Felix Jones vs LSU

[Temo]

He's certainly not the kind of back I really like, I like the rough and tumble Barber-types a lot more... but then I knew that when they picked him. He's definitely trying to be a smaller speedy back, but it remains to be seen whether his speed will translate to the professional game.

And before anyone says that it will, well you don't KNOW that. His 40 time is certainly not "great", for sure, so we can't use that measure.

 

[coach316]

He has great speed to get to the corner. I was also impressed with how quickly he makes his cut up field.

I also noticed that when the defense had the play strung out and he had nowhere to go he quickly cut it up field and took what he could get.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

He did look a lot like Julius to me. Maybe he has better hands - that would be an upgrade. The run at roughly the 1:30 mark is so Julius-esqe it's frightening.

Honestly, what do you expect him to do on that run? The lineman got a little push and the backside lineman filled the hole. He ran it up in there and got positive yards. Isn't that what NFL coaches preach to RBs all the time?

We certainly don't know how good Felix will be, that's the intrigue of the draft, but for those questioning why he was a first round pick, I found this from a blog entry in the Chicago paper after Arkansas' Pro Day. If you recall this was when Lovie Smith had luch with Felix and DMac...

Also present was Bears Southwest scout Chris Ballard.

``I only go to a couple of places,’’ Smith told the Morning News of Northwest Arkansas. ``There are quite a few athletes here that can step up to the next level and contribute right away. We, of course going 7-9, could use a little bit of help, so we’re here.’’

McFadden is expected to be a top pick who might not escape the first five selections. Jones is more of a wild card and could be in play for the Bears if they trade down from their position in the first round at No. 14, or if he falls a bit to where they are in the second round at No. 44. Jones has great speed and burst, something everyone has been waiting to see from Cedric Benson, and averaged 7.7 yards per carry during his career. He’s not great out of the backfield as a receiver, but wouldn’t the Bears be happy if they could just find a durable workhorse back who gets the job done on the ground?

``I know they want offensive linemen,’’ said one source who was at the pro day. ``Jones can carry the load or he can be a specialty type of guy. Plus, he has some return ability so he could spell Devin [Hester] every now and then if they are playing him more at receiver. Logically, it could make sense. But they have to address the line. I think they can figure that out.’’

The source added that Ballard thinks Jones is "special." This didn’t come from Ballard himself, but I can tell you he’s not the kind of scout to throw that term around liberally. Certainly, Jones is someone to watch moving forward. The interesting thing is he’s represented by Eugene Parker, the same agent Benson uses.

 

[TheCount]

Did the Razorbacks split Felix out at WR a lot? Did he actually run routes? I've been trying to find videos of him catching passes and all I can find are like screens and stuff.

 

[coach316]

The run at roughly the 1:30 mark is so Julius-esqe it's frightening.

As I look at that play I'm trying to figure out what option he had? The hole he had was filled the second he made his cut. He took what the defense gave him and turned a potentially negative or no gain play and gained a couple yards out of it.

 

[bags]

I'm pretty sure he was hurt in that game. If I'm not mistaken he was injured 2 weeks earlier and missed the game before the lsu game.

 

[bags]

Felix jones was injured on week 11. He missed week 12. The game vs lsu was week 13.

Edit to add link:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=ncf&id=3105635

 

[DallasDomination]

He looked like He had some dash and gash in Him...But it wasnt anything special.

 

[Eskimo]

He had one really nice run up the gut. Otherwise he was tackled when blocking wasn't there or ran through big holes. It is a very small sample size with 11 touches to judge him. His burst was pretty good. I do hope that those who like him are right about his big play potential and versatility. His receptions looked like very simple screens so was hard to judge his receiving ability here.

 

[SMCowboy]

He had one really nice run up the gut. Otherwise he was tackled when blocking wasn't there or ran through big holes. It is a very small sample size with 11 touches to judge him. His burst was pretty good. I do hope that those who like him are right about his big play potential and versatility. His receptions looked like very simple screens so was hard to judge his receiving ability here.

