TreVonte Citizen - Year One

[Page305]

Who’s in front of Citizen?? Like seriously bro we got backs w experience who avg less then 5ypc each! One weighs 180 soaking wet and the other can’t stay healthy. I think you’re overvaluing our roster big time

Well that's why I said if everyone stays healthy lol. And I think you guys are undervaluing experience and knowledge of a new system and playbook. Like I said, I would have a different tone if Citizen was an early enrollee. There's just too much he will need to learn DURING the season.

 

[COCane4Life]

When you’re all world QB goes out of his way to mention a freshman back and says he’s for sure playing early, we should probably listen. Citizen might be that dude

 

[Page305]

Mike James was the starting running back during Duke's freshman year. He wasn't a bum. He had 621 yards rushing and also caught 30 passes that year. He got drafted and played three seasons in the NFL.

Duke was a star right away but James was a very productive college running back.

Right... You just named ONE good back.

We have FOUR good(not saying great) backs ahead of a true freshman.

 

[bshaw28]

I'm a Belen guy with bias. I want Chaney to be lead back. But he has every bit as much to prove as Citizen.

It's Year 3, he has two runs over 30 yards (none over 40), he's struggled in short yardage, his career numbers are 366 yards (4.6 ypc) and he's been poor in pass protection.

We all know he has size, speed and intelligence. He looked like he was emerging as the man in Spring '21 before the shoulder injury. Citizen is a freak in his own right. They will battle and let the best man win.

Cam (last 2 years) - 197 att - 8 30+ yd runs
Knighton - 197 att - 1 30+ yd run
Parrish - 161 att - 1 30+ yd run
Chaney - 79 att - 2 30+ yd runs

Those 3 are talented but still have room to improve, and have also shown some limitations which makes Citizen taking over this backfield a very real possibility

 

[Ghandi]

Cam (last 2 years) - 197 att - 8 30+ yd runs
Knighton - 197 att - 1 30+ yd run
Parrish - 161 att - 1 30+ yd run
Chaney - 79 att - 2 30+ yd runs

Those 3 are talented but still have room to improve, and have also shown some limitations which makes Citizen taking over this backfield a very real possibility

I'd like to see the measure of "explosive runs" that is used in the NFL, which I believe is 20+ yds.

That being said, the lack of productive explosion is non-existent at the moment. I didn't realize the backs where so pedestrian.

How much of it is OL performance, and how much is it on the RB (lack of vision, breaking tackles, etc.)?

 

[LatinCane]

Nice problem to have if so but I suspect more RB by committee. That’s what Meatchicken ran last year.

 

[bshaw28]

This is the excuse for Knighton everyone keeps using.

Every other running back on the team the last two years all played in the same scheme with the same blocking.

They all averaged more yards per carry than Knighton besides Rob Burns who only had 16 carries in 2020.

100% this

Mike James was the starting running back during Duke's freshman year. He wasn't a bum. He had 621 yards rushing and also caught 30 passes that year. He got drafted and played three seasons in the NFL.

Duke was a star right away but James was a very productive college running back.

Exactly - OL is important. But Talent is MUCH more important

When we have truly special RB's like Duke Johnson & Lamar Miller - it's easy to see how much better they perform in the same backfield vs other talented RB's like James, Yearby, Gus, Berry, etc. All talented RB's - just different levels of talent.

2014 Rushing

2013 Rushing

2012 Rushing

2011 Rushing

2010 Rushing

 

[ZuCrew]

Got my money on Franklin to be the starter.

 

[jnw4563]

Citizen will be our starting RB by years end. Let’s discuss…

I would love to see this happen but I’m a little bias being that he’s my cousin. I’ve been ****ing off the L$U fans in our family about him since the day he picked the .

 

[sstcane]

Gattis in his first year used FR Zach Charbonnet who split with Hasan Haskins and had over 700yds. I was hoping to see Chaney be the man, but he has t been able to stay healthy. Parrish is a good back, similar to Yearby with good vision and hands, just doesn’t have that extra gear.

If Citizen shows up and is the best man, he should be given equal opportunity regardless of his age.

 

[DTP]

How much of it is OL performance, and how much is it on the RB (lack of vision, breaking tackles, etc.)?

