Blount “Frustrates You” In Short-Yardage
December 6th, 2010
After this hard-fought TD against Pittsburgh, LeGarrette Blount was Raheem Morris' short-yardage guy. ...Not anymore.
He’s big and nasty, but LeGarrette Blount has struggled in short yardage.
That was painfully evidenced yesterday, as it was in the first game against the Falcons at Atlanta last month.
Blount just doesn’t seem to hammer the line, or dive over it, like a true short-yardage back. Bucs color analyst Dave Moore was talking about it during the game, saying Blount has a stutter step and run downhill into the line.
In his noon news conference today at One Buc Palace, Raheem Morris didn’t hesitate to say that Blount may be out of his element on short yardage.
Morris explained that nobody would know if Blount could be successful in that situation until he was given shots in games. And Morris said short yardage execution is an area where Blount may need more coaching, despite his punishing, 250-pound frame.
“Unfortunaetly, that may not be him,” Raheem said of Blount being the short-yardage guy. “The thing he does, he’s a patient runner. …It frustrates you. …We may have to look in another direction.”
The Bucs opened the season with Earnest Graham as “the guy” in short yardage. But he had a goal line fumble on opening day and obviously fell out of favor. Two games later, Blount got his shot — with success — against Pittsburgh, but has seen little success since.
Joe can’t see why Blount couldn’t be coached up in this area. But it might take beyond this season to turn him around.
December 6th, 2010 at 1:36 pm
If you watched the play where Roy Miller was the lead blocker, Miller made a big hole to the left, but Blount veered to the right and ran into the back of his linemen. If he had followed his lead blocker he would have been in.
December 6th, 2010 at 1:39 pm
how about a 2 back set with Blount and Graham. I am sure Blount can be taught to run and create a hole for Graham.
December 6th, 2010 at 1:47 pm
Using larger running backs at the goal line is not always the best .. It is kind of like Gruden with his ALstott syndrome.
Yes .. Bigger runners are more powerful
But when he is obviously getting the ball .. He is keyed on and typically slower footed than a speed guy.
A quick footed player or speed guy can be more trouble at the goal line
Alstott was always brought in on Short yardage plays and even the Ray-Jay janitor knew who was getting the ball .. The defenders get back there and trip up the feet ..
I always thought Alstott late in his career would be better suited on a spread so he can run someone over with less traffic to get tripped up on.
December 6th, 2010 at 1:49 pm
Perhaps our short yardage scheme can be looked at too ?
December 6th, 2010 at 2:02 pm
How about the scheme where our 6’5 250 pound QB sneaks the ball?
December 6th, 2010 at 2:22 pm
mikeck .. QB sneaks dont work with big QB’s .. Just look at Cam Newton from Auburn
All LUCK .. Much better off handing off the ball 7 yards Deep
December 6th, 2010 at 2:26 pm
mikeck:
If floors Joe why Greg Olson is so allergic to running Freeman up Faine/Zuttah’s arse on fourth-and-one.
December 6th, 2010 at 2:31 pm
The Bucs become pass Happy in the last 10 minutes even if only down by 3. The Bucs become impatient and begin to Force things lately. Hopefully hte Bucs can remember the Rams game when they were losing and continued to pund Blount.
Blount hit 100 yards with about 5 minutes left in the 3rd Quarter. I dont believe he saw another carry.
December 6th, 2010 at 2:32 pm
Maybe instead of lead dives and rushing through center, we could run some power sweeps and counter gaps in short yardage situations? Instead of declaring Blount ineffective in short yardage situations, maybe the OC should find ways to make him effective.
December 6th, 2010 at 2:34 pm
I second that Mikeck!
December 6th, 2010 at 2:35 pm
Great…just in time for Fantasy playoffs
December 6th, 2010 at 2:47 pm
Blounts problem on short yardage is he doesn’t hit the hole with authority. Yesterday on one play he literally stopped to decide what to do…I almost broke the TV, but wised up and just kicked the dog. (j\k)
On short yardage, coach him up to hit the hole with little deviation. Some of this is just a learning experience.
