OT: Sam McGuffie update...
October 20th, 2010 at 6:49 PM ^
and also a couple featuring WVU, I thought I warped back in time a few years....
Thank God.
October 20th, 2010 at 6:51 PM ^
He was always undersized, but lacked the power of Mike Hart to make up for it.
Good to hear that hes doing okay though.
October 20th, 2010 at 8:00 PM ^
McGuffie was undersized in a very different way than Hart was "undersized."
Hart was short, but he was stocky, powerful, and could put his head/shoulder down when he needed to.
McGuffie was skinny, not very powerful, and ran completely straight-up, leaving him defenseless against hits from Big Ten defenders (see the shoulder hit Marcus Hyde of MSU put on McGuffie that made him fumble and took him out of the game).
While Hart ran like a RB is supposed to run (low, powerful, looking to set up blocks), McGuffie was used to being faster than everyone else on the field and not being touched in high school--he got to college and people started laying the wood on him.
October 20th, 2010 at 10:03 PM ^
I don't know if you've seen pics or videos recently, but one part of mcguffie is no longer undersized and skinny..........his arms are just jacked these days
October 21st, 2010 at 9:37 AM ^
I'd say McGuffie, generally, was (and still is) defenseless against hits from Division 1 defenders. It's not like the C-USA linebackers are any smaller than the ones in the Big Ten.
He needs to move to slot receiver.
October 20th, 2010 at 6:52 PM ^
McGuffie is doing okay at 3.8 YPC at Rice. I do wish he would have stayed, but his departure was ordained since that concussion. He had the misfortune of playing when our OL was the worst and could have done well with our veteran OL. Good luck to him.
October 20th, 2010 at 6:54 PM ^
That's a downright poor YPC for a starting tailback. To put that into perspective, the much-maligned Vincent Smith is averaging 4.6 YPC. He does have nice receiving numbers, though. Maybe he's better off as a receiver.
October 20th, 2010 at 7:05 PM ^
I think our OL versus Rice's has something to do with that
October 20th, 2010 at 7:18 PM ^
But Rice isn't going up against BCS-conference opposition very often, either. 3.8 YPC is simply a poor average. A college running back should be able to average five yards a carry.
McGuffie is a good athlete, but quite frankly isn't a great back. In 2008, playing mostly against non-conference opponents, he averaged 4.1 YPC. Brandon Minor - who played mostly against Big Ten opponents - averaged 5.2. We certainly did not have great blocking that season.
http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/2008-2009/2008-12.html
October 20th, 2010 at 7:29 PM ^
McGuffie isn't big/strong enough to be an effective between-the-tackles runner, but it seems like he would've done well in a more open offense like the one we have now. He's a good back. What, you don't believe Fred Jackson?
October 20th, 2010 at 7:32 PM ^
I love Fred J., but even he can swing and miss once in a blue moon. If you can't run between the tackles, you're not a good back. That's a big part of the job. I do think he'd be a good receiver.
October 20th, 2010 at 7:52 PM ^
Actually, of the 7 games they have played: 3 against BCS opponents (Texas, Northwestern, Baylor), and 1 against a generally respected Houston team.
October 20th, 2010 at 7:07 PM ^
YPC really has more to do with the blocking then anything.
October 20th, 2010 at 7:21 PM ^
So, does our OL simply block best on plays when Denard carries the ball (8.0 YPC), and blocks pretty well for Shaw (5.5 YPC), but not so well for Smith (4.6)?
October 20th, 2010 at 7:53 PM ^
Rebuttal'd!
October 20th, 2010 at 10:18 PM ^
got you.....
October 20th, 2010 at 10:21 PM ^
if it's vertical
October 20th, 2010 at 7:05 PM ^
I wish he would have tried to get a track scholly at a smaller school so he doesn't risk more concussions. Hoepfully, he can keep from getting any more and go on to have a great life.
October 20th, 2010 at 6:53 PM ^
I'll never forget the game he sat Indian Style for 10 minutes after a hit.
October 20th, 2010 at 8:03 PM ^
Playing at Rice will do that.
As I recall when he left there was a lot of hating on the kid. "too small" (no one says that about V. Smith) and OMG NOT MIKE HART ! UNACCEPTABLE! blah blah blah...
He left for personal and family reasons and I hope he's happier closer to home and enjoys his time at Rice U.
IMO he would be kicking ass here with our improved line.
October 20th, 2010 at 8:48 PM ^
OMG NOT MIKE HART feelings may have had less to do with McGuffie's size and running style and more to do with his apparent inability to HOLD ON TO THE DAMN BALL.
Maybe I'm just looking through rose-colored glasses, but Smith doesn't seem to have anywhere near the fumble problems McGuffie had. And no, i have no statistical data to back that up.
Though fumble-itis was a pestilence that swept through the whole team that year, so it may be that I'm making him a pariah for the entire teams turnover issues.
October 20th, 2010 at 7:13 PM ^
I............don't........like.......it.....when....people......post.....like....this...
October 20th, 2010 at 7:26 PM ^
O..... k...... a...... y......
October 20th, 2010 at 7:25 PM ^
Glad to hear he's doing well at Rice.
October 20th, 2010 at 8:36 PM ^
concussions or running style, the kid was exciting to watch. I would've loved to have seen him run the read with Denard and hit the gaping holes this Oline has been making.
October 20th, 2010 at 8:45 PM ^
I've only seen a little bit of McGuffie this year, but it sure looked to me like he was running scared. Lots of guys have had concussions, so I'm not just saying this because he's been concussed...
...but McGuffie looks like he's afraid of contact at this point in his career. Perhaps his confidence was shaken by those head injuries.
October 20th, 2010 at 9:10 PM ^
Wouldn't surprise me. Personally I was very surprised to see him playing in the Ohio State game in 2008. Thought he would have been sitting out the season at that point.
October 20th, 2010 at 9:05 PM ^
Looking back it seems like the young and small UM Sam McGuffie might have been used and abused by Rich Rod.
October 20th, 2010 at 10:34 PM ^
Or sarcastic? I can't tell, but how was McGuffie used and abused in ways that other tailbacks aren't? I'm partly interested to know if there's more to your comment than I'm reacting to. If there's actual evidence that RR mistreated McGuffie somehow, it'd be helpful to hear it.
Were Carlos Brown and Brandon Minor abused too - is that where the injuries came from? Or was it football?
October 20th, 2010 at 9:03 PM ^
love his contributions while at UM or not I always thought he seemed like a pretty good kid. I hated to see him go because over time I knew that he had a lot of potential. I did understand him leaving though as family should always come first. I wish him all the best and hope he gets everything he is looking for out of college.
October 21st, 2010 at 12:01 PM ^
he will get a great education as well. Rice is very good school. Thank god he didn't go to TSU, Middle Texas Western Tech etc.