Joseph Had A Diffferent Call At Running Back
December 22nd, 2011
Remember the heralded “three-headed-monster” plan at running back for opening day of the 2009 season?
The Bucs were going to run an unorthodox 2-2-1 rotation in the backfield with Derrick Ward, Cadillac Williams and Earnest Graham sharing series as the feature back. Of course, that wacky plan never materialized, and Graham finished 2009 with a mere 14 carries. Greg Olson bumped up Graham to 20 carries last year before he got a more prominent role this season.
Speaking Monday on the Buccaneers Radio Network, Davin Joseph said Graham would have been his top running back all three years.
“He was an every down back. And really, sometimes people forget about Earnest Graham. People forget about how good he really is. Because, for whatever reason, sometimes somebody else comes along and they want [that guy] to carry the ball,” Joseph said. “If it was up to me, Earnest Graham would have been carrying the ball for the last three seasons, hands down. But he is a utility player. He can do just about everything a running back should/can do and does everything well. There’s not really anything he can’t do. And LeGarrette’s getting to that stage where he can really be a utility back. It just takes a while.”
Joe found Joseph’s take interesting considering LeGarrette Blount had a 1,000 yards last season and Cadillac Williams was a such an inspirational figure in the locker room.
December 22nd, 2011 at 12:02 pm
Graham had a solid year before he went down. I wouldn’t take him over Blount though.
December 22nd, 2011 at 12:08 pm
Earnest Graham can’t stay healthy. Good back when he’s not hurt, but when was the last time he played a full season? It was a mistake for the Bucs to rely on an injury prone RB. More excuses.
December 22nd, 2011 at 12:17 pm
I really dont see all the hype about Blount: he’s great when there’s a hole but he almost comes to a complete stop when there is not.
Decent back but not the type that you build a team around
If you ask me, the backfield is the worst part of this team: injury-prone guys or scrubs, take your pick.
CB in Round 1
RB in Round 2
December 22nd, 2011 at 12:19 pm
Earnest Graham has quick feet which makes an excellent between the Tackles RUnner. Better than LGB!!
People misunderstand LGB and think he is a traditional Power Back.
HE’s NOT
LGB is more of a HomeRun threat that is Overgrown and extremely Powerful. LGB probably has more success running outside the tackles.
Trent Richardson is Earnest Graham with breakaway ability. He would be a huge assett to the Bucs and you kid yourself if you dont think LGB needs help.
THe Bucs dont need a 5th round scat back. They need someone that has those abilities but with enough power to carry the load if LGB gets hurt again.
Trent Richardson could be the guy if deemed best value on the board when we pick.
December 22nd, 2011 at 12:25 pm
We are not a run first team, sorry. (But I do agree with jvato24 above)
December 22nd, 2011 at 12:32 pm
@BucFanJeff
What do you mean ?? Have you not heard team press conferences ??
We are a violent RUN First team that will force its will on people !!
… Wait a minute
December 22nd, 2011 at 12:34 pm
Oh my bad … thats right
I forgot I just read an article that the Bucs have the fewest carries in the NFL … even less than the RB-less Lions and almost winless Colts.
I would seriously Take David SHula again over our crap playcalls now
December 22nd, 2011 at 12:41 pm
Richardson would be a very good selection.
Blount will never hold up, young man can’t think straight.
But just put the bucs roster on the wall and throw darts, you will hit a weakspot. Its full of lousy pro football players and malcontents.
December 22nd, 2011 at 12:48 pm
DJ makes better personnel decisions than our green GM or lost HC.
December 22nd, 2011 at 1:24 pm
Richardson is not a home run hitter anymore. Watch him this year. He’s gotten so big his speed is gone. He’s not the back he was the last two years.
December 22nd, 2011 at 1:24 pm
@eric, LGB can’t think straight? Not sure what angle you’re taking with that one
December 22nd, 2011 at 2:14 pm
Graham has always been better than Carnell Williams, with exception to the first 4 games of 2005. He was always more powerful, always had better vision, always blocked better, and always caught the ball better. This isn’t the first time the best player hasn’t seen the field enough.
December 22nd, 2011 at 2:41 pm
I can’t argue with those that say LGB isn’t a power back. The Bucs’ O doesn’t stretch opposing defenses horizontally or vertically. Madu’s success hitting the edges illustrates this. Teams don’t prepare because the Bucs’ aren’t a speed threat. I know we need CB’s & LB’s, and just about everything else. Picking 5th or 6th–most likely–sure makes you think RB (or possibly WO?). Richardson’s performance in January is certainly worth watching.
December 22nd, 2011 at 4:04 pm
Sounds like there is a good offensive lineman complaining about the Coridantor and his decisions. Could that effect play? If a guy is making substitutions and calling plays that a veteran O Line don’t agree with. Could that spark turmoil? As a fan coming into this year I expected the Offense to carry a Defense with more than its share of Rookies. As we all have seen, that hasn’t happened.
December 22nd, 2011 at 7:37 pm
Graham can block and catch passes better than Blount. Blount is by far the better runner. I’d still take Blount on all three downs than switch to Graham on 3rd. Graham is a solid spell back when Blount needs a break.
December 23rd, 2011 at 1:06 am
I do agree that Earnest Graham got little Love in Tampa most of his career.
December 23rd, 2011 at 1:57 am
Earnest Graham was completely wasted here in Tampa. Our genius coaching staff of Raheem and Olsen refused to give him carries when he had proven he could run the ball. Cadillac and Ward were not doing it for us. When they finally gave Graham the ball at the beginning of this season, he had a 100+ yard game for us. He looked great. Then he got injured. Just imagine…..if they hadn’t been so stupid and had given him the ball way back, we might not have been 3-13 in ’09!
Instead they just put him at fullback. I really don’t know how Graham stays so positive……cause if I were him I’d be pissed off at the team for taking away my career like that.
December 23rd, 2011 at 3:05 am
Apple:
Come on now…
The dude was never drafted and the Bucs brought him back how many times before he finally made the team, three different training camps?
And when he was used like a prominent running back, he had season-ending injuries. The dude was basically Myron Lewis at running back.
Let’s not be revisionist historians.
December 23rd, 2011 at 3:06 am
Patrick:
Kind of hard to waste a guy who couldn’t stay healthy.