[ESPN] Bush turned pro after assurance of No. 1 pick

Considering how under-utilized Bush was, 177 yards rushing/receiving is not too shabby.

 

Exactly

 

but how do we know he was under-utilized?? was it that he was under-utilized or was it that Carroll thought he would be better served by White carrying the load between the tackles??

 

50 of those receiving yards came on the 2nd to last play of the game when texas was playing a full prevent defense (of the long ball). He had one good reception in the 1st quarter where he took a screen, but you just got to keep it in perspective how some of the yards were obtained.

 

I thought he was over-utilized, that's why he was standing on the sidelines catching his breath on the biggest play of the national championship game (4 and 2).

or I could be wrong, maybe it was because he was the Trojans 2nd best running back...

 

The actual number of yards was 26.

 

Bush was very unlikely to score on his last catch had he cut inside--I watched the play at least 4 times to check. Two Longhorns were playing for the cutback (in excellent position) and more safeties were deep. Bush probably would have gained another 5-10 yards or so, but was unlikely to get in field goal range and thus the right move was taking it out of bounds. I watched it because it was an interesting delimma. If he think he could have gotten in field goal range he should have taken it inside, because the clock stops to move the chains and they could have spiked it for one last play (kick). But because he ran out of bounds he left enough time for 2 plays, it was just Leinart I thought botched it. I would have tried a quick 15 yard out to Jarrett. If you complete it, you go for a game tying field goal. If you don't you try a hail mary. But Leinart and SC bungled that last one and got neither out of the last 10 seconds or so. But I still think Bush made the right play running OB rather than cutting it inside because it was unlikely he would have gotten into FG range. He made the smartest play for his team IMO. (BTW it was a terrible defensive call by the Longhorns to not have more guys around Bush for that dump off, I think Al Harris in particular screwed up)

Actually the logic and the way it played out was inverse. With White in there UT could more afford to put 9 men in the box because the extra receiving threat (Bush) and homerun running threat isn't there. UT stacked it on LenDale even more, it was just the interior of SC line killed the UT D-line on 90% of the plays and LenDale used the holes in the middle better than Bush. Bush tried to take it outside which played into UT hands as they were more a fast defense than stout in the middle. Bush did get spectacular run on them to the outside, but that was 1 time.

Bush in the receiving game didn't overwhelm me. He did do a suberb job (- lateral) on dump offs when Texas left the middle of the field open. But in routes I wasn't impressed, in fact I saw a back-up linebacer (Kelson) stay with him pretty well on a wheel route. Nothing I saw made me think you can line Bush out at WR and he will kill your average NFL DB due to route skills or adjustment to the ball in the air. Jarrett is another story.

Bush should be a fine NFL player but I don't see near the adjustments NFL defenses than a lot of people mae it out. He is not going to beat an NFL defense to the sidelines--he will have to learn to get his bread and butter between the tackles, and a decent DB will cover him just fine in more formal pass routes IMO. He should be great in screens and returns or any way you can create space for him. But that is a lot different than thinking you stick him out there and he fundamentally changes the way the defense has to play--I don't see it.

 

I have to say I find the "he only runs outside" laughable. If any of you have ever played RB, you are taught to try to get to the corner. If you can get outside thats where you want to go because most of the defense will be inside. He happens to be faster than most of the guys he play against, thus he gets the corner. That is not his fault, nor does it mean he cannot run inside between the tackles. Actually, what I think will happen with RB in the NFL is that he will be a tremendous cutback runner. I think defenses will have to repsect his speed to the outside and you will get some overaggressiveness creating cutback lanes. This is one of the things TD did so well for Denver.

 

Of course he is going to get outside in the NFL. He may not take all of them to the house, but he will absolutely get outside. Getting the corner depends not only on speed, but the blocking scheme. I know our line sucks in pass blocking but we are definitely an effective run blocking team.

 

you're not taught to run to the corner on every play. that's ridiculous. not every play is a sweep. plays are designed...you don't just get handed the ball and run whereever you like.

his speed will be marginalized somewhat in the NFL. i don't think anyone can question that.

you're right...i'm not saying he can't run between the tackles..i'm saying i don't know. but apparently the coach who has had him the last 3 years thinks the other guy on his team runs between the tackles better than he does. that's concerning.

 

The bottom line hear is SC obviously thought LenDale was the better runner between the tackles. They have thought this for 2 seasons with plenty of time for Bush to prove them wrong. Sorry, if a Dorsett, Sanders, Faulk, Edge or LT were there LenDale would have waited until next season to play any critical down. So all we are doing is assuming Bush can be a great interior runner and assuming he will adapt effectively to the speed of NFL defenses. Those are not small assumptions about his game nor "nit picks" about his college resume.

 

I disagree. Bush not being in the game for in between the tackle type plays doesn't mean he is no good at it or incapable of getting better, it just means that Lendale was at least noticeably better. But Lendale was noticeably excellent at it, so that is not a big knock on Bush. I think the worst you can say about Bush's ability between the tackles is that we really don't know yet one way or another any more than we know if Vince's passing skills will translate to the NFL.

 

How can Bush not be a good between the tackle runner when we've all seen him run between the tackles? He hits the hole like no other when it comes to speed, and he averaged over 8 yards per carry.

