PROTECTING GENO'S BACK
August 31, 2011 10:48 AM | General
West Virginia’s four running backs expected to play this Sunday against Marshall in the Friends of Coal Bowl have combined to run for a couple miles worth of yardage during their high school careers, so carrying the football shouldn’t be too much of a problem for them.
Therefore, the determining factor in how much these guys will play this weekend could be how well they perform without the football in their hands.
“Pass protection is critical,” admitted running backs coach Robert Gillespie.
Generally speaking, young running backs who first get to college are typically OK with the football and less-than-OK without it because they were not really asked to do much pass protecting in high school. How many high school coaches do you know who ask their star running backs to block linebackers and defensive ends?
Well, West Virginia’s two new guys, Andrew Buie and Dustin Garrison, were not asked to protect the quarterback’s backside in high school as much as they will be required to do it here at WVU, but Gillespie is confident that they have the ability and, more importantly, the willingness to do it.
“They come from different offenses so they were probably not asked to do this as much as we will ask them to but the main thing I look for in a back when I recruit them is toughness. You just have to be tough,” Gillespie explained. “Are you willing to step in there and do the dirty work? All these guys have an edge to them. All these guys have toughness to them and right now it’s just fundamentals. Once they get the fundamentals, the toughness is already there.”
Ripping off a 50-yard touchdown run is great, but getting Geno Smith killed because you whiffed your backside block can wipe out that great run in an instant. Gillespie said pass protection has been a big point of emphasis during fall camp.
“They have gotten better, but we will really find out how good they are on Sunday,” he said. “Practice is a little bit different. I’m kind of behind them a little bit, but Sunday they will be out there by themselves.”
What is really encouraging to Gillespie is how hard his running backs have been working at it, which is doubly important because all four of them are not very big guys.
“These guys are working hard,” Gillespie said. “They are watching a lot of film on their own, they are asking great questions, and I’m confident that they can go out there and protect the quarterback.”
So this Sunday when you start looking more closely at West Virginia’s four running backs, don’t just consider which guy does the most with the football in his hands, but also take into consideration the one who doesn’t get his quarterback killed.
Therefore, the determining factor in how much these guys will play this weekend could be how well they perform without the football in their hands.
“Pass protection is critical,” admitted running backs coach Robert Gillespie.
Generally speaking, young running backs who first get to college are typically OK with the football and less-than-OK without it because they were not really asked to do much pass protecting in high school. How many high school coaches do you know who ask their star running backs to block linebackers and defensive ends?
Well, West Virginia’s two new guys, Andrew Buie and Dustin Garrison, were not asked to protect the quarterback’s backside in high school as much as they will be required to do it here at WVU, but Gillespie is confident that they have the ability and, more importantly, the willingness to do it.
“They come from different offenses so they were probably not asked to do this as much as we will ask them to but the main thing I look for in a back when I recruit them is toughness. You just have to be tough,” Gillespie explained. “Are you willing to step in there and do the dirty work? All these guys have an edge to them. All these guys have toughness to them and right now it’s just fundamentals. Once they get the fundamentals, the toughness is already there.”
Ripping off a 50-yard touchdown run is great, but getting Geno Smith killed because you whiffed your backside block can wipe out that great run in an instant. Gillespie said pass protection has been a big point of emphasis during fall camp.
“They have gotten better, but we will really find out how good they are on Sunday,” he said. “Practice is a little bit different. I’m kind of behind them a little bit, but Sunday they will be out there by themselves.”
What is really encouraging to Gillespie is how hard his running backs have been working at it, which is doubly important because all four of them are not very big guys.
“These guys are working hard,” Gillespie said. “They are watching a lot of film on their own, they are asking great questions, and I’m confident that they can go out there and protect the quarterback.”
So this Sunday when you start looking more closely at West Virginia’s four running backs, don’t just consider which guy does the most with the football in his hands, but also take into consideration the one who doesn’t get his quarterback killed.
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