Post by Stevev on Aug 7, 2005 8:19:59 GMT -5
Here it is:
LU believes that it possesses talented trio of running backs
By Chris Lang
Lynchburg News & Advance
August 7, 2005
Dre Barnes, Eugene Goodman and Sam Gado undoubtedly left their mark on the Liberty University football program, and it wasn’t just because of the 2,268 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns the trio accounted for in 2004.
The most successful class of running backs in LU’s history made the school’s one-back, pro-set offense attractive to potential recruits. And why not? With Gado currently in Kansas City Chiefs training camp as an undrafted free agent, the precedent has been set - with enough hard work and dedication, moving on to the pro ranks from Liberty is not out of the question.
So even though the Flames must replace the gaudy numbers Barnes, Goodman and Gado racked up, the process may not be as arduous as it looks, thanks to a stellar recruiting class that gives LU a group of running backs that may be every bit as talented as the class that just departed.
Marcus Hamilton is the only returning back of note, and he rushed for just 161 yards last season as a junior (108 of those came in the season opener against West Virginia Tech). What has the LU staff excited is the addition of freshman tailbacks Ryan Greiser and Rod Fluellen, both of whom come to Lynchburg with serious credentials.
Greiser, a 6-foot-1, 205 pounder, ran for 2,030 yards and scored 33 touchdowns as a senior at Pennridge High School in Sellerville, Pa., last fall. He participated in the recent Big 33 all-star game (featuring the top prep players from Pennsylvania and Ohio) and won the prestigious Jim Henry Award, presented by the Maxwell Club to the Philadelphia area’s top player.
Syracuse recruited Greiser heavily, but the Orange wanted him to play fullback. Coming to LU gave him the opportunity to compete for the starting tailback job.
“Fullbacks nowadays are more like 260 (pounds),” Greiser said. “That’s not really what I wanted to do. I knew I had an opportunity to play tailback here. I didn’t have that opportunity at some of the bigger I-A schools.”
Fluellen, a 5-9, 185 pounder, was the South Carolina Class 4A offensive player of the year, rushing for 1,384 yards and 20 touchdowns as a senior at Columbia’s Richland N.E. High School. He verbally committed to Vanderbilt but changed his mind once he realized he could compete for the starting job at LU. Another back to watch is Rajive Otah, a transfer from Grossmont College in California.
Liberty coach Ken Karcher and running backs coach Frank Hickson both stressed the position is wide open. Hamilton was penciled in as the top back on the spring practice depth chart, but that doesn’t mean much.
“Everybody understands (the depth chart) could change daily,” Hickson said.
That doesn’t faze Hamilton, who struggled with holding onto the ball last year and spent the summer working on strip drills with LU’s defensive backs. He knows he’ll be in a dogfight for playing time with the two freshmen.
“They’re coming in here wanting to start, like they did in high school,” Hamilton said. “But I’ve got the mindset that I want the job and the job is mine. I’m going out there to prove my point.”
Greiser and Fluellen both appreciate Hamilton’s field intelligence and leadership qualities, even if the two youngsters are doing their best to jump past Hamilton on the depth chart.
“I know most people, they’d just throw you out there and they’d want you to mess up to make themselves look better,” Fluellen said. “But Marcus isn’t like that at all. He’s big on winning, and he told me and Ryan that he felt we could help this team win. I feel the same way.”
Greiser and Fluellen are both shifty backs with surprising speed. Karcher said Fluellen is better as a side-to-side runner and has great field vision. Greiser, who was also a standout defensive back at Pennridge, is a grinding north-to-south runner who doesn’t mind contact, though those who watch Liberty practice won’t really be able to tell until next week, when the team finally dons pads.
“At running back, you need the pads on,” Karcher said. “Right now, they’re all in their skirts running around, and they all look good. Once we get to pads, we’ll know a little bit more.”
Hopefully these new guys can get it done early on.
LU believes that it possesses talented trio of running backs
By Chris Lang
Lynchburg News & Advance
August 7, 2005
Dre Barnes, Eugene Goodman and Sam Gado undoubtedly left their mark on the Liberty University football program, and it wasn’t just because of the 2,268 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns the trio accounted for in 2004.
The most successful class of running backs in LU’s history made the school’s one-back, pro-set offense attractive to potential recruits. And why not? With Gado currently in Kansas City Chiefs training camp as an undrafted free agent, the precedent has been set - with enough hard work and dedication, moving on to the pro ranks from Liberty is not out of the question.
So even though the Flames must replace the gaudy numbers Barnes, Goodman and Gado racked up, the process may not be as arduous as it looks, thanks to a stellar recruiting class that gives LU a group of running backs that may be every bit as talented as the class that just departed.
Marcus Hamilton is the only returning back of note, and he rushed for just 161 yards last season as a junior (108 of those came in the season opener against West Virginia Tech). What has the LU staff excited is the addition of freshman tailbacks Ryan Greiser and Rod Fluellen, both of whom come to Lynchburg with serious credentials.
Greiser, a 6-foot-1, 205 pounder, ran for 2,030 yards and scored 33 touchdowns as a senior at Pennridge High School in Sellerville, Pa., last fall. He participated in the recent Big 33 all-star game (featuring the top prep players from Pennsylvania and Ohio) and won the prestigious Jim Henry Award, presented by the Maxwell Club to the Philadelphia area’s top player.
Syracuse recruited Greiser heavily, but the Orange wanted him to play fullback. Coming to LU gave him the opportunity to compete for the starting tailback job.
“Fullbacks nowadays are more like 260 (pounds),” Greiser said. “That’s not really what I wanted to do. I knew I had an opportunity to play tailback here. I didn’t have that opportunity at some of the bigger I-A schools.”
Fluellen, a 5-9, 185 pounder, was the South Carolina Class 4A offensive player of the year, rushing for 1,384 yards and 20 touchdowns as a senior at Columbia’s Richland N.E. High School. He verbally committed to Vanderbilt but changed his mind once he realized he could compete for the starting job at LU. Another back to watch is Rajive Otah, a transfer from Grossmont College in California.
Liberty coach Ken Karcher and running backs coach Frank Hickson both stressed the position is wide open. Hamilton was penciled in as the top back on the spring practice depth chart, but that doesn’t mean much.
“Everybody understands (the depth chart) could change daily,” Hickson said.
That doesn’t faze Hamilton, who struggled with holding onto the ball last year and spent the summer working on strip drills with LU’s defensive backs. He knows he’ll be in a dogfight for playing time with the two freshmen.
“They’re coming in here wanting to start, like they did in high school,” Hamilton said. “But I’ve got the mindset that I want the job and the job is mine. I’m going out there to prove my point.”
Greiser and Fluellen both appreciate Hamilton’s field intelligence and leadership qualities, even if the two youngsters are doing their best to jump past Hamilton on the depth chart.
“I know most people, they’d just throw you out there and they’d want you to mess up to make themselves look better,” Fluellen said. “But Marcus isn’t like that at all. He’s big on winning, and he told me and Ryan that he felt we could help this team win. I feel the same way.”
Greiser and Fluellen are both shifty backs with surprising speed. Karcher said Fluellen is better as a side-to-side runner and has great field vision. Greiser, who was also a standout defensive back at Pennridge, is a grinding north-to-south runner who doesn’t mind contact, though those who watch Liberty practice won’t really be able to tell until next week, when the team finally dons pads.
“At running back, you need the pads on,” Karcher said. “Right now, they’re all in their skirts running around, and they all look good. Once we get to pads, we’ll know a little bit more.”
Hopefully these new guys can get it done early on.
