Where is Curtis Dukes?
by psu_all_day on Oct 30, 2011 10:25 AM EDT
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Ok, so can anyone explain why Curtis Dukes isn't playing? This kid is CLEARLY the #2 RB option on this team right now. I understand that the reason he wasn't seeing time to start the season was that he was struggling with his pass blocking, but from what I could see he has vastly improved on that. He's averaging over 6 yards per carry...as far as I know he hasn't fumbled yet...what gives? I have always thought that Beachum was a mediocre RB at best, so I don't understand why the coaches keep putting him in there...he hasn't shown anything all year. Now that Green is out of the doghouse, he should be getting time in the game, but not at the expense of Dukes.
Is he hurt? Did he piss of JoePa? What gives?
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Completely Agreed!!!
Its a shame watching such a physical specimen stand next to the coaches on the sideline
Physical specimen and football player are two different things.
I’m not saying Dukes isn’t a good football player; obviously he is to get a D1 scholarship. I’m just taking issue that he’s good because he’s a physical specimen. As Chuck Noll was fond of saying, “A lot of guys look good running around in their shorts. Then it’s a different story when they strap the pads on.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger was a physical specimen in his youth, but I doubt he was much of a running back/football player.
I don't think it's "clear" he's the #2 option
I find it difficult to believe that if it was “clear” he wouldn’t see more time. What is clear to me is that Beachum and Green pass protect better than he does.
I was actually more shocked that Beachum got all the carries this week instead of Green—who did well last week on the road.
Fire Dan Snyder
I don't think Beachum is a better option. He's an extremely average runner
he doesn’t find the hole well and he’s not the type of back who can bounce it to the outside.
if the only thing he’s good for is pass blocking, then make him a fullback
You have to learn the plays first
His loss of 4 against NW hurt and he hasn’t seen the field since. He went the wrong way on the play. That and the fact he doesn’t block well is why Beachum and Green are ahead. Carrying the ball he looks fine, but you can’t afford a lapse in knowing the play this late in the year.
My grammer skills need improved.
by BMAN13 on Oct 30, 2011 12:30 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
exactly
with the gauntlet we are facing, the negatives could far outweigh the positives.
Fire Dan Snyder
Whoever is #2 --
play him!! Redd getting 30 carries a week after commenting he had some stingers is almost inexcusable. Yes, he delivered for the team, and, yes, we have a bye week coming up, but to have three other decent backs standing around on the sideline is crazy.
Green made some decent contributions last week, and is a good blocker; put him for a few plays — even if they are the predictable “Green is in — look for the screen pass.” kinds of plays.
I understand this offense struggles with executing page one of the playbook, but surely there are opportunities and reasons to switch up the RBs once in a while.
/Endrant
"Make haste to reassure us, I beg you, and tell us that our fellow citizens understand us, support us, and protect us as we ourselves are protecting the glory of the Empire.
"If it should be otherwise, if we should have to leave our bleached bones on these desert sands in vain, then beware the fury of the Legions."
I think part of the reason for his getting 30 carries was the upcoming off week.
The other part, obviously, was he was the only consistent offensive weapon yesterday.
by J Breezy on Oct 30, 2011 1:58 PM EDT up reply actions 5 recs
Correct
"Every player we have, someone-maybe a parent, a grandparent, someone-poured their soul into that young man. They are handing that young man off to us. They are giving us their treasure, and it's our job to make sure we give them back that young man intact and ready to face the world."
-J.V.Pa.
Don't really disagree,
but we would be yelling at each other and the coaches if Redd had gone down with a severe stinger. Putting Beachum/Dukes/Green in for a couple plays is probably no more dangerous than playing Bolden for an entire quarter. (And, please, Bolden fans, do not try to convince me the kid is Kerry Collins, Jr.; it is apparent his competitive spirit is completely wrecked. He needs to sit so he can depressurize.)
Anyway, yesterday is over, and the future is two weeks away. We are 8 – 1 (5 – 0 in conference), and the next three games are winnable, imho. Good place to be.
"Make haste to reassure us, I beg you, and tell us that our fellow citizens understand us, support us, and protect us as we ourselves are protecting the glory of the Empire.
"If it should be otherwise, if we should have to leave our bleached bones on these desert sands in vain, then beware the fury of the Legions."
by PSU_Lions_84 on Oct 30, 2011 2:55 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
there's no more excuse to play Bolden
the coaches can’t act like it’s a ploy to make the opposing team gameplan for 2 different QB’s. you don’t even have to gameplan for Bolden…you see him come into the game, and send a blitz.
let Bolden’s father bitch and complain all he wants…but even HE can’t deny that his son is no good right now.
Concr with Breezy.
I think 1) We’re underrating Silas’s toughness and ability and 2) Overstating the decency of our other tailbacks. None of those guys hold any respect from opposing defenses.
