Duke is our best offensive player since....who?

[ZCanes]

U

I'll even take it one step further. As good as McGahee was Duke Johnson is a more finished back at this time in their careers. Duke's stiff arm is just straight ****ing filthy. You never saw McGahee pull the stiff arm the way Duke does.

Not a knock on Duke because I love him and he is the truth, one of the best we have had in a long time, BUT he has some work to do before you can consider him a better player than McGahee. Did you watch McGahee play? That guy was a complete FREAK. He was a DO it all type back, like an AP. Very few running backs have the TOTAL package. Maybe you remember him more as a pro, which he had to transition into more of a power type back, but dude was straight Nasty before his injury. He literally had every single tool you can posses as a running back. He was a big *** **** who could break a guys ankle with a juke and knock another guy out within the same play.

He was one of the best I've ever seen. Only rb's better That i ever saw were Bo Jackson and Barry Sanders.
Willis was better IMO than Peterson. Just had better vision.
He was so good, that even with a seemingly career ending knee injury, he was still a 1st round draft pick.
That says it all right there.

People forget how outrageous he was because of his style of play as a pro, mostly because of his injury.
On a team that featured, fellow Heisman finalist, ken Dorsey, Andre Johnson, Jason geathers, Kevin beard, roscoe parish and Kellen Winslow he still managed 1700+ yards and 28 tds. Pure insanity.

 

[Picksix]

I watched them both play live and as a True Freshman Duke is further along than Willis was as a True Freshman. Who's the leading Freshman rusher in Miami history again and who did it playing on a team that went 7-5? Yeah that's right, Duke motha****ing Johnson. Now who's going to have a better all around career at Miami is still unknown but Duke is leading all Miami RB's so far.

Yeah *******, he's that good!

 

[ZCanes]

I watched them both play live and as a True Freshman Duke is further along than Willis was as a True Freshman. Who's the leading Freshman rusher in Miami history again and who did it playing on a team that went 7-5? Yeah that's right, Duke motha****ing Johnson. Now who's going to have a better all around career at Miami is still unknown but Duke is leading all Miami RB's so far.

Yeah ****es, he's that good!

Again, this is not a knock on Duke. But that's not a fair assessment. McGahee redshirted and then shared a backfield with Clinton Portis and Frank Gore(the pre injury freshman version) on a national championship team as a RS Fr.

 

[WhatTheHell]

Penalizing McGahee for coming in behind Clinton Portis and being on the same unit as Frank Gore?

The hits keep coming.

 

[nystateofmind]

Lamar Miller his last year. Not as shifty as Duke but more straight away speed and broke just as many big runs.

Miller doesn't get enough love on these boards.

 

[cowboycane]

No love for Chuck Jones?

 

[We'retheBoss]

[video=youtube;6me17cxDIcA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6me17cxDIcA[/video]

In that vid, Willis was caught from behind vs FSU and Rutgers, therefore he is too slow and not an elite back



/sarcasm, but you know this would've been posted had this board been as popular back then as it is now.

 

[CaneAlmighty]

Sean Taylor
Roscoe Parrish
were playmakers in their own right.
Duke brings more, but those two deserve some mention.. Especially if Miller is going to thrown around in this discussion.

 

[Picksix]

I watched them both play live and as a True Freshman Duke is further along than Willis was as a True Freshman. Who's the leading Freshman rusher in Miami history again and who did it playing on a team that went 7-5? Yeah that's right, Duke motha****ing Johnson. Now who's going to have a better all around career at Miami is still unknown but Duke is leading all Miami RB's so far.

Yeah ****es, he's that good!

Again, this is not a knock on Duke. But that's not a fair assessment. McGahee redshirted and then shared a backfield with Clinton Portis and Frank Gore(the pre injury freshman version) on a national championship team as a RS Fr.

Yeah and Duke came in as a true freshman on a 7-5 team and broke the freshman rushing record and came **** near close to matching McGahee's all purpose yards. Funny you should mention Gore and his pre-injury freshman version because Duke was as good as Gore in HS.

And did I mention Duke holds the freshman rushing record at Miami? Like I said, Duke is ahead of all the RB lineage at this stage in his career until proven otherwise. Yes, he's that motha****ing good!

 

[jed2410]

I watched them both play live and as a True Freshman Duke is further along than Willis was as a True Freshman. Who's the leading Freshman rusher in Miami history again and who did it playing on a team that went 7-5? Yeah that's right, Duke motha****ing Johnson. Now who's going to have a better all around career at Miami is still unknown but Duke is leading all Miami RB's so far.

Yeah ****es, he's that good!

Again, this is not a knock on Duke. But that's not a fair assessment. McGahee redshirted and then shared a backfield with Clinton Portis and Frank Gore(the pre injury freshman version) on a national championship team as a RS Fr.

Yeah and Duke came in as a true freshman on a 7-5 team and broke the freshman rushing record and came **** near close to matching McGahee's all purpose yards. Funny you should mention Gore and his pre-injury freshman version because Duke was as good as Gore in HS.

And did I mention Duke holds the freshman rushing record at Miami? Like I said, Duke is ahead of all the RB lineage at this stage in his career until proven otherwise. Yes, he's that motha****ing good!

Duke would have had to fight to just be a kick returner on those teams. He wasn't going to get carries as a freshman with Portis, Gore, or Mcgahee in his backfield. Him being the freshman record holder doesn't hold much weight here.

