Started By
Message
Looking For Evidence of Collins' "Lack of Top End Speed"
Posted on 7/18/14 at 11:22 am
Posted on 7/18/14 at 11:22 am
I've heard this repeated over and over, yet I can't find any evidence of it. Yes, he didn't have many huge runs last season, but watching his highlights, I never see him chased down from behind. Every time he's tackled on a long run (or what could be a long run), it's because the defender had a great angle on him.
I think the fact that he didn't have any 70-80 yard runs has more to do with how often he was having to create space for himself at the line of scrimmage. By the time he was able to break into the defensive secondary, a safety had time to react and put himself in position to make a play.
Maybe I'm wrong though - someone show me a play where he shows a lack of top end speed.
I think the fact that he didn't have any 70-80 yard runs has more to do with how often he was having to create space for himself at the line of scrimmage. By the time he was able to break into the defensive secondary, a safety had time to react and put himself in position to make a play.
Maybe I'm wrong though - someone show me a play where he shows a lack of top end speed.
This post was edited on 7/18/14 at 11:23 am
6
Posted on 7/18/14 at 11:27 am to The Sultan of Swine
Im not looking through high lights, but he would bust up the middle and I was stand and say he's gone, only to be tackled right after that.
Posted on 7/18/14 at 11:31 am to The Sultan of Swine
Compared to say, McFadden, he doesn't have top end speed.
Few RBs have top end speed to go along with size like that.
Few RBs have top end speed to go along with size like that.
Posted on 7/18/14 at 11:32 am to Hogwall Jackson
It seemed like he was always a step away but then would get tripped up by a shoelace tackle or something.
Maybe it's just bad luck but Williams seemed like he had a lot more long runs last year. I'll have to look at some highlights later
Maybe it's just bad luck but Williams seemed like he had a lot more long runs last year. I'll have to look at some highlights later
Posted on 7/18/14 at 11:34 am to gohogs141
quote:
It seemed like he was always a step away but then would get tripped up by a shoelace tackle or something.
Bingo.
Posted on 7/18/14 at 11:43 am to gohogs141
quote:
Maybe it's just bad luck but Williams seemed like he had a lot more long runs last year. I'll have to look at some highlights later
Williams appears to have more "top end speed" compared to Collins.
Posted on 7/18/14 at 11:46 am to The Sultan of Swine
Collins is extremely quick and has an elite burst but he is probably the perfect example of quickness vs speed. He isn't slow by any means but his top end speed is below Williams and Marshall.
Posted on 7/18/14 at 12:14 pm to The Sultan of Swine
He's definitely not slow. Just last year he never pulled away from defenders like speed backs often do. Nothing wrong with that as tons of RBs don't either. Trent Richardson and Mike Davis rarely outran entire teams. But the difference between those guys and Alex Collins is that those guys never went down at first contact while Collins usually did. They broke off of the guys that caught them and kept going. Once Collins gets better at that, he'll bust a lot more big runs.
And FTR the only really "big" run that I remember from Williams is the 75 yarder against ULL. And if not for a block from Nate Holmes, he would have gotten caught.
And FTR the only really "big" run that I remember from Williams is the 75 yarder against ULL. And if not for a block from Nate Holmes, he would have gotten caught.
This post was edited on 7/18/14 at 12:25 pm
Posted on 7/18/14 at 12:41 pm to The_Joker
I don't think we've really really seen his top end speed yet. He makes a lot of cuts and never really gets up to full speed because of that.
Either way, you don't have to be a burner to be effective. Nobody ever called Ladinian Tomlinson or Curtis Martin burners, but they done pretty damn well because of their vision and letting their blockers do all the work.
Either way, you don't have to be a burner to be effective. Nobody ever called Ladinian Tomlinson or Curtis Martin burners, but they done pretty damn well because of their vision and letting their blockers do all the work.
Posted on 7/18/14 at 1:12 pm to boogiewoogie1978
quote:
I don't think we've really really seen his top end speed yet. He makes a lot of cuts and never really gets up to full speed because of that.
