Who will back up Clinton Portis?
 

I think that to give Clinton Portis a chance to be fresh and to minimize the workload he gets to keep him healthy, we need a halfback that can be a serious threat to partner with him and take on 15-20% of the carries.

I think Sultan McCullough has a chance to be a very good running back. He showed some real flashes, and I think that he will really show something when he gets a chance in preseason. McCullough potentially is that kind of breakaway threat you would like in Portis' backup.

Word is that Gibbs likes McCullough (I can't remember my source).

I don't think we've got problems at tailback anymore. We've got Trung, Ladell, Chad, Rock, and Sultan to help carry the load. Of those, Trung will probably be the only one cut. Ladell is still a work in progress and Gibbs likes guys like Betts. Chad Morton got a $2.5 million SB so he's not going anywhere; besides Gibbs loves special teamers. Rock is a fan favorite and has showed he can be a very good change-up back.

I liked what McCullough showed in the preseason but lets not forget that was the preseason against back up defenses. Aside from errors in picking up the blitz or running into the qb on the hand off in his first year, I think Betts could be a solid back up. He'd be a bit of a change of pace back and he has a solid frame for pounding it up the middle a bit which we all know Gibbs loves to do. He's shown he can catch well and he has decent speed too. Like someone posted a while back, his injuries were bone related which heal well unlike a muscle or ligament injury that could linger. Plus, I don't know about the rest of u, but Rock showed me last year that if he's needed he can carry the load. sure he had a couple bad fumbles but every player is gonna have things like that happen every once in a while especially if they r suddenly starting at a position they haven't gotten much playing time at in about 4 years. That guy has a motor and it seemed he was breaking atleast one tackle every other carry. With Patrick johnson gone though, who do you guys see to come in as the 4th or 5th wr and/or back up returner?

Well I am part of the crack committee to put Bett's in the hall of fame, so you you know who I am voting for. :D

i see betts emerging soon

I would say Betts would be a decent back-up for Portis. Maybe Cartwright can help out too like he did last year.

Betts will be the backup....Cartwright will be the starting fullback with Johnson in the rotation....also look for Sellars and Chamberlain to play some H-back a la Clint Didier back in the late 80's in the power running game.

Here's a different angle: Betts will be the backup, and Sultan the backup-backup. Rock will back-up Sultan, and Morton can back-up him. Oh yeah, Trungie can back-up to the exit door.

I hear they're thinking of converting Jimoh and going to a two back offense, Portis and Jimoh :D

Gibbs has said he sees Betts as a third-down back, and I can see Cartwright as the fullback and in goal line situations. I have a feeling Sultan will emerge this summer as the primary backup. Morton will be a change of pace back, draw plays, pitch outs, etc. Trung will have a change of address

I see Seller and Bryan Johnson at H-Back

I don't see them carrying 7 ruuning backs on the roster (Portis, Betts, Morton, McCollough, Rock, Johnson, Sellers).. I think Sellers or Johnson may be cut during camp..

[QUOTE=Ade Jimoh Fan Club]Here's a different angle: Betts will be the backup, and Sultan the backup-backup. Rock will back-up Sultan, and Morton can back-up him. Oh yeah, Trungie can back-up to the exit door.[/QUOTE]

I wouldn't be so quick to dump trung, late in the year he started running hard like he's supposed to, he was attacking the hole, I think thing's finally clicked with him, I would hope we give him a chance to prove he's a different back than in the past, he has so much talent I would hate to see him realize his potential with another team, and I have been down on the guy since we traded for him, Ade jimoh FC- trung could use a fan club as well. :headbange

I think financially it makes the most sense to cut Trung over any of the other backs, at least that's what I've heard

I think we need to pick up at least one power back to grind out the short yards, when we can to give portis a rest. Were not gonna need a change of pace back. Portis already has enough speed for anything. We might need a change in power back though.

