Toby Gerhart Is Not Mike Alstott
March 19th, 2010
Though running back is not a high priority for the Bucs, it would not be dumb for Bucs general manager Mark Dominik to look at running backs in the mid-rounds.
On paper, the Bucs appear deep at running back. But further study suggests maybe not.
Cadillac Williams plays on two gimpy knees. Earnest Graham isn’t exactly getting much younger. Clifton Smith fumbles and is injury-prone. Derrick Ward might be good but was underused last year.
Might the Bucs be interesting in Stanford fullback and Heisman Trophy finalist Toby Gerhart?
Recently, a caller asked Pat Kirwan, co-host of “Movin’ the Chains” along with Tim Ryan, heard exclusively on Sirius NFL Radio, if Gerhart is another Mike Alstott. Kirwan cringed at the comparison.
““It’s time we all stop calling Toby Gerhart a fullback. He’s a running back and a damned good one.”
Ryan agreed saying, “This guy is a much better athlete than Mike Alstott. He has visited the end zone 43 times as a marked man.”
Seems as though Joe’s good friend, “The Commissioner,” Justin Pawlowski of WDAE-AM 620 agrees. He tries to compare Gerhart and Alstott and, in fact, there is really is no comparison.
If you were a member of my draft coverage at JoeBucsFan.com, you’d already know many reasons why Toby Gerhart and Mike Alstott are only compared because they are both white running backs. The Wonderlic gives us yet another reason. We all know that Mike Alstott has the reputation of not being the brightest crayon in the box, so I’m gonna go out on a limb and say he didn’t get a 30 on the Wonderlic.
Whether the Bucs draft Gerhart or not, Joe has no idea. But Joe wouldn’t be opposed to it.
March 19th, 2010 at 11:06 am
I would love to get Gerhart and Shipley in the middle rounds.
March 19th, 2010 at 11:13 am
I disagree! I think the Bucs definitely need help at RB. With no receivers, what better way to help Freeman than to give him a solid running game. We need a back(s) who can break a tackle and bust off long runs. We don’t have anyone who can do that.
March 19th, 2010 at 11:24 am
Gerhart Shipley Suh Hughes Benn … Thatd be nice.
March 19th, 2010 at 11:28 am
The running back situation has to be addressed, given that Caddy will never make it till the plan bears fruit in five years.
March 19th, 2010 at 11:32 am
We could do worse in rounds 3-4.
March 19th, 2010 at 12:04 pm
“Derrick Ward might be good but was underused last year.”
In 2009 – 114 Carries, 1 TD, 3.6 ypc, long 28 yds,
In 2007 – 125 carries, 4 TD’s, 4.8 ypc, long 44 yds
2007 was Wards 2nd highest carry total, 2009 was his 3rd. Ward wasn’t underutilized, he just wasn’t very good in 2009. Maybe he improves, but the blame goes on him for not starting or getting more carries; he didn’t deserve it.
March 19th, 2010 at 12:21 pm
I say quit messing around and get Spiller.
March 19th, 2010 at 12:26 pm
This guy would be a great token in our backfield.Cadilacs knees are to risky not to pick up another quality back.Hope he lasts til 4th round,but I think he will be gone.
March 19th, 2010 at 12:44 pm
Ryan Matthews, Jahvid Best or Ben Tate would be a better fit, but if you can get Toby in the 3rd (which he’ll most likely not be on the board for) it’d be worth it…
March 19th, 2010 at 12:55 pm
Fun Fact for Joe,
The underutilized Derrick Ward was one of 49 RB’s who had over 100 carries last year (tied for 44th place in carries).
Of those 49 RB’s Derrick Wards yards per carry was tied for 43rd place.
43 out of 49. Feel free to relay your front office friend/Ward’s agent.
RB’s with 100 carries who averaged less than Ward’s 3.6 ypc:
Jamal Lewis 3.5
Kevin Smith 3.4
Darren McFadden 3.4
LaDainian Tomlinson 3.3
Steve Slaton 3.3
March 19th, 2010 at 12:55 pm
Ryan agreed saying, “This guy is a much better athlete than Mike Alstott. He has visited the end zone 43 times as a marked man.”
I think Alstott was pretty damn good athlete. If im not mistaken he visited the end zone quite a few times in college and the NFL when everyone in the stadium knew he was getting the ball.
March 19th, 2010 at 1:03 pm
Ward did have to deal with the failed zone-blocking scheme, the failed 2-2-1(or whatever that was) runningback scheme, and no blocking TE’s(to speak of).
March 19th, 2010 at 1:16 pm
Tom:
Thanks for the numbers.
Joe’s source is not an agent. Joe only knows one agent and to the best of Joe’s knowledge, he does not represent any Bucs player.
Nor does he represent Willie Parker. 🙂
March 19th, 2010 at 1:19 pm
2 Buc Bill:
Joe was listening to Pat Kirwan yesterday who said that Joe McKnight and Ben Tate are about even as far as running talent. But if Kirwan had to pick, he’s grab Tate because, Kirwan said, Tate does a really good job of picking up blitzes and recognizing pass coverages.
In other words, Kirwan said Tate would be a better every-down player than McKnight.
