Do The Bucs Consider Smith A Running Back?
July 11th, 2010
After Clifton Smith’s heinous concussions last year, and a history of fumbling a lot in limited carries, Joe wonders if the Bucs would rather pay Donald Penn $20 million guaranteed than use Smith on third down.
It’s been a year since running backs coach Steve Logan called Smith “the joker” in the Bucs offense. There were high hopes for him being a Dave Meggett-type lightning bolt last season.
In a feature about Smith reprinted on Buccaneers.com, he seems eager to get another crack at running the ball.
As he prepares for his third season in Tampa, Smith said he’s not going to beg for more carries at running back. His approach is one of controlling what he can control, performing his role to the best of his ability and working as hard as possible.
Still, if given an opportunity to carry the ball like he did in college, the 5-foot-9, 190-pound Smith knows his set of skills for the Bucs in 2010.
“I always felt like I had great vision,” he said. “I had great vision and I could make a couple of guys miss. Being as small as I am, somehow I was able to push the pile forward. I was never one of those guys that liked to get taken down by the first person.”
First, if Smith is 5’9, 190, then Joe might as well be fit, rich and covorting with multiple blondes every night. In other words, that’s not the case. “Peanut,” as Smith is known, is quite a bit smaller.
Joe thinks the Bucs should give Smith one final shot to prove himself to be a valuable running back option. Joe would be more protective of Smith and his returner prowess if Sammie Stroughter and Michael Spurlock weren’t on the roster.
July 11th, 2010 at 11:12 am
Absolutely….if not in the Sileo Draft (Supplemental) next week…with the 1st or 2nd next year….
July 11th, 2010 at 11:30 am
GREAT Pic Joe!!!
July 11th, 2010 at 4:12 pm
They need to just keep Clifton Smith as a punt and kick returner where he is awesome. If he is constantly getting hit and tackled as a running back, he won’t be the same dangerous return man. Remember, Clifton had two concussions last year. TWO and he’s only in his 3rd year. This isn’t a good idea and we need to be more careful with him.
Good article Joe. Next up, I think you should write an article about Earnest Graham. He most certainly needs to run the ball, and Raheem needs to quit screwing him around. His career is being taken away from him, and I really have to admire Graham for his unselfishness. But seriously, he’s acting stupid about this whole thing. If I were him, I’d be asking to be traded so I don’t have to waste my career as a fullback and not have my talents utilized. I mean if they asked him to be a kicker, he’d probably do it!!
July 11th, 2010 at 4:57 pm
Next year at this time when Huggins and Unga have shown themselves to be the new thunder and lightning, people will be saying Peanut who? Nice kid, but overrated returner and an absolute joke of a running back.
July 12th, 2010 at 12:10 am
Overrated returner? The numbers and game tape say otherwise. Although I like Spurlock and Stroughter, neither of them is the return man that Peanut is. As a running back, though, he hasn’t shown out very well.