Hayes and Rawls in the EMU Game

You've got to give the freshmen a shot. Fitz is too delicated to be an every down back, Smith is too small, Shaw is mediocre, and Hopkins is a liability when out there.  After a week in which our RBs combines for 10 yards rushing, I'd love to see what Rawls and Hayes can do.

This was the most frustrating thing to me about the RR era. Burning a kids redshirt for mop up time in the EMU game is beyond stupid. A redshirt is a great thing and it helps provide that thing called depth if you use a hand full of them per class. 

IMO - no as to Hayes.   Let him develop and play behind Sr. V. Smith as a RFr. next season as the situational back (as opposed to the every down back I assume we'll be searching for until at least 2012)

As for Rawls - if he is 100% healthy he may need to play Saturday.  Get him some time and see if he can be counted on later in the year if Hopkins struggles in short yardage situations.  But, only if he is 100% healthy.

Can we stop talking about this "lack of RB depth" please?

Chart:

Yes, Hopkins sucks.

Touissant was decent in his limited action, Vincent smith has an n of 3, and shaw has an n of 6, with 1 going for a 40+ yarder.

When you don't run the ball, its hard to see them impress.  

We definitely do have depth, it's just that

Fitz can't stay healthy

Shaw can't stop running east/west

Smith can't make himself grow

Hopkins can't hold on to the damn ball

Burn ONE redshirt, not two.

Simple.  Until we have a true running game, you play everyone.  We don't have the luxury of redshirting them, unfortunately. 

Perhaps the use of lack of depth wasn't warranted. Just that we don't have a RB in the 2012 class YET so I would like to have one of the two a RS Freshman next year is all.

I thought that borges said that one of the two would be redshirting. Rawls has a better chance to contribute this season because of weight and playing style and hayes is the same weight as vincent smith and 4 inches taller. From what I have seen from this coaching staff so far nothing will be given. They arent going to play rawls just becuase he fits the system, he has to earn it just like everyone else.

Hayes should be locked inside Newsterbaan Fieldhouse and forced to catch and return punts and kickoffs except for when going to class, when he will be randomly tossed punts and told to return them through the Diag while the entire student body tries to tackle him.

Then next year he should be unleased upon Notre Dame so that we can find a fourth way to beat them in the most devastating manner possible on our last drive.

To me I think you really want to have Justice redshirt because he can really help depth in the future at RB and or receiever.

before burning redshirts out there (assuming EMU is put away early that is)? Dude is a 4 star junior with like 79 yds and 2 TDs in his career. 

Come on. Michigan has good running back depth (and talent).

But here's the thing - unfortunately, you have to, you know, actually give the RBs some carries before you pronounce that on a blog that tons of people read that they "suck" or not.

Or do you give a guy 3 chances, he misses expectations and you fire his ass?

Except Borges hasn't really given the UM running backs a chance yet.

Denard had 256 carries last fall.  He's on track to get only 144 this year and still lead the effing team in rushing attempts!   Sure, makes sense since he's the teams best rusher, but Michigan needs a second punch and preferably a 3rd change-up back who can hurt ya.  I think Shaw and Toussaint CAN do the job, but shit,14 carries in 2 games combined? Seriously?  They've already allowed Denard double the carries.

I think the biggest issue is not the talent at RB but our O-Line just isn't set up to be running a power run system. The guys we have here now were brought in becuase they were quick on their feet and a good fit for RR's system and the zone blocking scheme he ran. Give Hoke and company a few years and our O-Line will be better suited to push people around again. Until then Al and the coaches will need to adapt and put the players we have in the best position to suceed and if that means the Robinson is the leading rusher so be it.

Give Rawls a shot. Why not? Everyone else has done a pretty good job of illustrating why the current backs might not be sufficient over the long haul. Hayes can play either position, so I feel like burning his redshirt might not be a great idea given he would provide depth later on. The only thing stopping this team from becoming great on offense is consistent RB production (yes, Denard will start throwing the ball better). Somebody has got to step up and I think Rawls could be that guy. 

Has anyone considered that ND had every player ever in the box this last weekend and has a lethal front 7?  I'm by no means saying our backs are elite, but very few backs can be successful in that situation.

I would redshirt Hayes ... and play Rawls. We need a big power back, abd right now, Hopkins hasn't shown he can be trusted with the ball in his hands. Play Rawls for most of the Eastern game and see what he can do. If it works out, then he assumes the role Hopkins was going to take on.

Fitz, Shaw, and Smith are all very good players.  All three are averaging over 7 yards per touch on the young season and each has scored at least one TD.  They didn't get a chance to carry the ball against ND with any success.  Fitz sat, Smith got one carry, and Shaw got to run into the pile after Denard made a poor read and then got to run away from three defenders because his line didn't block anybody.

If you want to complain that Borges didn't give them enough chances, fine.  But if these guys are healthy we do not have a problem in the backfield.

why people want to "give RB ___ a shot" against a crapbasket team like EMU.  If RB ____ does well....who cares?  You will not get any value out of watching a back run through 5 yard wide lanes in the defense.  If a RB truly deserves playing time, you need to throw him into a game against a real opponent and see what he does with 5+ carries.  Otherwise, you get people clamoring for players like Cox to start, which is hilarious.  He has been evaluated by a number of different staffs running a number of different schemes that stress having multiple backs ready to go--with lackluster stables of RBs to begin with--and none of these staffs want to use Cox.  He is not the answer because he tore up BGSU.

I'm all for letting new players get in during garbage time, though.  Particularly those that work hard in practice but might not have all the tools yet.