Meyer: Gators will play without RBs if no one steps up

[VOLjlt]

Courtesy ESPN.com
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2368628
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Florida coach Urban Meyer threatened Tuesday to play without a running back if someone doesn't step up at the position.


Meyer said a strong running game is critical to the success of his spread-option offense, and inconsistent play from tailbacks DeShawn Wynn, Markus Manson, Kestahn Moore and Skyler Thornton was one reason the Gators struggled to score last season.


Meyer vowed to not let it happen again.


He said he gets upset just thinking about the position.


He said he'd just as soon play without a tailback. He didn't mince any words. As he put it: "I'm not going to sit and watch that trash I watched last year. That's not going to happen."


The Gators carried an average 146 yards a game in 2005 -- well shy of the 236 yards a game Meyer's ground game produced in his final year at Utah.



:excl: What Meyer needs to figure out is that Utah didn't face any decent defenses that allowed him to have such a running game. In the SEC, defenses typically are much tougher therefore typically allowing less running. That's why we said his style wouldn't work in the SEC, or at least not as well as it did in a sub-par conference. Georgia succeeded at running well last year because they had probably the best backfield in the SEC and a very mobile QB. Plus, you can't run the ball if your o-line is not opening up holes or doing any blocking for your RB to run. Georgia and LSU had good O-lines to make that possible. Auburn had the same story the year before. I have always believed good blocking allows for good runners.

[GatorHunter]

:excl: What Meyer needs to figure out is that Utah didn't face any decent defenses that allowed him to have such a running game. In the SEC, defenses typically are much tougher therefore typically allowing less running. That's why we said his style wouldn't work in the SEC, or at least not as well as it did in a sub-par conference. Georgia succeeded at running well last year because they had probably the best backfield in the SEC and a very mobile QB. Plus, you can't run the ball if your o-line is not opening up holes or doing any blocking for your RB to run. Georgia and LSU had good O-lines to make that possible. Auburn had the same story the year before. I have always believed good blocking allows for good runners.

Here we go again with the "this offense aint gonna work in the big bad SEC" talk :wacko: ....it's no secret that UF's offensive line struggled with the blocking schemes with the new system...and Meyer...who I think knows a little more about UFs RB situation then you or I, has it right...if the RBs aren't gonna step up and run the ball with some "balls"...don't play them....Wynn was a beast his freshman year...since, he's been on a downward spiral. I think Manson, Moore or even one of the stud freshman UF has coming in will probably get the job over Wynn if he doesn't make some significant improvements in his game.

[blockallhaters]

Here we go again with the "this offense aint gonna work in the big bad SEC" talk :wacko: ....it's no secret that UF's offensive line struggled with the blocking schemes with the new system...and Meyer...who I think knows a little more about UFs RB situation then you or I, has it right...if the RBs aren't gonna step up and run the ball with some "balls"...don't play them....Wynn was a beast his freshman year...since, he's been on a downward spiral. I think Manson, Moore or even one of the stud freshman UF has coming in will probably get the job over Wynn if he doesn't make some significant improvements in his game.
You are wasting your time Gatorhunter . Ole VOLjlt team with a great record last year is worried about our team. Besides if you can't beat us some feel they have to beat on the same ole tune.If I were you VOLjlt thank god I am not but I would want my team to get rid of every player, coach ,and some cheerleader too :laugh: 5-6 means heads roll at Florida!!!!!5-6 at voltear land means give a team that beats you advice. :brick:

[GeauxTo]

DisturbinUrban will find his running back. Florida is a big-time football program that will attract the best, and there will be someone who will step up and become the kind of back they want and need. I was playfully down on Meyer last year, but I know Florida is going to return to prominence. They are one of the four current BIG BOYS in the SEC in my book: LSU, Auburn, Georgia, and Florida. (Nice balance; two from the West, two from the East) Alabama and Tennessee sort of parallel one another as used-to-be big boys. South Carolina and Arkansas sort of parallel, as well, as "wanna bees" who want to be big boys real bad, and both are coming on.

[GatorNation]

DisturbinUrban will find his running back. Florida is a big-time football program that will attract the best, and there will be someone who will step up and become the kind of back they want and need. I was playfully down on Meyer last year, but I know Florida is going to return to prominence. They are one of the four current BIG BOYS in the SEC in my book: LSU, Auburn, Georgia, and Florida. (Nice balance; two from the West, two from the East) Alabama and Tennessee sort of parallel one another as used-to-be big boys. South Carolina and Arkansas sort of parallel, as well, as "wanna bees" who want to be big boys real bad, and both are coming on.
We have some new guys coming in, and I think we may see the TB position in a free-for-all this spring/summer. We could have used Spiller, but I think we have enough to get the job done. We may very well be TB-by-committee until we land that big-time back on NSD.

Moore got the nod in the Outback, but I still think Manson gives Meyer his best shot at running his ground package (i.e., the off-tackle plays) because he has the speed to beat the LBs to the edge. But I agree with Hunter: the OL play was pretty poor, which causes lots of problems. And even with the "modified attack" against uga, we still had trouble running the ball. That tells me it's less about the system and more about the players playing.