The Future Of LeGarrette Blount
July 18th, 2011
While quarterback Josh Freeman put up some sick numbers last year, one could make a good argument that the MVP of the Bucs was LeGarrette Blount.
Before he became a main element of the offense, the Bucs run game was pretty much impotent. The run game was so weak, that opposing defenses pretty much dared the Bucs to run and only concerned themselves with the pass.
It was no coincidence that when Blount began tearing through defenses and using linebackers and defensive backs has track hurdles, the passing game opened up big time because now defenses had to play honest.
But will Blount’s success continue to grow? That was a question posed to Pat Yasinskas of ESPN in a recent chat; Can be one of the NFL’s elite running backs given a full season?
Scott (Northglenn, CO)
From the point in the season he started playing, LaGarette Blount was the 3rd-leading rusher in the league…can he be a top 7 RB this year, or will his physical running style lend itself to injuries?
Pat Yasinskas
I like Blount and wonder what he can do over the course of a full season. But I do worry about his style of running. Those hurdles make for great highlights, but they’re also a good way to get hurt. That’s why I’d like to see some depth behind him.
Yes, hurdles look cool on TV but those leaps also open up Blount to a serious injury. There’s a reason those moves are penalties in high school football. Joe wonders if those will be outlawed as the NFLPA and the NFL owners haggled over “safety concerns” in the final stages (hopefully) of this asinine lockout.
But what has Joe concerned about Blount isn’t so much the hurdles, but the asinine lockout itself. Raheem Morris has gone on record talking about how a player makes the greatest advances and adjustments from his rookie season to his second year by working out with the team at One Buc Palace all offseason. That was lost this year for Blount and other rookies.
July 18th, 2011 at 8:45 am
Certainly Blount is a big reason Freeman produced much better later in the year considering Freeman was 10TD/5int the first 8 games and 15TD/1int the last 8 games.
July 18th, 2011 at 9:33 am
my asinine is ready 4 football
July 18th, 2011 at 9:35 am
Free and Blount compliment each other very well… One will feed of the other all year wait and see. But if one goes down be prepared for the other to falter somewhat.
July 18th, 2011 at 9:43 am
I don’t think they can outlaw that at the pro level. The game moves too fast to penalize something like that. Blount himself, when talking about the hurdles, said they weren’t planned – he’s never done it before – it was just instincts taking over in the moment.
It’s not like a block in the back or a late hit, both can be avoided. Outlawing hurdling is akin to red light cameras, people doublethink their actions which slows reaction time to any judgement and causes more accidents.
July 18th, 2011 at 10:03 am
I know this for SURE! This lockout IS ASININE!
All it will have achieved is a poor product for this season. Not a damn thing for ticket holders and/or fans.
Freaking lockout will end JUST in time to save the RIP-OFF pre-season “games” nad to keep the London “home” game in freaking LONDON ENGLAND.
What a miracle! What a joke………on us.
July 18th, 2011 at 10:06 am
The missing offseason for rookies and year 2 players is huge.
TWO MAJOR concerns for the Bucs should be :
1. Blount – has not shown up to work with any team members anywhere…. and allegedly he had a hard time getting the offense last year.
2. Briscoe – This guy should be the 3rd WR. He could be a as good as a 2nd WR. He might end up being the 5th WR. He has not worked out with Freeman and the other WRs at all this offseason. He was said to have a “work ethic” issue and that is why he fell so far.
July 18th, 2011 at 10:14 am
Is he trying to say that using Blount force and having no regard for one’s body is a risk for injury? Someone please stop that man from full contat sports.
I’m more worried about him fumbling in midair.
July 18th, 2011 at 10:28 am
Jumping is perfectly legal and always should be. Don’t need any more major rules. I already hate that a Wr can be pushed out of bounds and it’s not a completion.
July 18th, 2011 at 10:33 am
Joe,
Think about this .. If Blount Hurdles he could get hurt or upended and maybe not get hurt .. But what you do if the majority of guys tackling you were lunging at your knees …
His hurdling is a double edged sword as he gets over guys going for his knees
July 18th, 2011 at 10:43 am
@JROCK Blount hurdled opponents in college too. Those that we saw on Sundays were, without a doubt, not his first times.
July 18th, 2011 at 12:43 pm
Hurdling another player in mid-air has less chance of injury than that player taking a shot to the knee or lower leg, especially if that player is being tackled by a submarining defender with his head down. If anything, hurdling another player is safer, provided the player makes it off the ground. The notion that hurdling would be outlawed makes little sense, especially considering no player in recent memory has gotten injured doing it or having it done to them (other than their pride).
July 18th, 2011 at 1:03 pm
Dave,
Regarding Blount not “getting” the offense you only need to look at his pass blocking. Just terrible. He really needed the offseason work, especially if we’re letting Caddy (who is great at pass blocking) walk.
July 18th, 2011 at 1:05 pm
BTW, don’t take that as me hating on Blount. I love what he did last season, just think there are some major areas he could improve.
July 18th, 2011 at 1:39 pm
yes as always joe joe is off the mark
July 18th, 2011 at 2:15 pm
would anyone agree that Darren Sproles or even Reggie Bush would make Blount beter? i love what Blount did but i live in St.Louis and they have a RB who wants to be the only guy and thats a bad thing for the team. not saying Blount wants to be the only guy im saying Bush or Sproles would make him even more complete, after chasing down speedsters who wants to take a full on shot from Blount? just a thought LETS GO BUCS!!!!!!!!!!
July 18th, 2011 at 2:24 pm
@barton1017 I would think the opponents would have an even harder time catching the speedsters after taking shot after shot from Blount.
July 18th, 2011 at 5:10 pm
Mauha Deeb, its a total egg or chicken thing but the end result is Freeman gettin the ball deep to Williams cuz the opposing D will have to respect the run (kinda like the Alstott & Dunn days except now we have a passing game). i hope we can land a shifty speed back. LETS GO BUCS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
July 18th, 2011 at 9:45 pm
Blount will be fine after pre season is over. Pass blocking is not rocket science. The defense needs the reps. And the lock out needs to end ASAP.
July 19th, 2011 at 8:39 am
I have to agree, Blount is a running beast plain and simple. His run game offsets his weak blocking. As long as we pay the man and he remains healthy he could gain the most yardage in Buccaneer history on the ground. Its not like he has alot of Hall of Famers he is up against in Buccaneeer history. The guy has skills and will do well this year period.