A Crucial Element to being a Great Running Back

[Mars]

The best offenses are well balanced and keep the defense guessing. They can run multiple plays from the same package, hiding what they will do until the last second possible. The best offensive players can do more than one thing well, providing multiple options and making themselves much more difficult to cover.

So you look at Harvey Unga and you realize that he was great at running the football. He was one of the best. 696 Runs for 3455 Yards and 36 Touchdowns. But that doesn't tell the whole story of how much he helped his offenses. Add in 102 Receptions for 1085 Yards and 9 Touchdowns, and the totals rise to 798 Touches for 4540 Yards and 45 Touchdowns. THAT is what Harvey Unga brought to BYU (along with his coaches and teammates, of course).
http://byucougars.com/athlete/m-football/harvey-unga" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Jamaal Williams is a great kid and a phenomenal talent. He has already racked up 383 Runs for 2008 Yards and 19 Touchdowns. In my opinion, he has been the heart and soul of the offense the past two seasons. He's also brought 45 Receptions for 440 Yards and 1 Touchdown to the table. That makes 428 Touches for 2448 Yards and 20 Touchdowns. Great career numbers, and he's still just getting going!
http://byucougars.com/athlete/m-footbal ... l-williams" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Just for comparison's sake, I want to include one other running back: 352 Runs for 1797 Yards and 14 Touchdowns. 96 Receptions for 990 Yards and 5 Touchdowns. Overall, 448 Touches for 2787 Yards and 19 Touchdowns. http://byucougars.com/athlete/m-football/jj-di-luigi" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


So statistically-speaking, Jamaal's career is approaching (and will soon eclipse) that of JJ DiLuigi- just 329 combined yards shy. By his Senior season, he should reach the Harvey stratosphere (who finished with 370 more TOUCHES than Jamaal has had thus far, not quite double). As for "the eye test", that's up to the individual beholder. I loved how Unga had power (as certain Utah defenders learned all too well), but also how he could wait for the right hole to open and hit it at just the right time. Amazing VISION! I thoroughly enjoyed watching JJ catch a dump-off pass in the backfield and streak it up for a first down, time after time, even though HE WAS the entire defensive gameplan. And we've all seen "Baby Williams" play, our favorite teenage super-star. Quick, fast, and Jamaal simply doesn't fumble. SPEED is his main tool of assassination, and boy does the kid love to kill. I would love to see him continue to receive the ball in as many ways as possible- When you've got a weapon like him, you've gotta use it! Maybe, just maybe, every game he could be Shoveling? Just a thought.

Go Cougars

[Cougarbib]

How did you leave Curtis Brown out of this discussion.

Also - no mention of blocking.

IMHO, if you take best single season performances, Unga and CB are in a different class than JJ. JW could be in that class and maybe be the best if he improves at pass catching and blocking.

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[Mars]

How did you leave Curtis Brown out of this discussion.

I couldn't find his full stats. I'm curious what his total career receiving totals are.

[Cougarbib]

How did you leave Curtis Brown out of this discussion.

I couldn't find his full stats. I'm curious what his total career receiving totals are.

Not sure. But, when I looked at 2006 recently re another thread, he was often the leading receiver in addition to racking up rushing yards.

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[frdbtr]

Curtis Brown career receiving stats: 157 catches for 1309 yds 5 td's
Rushing stats: 641 rushes for 3221yds 31 td's

Totals 798 touches 4530 yds 36 td's

Not only that but he lost 5 total fumbles his whole career. CB was a rock solid BYU style RB.

More on fumbles. He fumbled the ball 6 total times lost 5, 5 of the 6 were in 2004, he didn't fumble even once in 06.

[hawkwing]

I don't think enough can be said about just how important it is for a runing back to be a great pass catcher. The ways that opens up the offense are almost incalculable.

[Mars]

Curtis Brown career receiving stats: 157 catches for 1309 yds 5 td's
Rushing stats: 641 rushes for 3221yds 31 td's. Totals 798 touches 4530 yds 36 td's

So, Curtis Brown: 1309 receiving yards.
Harvey Unga, 1085 receiving yards.
JJ DiLuigi, 990 receiving yards.
Jamaal Williams, 440 receiving yards (thus far).

Interesting.

[Cougarbib]

Curtis Brown career receiving stats: 157 catches for 1309 yds 5 td's
Rushing stats: 641 rushes for 3221yds 31 td's. Totals 798 touches 4530 yds 36 td's

So, Curtis Brown: 1309 receiving yards.
Harvey Unga, 1085 receiving yards.
JJ DiLuigi, 990 receiving yards.
Jamaal Williams, 440 receiving yards (thus far).

Interesting.

Williams needs to, and probably will, pick up the pace. It would be great to see him up there with CB.

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[SpiffCoug]

Curtis Brown career receiving stats: 157 catches for 1309 yds 5 td's
Rushing stats: 641 rushes for 3221yds 31 td's. Totals 798 touches 4530 yds 36 td's

So, Curtis Brown: 1309 receiving yards.
Harvey Unga, 1085 receiving yards.
JJ DiLuigi, 990 receiving yards.
Jamaal Williams, 440 receiving yards (thus far).

Interesting.

What's interesting is that Unga really fell off in the passing game his sophomore and junior seasons.

Of his 1,085 yard receiving, 655 of them came as a freshman. Of his 102 catches, 44 came as a freshman. Of his 9 receiving TDs, 4 came as a freshman. I'm not sure why he was so little used in the passing game - especially as a JR.

FR: 44 catches for 655 yards, 4 TD, 14.9 ypc
SO: 42 catches for 309 yards, 4 TD, 7.4 ypc
JR: 16 catches for 121 yards, 1 TD, 7.6 ypc

Unfortunately, I don't have targeting information going that far back yet, so I can't give him a RER either. Just interesting to note that he was less involved in the passing game as his career progressed.

[Cougarbib]

I vaguely remember a hand injury. Not sure. I could be confused about that. Or we could blame any change in QB, locker room politics, off field distractions, or his parents

it was tough to lose him for his senior year. Dude could block, too.

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