Running Backs Preview

[daddyhoosier]

Hoosier Daddy | October 10, 2020
Few teams anymore identify as ‘run first’ in this era of precision passing attacks, but no one would deny that the ability to run the ball effectively is still a key to success in football. Doing so against stout Big Ten defenses can be easier said than done but Indiana’s running back room in 2020 believes it is up to the task.

Junior Stevie Scott (#8) and Sophomore Sampson James are likely to see the majority of carries in 2020. In 2019 the duo combined for 1,120 yards and 13 touchdowns on 259 carries. As a team in 2019 the Hoosiers averaged just 3.7 yards per carry which ranked 106th in FBS. This stat is skewed by the fact that in college football sacks count as rushing yards lost. Together Scott and James averaged 4.3 yards per carry but it’s fair to say Running Backs Coach Mike Hart would like to see that number improve to somewhere in the 4.5 to 5.0 ypc range.

Stevie Scott enters 2020 with 1,982 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns, which already ranks 15th and 8th respectively in school history. The Junior from Syracuse, NY also has 42 career receptions for 297 yards and two touchdowns. His 22 scrimmage touchdowns is good for 9th in school history. Scott was named Second-team All-Big Ten by both the coaches and the media last year and All-Big Ten Honorable Mention (coaches & media) as a Freshman. He has 9 career 100 yard games including a 204 yard performance against Virginia in 2018. He also has 5 career 2 TD games.

Scott has been named to the 2020 Maxwell and Doak Walker Award Watch Lists.

Sophomore Sampson James played in all 13 games last season and carried the ball 81 times for 275 yards and 3 touchdowns. He also caught two balls for 21 yards. James (Avon, IN) started the final two games filling in for an injured Stevie Scott. James rushed for 118 yards and a TD at Purdue and then started for the Hoosiers at the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, FL.

Photo by Walt Sterneman @Walt542

Depth
Sophomore David Ellis (#10) moves from receiver to running back in 2020. Last season Ellis (Clinton Township, MI) made a splash for the Hoosiers as a kick returner and receiver. He averaged nearly 21 yards per kick return and also returned a punt for 9 yards. Ellis, who played in all 13 games, had 16 receptions for 173 yards and 9 rushes for 53 yards and a TD. Look for Offensive Coordinator Nick Sheridan to take advantage of Ellis’ athleticism by getting him the ball in space with quick throws out of the backfield.

True Freshman Tim Baldwin Jr (#22) from Nokesville, VA was First Team All State and rushed the ball for 1,000 yards three years in a row, including 1,604 yds and 25 TDs as a Senior. ESPN rated him as the 16th best prospect in Virginia.

Charlie Spegal (28) from New Palestine, IN was Indiana Mr. Football in 2019 and rushed for 10,867 yards and 173 touchdowns in his high school career. (Yes you read that right.) Spegal led New Palestine to back to back 5A State Titles as a Junior and Senior. Spegal is a powerful runner – he bench pressed 440 and squatted 600 as a junior. Early reports indicate that he is quicker than one might think and Spegal is poised to have a great career as a Hoosier.

Development
Junior Ahrod Lloyd (#37) from Indianapolis has 10 career carries for 19 yards. Junior Chris Childers (#36) from Matteson, IL and Sophomore Davion Ervin-Poindexter (#34) from Merrillville, IN will look to contribute through Special Teams and Scout Team play. These are roles that usually go unnoticed but are so critical to a team’s overall success.

Coach
Mike Hart enters his fourth season as Indiana’s running backs coach and his first season as Associate Head Coach. Hart has been coaching since 2011 and had stops at Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan and Syracuse before arriving in Bloomington in 2017. In eight seasons as RB Coach he has mentored four 1,000 yard rushers and was a Broyles Award nominee in 2018 – an honor that goes the the nation’s top assistant coach annually. Under Hart Hoosier Stevie Scott was named Second Team All-Big Ten and All-Big Ten Honorable mention. Hart also coached two Freshman of the Year honorees in the MAC.

Hart is known as an excellent recruiter and was named a Top 25 Recruiter by Rivals in 2019.

As a player Hart was a four year starter at Michigan where he is still the school’s all-time leading rusher (5,040 yds, 41 TDs). He was twice a Doak Walker Award Finalist and finished 5th in the 2006 Heisman race.

Hart has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan.


Originally published here:

Running Backs Preview

Photo by Walt Sterneman Hoosier Daddy | October 10, 2020 Few teams anymore identify as ‘run first’ in this era of precision passing attacks, but no one would deny that the ability to ru…

theiufb.wordpress.com

 

[cidsports]

Penn State has a solid RB room. How will the Hoosiers run defense be in 2020?