December 6th, 2010 at 2:56 pm
bucfanjeff and fbeast are right either start running sweeps or teach our blount instrument to just put his head down and run straight thru the brick wall. It looks like it take him 3 or 4 steps to get up to speed, he’s not the guy who is off on the first step like Chris Johnson or Reggie Bush, it takes time to get that big frame moving, but he’ll learn to just lower his pads and move the pile.
December 6th, 2010 at 3:42 pm
1 point that has to be said .. his short yardage may need work .. but his long yardage was ripping the #6 Rush D’s Ass with 100 yds in 3 quarters
December 6th, 2010 at 3:45 pm
I think he will be fine. I think Raheem nailed it: he is a patient runner but that doesn’t work in short yardage. To me, that falls on the coaches. They need to be on him about any down and 2 or less to go: Just hit the hole hard and lower your head and churn the legs!!!
Seems like he can develop into that guy.
The other big problem is O-Line. Only 1 original started still playing his position: Penn
December 6th, 2010 at 3:46 pm
He also wasnt getting the blocking that he got on longer carries….maybe ’cause the defense knew we were running?
December 6th, 2010 at 4:50 pm
Blount takes awhile to get going. If he gets going he is a load to take down, but he has to get going first. He is a big guy that can use his frame to punish would be tacklers or make moves that usually only guys 40lbs lighter than him can do. He is a good short yardage back and never has been. Anyone who watched him in college knows this.
Alot of times it is hard for a 6ft+ running back to be a good short yardage back. You really need a shorter stocky guy that can get low and use the momentum, or Blount needs to be coached up to learn how to stay lower and drive forward in those situations. He is naturally a very upright runner.
I think a guy like Allen Bradford would be a perfect RB for us to draft. He’s 5’11” 235lbs no nonsense, physical north and south runner with surprising speed for a big man. He and Blount could be used very effectively to ware down defenses like the Panthers have used Stewart and Williams these last few years.
Definetly need a better short yardage back though. Blount will get better in time (Brandon Jacobs had similiar problems) but we can’t just count on him being a solid short yardage guy next year. We need a go to guy in those situations untill Blount shows he can get low and get it done.
December 6th, 2010 at 4:51 pm
isn’t*
December 6th, 2010 at 9:30 pm
Joe do you agree with your friend at 620 who seems to blast Blount ever chance he can. I agree he needs work in the short yardage game but other than that you can see he is going to be a special back for years to come. Deumig continues to say he is not a Blount fan. How can he say that when you see some of the runs this guy makes and last time I checked a back that averages over 5 yards a pop is considered damn good. I just think he doesn’t want to give any love to Blount cause of his ongoing love affair with Alstott. I’ve seen him stuffed on many 1 yard gains himself.
December 6th, 2010 at 10:12 pm
Damn, I am so glad I do not live in the Tampa area. You guys have got to have the worst, worst by far sports radio punks in any city, all I ever hear about the Bucs when I check in on Tampa radio is how bad the are, how bad the coaching is, how bad ownership is, damn what do these talking arses want? The team had to be blown up, thanks to Gruden the team was old and getting older by the day, and he did NOTHING to get them younger, he took the Parcels mantra of starting vets to starting people who should be retired. Get over it, its a new era, and a New Buccaneers team, young, talented and with a mean streak.
December 7th, 2010 at 1:04 pm
On short yardage. Why not throw in the occasional sweep to Caddy or even Blount. Running the ball in the middle is tough to do consistently. Get Blount on the outside and let the linebackers or DB’s have to tackle him. Not D linemen.
Olsen needs to not be so predictable on short yardage. Its painful to watch. The other thing I would like to see from the offense is.
When they run a play and know they are 1yd short for the 1st down. Run the hurry up offense to catch the defense of guard and keep subs from coming in. It seems that every time the Bucs make a splash play and get in the red zone. They drag out the next play to the point of either calling a timeout or giving the defense all the time in the world to prepare for the next play. Olsen seems to not know what the next play is going to be after a big strike.
That’s my biggest concern with this offense when I watch it.
GO BUCS !!