Brown & Minor Rb combo

Submitted by Dandaman on

I know Minor hasnt been fully healthy but does anyone else think that RR will start to use them both on either side of Tate. I think that besides Minor being a little dinged up he doesnt want to show that set to MSU, Iowa, Wisc, OSU etc. Considering Minors blocking ability that combo could be lethal, the misdirection plays they could pull off with both our top weapons as options are endless.

What do you guys think?

HartAttack20

September 29th, 2009 at 10:26 PM ^

This was done in the last game a time or two. I remember there being a running back on each side of Tate on a few plays. It may not have been Brown and Minor, but I think it might have been. I think it could be a dangerous formation for us. That gives you the triple option type advantage and there are a lot of things you can do from there.

jg2112

September 29th, 2009 at 10:39 PM ^

If Michigan were to just rotate Brown and Shaw on screens, and Minor and Brown on upfield runs with Shaw and V. Smith running sweeps, along with the occasional intermediate and deep passes to keep defensive backs honest, I'd be terrified if I were Sparty. I can still see that cut Shaw made in the EMU game, it was awesome, like he was floating.

More Shaw and V. Smith, please. More Minor too. More Brown too.

AMazinBlue

September 29th, 2009 at 10:50 PM ^

With the speed of Brown, Shaw and V. Smith and the sheer power of Minor, can any other school touch the talent we have at RB?

Minor is not slow either, he can break long runs as well as any. He hits full speed by the time he gets the LOS.

I look for Minor to have a game like last year's PSU game, busting thru the line, running over LBs and safeties and dragging tacklers down the field as hit fights for 5-10 more yards.

I think he wants to make a statement in this game. He wants to absolutely embarass MSU. (So does every other UM player).

I Miss Bursley

September 29th, 2009 at 11:44 PM ^

I want to agree with your statement about us having the best stable in the conf or the country but sometimes as fans we tend to overestimate certain positions on our teams simply because we're exposed to them more.

That said, I can't think of a 'stable' in the B10 better than ours. I would love to see more games where we let them take some of the pressure off the young QBs particularly in the middle two quarters. This ought to help the defense out more too with longer, more time consuming drives.

And amen to your thought about Minor wanting to embarrass msu. I sure as hell hope he bowls over some LBs.

richarjo

September 29th, 2009 at 11:45 PM ^

I feel like nowadays Minor Rage has become the knife twisting in the wound left by the explosive running of Carlos Brown. It's just disheartening for opponents.

M - Flightsci

September 29th, 2009 at 11:51 PM ^

I have no doubt we have the best group of RB's in the Big 10. I would say we have a schematic advantage as well in that RichRod is getting the shifty guys into space, while Minor has been doing his RAGE thing between the tackles. Contrast this with OSU, which has some talented backs (Saine/Herron would definitely see some PT at U of M), but probably does not play to their strengths as much as Michigan.

Flying Dutchman

September 29th, 2009 at 11:59 PM ^

The mlive writers looooved to write in the preseason about State's "stable of running backs". I couldn't name one of them, and I have watched two of their games.

It would take a tough case to convince me that there's a better top to bottom group of backs in the Big 10 than this one in Ann Arbor. I can't wait to watch them each week.

tomhagan

September 30th, 2009 at 12:34 AM ^

They ran a ton of 2 back sets in the spring game and we have seen it some so far this fall. It is certainly in the offense and I wouldnt be surprised to see more of it as the weather gets worse this fall.

Weapon-X

September 30th, 2009 at 1:19 AM ^

i'd agree that they are the best in the conference, however, i'd have to give best in the country to USC. Joe McKnight,Stafon Johnson, CJ Gable, Allen Bradford, Marc Tyler, other 5 stars.

i say this because they are proven, they've shown they can do it in games. Only Shaw/Minor/Grady/Brown we've actually seen, which in itself is a damn good stable of RBs.

TESOE

September 30th, 2009 at 3:02 AM ^

I think RR likes to spread the D out to see the weakness. That is what he does. I was just checking out some of his WV stuff online (he has a little less rogaine in these vids)

http://s109.photobucket.com/albums/n80/artoftroy/Run%20Game/?action=vie…

The offense hasn't changed much (some might say thank goodness) despite the personnel.

I don't think that RR has any qualms about putting two backs with Tate, it just doesn't do anything for the O. It allows the D to put more in the box w/o paying for it in lost coverage and/or giving the QB less pre snap intelligence.

The big reason we are getting these big gainers is our downfield blocking from the XYZ and Webb/Koger consortium (and exceptional OL play - IMO...these guys hustle). Let's not give up a slot back for another superback who would be out of position to make these downfield blocks.

That said...Kevin Grady had some exceptional flat routes VS IU that could become deadly in a two back formation. These formations are definitely there in the playbook. Minor and Brown in the same backfield though...I don't see it. 2 superbacks = wasted blocking and/or limits our current ability to spread the field vertically and horizontally.

Let's tinker with the D, where talent is short, not the O. Minor and Brown are hurting as it is. Our depth at RB is going to shine before season end.

blueblueblue

September 30th, 2009 at 11:36 AM ^

Am I the only one who hates the word "stable" when referring to our or any group of running backs? The metaphor is not only cliched, it is demeaning. They are not a group of horses kept locked up with some hay only to be brought out by their keepers when needed. It is an example of a greater societal propensity to reduce athletes to mere animalistic beings, making people look down on athletes.

Ok, perhaps it bothers me a bit too much.

BlueChitown

September 30th, 2009 at 12:39 PM ^

Thunder and Lightning in the backfield, directed by Zeus Forcier (or occasionally, Mr. Dilithium). I like it. I actually mentioned this possibility on the thread debating whether Minor or Brown should start.