I believe Keiland has only fumbled in a game once, and he recovered it. However, the game is all we see - it isn't all the coaches see. And most coaches would not think anything of it as it is not a real big issue, but Miles really stresses it & any fumble is a serious knock. Hester was a lot more than a person who never fumbled, and Keiland's short commings are a lot more than his fumbles. Quite frankly, I think these are excuses used by people who can only see highlight potential & don't recognize the true value of a RB. They justify Miles' decision by saying it must be due to ball security because they can't see all the real main reasons.
This I can agree with. People want to down the guy, but don't know enough about the situation...or football in general...so they throw that out there. But it's an empty claim. BUT, you IS "people" that do it...as seen below. Point is, you DO appear to know enough about the situation...and football in general...to state the real reasons...which as I said, I agree with. But, no need to keep dropping the "holding on to the ball" excuse. KW doesn't fumble. (nor block, nor hit the right hole, nor shed tacklers) And Parso, don't take this as a "Parso bashing post". I don't mean it that way, and respect your posting here...in fact, look forward to your insight. I just get sick of people talking about it like Hester was the only one we had that could hold on to the ball...and in this case, "people" means media too. I hear or read it all the time...and you have much more sensible reasons already for KW being in 3rd place right now.
I agree Keiland doesn't read his blocking very well. I think this could be one reason we use him on the misdirection pitch play where he is running wide around the end without a lead blocker. All he has to do is take the pitch and run as fast as he can to the sideline and try to turn the corner. Crowton used this play many times, especially in the red zone. I think the Wizard is keeping it simple for Williams while utilizing Keiland's speed to the best advantage.
I think the backs should love the RB situation where they don't have to carry all of the load. Look at Addai...doing well AND he didn't have to carry the team on his shoulders. Makes for a longer and more prosperous pro career if the talent level is there.
Yeah, sorry for not being more clear. Yes, no post in this thread is showing a lack of love for KW, they are just being objective on what they believe his status will be in 2008. But over on tigerdroppings, their attitude towards KW came across as disrespectful (granted, I only read a very small % of the posts there on the current KW situation -- it's just too hard to not get frustrated at how their threads have so many posts that have absolutely nothing to do with the topic being discussed). One thing that really got to me was that some guy over there was actually sticking to the topic--and his viewpoint was that KW will be insignificant to LSU next year, and while arguing his viewpoint, one of his points was that KW hasn't done anything noteworthy on the field for LSU during his time here except for in one play against VT. That hurt me that someone in Tiger Nation would say that. Even if KW gets completely beat out by our other RBs next season, that doesn't mean that we should forget about all the great things he did for LSU as a freshman and a sophomore. Yes, I'm not speaking to any of you that have posted in this thread so far, but I'm speaking to all those other people in Tiger Nation that happen to read this thread.
I recently read a quote from Coach Miles about how he wanted one back to step up for 2008. Miles is a football genius, so whatever he says his gold. In addition, I'm sure there are many positives of having one RB as the main RB for our team. But, I've grown to really like the situations where we spread the ball evenly between multiple backs. One reason is that if we just have one back carrying all the load, then that makes him more liable to less impressive game performances (rather than if he was just used in situations in which his strengths were most suited for). By having multiple backs, and playing to their strengths, it is best for them and their NFL draft potential (and is also a good selling point to get the most elite RBs in high school to come to LSU). Another reason I like the multi-RB system is that if we just have one back carrying all the load, he is going to have a greater chance of getting a serious injury than it would be for him if he was part of a multi-back system (which is best for his NFL draft potential, and another good selling point to get the most elite RBs in high school to come to LSU). A third reason I like the multi-RB system is that it makes it easier for LSU to get the very best RB prospects in the nation (assuming our coaches want them), being that they know we are known for our multi-RB system and none of them have anything to worry about regarding not having their chance to shine--if we were known as just a one-RB team, then it would scare away more superstar RB recruits who were too shy to compete with the RBs we have on our roster). A fourth reason I love the multiple-RB thing is I love the "fresh-legs" thing that the game announcers rave about when they are drooling over how great LSU's stable of running backs is. A fifth reason I love the multiple-RB thing is that, if one of them tragically gets taken out by injury, the other RBs are ready to go in the highly competitive conference that we play in. Think Alley Broussard who as a soph in 2004 got 142 carries, beating out junior Joseph Addai who had 101 carries that same year. Broussard gets a major knee injury, and the next season, 2005, Addai, a senior, splits carries with Vincent, a junior (Addai had 187 carries, Vincent had 121). Also think of how bad it was for the Saints when Deuce got taken out by his knee injuries. A sixth reason I love the multiple-RB thing is that it is a LOT easier for opposing DCs to game-plan against one RB than it is for him to game plan against a multiple-back system. I like believing that what LSU offers is so traumatic to opposing DCs, that it is remarkable that they don't commit suicide because the trauma and stress is just too unbearable. A seventh reason I love the multiple-RB thing is that it I love feeling that LSU offers the "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" (which in 2008 will be KW, CS, RM, and TH). Or if a fifth back makes it into the mix, then they will be the "Fab 5".
You could also point out: or or Justin Vincent gave both Broussard and Addai a run for their money (see below). I don't see why KW won't do the same to his competition. Top 5 Carries by LSU RBs per season over the last five years: 2003 SEASON (Saban) 154 -- Vincent (Fr) 114 -- Addai 85 -- Broussard 78 -- Carey 41 -- B. Edwards 2004 SEASON (Saban) 142 -- Broussard 101 -- Addai 76 -- Vincent (So) 28 -- Carey 20 -- Hester (Fr) 2005 SEASON (Miles) 187 -- Addai 121 -- Vincent (Jr) Injury Rehab -- Broussard 59 -- Carey 25 -- Hester (So) 16 -- Skyler Green 2006 SEASON (Miles) 94 -- Hester (Jr) 76 -- KW (Fr) 74 -- Broussard 57 -- Vincent (Sr) 46 -- Scott 2007 SEASON (Miles) 225 -- Hester (Sr) 70 -- KW (So) 53 -- Holliday 45 -- Scott 35 -- Murphy
It isn't a completely empty claim, which is I put it in (although I debated it). My point was that some people consider it to be a primary issue, which it is not & I did not try to make it seem.
Reading this thread is like a watching a dog chase his own tail. We had an identical thread about these same points earlier. LSU will have a great STABLE of running backs, and we'll need them all to get through the season. They all have their strong points and week points. Factor # 1 = HOLD ON TO THE DAMN BALL. Factor # 2 = See Factor # 1. Again, as posted earlier, they'd have to beat Hester's brains out to get him to fumble, and he hardly ever did. He got the most PT last year. This attention to Turnover ratio significantly improved LSU last few years. We have a great wealth at this position. Those who grade out in their assignments AND HOLD ON TO THE BALL will get the most PT. That's it! :milesmic:'s system is simple and basic, the way good FB should be.
Did you read the whole post? I say Keiland is the best pure runner in the open field, he has an OJ-like overdrive. But a complete back needs to be able to find the hole, pick up the blitz, go out for the pass, and block for another running back. The point is, you can't coach speed. But the other things are fixable. Last year's Keiland may not be this year's model.