Ladell Betts will in all likelehood back up Clinton Portis, but let's not chase Trung out the door so swiftly. He could very well be the perfect 3rd down back a la Joe Washington, Kelvin Bryant. So much untapped potential on the team having gone unrecognized because we had no one to coach them. Running Trung between the Tackles for 25 carries a game wont cut it. Perfect as a situational back.

The Saints just sent an offer sheet for Bryan Johnson - we have of course 7 days.

With so many backs to choose from, unless it's a lousy deal I think we'll probably let him go.
Trung and Betts did great playing the rotation game until they both got hurt. Also, like said earlier, with the proper coaching and game plan, Spurrier could care less about the run, Trung could emerge as a great back up to Portis. Give them all a chance in training camp and see who deserves to stay.

I think that Canidate could well end up as a good player in the right situation, but on this team there are too many running backs that can do what he does best - run fast.

Sellers is a tight end. We need a short yardage specialist - Rock you're the front runner there, but Betts could fill that role. Betts is a good all purpose back who can hopefully do well on special teams. McCullough I like as the primary backup for Portis, if he earns it in preseason. Yes, Morton is a good change of pace/3rd down back.

We may wait until preseason and see about trading one of our backs. If Johnson goes, we have:

Portis*
McCullough*
Morton*
Rock C. *
Betts*
Johnson (RFA to N.O. Saints)
Canidate (likely released)
John Simon (likely released)
Jimoh ;)

*on roster - my projection

Rest Portis for 15-20% of the time? He's a small back, but he's also a workhorse. He runs all game. I think it really depends on the situation and who has earned it.

I'm honestly not sure who we have to cut, but I have a feeling our RB list will be 2/3rds what it is now.

:coach: i would keep,cartright,sultan&i would cut,trade or release betts,canidate,johnson,simon asap.i would love to see the skins sign big amos z formerly of the pittsburg steelers to a cap friendly el cheapo deal.i'm not the world's biggest betts fan anyways,the sooner he's gone the better as far as i'm concerned.let him make cell phone calls during dallas cowboy meetings. :smashfrea :lol:

I would rest Portis at least 10% of the time, and as much as 20% if the drop off isn't too steep, because we want him to have maximum strength during the playoffs, and maintain his health for the times during games we most need him. This will keep him all the fresher, and when and if McCullough can come in there, he will be very well rested and on full turbo.

I think Betts, if he can stay healthy, would be the ideal backup to Portis. He's bigger, got some speed, and could really help out Portis to wear down the Dlinemen later on in the game. Could be a nice 1-2 punch. But it all hinges on Betts's run of bad luck (injuries) ending.

I was reading up on Sultan McCullough in an old USC website [url]http://usctrojans.ocsn.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/mccullough_sultan00.html[/url]

There is a lot there of quotes from Sultan, and he comes across as a very impressive person. He has what is takes to be a star I think.

WHAT OTHERS SAY:
Oregon head coach Mike Bellotti: "There's no question that the speed factor with Sultan McCullough is scary. You have to play great defense, you have to cancel gaps and you have to take the proper leverage angles. Your pursuit has to be almost perfect. If you leave a seam open, he can hit that seam and be gone." Saladin McCullough, his brother: "It's scary what he's going to be. He's a home run hitter every time he touches the ball." USC head track coach Ron Allice: "He's such an amazing athlete. He will do very, very well in football, because he's not only quick, but he's tough. Can you imagine a sweep where he takes the pitch and turns the corner? Watch out…He's probably as gifted a track athlete as I've ever had. He does this on a part-time basis and is one of the premier college sprinters in America. To run in the low 10s is phenomenal. I hate to think what would happen if he did it full time…His work ethic is good. He oozes confidence. He is a tremendous competitor and he'll let you know that. One of the things people don't realize is he really wants to be better at everything he does. It's not just talk…They say he's intimidating sometimes verbally. He wants to prove he's the best. But Sultan can back it up. There are a lot of people who talk and deep down don't believe it. Sultan believes he can do it." USC assistant track coach John Henry Johnson: "Sultan is a fiery competitor. He is definitely a game-day guy. He has this knack, this talent. The things he doesn't do right in practice all week long he somehow manages to do right on race day. Some athletes are flat on the day of competition. They get insecure. Sultan is the exact opposite."