After back to back close losses in series, could 2020 be the year for IU in the Big Ten opener at home?

Establishing a running game would boost.

 

[E.Z.Rider]

I'm predicting that Charlie Spegal will become a fan favorite before his career is over.

 

[iubud]

I'm predicting that Charlie Spegal will become a fan favorite before his career is over.

He comes in with some amazing high school stats and impressive strength for a freshman. I'll be interested to see how he can run through contact and break tackles. He may not be a speedster, but I would love a punishing runner that makes a defense tackle

 

[76-1]

I'm predicting that Charlie Spegal will become a fan favorite before his career is over.

I'm hoping that one of his four games is saved for the Bucket game... Spegal took an incredible amount of bad mouthing from the p u faithful...; I'd love to watch him run all over those a..h...s.... (in the 4th qtr after our big dogs get their yards)...

 

[LoyalHoosier]

I'm hoping that one of his four games is saved for the Bucket game... Spegal took an incredible amount of bad mouthing from the p u faithful...; I'd love to watch him run all over those a..h...s....

Ha! The 4 game rule does not apply this year as theoretically everyone has a redshirt year.

 

[76-1]

Ha! The 4 game rule does not apply this year as theoretically everyone has a redshirt year.

Thanks... I thought that extra year only applied to seniors...

If our true freshman can show up and contribute early we may just have that depth we've usually been missing...

Here's an article detailing the extra year rule:

NCAA approves blanket waiver for 2020 fall sports athletes to retain year of eligibility

The measure provides eligibility relief for all NCAA fall sports athletes regardless of activity this year

www.cbssports.com

 

[daddyhoosier]

I'm predicting that Charlie Spegal will become a fan favorite before his career is over.

Indiana kid, Indiana records, still considered an underdog - I think most are hoping that he succeeds.

 

[cidsports]

Free year, but programs only get 2021 to be over 85 scholarship numbers. Many players will likely move on around the Big Ten. So, players will get extra season possibly, but programs will have to get under 85 for 2022 season.

It will provide some good stories among P5 and G5.

 

[Walt542]

Free year, but programs only get 2021 to be over 85 scholarship numbers. Many players will likely move on around the Big Ten. So, players will get extra season possibly, but programs will have to get under 85 for 2022 season.

It will provide some good stories among P5 and G5.

What I don’t understand about the free year is how it impacts red shirts. Do you get a free year in addition to your red shirt year making a possibility of six years? Or is the free year counted like a red shirt where you can play?

 

[cidsports]

What I don’t understand about the free year is how it impacts red shirts. Do you get a free year in addition to your red shirt year making a possibility of six years? Or is the free year counted like a red shirt where you can play?

It does sound like that is possible for players who are more likely fifth year players this year.

Whatever your class is this year, you could consider it that next year.

However, many may opt to move on, after five years at same place or 4 years for less than that?

 

[76-1]

In my opinion, Coach Hart and the RB room really need to focus on keeping their legs moving in traffic... It's very surprising to me that this technique hasn't appeared to be something Hart has been able to coach well, since he literally made 3/4's of his yards in college and the pros using it...

A 4.3 yards per carry number is okay..., but to be considered a great back you need to be putting up 5 yards plus per carry... -Now it's a Team effort: from the QB fake, to the OL blocks, to the downfield blocking by the Receivers...-, but to be a great back our guys have to learn to keep their feet moving (even when it seems like there's no hole there) and explode from their hips on contact, attacking the would be tackler and "punishing" them...

One of the best I've seen at doing this (attacking the tackler) was our own "AT", Antony Thompson... Both he and his former RB coach (Buck Suhr) are still walking around campus... If I'm Coach Hart I'd get them in front of the RB room early and often and hope he/they can impart how he did it and how they can at least attempt to do it (attack the tackler) too...

In my opinion, we have a stable of RB's this year that could really cause Big Ten defenses major problems if coached and employed properly...

 

[TMFT]

I hope Sheridan can kick up the run game a notch. It's so important and we've got some horses, let them run.

It seemed like last year, particularly early in the season, Sampson was really getting bogged down on these jet sweep style runs, or at least where he was moving parallel to the LOS. He's good enough/big enough that you've got to let him attack. Same for Stevie, although I don't recall any runs called for Stevie like they were for Sampson.

Even though they seemed to take those plays out of the playbook as the year wore on, maybe there was just something funky with the blocking schemes that they were never really able to get too much going with the straight run game. I do, however, appreciate using the Whop-screen as a running play if the defense gives it to them. I just hope IU is in a position to dictate play calls OVER the will of the opponent.