I think once the back is more than three or four yards downfield, it’s really on him to break the run. The line can give you a hole but it’s up to the back to turn a five yard gain into a twenty yard gain

 

[AtlAtty]

Because freshman don’t block well traditionally. No one wants to lose a quarterback because a back can’t pick up the blitz. There’s three/four backs ahead of him with more experience at the college level. Every back in front of him was rated a four star or better. We are literally in the middle of summer workouts and 45 days from game one. We all want every kid here to succeed, but most here will let it play out on the field. TVD didn’t start last year and king was unable to thrown the ball downfield. The kid is a Heisman candidate and projected first rounder this season. All coaches overvalue experience. In a run first offense, it wouldn’t surprise me he begins forth on the depth chart. If he’s the second coming, we’ll all be thrilled!!!!!

I really think people forget that running backs have to block to be on the field. Otherwise their presence on the field tells the defense that the offense is going to run the ball. And yes every DC we go up against will notice in about 5 seconds if we have a RB in the game who can’t block, which pretty much means we can’t pass.

 

[AtlAtty]

I think once the back is more than three or four yards downfield, it’s really on him to break the run. The line can give you a hole but it’s up to the back to turn a five yard gain into a twenty yard gain

Correct. 1st level is on the Oline. 2nd level is mostly the RB but Oline can still help if they are good enough to reach a linebacker. 3rd level is 95% RB and 5% a good blocking WR.

 

[Mcanes305]

Cam (last 2 years) - 197 att - 8 30+ yd runs
Knighton - 197 att - 1 30+ yd run
Parrish - 161 att - 1 30+ yd run
Chaney - 79 att - 2 30+ yd runs

Those 3 are talented but still have room to improve, and have also shown some limitations which makes Citizen taking over this backfield a very real possibility

Lolol was waiting for you to chime in. Your hard on for knighton always has me lmao with your charts and illustrations. tbf, haven’t read a good counter to your points and I think they are legit

 

[WeBallinBoyz]

Duke did it, abd end of year 1 he was clearly the best player on the roster. But he’s a generational talent imo, Fwiw Don was described by many as the same. it would be amazing if Citizen was the caliber.

1st game of his career I was there @BC, man was he something special. Think he had like 7 or 8 Carries but housed two of em and 120+ yards. Deserved so much better.

 

[Dre]

For this Year - you could tell me any of the 5 RB's lead us in rushing and I wouldn't argue against it. I think it's going to be harder for the coaches to figure out a rotation than what people are thinking.

By the end of their careers - I'd put the best odds on Citizen ending up the most talented

This seems like the most logical outcome. I think most can see that Citizen should be our most talented by the end of his career based on where he is at this point vs the others.

 

[TruCane81]

And THIS ^^^^

Rooster took a beating and dished many out despite his frame last season. He laid his body on the line for Us.

He was used wrong (bad personnel choices), the run blocking was awful and the run playcalling was predictable. When U put those three factors together, mentioning his ypc without context is unfair and lightweight unappreciative.

He needs to improve his vision and be more elusive instead of running headlong into defenders.

Your points are fair and highlight why giving up on Rooster would be premature.

 

[bshaw28]

I think once the back is more than three or four yards downfield, it’s really on him to break the run. The line can give you a hole but it’s up to the back to turn a five yard gain into a twenty yard gain

As Ricky Williams said when asked about how much credit he gives the OL

"I mean, some. The OL opens the hole, but I still gotta run through it"

The OL can open a huge hole - but there's a world of difference between Willis McGahee & Robert Burns running through that hole.

 

[Dwinstitles]

Anything's possible. If he can run away from people and break arm tackles I'm sure a combination of that can get any running back on the field.

 

[TruCane81]

For this Year - you could tell me any of the 5 RB's lead us in rushing and I wouldn't argue against it. I think it's going to be harder for the coaches to figure out a rotation than what people are thinking.

By the end of their careers - I'd put the best odds on Citizen ending up the most talented

This is spot on. There are too many unknown variables. Chaney’s health? Rooster’s vision and elusiveness? Franklin’s explosiveness? Citizen’s learning curve? Parrish’s steady but unspectacular style?

Who improves the most? Who adjusts to the scheme best? Who reacts best to the upgrade in defensive talent from spring?

You can make a case for or against all these guys.