March 19th, 2010 at 1:41 pm
Im not a big fan of the way Gerhart runs. He runs to upright and I think this may lead to him receiving big hits in the NFL. He also has a lot of mileage on his legs over the last two years. I would much rather the Bucs take Blount in the 4th or 5th round. I would stay away from Gerhart.
March 19th, 2010 at 1:51 pm
Gerhart is not Mike Alstott! You mean he can block!
March 19th, 2010 at 1:59 pm
At least Blount can throw a punch! He and Talib can go a few rounds this training camp!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4rkKm0TZFo
March 19th, 2010 at 2:35 pm
@The_Buc_Realist
We don’t need blocking, Clayton is coming to camp!
March 19th, 2010 at 2:49 pm
Do you think that Clayton could teach our tightends then? Because they never block. Or should we just be like all the regular fans and just say our O-line sucks?
March 19th, 2010 at 3:09 pm
@ Joe
I couldn’t agree w/ Pat more. McKnight seems to run a bit upright which could be a problem. Tate could be that every down back that a young QB needs on his side…
March 19th, 2010 at 3:49 pm
This guy is going 2 make a ton of noise in the N.F.L. if he’s there grab him
March 19th, 2010 at 3:54 pm
Blount object upside the head I mean alstott up the gut fire them cannons another felon on payroll whats next Tony Soprano and Johny sack take over the team
March 19th, 2010 at 4:02 pm
Wouldn’t mind Gerhart here. Good back. It always cracks me up when people automatically compare white players to other white players. I remember people comparing Alstott to Csonka. Both had similar running styles, but Alstott caught the ball out of the backfield a lot better until of course the last few years where he couldn’t catch anything. I think Gerhart is a lot faster than Alstott. I do like that the commentator said Gerhart was a RB and not a FB. Of course Joe puts him as a FB in the column. Heck Alstott wasn’t a FB for most of his career.
Seeing Tate in many of his games the last couple of seasons, he is a very good back. Love his power and speed combo. And you can’t have enough Auburn Tigers on your team. Hehe.
I think it is looking like DT in first, WR and maybe S in 2nd, RB possibly in 3rd or another WR or a OL. Need some good ST players from later in the draft. Wouldn’t mind another LB as well. Man alive this team needs a lot. I still shake my head at the lack of activity in the higher end free agents.
March 19th, 2010 at 7:50 pm
I agree with Erick. The Bucs already are setting up a look-see at Blount.
Given it is only one game, but I wasn’t too impressed with Toby in the Sun Bowl game.
March 19th, 2010 at 8:21 pm
I’d rather see them grab Shipley….guy really reminds me of Wes Welker for some reason…..of course Matt Jones (ake Joe Jurevicious Jr) is still out there, and we definitely need some targets for our young franchise QB who I like to call Baby Culpepper
I dunno……people keep talking about drafting the safety position, but I just haven’t given up on Sabby yet…..dude plays the game like John Howell who we all know was the second coming of John Llynch…..
March 19th, 2010 at 8:46 pm
Gehart is not Alstott…
are you saying Gehart can actually Block ?? HAHa !
March 19th, 2010 at 8:54 pm
Very amusing CreamsiclePatsies. Bravo. Your post cracked me up.
March 19th, 2010 at 9:29 pm
Tom, I wasn’t impressed with Ward last season either. I thought he would have been an excellent FA pick up, but he was underwhelming. I’m sure there are many reasons why he was mediocre, and the 2-2-1 plan hurt Cadi more than Ward. I was hoping they would have trdd him by now.
March 20th, 2010 at 3:21 pm
Joe,
We dont “all know” that alstott has the reputation of being a dumbass, please provide some specific examples before you make an assertion like that. Id put money on it that he is way smarter than you by the way.
April 20th, 2010 at 1:09 pm
The 2009 draft the Bucs could have gotten Michael Ohar in the first round and still got Josh Freeman the second round. The fact that they did this proved that who-ever is in charge over there has not a clue. Now along comes this running back out of Stanford. Let us just say he is avaliable in the 2nd round, what kind of offensive line do the Bucs have that can open holes for him? How much protection does Freeman have? And why did they shoot their wad so quick on Freeman last year when he was not on anyones upper rounds charts?? Logic dictates that in the free agency market they should have gone after a Demco Ryans and for their first pick get this kid out of Nebraska, maybe even trade up to get him. Or offer their first round pick for next year. Then get this kid out of Stanford and if they had any brains they would already have a Michael Oahr and Demco Ryans and a nice core. Instead they have nothing to work with for Freeman and nothing to work with to help on the defensive side of the ball. So what we have now is something akin to the days of Culverhouse and Krugar calling the shots. If anyone thinks the Buc’s are gona rebuild through the draft you are hoping against hope. It ain’t gonna happen. If I can figure out something as simple as what they should have done last season and yet they did not pull the trigger on it, which they did not do, what does that tell you about the people in charge over there. Gruden at least was able to work around all these obstacles that were presented to him and put a good product on the field. Well all you fools didn’t know what was going on behind the scene with the Bucs. Now you do and Gruden does not look so bad now, huh? Hey Big dog (Sorry Kevin, gotta be nice with your endings. — Joe)