Originally posted by DelCed2486:
Originally posted by IdahoNiner:
Originally posted by pasodoc9er:
Shame on the coaching staff, esp OC and HC for not trying him out as a bailout for kap, or even a target for kap. THAT was what I thot this was all about. Sure LMJ wanted to run between the tackles, but sorry, this is NFL, not college. He is, or should have been used a la Sproles, and jH/roman NEVER used him like that, his very best position to play in NFL. In space the kid is stunningly good. I guess JH and roman just never thot to try him out that way. Oh, that's right, roman is just a run play caller...bs on that. He calls the plays, all of them. He isn't smart enough to have thot of what LMJ may really have excelled at.
Based on that, I am glad he gets to go elsewhere and show roman what he can do...but it won't be running between the tackles.
Oregon and me have gone over this time and time again since he was drafted. In college he was a between the tackles runner. Very rarely was he used in the manor you are describing. He has never been a great pass catcher, and he has never been used largely in that capacity, even in college.
The comparisons to sproles were never fair, and he was never going to be that player. I stated this over and over since day one. he doesnt have the lateral movement, vision, lower body strength, or body control that sproles has.
most of his best runs in college were runs where he was never even touched, or touched by very little contact and poor tackling technique. Thats not to say he didnt break tackles in college, because he did, but the nfl is a total different beast.
He caught over 50 passes in 3 seasons at Oregon...nothing spectacular, but also not indicative of someone who is useless in the passing game. The few times he was thrown to during his fill-in role in 2012, I believe he picked up 1st downs each time. The point is, and this isn't saying he would be as good as Sproles, but he easily could've been used in that type of role. Sproles makes a living of getting lost in the wash at the LOS where a LB has to try and find him, then goes just a couple yards downfield, catches the pass, and next thing you know it's a 12-yd gain, 1st down. I don't know how anyone--whether "pro" or "anti" LMJ--can try to claim with authority that this is what he can/can't do, when the fact is he's never really been given that chance. Well, okay, we know he's not a great PR, but that's not why he was drafted in the 2nd Round.
Sproles is sproles, because well...hes sproles.
He is able to do the things he does because he has a strong lower body, great body control, great lateral movement, and great vision. James has none of those. You cant just pick up a speedy undersized RB and assume they can fill the role sproles fills.
James wasnt that type of back in college, so why should we assume he could fill that role in the NFL?
The majority of James yards came from runs straight up the middle where his offensive line opened up huge holes for him and all he had to do was run as fast as he could through it. He thrived in that capacity, but the NFL is a total different beast.
Why do you think gore attempted to help him with his vision when he was first drafted? because he cant find anything besides a massive hole to run through, and he doesnt have the lateral movement or lower body strength to truly succeed with change of direction in the NFL.
Once again, james never was, and never will be successful in a Sproles type role.
Just the way i see it, and its my opinion of course. You can take it or leave it, but i have been saying the same thing since the day he was drafted and thus far he hasnt proved me wrong.