Oh yeah it was all against weak weak defenses.

 

I don't think we disagree. I agree on your other points on VY as well.

I never said Bush couldn't become a good between the tackles runner, I just said he wasn't a sure thing and a legitimate question. Further, the fact SC preferred LenDale in the red zone and goalline is certainly not a plus. It would be unthinkable to sit a franchise back like Dorsett, Faulk, LT or Barry Sanders just because a very quality potential mid-1st round type back was available in such situations. I am not saying Bush doesn't have the talent of those guys (Dorsett, Faulk), but he certainly does not have their proven track record as pure runners coming into the draft. People saying he is a "sure thing" NFL workhorse RB prospect on their (Dorsett, Faulk, Sanders) level doesn't have their kind of evidence backing them up.

BTW LenDale and the 3rd leading rusher for SC both averaged over 6YPC. Bush and these guys had the kind of holes and open space they will never see again. What we don't know is can Bush turn a -3 plan into no gain, a no gain play into 3 yards, a 5 yard plan in 10, consistently. We know he can take it to the house with good blocking and an open field, but we don't know what he will do with the 99% of pro carries that don't lead to that kind of open space and where the primary duties of a lead RB are making the most out of a given play consistently.

 

Have you even seen a USC game? You obviously haven't because Bush cuts it outside about 75% of his runs. You don't average 8 yards a carry running between the tackles. Go watch the Rose Bowl again, I don't remember Bush ever running between the tackles, not once. Several plays looked like he was suppose to but he ended up cutting it outside for a no gain or he ran straight out of bounds.

Where on earth did you play football? I played RB for 5 years in middle school and highschool and I never once heard a coach say try to get to the corner. Maybe on sweeps, but even counter plays are meant for the RB to cut it up right outside the tackle. Basically, you're saying running backs should run East-West and try to beat the entire defense to the sidelines. You're right in that the defense will be inside, but that's what blockers are for and that's exactly why you have a defensive end, on top of that, you are running straight for another tackler- the sideline. I'm sorry Stevel, but I think you are completely wrong in this sense.

Like I've said before, I'm not saying Reggie cannot run between the tackles, I'm saying that he hasn't really shown it yet and that should be of concerned since you need a RB that will take it straight up the guy w/ no hesitation.

Reggie is a great cutback runner, we've seen it all season long. The only problem that is if you do cut it back, you better out run every single one of the defenders or you are going to lose 5-8 yards everytime. Reggie had the luxury of being the fastest person on the field, I guarantee you that the first time Reggie loses yards by running backwards on a cut back, he'll hear it bad from his coach.

 

I think some of you are placing too much emphasis on running to the outside.

Reggie runs where he sees an opening. He's got great instincts. When you saw him struggle to the outside against UT, it was because UT read the play and avoided the block. Linebackers can compensate speed by using the distance between them and the running back. The average running back lines up 5-7 yards behind the line of scrimage. Linebackers line up 3-5. If a linebacker knows that the running back is going outside, he will screen them. Since linebackers don't line up as far back as running backs they can usually meet them around the line of scrimage.

Perhaps you could fault the play calling for not utilizing the play action more. If UT is going to jump outside, draw them outside and attack an open part of the field. I personally thought that Pete Carroll underestimated UT and didn't have a good game plan to best utilize his strengths.

gucci888,

You played RB for 5 years in middle school?

 

You're right, he was the workhorse up the middle back for the trojans for the last two seasons....

Have you ever seen one of their games? How can you be so high on a player you have obvously not seen play, ever - which is the only conclusion I can draw from that post.

 

Bush has great instincts in the open field and an exceptional 5 yard burst. His instincts in close space, ability to finish runs versus guys over 200lbs, and instincts to reading blocks between the tackles is much less clear, and no matter how fast an NFL RB is this is where most of their milage is made. UT's speed in the secondary and LBs clearly challenged Bush, rendering him a much weaker factor for his team than he was versus most West Coast teams. Further, the worst of the NFL defenses make the Longhorns speed look like Fresnos. Not good signs for Bush as your between the tackles runner in the NFL. Not a deathnail, not the can't learn it, but he isn't there yet by a long way

SC rolled up 580 yards and only punted twice versus a top 8 defense. They used play action very well with passes to the FBs and TEs in particular, and also used screens very well--Bush's most successfull plays. I hardly fault the offensive gameplan nor think they underestimated UT's defense, they shredded an outstanding defense, doing the vast majority of it with Bush on the bench or plays going to other players.

 

wow. This post is shocking. Have I ever seen Reggie Bush play? I think the better question is, have you ever seen him play outside the rose bowl?

I happen to have the fresno state and notre dame game tivo'd. I've mentioned this in a thread a few months ago. Specifically in the fresno state game, i'd say 70 percent, if not more of his runs are straight up the middle. He may bounce a few outside after he goes up the middle, but they aren't sweep plays where he goes around the end.

Would you like to come over to my place and watch the game? I'd be happy to have you.

 

Will you be providing refreshments?

You're right, they are not sweep plays, but if you watch the big runs he has in the game (which constitutes for most of his yardage), they are mostly plays where he bounces it outside right after the handoff.