Magnus gives dire warning about the running game?

Submitted by Larry Appleton on

http://touch-the-banner.com/2017-season-countdown-11-chris-evans/

Magnus predicts that Evans will wind up as the team's leading rusher.  No problems so far.

BUT, he also predicts that Evans will have WORSE numbers than he did last year (when he had 88 rushes for 614 yards)!  Meaning our leading rusher will only have about 600 yards.

Is this an indictment on the offensive line, or is there something else afoot?  Either way, hold me.

MGoBoard

True Blue Grit

August 21st, 2017 at 2:49 PM ^

dominant at all, but was efficient.  The defense pulled our ass out of a number of games.  This year's defense is not likely to be as good as that one however.  But I'd guess our passing game will easily exceed '97's.  So, we could still do pretty well this year if a couple breaks go our way on top of everything.  

Joined: 01/21/2011

MGoPoints: 32373

stephenrjking

August 21st, 2017 at 3:27 PM ^

Just in Lloyd Carr's HC career the 1997 offense was probably the second or third least talented, besting only 1996 (same guys but younger and without Anthony Thomas) and perhaps 2001 (which was Marquise Walker, deer-in-headlights John Navarre, and a box of spare parts). 

It wasn't a particularly impressive offense at all. We frequently led games against inferior teams by only 6-10 points into the second half before pulling away. The playcalling was (justifiably) extremely conservative. 

Ironically, the only time the offense really rolled was the game at Penn State.

This isn't to say MGrowOld's comparison is invalid, because I think it's an excellent point. But 1997's offense isn't something I'd want to see today.

Joined: 03/15/2012

MGoPoints: 20143860

Bleedmaizeblue

August 21st, 2017 at 1:56 PM ^

That averages 5.5 yds a carry. Doesn't sound like he's worried about Evans performance. Either the total carries this yr (in his opinion) will drop or a more rotational backfield or both. I don't think 5.5 yds/carry is a warning

Joined: 07/11/2013

MGoPoints: 2919

Dustinlo

August 21st, 2017 at 1:57 PM ^

Reading the last paragraph, he seems to be insinuating that we will be an RB by committee type team. In that regard, it appears he thinks the yards will be distrubuted between RBs with Evans having the most yards. I don't read it as a dire warning but a good sign that our backs will split some carries and thus keep them healthier throughout the season. 

Joined: 01/11/2011

MGoPoints: 1139

Farnn

August 21st, 2017 at 2:00 PM ^

Not exactly reason to panic, but it's been 6 years since Michignan had a RB with a 1000 yard season, and there are at least 2 brand new starters on the OL this year.  

He also may just be expecting more of a shared workload from the RBs this year.  Last year he had Smith as the clear starter and predicted 870 yards.  This year, you have talk that Higdon is 1B or will at least get a lot of carries, Isaac is stepping up, and bits about Walker playing well.  Adidtionally, he may be used more in passing plays than last year and as a first year starter they may limit his carries to keep him healthy.

 

Joined: 07/07/2008

MGoPoints: 12788

lhglrkwg

August 21st, 2017 at 2:03 PM ^

I mean, we're probably not going to a lot of 4 wide WR sets because we have a run game that resembles Bama. It's probably not going to be very good again

Joined: 07/03/2008

MGoPoints: 87934

Goggles Paisano

August 21st, 2017 at 2:05 PM ^

I don't think it was "dire".  He said he thinks we don't have a true bell cow and we don't.  We have 3 good backs that will all contribute 500-700 yds each hopefully.  

On perhaps a brighter note, Magnus does have some serious sexy bits going on over at TTB.  

Joined: 07/30/2011

MGoPoints: 41232

DonAZ

August 21st, 2017 at 3:07 PM ^

He said he thinks we don't have a true bell cow and we don't.

So I'm spending summers on a farm in central West Virginia.  A local farmer runs cows on the property here, so I get the opportunity to watch the cows roam the hillsides.

No cows with bells*, but there is definitely a lead cow.  She bellows and starts moving, and the others will follow along.  And that includes the bull that's in the pasture to ... well, do what bulls do.  I guess if I were a lone bull in a pasture with 13 cows, I'd follow where they go as well.

* But in the barn there is an old collar with a bell.  So at one time in the past they must have had a bell cow.

Joined: 12/05/2011

MGoPoints: 16761

StephenRKass

August 21st, 2017 at 2:05 PM ^

Read what Magnus wrote, for crying out loud. He thinks Evans will do well, but that he won't be the bellwether back some teams have. (BTW, look up bellwether . . . a male sheep that has been castrated. Glad Evans isn't a bellwether.)

Joined: 07/15/2008

MGoPoints: 23001

Michiganfootball13

August 21st, 2017 at 2:05 PM ^

Until our offensive line gives us a push forward consistently, why should we feel great about our running game?

Joined: 04/12/2012

MGoPoints: 1865

ColeIsCorky

August 21st, 2017 at 2:05 PM ^

Here's the thing. All three guys (Higdon, Isaac, and Evans) are all great backs. They may not be future 1st round picks, but there's a reason why a guy like Kareem Walker is not mentioned much right now - We have a lot of good running backs that all do different things well. May not have an Ezekiel Elliot right now, but these three will do some damage in the run game without a doubt. They did last year as well, and there's mention of guys "improving" like Isaac and Higdon. Hard to say that they're "improving" if the line can't block for them (and this is with our insane starting DL that they're going up against and excellent things being said about the starting LB core). 

Again, maybe not elite, but I don't think we will be complaining that much. Running game will be fine unless everyone is blowing smoke, which is usually not the case with Michigan Insiders.

Joined: 11/15/2016

MGoPoints: 4627

Clarence Boddicker

August 21st, 2017 at 2:30 PM ^

Seriously, you're freaking out over this?
 

"Regardless of how it shakes out, it seems like Michigan still doesn’t have a true bell cow of a running back, and it will be running back by committee, with Evans, Higdon, fifth year senior Ty Isaac, and others factoring into the rotation. I don’t think any of the backs will hit 1,000 yards this year, but I believe Evans will be the leading rusher when all is said and done."

Joined: 05/27/2011

MGoPoints: 70773

CarlosSpicyweiner21

August 21st, 2017 at 2:39 PM ^

I would guess this is a sign of nothing. Have you missed football the last 4-5 years? Teams don't ride a horse. Evans is slight for an everydown back and my guess is we have 2-3 guys around 500 yard mark.

Joined: 12/28/2015

MGoPoints: 2134

DMack

August 21st, 2017 at 4:25 PM ^

And they will be back with a vengeance after losing a NC game to Clemson. Prayers go out to any team that has to play Bama this year. I predicted that we meet them in a first round playoff game and get our ego's deflated, to set up our 2019 NC year run.

Joined: 06/22/2015

MGoPoints: 2743

reshp1

August 21st, 2017 at 2:42 PM ^

Evans racked up a bazillion yards against trash teams with long runs. That's a lot to do with his skill, but still flukey. As an every down back, his production could be stunted because he's playing in non-garbage time and then being sat down, leaving the pile on yards he got last year to someone else. 

Joined: 10/31/2011

MGoPoints: 34177

blueblueblue

August 21st, 2017 at 2:44 PM ^

Magnus usually has a solid, rational perspective. Evans doesnt seem like the bell cow back. But why dont we save the new threads for news from people who have been to practices, seen something surprising there, and are then making predictions based on that new information? 

Joined: 12/28/2008

MGoPoints: 6630

Don

August 21st, 2017 at 2:54 PM ^

A dire warning is the sun being consumed by a gigantic she-demon. To quote the late Sonny Landham, "we're all gonna die."

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 148358