Steve Slaton

[tomson75]

Some of you Slaton guys might find this article I found somewhat interesting....

http://www.sportfellas.com/content/view/167/95/

Doak Walker? More Like Joke Walker
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Written by Rob Paden
Thursday, 07 December 2006
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If you're a true college football fan and can pull that collective head of yours out of the SEC's posterior for a moment, you might come to recognize that the wrong man was collecting the trophy at tonight's Doak Walker presentation. You might recognize that ultra-talented athletes don't always come packaged in NFL-replica bodies. The nation and the media completely missed the boat on the McFadden vs. Slaton debate.
The bobbleheads at ESPN, CBS, Fox, and other news outlets have their minds made up. SEC football is the end-all and be-all of college athletics, and hell would freeze over if they considered anything outside of those lines. Thus explaining the long line of lips puckered up to kiss Arkansas running back Darren McFadden's ***. Let's get this straight. Darren McFadden is NOT the best running back in the country. Hell, he may not even be the best back on his team.

Media mouths motor on about measurables. Only a sophomore, McFadden has an NFL prototype body. Certainly he'll be drafted ahead of Steve Slaton. I'm not even questioning that. But let's get real for a minute. We all know that the NFL and college are completely different animals. Throw in the fact that Barry Sanders might have something to say about size predicting success, and it's fair to assume that just because he stands 6-2, 205 that he's not necessarily the best running back in all the land.

Fine, the McFadden boasters say. If not measurables, he certainly bypasses Slaton on the fact that week in and week out he faced SEC defenses, and had plenty of success in doing it. After all, we know the Big East is a watered down pile of rubble, and the only reputable defenses left with Miami and Virginia Tech. Right. Certainly West Virginia's level of defensive competition couldn't hold the jock to that of Arkansas' opponents. Close. The average defense that West Virginia faced gave up 145 yards per game on the ground, while the Razorbacks average opponent gave up 133. Twelve measly yards. Doesn't quite make up the 25 yard discrepancy between Mr. Slaton and Mr. McFadden, now does it?

Well, but come on, Rob, teams keyed on Darren because of Arkansas' lack of a passing game. Oh really? Arkansas passed for a measly 151 yards a game. Really makes West Virginia's 161 yards a game look like the 2000 St. Louis Rams, doesn't it? Yeah, but you can't forget that defenses couldn't key on Slaton, since Pat White rushed for 1074 yards at 7.5 yards per carry. How conveniently those same arguments forget the fact that Arkansas' Felix Jones rushed for 1018 yards on 7.3 yards per carry this season.

Certainly injuries play a role in McFadden's numbers. He was still able to produce, despite being injured for much of three games with a toe condition. That does make for some tough sledding, I must admit. Of course, I've also never tried to play an entire season of college football with a wrist that needed surgical attention, and then hurt the other wrist halfway through the year, still opting to keep toting the rock. Apparently even the pain in SEC country is harder to play through.

Assuming one buys all the lame excuses and propoganda put out by media outlets across this great land of ours, one can't help but look at the numbers. At least if you have any common sense about production. It's pretty clear that if you've been paying attention to anything outside of the Bible Belt, football is pretty strong in other parts of the country, and electrifying players play in stadiums outside of the deep south.

Take a look at the numbers and come back with any factual information that tells me that Darren McFadden is a better running back than Steve Slaton. I'll be waiting in silence.

Category McFadden Slaton Advantage

National Rushing Rank 10th 3rd Slaton
Yards Per Carry 5.9 7.1 Slaton
Rushing Touchdowns 14 16 Slaton
Receiving Yards 149 340 Slaton
Receiving Touchdowns 1 2 Slaton
Total Touchdowns Responsible For 19 18 McFadden
All-Purpose Yards 2,005 2,073 Slaton
Yards Per Touch 6.9 7.7 Slaton
Games Under 100 Yards Rushing 5 2 Slaton
Games Under 100 Yards Total Offense 3 1 Slaton
Games Held Scoreless 3 2 Slaton
Games With 200+ Yards Rushing 1 2 Slaton
Games With 150+ Yards Rushing 4 6 Slaton
Games With 100+ Yards Rushing on Fewer Than 20 Carries 1 4 Slaton
Fewest Carries to Reach 100 Yards 18 8 Slaton
Rushing Against Common Opponent - Mississippi State 84 185 Slaton



I don't have the foggiest idea who this guy is, but he sure likes him some Slaton.

 

[tunahelper]

He would look good with a star on his helmet......

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Slaton could be the next Bush, or the closest thing to it

not a bad 2nd choice

 

[playmakers]

Hes from my neck of the woods. The only knack on him is he might be too small to play in the NFL.

 

[Big Dakota]

Thanks tomson75, i find those numbers interesting as well, and anyone who's spent some time on the RBs who could be available in 2008, you can't help but ask is Slaton's size th only thing keeping his rating down? He's about the same size as Tony Dorsett and probably just as fast. I love the Bush comparisons and i think the kid is gonna be a weapon. Kind of an Erik Metcalf type at worst and Bush at best. He won't carry the ball 300 times but he can do A LOT from rushing, rec. and returning. The type of all around weapon any team would love.

 

[mmohican29]

both are terrific rb's with tremendous big play ability. I would prefer Run-DMC, I think he's a little more of a prototypical every down RB... that said if Steve Slaton became a Dallas Cowboy I would not shed one tear. He can ball.

 

[Sarge]

cause McFadden will probably be the #1 prospect (not pick, just prospect, kinda like Calvin Johnson), and who really knows how bad cleveland will be? Assuming they aren't worse, has Oakland passed them? How bout Detroit? Both may be in the market for McFadden, so it's really too early to say there's a good shot he'll be there.

I'm not so sure. If the Raiders are picking first (and they very well could be) I don't see them taking McFadden.

Quite frankly, I don't see any other team other than the Raiders that will be as bad as the Browns. That is one bad football team with a fairly hard schedule.

My point is, I think McFadden can be there when Dallas is picking. I don't at all think it's a foregone coclusion that he won't be.

We'll see - long ways away.

 

[BlueStar22]

don't assum the Browns will be as bad. I dunno why, but I have the feeling that they'll have a strong finish like Buffalo did taking us out of the top 10.

 

[Dhragon]

cause McFadden will probably be the #1 prospect (not pick, just prospect, kinda like Calvin Johnson), and who really knows how bad cleveland will be? Assuming they aren't worse, has Oakland passed them? How bout Detroit? Both may be in the market for McFadden, so it's really too early to say there's a good shot he'll be there.

I'd imagine a really bad team with the #1 pick overall would trade their pick for our two #1 picks ( at least one which would be pretty good pick from Browns ) and we could get McFadden if we REALLY wanted him. That's why he'll be there.

 

[AsthmaField]

I really do like Slaton. Every single time I've watched the guy, he's impressed me. He is so incredibly quick... I think he'll translate well to the NFL.

Of course I do like McFadden too... I'll just have to see how this season plays out in the NCAA before I really know who I like better. Right now, I like both guys a lot.