 

[surfcane]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JaHQB9odlA&feature=player_embedded
Must have Duke highlights in Duke thread.

 

[Picksix]

I watched them both play live and as a True Freshman Duke is further along than Willis was as a True Freshman. Who's the leading Freshman rusher in Miami history again and who did it playing on a team that went 7-5? Yeah that's right, Duke motha****ing Johnson. Now who's going to have a better all around career at Miami is still unknown but Duke is leading all Miami RB's so far.

Yeah ****es, he's that good!

Again, this is not a knock on Duke. But that's not a fair assessment. McGahee redshirted and then shared a backfield with Clinton Portis and Frank Gore(the pre injury freshman version) on a national championship team as a RS Fr.

Yeah and Duke came in as a true freshman on a 7-5 team and broke the freshman rushing record and came **** near close to matching McGahee's all purpose yards. Funny you should mention Gore and his pre-injury freshman version because Duke was as good as Gore in HS.

And did I mention Duke holds the freshman rushing record at Miami? Like I said, Duke is ahead of all the RB lineage at this stage in his career until proven otherwise. Yes, he's that motha****ing good!

Duke would have had to fight to just be a kick returner on those teams. He wasn't going to get carries as a freshman with Portis, Gore, or Mcgahee in his backfield. Him being the freshman record holder doesn't hold much weight here.

LOL! Yeah whatever... He also wasn't rushing behind the best O-line to ever suit up at Miami. If you're going to mention all the players he wouldn't have played in front of than let's not forget to mention the players he rushed behind.

You guys are acting like I think McGahee is a scrub. All I'm saying is Duke is a GD stud and what he does as a RB at this stage in his career is beyond mind blowing. He's an elite back that can house it every time he touches the ball.

 

[FRCane]

While he didn't get the touches that duke got his freshmen season, Frank Gore was pretty **** impressive. He averaged like 9 ypc as a freshman. Let's not forget that McGahee wouldn't have started if it weren't for Gore's second ACL.

 

[cane305]

I'll even take it one step further. As good as McGahee was Duke Johnson is a more finished back at this time in their careers. Duke's stiff arm is just straight ****ing filthy. You never saw McGahee pull the stiff arm the way Duke does.

 

[k9cane]

As the guy who coined Willis 'McHeisman' back on Grassy in 2002( and still say he would've won it, if not for Chud and his agenda's), I will say this, Willis for awhile was Mr April. A player who was much better in spring games than real ones. I remember early in his career him not having a lot of patience and running up the back of his lead blockers and not letting plays develop.

But when he got 'it', he was a monster. That 2002, without his heroics, I think UM loses 2 regular season games. I just remember how he exploded at the Swamp and thinking ala Dennis Green,"OK, this is who we thought he was. Crown him."

Duke early on, is a more polished and relaxed runner. But I don't know if he has the physical ceiling of #2.

But hey, this is like comparing Brazilian super models....

 

[Picksix]

As the guy who coined Willis 'McHeisman' back on Grassy in 2002( and still say he would've won it, if not for Chud and his agenda's), I will say this, Willis for awhile was Mr April. A player who was much better in spring games than real ones. I remember early in his career him not having a lot of patience and running up the back of his lead blockers and not letting plays develop.

But when he got 'it', he was a monster. That 2002, without his heroics, I think UM loses 2 regular season games. I just remember how he exploded at the Swamp and thinking ala Dennis Green,"OK, this is who we thought he was. Crown him."

Duke early on, is a more polished and relaxed runner. But I don't know if he has the physical ceiling of #2.

But hey, this is like comparing Brazilian super models....

That's exactly what I'm saying. Notice how I keep saying that at this point in their careers Duke is more of a finished product? Willis was a freak of nature once it clicked but it took him a minute to become that at Miami. Regardless of who is front of Duke or not he is out of this world good already. Duke as a freshman is not as good as Willis when he left Miami but he's making a strong case so far. This story line isn't finished.

 

[Dandycane]

Lamar Miller his last year. Not as shifty as Duke but more straight away speed and broke just as many big runs.

Miller doesn't get enough love on these boards.

Millers balance was subpar imho. Went down easily on too many occasions when he had to fight through traffic. He had a great burst and was deadly when a hole opened up. No where near as good balance as DJ however.

 

[Winkingcyclops89]

In my opinion, Duke is not like any other back I have seen in our offense in a long time. He's not the prototypical type of back that we are used to at miami. I feel like we are seeing something different when we see him run. I simply can't compare him to anybody we have seen recently here. Mcgahee, Portis, gore, edge, all of them were great backs, but I don't see them as the same runner as Duke. I can't wait to see what he can do this season.

 

[Cane Dynasty]

Duke is as talented and gifted a runner as I've ever seen.

Cut from the same cloth as Gayle Sayers.

Best O weapon we have had since McGahee. Could easily surpass McGahee this year in my eyes.

 

[nystateofmind]

Lamar Miller his last year. Not as shifty as Duke but more straight away speed and broke just as many big runs.

Miller doesn't get enough love on these boards.

Millers balance was subpar imho. Went down easily on too many occasions when he had to fight through traffic. He had a great burst and was deadly when a hole opened up. No where near as good balance as DJ however.

That's basically what I said. Duke's much more shifty, Miller a bit more burst and pure speed.