re: #1Fournette, Justin Vincent, Hilliard, Faulk and Hill

Anyone who doesn't think Hill was the best back we have had doesn't know football.

Faulk is a better overall football player and I'd have to choose him due to his special teams abilities.

But no one has run the ball better with more breakaway runs and vision than Jeremy Hill. Collins showed it, but 4 games isn't enough to prove it long term. I think he could have, but he didn't.

Hill always had his best games against the best competition as well.

I think Fournette could surpass him, but I have yet to see him with the 50+ yd TD runs I suspected he would have. I thought he was supposed to be one of fastest on the team, and he may be, but where were the long breakaway runs? This was also the knock against Faulk.

Time will tell.

What I meant was I think will be a better NFL back than college back.

I think fournette will be dressed with multiple awards, records and honors by the time he's done is all.

quote:

---

Anyone who doesn't think Hill was the best back we have had doesn't know football.

---

I love comments like these

LF had some good games, but also some average ones. Look at our stats - he's basically the same YPC as Hilliard, Magee, and Williams. As I've said many times this year, our backs were essentially interchangeable.

NAME CAR YDS AVG LONG TD
Leonard Fournette 176 891 5.1 46 8
Terrence Magee 105 545 5.2 38 3
Kenny Hilliard 87 431 5.0 28 (TD) 6
Anthony Jennings 100 284 2.8 36 0
Darrel Williams 61 280 4.6 22 (TD) 3

quote:

---

I wouldn't go that far. He by no means has been bad, but I wouldn't say his freshman year has been anything spectacular either. Certainly not in keeping with the preseason hype. Faulk had just as many rushing yards is two less games. And Vincent's and Hill's freshman seasons were all the more impressive considering that they really didn't become heavily involved in the offense until mid-season I guess ultimately you perceive things how you want, but to me, LF looks like a very good, but not "all-timer" back. Bash away

---

Think Fournette has done as much or more than any of the previous backs mentioned could do in this offense. Hill had Mett, Faulk had Herb Tyler, and everyone else had someone. Fournette has no passing game to open the lanes and coaches don't use him for passes although he has outstanding hands. It's as simple as if Fournette is in the game, he gets the ball up the middle with 9 in the box. It is outstanding that in an offense like that, he can gain 1,000 yards and around 10 TDs. Royce freeman has Mariota and an offensive wizard calling the plays. Chubb has at least a respectable QB that can keep the defense honest. We can't consistently pass the ball 5 yards. Think on that. You open those lanes and feed him the ball more early in the year, and Fournette goes over 1200 with this poor passing game. You give him a respectable passing game that keeps teams from constantly loading the box, and he goes over 1500 more than likely.

To me Hillard and Faulk had better freshman seasons. But that doesn't mean LF can't surpass there Sophamore seasons.

Most of these backs besides Fournette came in late games and mop up duties especially as the year progressed. That would definitely inflate their numbers .

+1. This is the same exact thing I was thinking as I read through this post. Some valid points were made in previous responses, but Fournette has had to work within a far more one dimensional offense than the previous RB enjoyed. I think he has done as well as we could have hoped. I look forward to seeing him run as a Sophomore and Junior, at least.

Fournette will be the featured back next season and will show the country how special he is. It takes a while to get used to running behind a fullback, something he didn't do in HS. Film study, spring practice, and fall practice will be of great benefit to him.