 

[Andy06]

In my opinion, Coach Hart and the RB room really need to focus on keeping their legs moving in traffic... It's very surprising to me that this technique hasn't appeared to be something Hart has been able to coach well, since he literally made 3/4's of his yards in college and the pros using it...

A 4.3 yards per carry number is okay..., but to be considered a great back you need to be putting up 5 yards plus per carry... -Now it's a Team effort: from the QB fake, to the OL blocks, to the downfield blocking by the Receivers...-, but to be a great back our guys have to learn to keep their feet moving (even when it seems like there's no hole there) and explode from their hips on contact, attacking the would be tackler and "punishing" them...

One of the best I've seen at doing this (attacking the tackler) was our own "AT", Antony Thompson... Both he and his former RB coach (Buck Suhr) are still walking around campus... If I'm Coach Hart I'd get them in front of the RB room early and often and hope he/they can impart how he did it and how they can at least attempt to do it (attack the tackler) too...

In my opinion, we have a stable of RB's this year that could really cause Big Ten defenses major problems if coached and employed properly...

They need to pull up film on the Raiders RB Jacobs. He kept his legs going, and had great leverage all day yesterday. He seemingly got 3 to 5 yards after contact every carry.

 

[crossfire74]

What I don’t understand about the free year is how it impacts red shirts. Do you get a free year in addition to your red shirt year making a possibility of six years? Or is the free year counta red shirt where you can play?

This is simply a free year. Doesn't count against anything. Whether a player plays or not, it's simply just a free year. In theory someone could actually play 7 years if they are granted that extra 6th year in the future though we shall see how the NCAA will be with that in the future. Where it gets interesting is next year's recruiting class. IU's in a perfect situation in that it was going to be a small class anyway, and it would appear that we are done and not going to bring in anyone else except perhaps a grad transfer or two if the situation warrants.

 

[76-1]

This is simply a free year. Doesn't count against anything. Whether a player plays or not, it's simply just a free year. In theory someone could actually play 7 years if they are granted that extra 6th year in the future though we shall see how the NCAA will be with that in the future. Where it gets interesting is next year's recruiting class. IU's in a perfect situation in that it was going to be a small class anyway, and it would appear that we are done and not going to bring in anyone else except perhaps a grad transfer or two if the situation warrants.

Not attempting to contradict you since you've proven to be highly accurate with your information (and it is very much appreciated), but I thought we were still recruiting a couple of DE's... Have they decided to go elsewhere?

 

[fkfootball]

They need to pull up film on the Raiders RB Jacobs. He kept his legs going, and had great leverage all day yesterday. He seemingly got 3 to 5 yards after contact every carry.

He’s the best between the tackles runner in the NFL. Constantly makes something out of nothing.

 

[crossfire74]

Not attempting to contradict you since you've proven to be highly accurate with your information (and it is very much appreciated), but I thought we were still recruiting a couple of DE's... Have they decided to go elsewhere?

I don't think those particular players have made any definite plans yet, but I just don't see us adding anyone else at this point. Could injuries/transfers change that? Sure it could, but the vibes I get indicate no more until after the season and they they will see who is staying/going and maybe look to a grad transfer or a late recruit if warranted.

 

[DANC]

In my opinion, Coach Hart and the RB room really need to focus on keeping their legs moving in traffic... It's very surprising to me that this technique hasn't appeared to be something Hart has been able to coach well, since he literally made 3/4's of his yards in college and the pros using it...

A 4.3 yards per carry number is okay..., but to be considered a great back you need to be putting up 5 yards plus per carry... -Now it's a Team effort: from the QB fake, to the OL blocks, to the downfield blocking by the Receivers...-, but to be a great back our guys have to learn to keep their feet moving (even when it seems like there's no hole there) and explode from their hips on contact, attacking the would be tackler and "punishing" them...

One of the best I've seen at doing this (attacking the tackler) was our own "AT", Antony Thompson... Both he and his former RB coach (Buck Suhr) are still walking around campus... If I'm Coach Hart I'd get them in front of the RB room early and often and hope he/they can impart how he did it and how they can at least attempt to do it (attack the tackler) too...

In my opinion, we have a stable of RB's this year that could really cause Big Ten defenses major problems if coached and employed properly...

Good observation. Also, KEEP THE KNEES HIGH. Seems like we get tripped up a lot. I don't know if that's a function of trying to get more speed, but that's also something AT was good at.

When we played MSU, Scott had a bunch of yards on that swing pass from Penix. Really kept the Defense honest. I'd love to see an Offense that uses RBs in the passing game out of the backfield. Then bring in a banger like James and Spegal to get those tough, short yards.

One thing about Wilson - he could recruit RBs. I think he had a real eye for them and he emphasized the run. That wasn't really Deboer's thing, but you can't argue with the Offense we had last year.