Tom Bradley for offensive coordinator.
by ReadingRambler on Oct 30, 2011 2:31 PM EDT up reply actions
Right.
I think Joe and the staff know how not to overuse a kid. I think they are actually more sensitive to this than most (e.g., Todd Graham’s use of Ray Graham – it was only a matter of time before he broke down, poor kid). I think a lot of other coaches couldn’t care less about the pounding a kid takes so long as they get the win. I honestly believe Joe takes those factors into consideration.
I’ll bet if the bye week wasn’t next he would’ve cut down on Redd’s touches.
I don’t think the , the Todd Graham, Ray Graham analogy is very accurate.
Ray Graham only got like 12 carries against Utah and averaged 23 carries per game till his injury. He was an “elite” back and should have been getting 20-25 yards per game. He had a freak injury, almost mirrored the way Mauti went down. Non contact.
Now, Wannstadt used Dion “wahever his name was” a little more than he should have, IMHO.
I used to be indecisive. Now I'm not sure.
I dunno...
Utah was an anomaly. Graham messed up there in UNDER-utlizing him. Prior to that he had the following touches:
Buffalo – 31
Maine – 33
Iowa – 28
Notre Dame – 29
S. Florida – 32
Rutgers – 26
So he was averaging 30 touches prior to the Utah game. I think that’s a heavy workload. Even adding in his 15 touches against Utah he’s still at purt near 28 per game. Heck, they even had him returning kickoffs against S. Florida.
Compare that to Redd who through 9 games is averaging on the short side of 23 touches per game. He has just 9 more touches total despite playing 2 more full games (I’m not counting UConn for Graham).
I think barely using Redd during the non-con schedule
was a stroke of genius.
And I’ve said it before, but if Redd has 28 carries, he might actually get HIT fewer than 10 times, due to his ridiculous body control. He gets dragged down, stumbles forward or gets out of bounds or into the end zone a lot. He gets actually tackled to the ground a lot less than most RB, so the number of carries is higher, but the actual drag of the workload is a little lower.
"We gon' get down. We gon' do the do. I'm going to hit these mother****ers" - Dock Ellis, May 1, 1974.
by OctaShields on Oct 30, 2011 10:45 PM EDT up reply actions
I don't think that this offense...
…has the luxury of worrying about over using clearly it’s best weapon.
Yeah, I get it. Our plan is to show up with our fantastic defense and let the chips fall where they may.
by jesse. on Oct 31, 2011 10:04 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Concur.
Tom Bradley for offensive coordinator.
by ReadingRambler on Oct 31, 2011 12:18 PM EDT up reply actions
I like Dukes and would have liked to have seen him out there
But Beachum was the #2 back coming out of spring practice, so obviously the coaches see something in him they like. And since he came back from injury, he’s got to get on the field at some point and start getting some work. I would rather see him try and get some carries now, rather than throwing him out there for the first time against the last 3 opponents on PSU’s schedule.
I think arguing the #2 running back spot is a lot like arguing the QB situation. It’s not like Dukes or Green or Beachum have done anything to separate themselves from the others. They each do some things well, and some things pretty poorly. I think we’re just going to have to settle in and realize the RB’s are going to play on some sort of rotation that is defined by the coaching staff, and the fans will never know who or when the backs are going to play.
I thought I heard somewhere that Dukes was in the doghouse for some reason...
"Illegitimus non Carborundum!" (Don't let the bastards wear you down)
I don't know about clear #2
I think the situations dictate playing time. Redd gets almost all the first down carries, or the second down run when we throw incomplete on first down. If we get to third down, Green is the best option, as he is the best RB blocker on the team to pick up the blitz, and/ or slip out of the backfield to catch a pass. Dukes becomes an option if we get consecutive to multiple first downs on the ground without getting to third down, when Redd i resting for Green. Why Beachum gets in there to fall over as soon as a defensive player breathes near him, that is a very good question.
Before his injury
Beachum looked just as good as Dukes has this year (when he’s in).
#2
If it isn’t Dukes it should be Green who brings something to both pass protection and the passing game. I fail to see what Beachum brings to the table other than mediocre rushing (3.6 yards a carry). Green is about the same (3.5) but as stated above is a better pass blocker and better receiver than Beachum.
tO$U sucks-ALWAYS the right choice!
Also,
Green has breakaway speed that Dukes/Beachum lack.
Dukes was very bad the previous two games he had played. At best he was not good.
Mentioned above was running the wrong play, which is not the first time he has done it this season. He can’t pass block. He had run poorly the past few games he had received touches. Against Purdue he had a tough time between the tackles for 3.5YPC, and last game he had a major mental error and 2 carries for 1 yard. We could not afford the dropoff at tailback with the QBs performing so poorly.
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