I would say he had two very nice inside runs without gaping holes, the sweep that he cut back inside around the 40 second mark, and the run out of the I at about the 2:30 mark. Neither hole was gaping and both he turned into big plays.

 

[braw]

Did the Razorbacks split Felix out at WR a lot? Did he actually run routes? I've been trying to find videos of him catching passes and all I can find are like screens and stuff.

They did not have a QB so route running was not needed. That might surprise people this year when he does run routes.

 

[btcutter]

Looks like Tyson Thomas in our preseason games. He's probably best suited for Dever's running style......1 cut and burst up the field.

God, I hope he is better than that.

 

[AdamJT13]

If some people aren't impressed by that video, they'd be ready to jump ship if we had taken Mendenhall and someone posted video of all of his runs against Missouri, Penn State, Iowa, Michigan or Ohio State.

 

[lkelly]

Looks like Tyson Thomas in our preseason games. He's probably best suited for Dever's running style......1 cut and burst up the field.

God, I hope he is better than that.

I agree - reminds me of Julius Jones and Tatum Bell. I'm much more excited about what Choice brings to the table as a running back. If they want to let Felix return kicks and hope he's a better Aveion Cason on some occasional carries, terrific. Seems like an expensive pick for a gimmick player. Then again, Reggie Bush was taken at #2 overall...

 

[jterrell]

Felix was going against the #1 team at the time. Glen Dorsey, supposedly the best defensive player in the draft.

lol. no kidding. Arkansas was the last loss for LSU on the year.

They allowed 3.2 yards per carry for the season. Felix went 9 for 85 yards and averaged 9.4 yards per carry or about 3 times what they normally give up.

Darren McFadden had over 200 yards but 73 of that was on one of his 32 carries. He averaged far less yards per carry then Felix even with the 73 yarder.

 

[TheCount]

I agree - reminds me of Julius Jones and Tatum Bell. I'm much more excited about what Choice brings to the table as a running back. If they want to let Felix return kicks and hope he's a better Aveion Cason on some occasional carries, terrific. Seems like an expensive pick for a gimmick player. Then again, Reggie Bush was taken at #2 overall...

When they took reggie they thought he was the next westbrook or marshall faulk, they didn't expected they'd NEED Deuce. I don't think they would have spent a 2nd overall on him if they had known he would have so much trouble running inside.

We took Felix not just expecting he might not be able to carry the load, but actually WANTING him not to carry the load. So for as long as we have him, unless he shows something special, I think he will always be in a platoon.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Wow, so far in this thread Felix has been compared to Aveion Cason and Tyson Thompson.

Is it too early to cut him?

 

[jterrell]

When they took reggie they thought he was the next westbrook or marshall faulk, they didn't expected they'd NEED Deuce. I don't think they would have spent a 2nd overall on him if they had known he would have so much trouble running inside.

We took Felix not just expecting he might not be able to carry the load, but actually WANTING him not to carry the load. So for as long as we have him, unless he shows something special, I think he will always be in a platoon.

NO knew they needed Deuce and never planned to not start him. Bush was always going to be a complementary guy. They just felt they could get 1 TD a game out of him from the RB, slot and return positions. They played Deuce and Bush together a lot when they were rolling.

Fans may have felt he was an every down back but NFL teams certainly did not.

 

[HoosierCowboy]

and at crunch time, they did not hesitate to give him the ball

 

[TheCount]

NO knew they needed Deuce and never planned to not start him. Bush was always going to be a complementary guy. They just felt they could get 1 TD a game out of him from the RB, slot and return positions. They played Deuce and Bush together a lot when they were rolling.

Fans may have felt he was an every down back but NFL teams certainly did not.

Well I'm going off what the fans thought, since I know plenty of hard core saints fans. I have no idea what Peyton felt.

From what the fans have told me, once they signed Reggie, they expected Deuce to play out his contract and be let go or traded and they would find another guy to backup Reggie. They didn't expect they'd need two star backs to be successful on the ground.

That's what they've told me, I don't follow the Saints well enough to know or think otherwise.