how will niners use lamichael james?

Originally posted by HessianDud:
we're going to use him as an instrument of rape against the tender orifices of opposing defenses.

^^^ A glimpse inside the sadistic mind of a serial rapist... or just a football fan that also watches a lot of porn.

Originally posted by mebemused:
I think play-action out of a 2 back and 1 back sets. If you send 3 WRs down field, against a nickel package, that gives you a mismatch of a LB against James on a delayed pass. The Saints ran this with Sproiles against us in the division championship game.

I would love to see Gore, Jacobs, or Miller in tandem with James in a 2 back pro-set, with James on the strong side. Off tackle plays to the weak side, behind Iupati would be good as well as sweeps. Combining James with a power runner diving inside, D's can't use run blitz's to defend both between the tackles and outside the tackles.

But my favorite is spread with 2 TEs and James as a single RB. With good blocking TEs you can attack the edges, play-action with 4 receivers, draw, or hit James coming out of the backfield.

Another play that James would be deadly on would be a slot or tunnel screen, with James motioning into the slot, and a TE blocking in front. I hope that we Roman uses a lot of screen variations because:
• Ds' like to blitz against us
• We have good blocking TEs and WRs
• Once James or Hunter gets into space, good things will happen.

We can even set simple one-blocker screens to both sides of the formation in a 2 back set.

Great post. I thought this is how we'd use Hunter last year. Hope they use 'em both like this this year! Offense evolve!

Practice squad Kicker

2 words

Dexter Mcluster

Free Safety. He's got big time free safety potential.





yes, i'm joking

the Niners is going to change it up a little and use him on a Fly Sweep

Lamichael James is the type of player that can be effective in any formation with any personnel grouping. You just have to find ways to get him the ball and he'll make things happen. However, I do think that with the depth we have at WR now and the versatility of our TEs, we can be pretty confident that the 49ers are going to use more spread formations on offense and take advantage of the ability of Lamichael James to work in space. Obviously, this isn't going to be a common set, but with the playmakers and weapons we have on the roster now, there's no limit to what this offense can do.

Good post.

he'll be used sparingly at first and then creatively. The guy is very talented and very fast. Play action, sweeps andcheck-downs. If he gets an opening he can fly the distance.

Spread sets, where he has room to run. Probably a third down back when Gore is out of the game. Maybe three-four touches a game.

agreed, but i still think on 3rd down and RZ, he is going to be playing in the Rt wing, like Reggie Bush/ Darren Sproles, and is going to be either the primary or almost always 2ndary (or bail out) receiver. Then is when things get interesting. And i agree, we are going to be using a lot ,if not 80% of the time, wideouts across the field. When there are just a few defenders in front of la Michael, is when he is deadliest. As far as running between the tackles, i think Coach will have frank take care of that. La Michael is really a specialty pick, used to split wide of alex , and will be the bailout receiver usually, but it gives alex the confidence that someone will be open. AJ split to the lt side, , Moss split to rt side,/Mario/ crbtre in slot, vernon on a fly pattern...and if everyone looks covered(unlikely) or alex can't find them, he either shovels it or passes it to LaMichael, and then lets him dance. I predict he will have more 3rd down conversions than anyone else on the team this yr.

it'll be goalline situations...he will line up in front of Sopoaga...Alex will toss the ball to James and Spoagua will grab James and toss his lil ass over the goal line...FTW