we have enough quality depth to survive a major hit.

I'm worried about the O line. We have depth but we keep having to reshuffle the line due to injuries. That hurts the offensive continuity and consistency big time.

 

[Delpanther]

I think James had a tweaked groin last Sat. Some posters are writing him off already despite his extremely impressive true freshman year. He will be a big factor when at 100%.

Ollison is a beast as I thought he would be when we signed him.

While Conner can't be replaced, RB is the one position where we have enough quality depth to survive a major hit.

I'm worried about the O line. We have depth but we keep having to reshuffle the line due to injuries. That hurts the offensive continuity and consistency big time.

Extremely impressive freshman performance? That's hyperbole to the nth degree. He gained 400 yards and his longest run was 15 yards. Every time he spelled Connor the offense bogged down including OT in the Duke game when he replaced Connor and Pitt went three and out in OT and lost the game. To date he's been pedestrian at best and doesn't appear to be of the same caliber as Pitt's last 3-4 tailbacks. Backs who are outstanding tend to show their talent immediately. In James I see a tentative runner who has no wiggle, runs tentatively, doesn't break tackles, has little in the way of a burst and often misses the hole. He better step it up or he will be behind Hall very soon.

 

[JohnnyGossamer]

Extremely impressive freshman performance? That's hyperbole to the nth degree. He gained 400 yards and his longest run was 15 yards. Every time he spelled Connor the offense bogged down including OT in the Duke game when he replaced Connor and Pitt went three and out in OT and lost the game. To date he's been pedestrian at best and doesn't appear to be of the same caliber as Pitt's last 3-4 tailbacks. Backs who are outstanding tend to show their talent immediately. In James I see a tentative runner who has no wiggle, runs tentatively, doesn't break tackles, has little in the way of a burst and often misses the hole. He better step it up or he will be behind Hall very soon.

A bit harsh but I somewhat agree. Though, I thought he played his best v. Syracuse and @Miami down the stretch last season. And, honestly, he looked just fine v. YSU as well. I expect him to excel on as the 3rd down back while Ollison does most of dirty work on 1st, 2nd and short yardage 3rd downs.

 

[Scruffy the Panther]

I'm going to have to agree with Dilpanther here. James has been ok, but he hasn't shown me anything to get excited about him to date. Ollison showed me more in his one game so far than James showed me all of last season.

 

[vegasgreed]

which posters are writing him off?

I think James had a tweaked groin last Sat. Some posters are writing him off already despite his extremely impressive true freshman year. He will be a big factor when at 100%.

Ollison is a beast as I thought he would be when we signed him.

While Conner can't be replaced, RB is the one position where we have enough quality depth to survive a major hit.

I'm worried about the O line. We have depth but we keep having to reshuffle the line due to injuries. That hurts the offensive continuity and consistency big time.

 

[geeman2001]

Something just doesn't scream "marquee back" about James. Seems serviceable in the Ray Kirkley mode. That was OK with Walt's passing offense, but this offense absolutely requires a back that is special. If that's considered to be writing him off, well, so be it. As someone else mentioned, with the great backs, you usually see it right away, you get some inkling. Connor was the latest that was like that. As raw and somewhat clumsy as he started, you could feel he had thoroughbred potential. Haven't felt that with James at all.

 

[Jeffburgh]

I think James has good physical talent, from a size, speed perspective and also is a hard worker. But, he is a bit like Bennett - not a great natural back. I tend to agree it might work best with Ollison being the guy getting a few more carries and James being a guy who comes in with defenses spread out a bit more.

 

[geeman2001]

I think James has good physical talent, from a size, speed perspective and also is a hard worker. But, he is a bit like Bennett - not a great natural back. I tend to agree it might work best with Ollison being the guy getting a few more carries and James being a guy who comes in with defenses spread out a bit more.

The best thing I've seen with James is he seems to keep his legs moving and is pretty good keeping north-south. He seems to have rep as a 'dancer' but I dunno that's specifically accurate. For whatever reason he seems to run into his own linemen a lot and slows himself down. Maybe that's just a matter of getting more reps and finding the hole better? Bennett is a pretty good more recent comparo, actually. Though Bennett was effective in other ways, picking up rushers and reliable out of the backfield. James hasn't been put in those roles yet to know if he could fill such niches. Either way, he's no banger like Connor and no slippery phantom like Shady or Graham.

That said, we certainly can't be ready to anoint Ollison by any means yet either. Right now, he's a guy who saw the heavens open for him on two plays against YSU, and he was able to reach the end zone without stumbling or getting caught. How many times will he get holes like those again, and what will happen then? He hasn't run anyone into next week like Connor did in his early games yet and he certainly doesn't look shifty. So how will it work out with him? Akron should be a better gauge of what we have there; they held Connor in check pretty well last year.

Another reason the staff better design some plays for Chad to use HIS legs.

 

[JohnnyGossamer]

Well, James will have plenty of opportunities to prove you guys either right or wrong. And, if you're right, a guy like Hall will have plenty of opportunities to steal his carries. I think James will prove himself better than the likes of Kirkley/Bennett but not as talented as Conner/Ollison. Again, he looked pretty sharp v. Syracuse and @Miami last season. Didn't look bad at all in the opener his injury either.

 

[thebadby2]

which posters are writing him off?

See the three posts before yours--for starters.

 

[thebadby2]

Extremely impressive freshman performance? That's hyperbole to the nth degree. He gained 400 yards and his longest run was 15 yards. Every time he spelled Connor the offense bogged down including OT in the Duke game when he replaced Connor and Pitt went three and out in OT and lost the game. To date he's been pedestrian at best and doesn't appear to be of the same caliber as Pitt's last 3-4 tailbacks. Backs who are outstanding tend to show their talent immediately. In James I see a tentative runner who has no wiggle, runs tentatively, doesn't break tackles, has little in the way of a burst and often misses the hole. He better step it up or he will be behind Hall very soon.

He rushed for 437 yards and 4 TDs while getting spot carries behind a guy who rushed for 1750 yards and 28 TDs, and from what i saw with my own two eyes, he looked pretty good doing it. He also appears to be a capable receiver out of the backfield.

He's only starting his second year, so he has plenty to learn, but from what I've seen he can be a good one for us. Not sure where the disconnect is between your viewpoint and mine on this, but I guess we'll find out who's right, provided he's 100% healthy and we are able to find some kind of passing game to balance out the ground game.

 

[Scruffy the Panther]

See the three posts before yours--for starters.

I wouldn't say I'm writing him off, I just haven't been too impressed with him to date. I'd love for him to go out and prove me wrong.

James Conner didn't exactly light the world on fire his freshman year (until the bowl game at least), so maybe James does the same.

 

[vegasgreed]

He's calling you out, not James. You wrote that he had a extremely impressive freshman year. Then the poster posted his numbers(I'm assuming he is correct).

400 yards on the year and the longest run of 15 yards is not a extremely impressive year as you put it. Look to what JC did, that is impressive.

Does James have to the chance to have a good career at Pitt? Yes, he does. Now is the time to ramp it up with the loss of JC.

See the three posts before yours--for starters.