That's what I'm thinking too.
Posted on 7/18/14 at 1:16 pm to The Sultan of Swine
Something else you have to think about is, again using McFadden as an example, the way teams would crash down on the line, when he would break through the hole he was already past 7 of the defenders and really on had a safety to beat to break the big one.
You will see more of this probably starting this year just because of the way the defense will want to play the offense, send 7-8 to stop the run, all it takes is the Oline making a hole then you have that "one on one in space" bullshite they take about with spread teams.
You will see more of this probably starting this year just because of the way the defense will want to play the offense, send 7-8 to stop the run, all it takes is the Oline making a hole then you have that "one on one in space" bullshite they take about with spread teams.
Posted on 7/18/14 at 1:34 pm to DaleDenton
I'm not even trying to say Collins has McFadden level speed. Not many backs could compare to a healthy D-Mac. I'm just saying Collins speed is more than sufficient for a D1 RB.
Posted on 7/18/14 at 1:45 pm to The Sultan of Swine
quote:
I'm not even trying to say Collins has McFadden level speed. Not many backs could compare to a healthy D-Mac. I'm just saying Collins speed is more than sufficient for a D1 RB.
I agree, the only way the "lack of top end speed" is being brought up is if its being compared to someone, AC3 is as fast as Davis was, so the only comparison for many would have to reach back to DMAC.
Collins wasn't caught from behind, that I can recall, he didn't "out run angles" like DMAC was able too, he had a couple opportunities for big runs, but either a guy took the right angle or he was having to beat 2 defenders in space.
If teams decide to stack the box and crash the line, you will see AC3 and JWill busting off huge runs and the talk will be about how Herbert and staff increased their speed this offseason, its a perception vs reality deal.
Posted on 7/18/14 at 2:06 pm to The_Joker
Getting off Collins a little, but my favorite back of the last few years was Dennis Johnson. NOBODY was going to bring him down with the first hit. In fact Dennis usually delivered the first hit instead of taking it, and I think that's why he was able to get away from the first would be tackler.
Now if Collins could develop that attitude and toughess, he really would be something.
Now if Collins could develop that attitude and toughess, he really would be something.
Posted on 7/18/14 at 2:10 pm to WonderWartHawg
The only thing I didn't like about DJ was the fumbles.
Wish he had gotten more carries. Great kickoff returner, good receiver, great pass blocker. Dude ran with an attitude
Wish he had gotten more carries. Great kickoff returner, good receiver, great pass blocker. Dude ran with an attitude
Posted on 7/18/14 at 2:11 pm to gohogs141
Yep, fumbles kept him in the doghouse.
Posted on 7/18/14 at 4:03 pm to WonderWartHawg
Speaking of fumbles, wasn't Collins' fumble against State on his biggest run of the year? Or was that the USC fumble? I just remember one of his fumbles was on what would have been a highlight feel touchdown.
Posted on 7/18/14 at 4:13 pm to The_Joker
His fumble against State was inside the 5 iirc. I don't guess i remember his one against South Carolina...that was an awful day
Posted on 7/18/14 at 4:16 pm to gohogs141
Fumble against USCe was the long run. The Mississippi St one at the 5 cost us the game.
This post was edited on 7/18/14 at 4:16 pm
Posted on 7/19/14 at 11:33 am to The Sultan of Swine
Collins runs a lot like I remember marcus lattimore running.
Lattimore didn't have the top end speed either and was still excellent as I expect collins will be. Top end speed is nice but his ability to get yards out of nothing is far more important than top end speed for a running back.
The really fast athletes in college will out run your angles in the open field.
Lattimore didn't have the top end speed either and was still excellent as I expect collins will be. Top end speed is nice but his ability to get yards out of nothing is far more important than top end speed for a running back.
The really fast athletes in college will out run your angles in the open field.
Page 1 of 2
Latest Arkansas News
Popular
Back to top
Follow SECRant for SEC Football News