[url]http://usctrojans.ocsn.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/mccullough_sultan00.html[/url]

[QUOTE=johnnyredskin63]:coach: i would keep,cartright,sultan&i would cut,trade or release betts,canidate,johnson,simon asap.i would love to see the skins sign big amos z formerly of the pittsburg steelers to a cap friendly el cheapo deal.i'm not the world's biggest betts fan anyways,the sooner he's gone the better as far as i'm concerned.let him make cell phone calls during dallas cowboy meetings. :smashfrea :lol:[/QUOTE]


Betts is a 2nd round draft choice, It's not likely we'll just release him and get nothing in return.

Same old story with Betts, if he can stay healthy he could be a contributor, but even when he was healthy last year he wasn't overly impressive. In fact Cartwright was more impressive last season IMO. I think Rock could push Betts hard for playing time.

Trung will likely be cut, and there's always a darkhorse like Sultan who could be a factor if he continues to improve.

There's a strong precedent in the history of Gibbs' running game to indicate that Portis will be spelled pretty frequently. Shane posted a great two-part article from KFFL that provides strong evidence to that effect:

[url="http://thewarpath.net/showthread.php?t=475"]http://thewarpath.net/showthread.php?t=475[/url]
[url="http://thewarpath.net/showthread.php?t=476"]http://thewarpath.net/showthread.php?t=476[/url]

That article also points out that Gibbs may have never had a back with Portis' prodigious talents (though many would call that sacrilege, given Riggins' Hall of Fame credentials). But even John Riggins shared a lot of time with Joe Washington. George Rogers shared a lot of carries with Riggins, and later with Kelvin Bryant. Earnest Byner's load was lightened considerably by the combination of Gerald Riggs and Ricky Ervins.

Given the current selection of runningbacks Gibbs has to choose from, I'd say he'll find at least two backs from that group that will allow him to keep Portis fresh-- as one poster put it-- "for the playoff run".

At this point, the Redskins are said to have around $4 million in cap room, and could enter training camp without needing to restructure or cut any salaries-- which could mean that Trung Canidate is safe. But if one or two other horses from this stable are able to get a fast start out of the gates, Canidate's salary would make him the first candidate for the waiver wire.

I agree with Shane, and I believe the darkhorse here is McCullough. He's got the raw talent, and if the coaches can harness it, he could be a factor down the homestretch. He and Canidate are similar in size and speed to Portis, but McCullough's younger and cheaper, so if Sultan struts his stuff in camp, look for him to become the primary backup at some point.

I loved Cartwright's tackle-busting tenacity last season, and Morton showed Bryant-like flashes of 3rd-down lightning. Betts remains mostly a mystery, but I agree that he's built like a prototypical Gibbs back. I hope he has a great camp and emerges as the Davis-like power runner we all envisioned he would be. The Skins would be downright scary with Portis being spelled by a hammering Betts to wear down the defenses.

Mike Sellers could be a monster as an H-back lead blocker. In his first incarnation as a Redskin, he showed a lot of ability in that regard. Let's hope the coaches can retrieve and refine that talent, and keep him out of the legal trouble that threatens to wreck his career. If Sellers and Betts step up, the Heavy Jumbo formation would be ready for action.

One thing's for sure, there are a lot of questions at the backup runningback position this offseason. The coaches get their first look at possible answers when minicamp opens March 26th. I can't wait...

[QUOTE=joecrisp]There's a strong precedent in the history of Gibbs' running game to indicate that Portis will be spelled pretty frequently. Shane posted a great two-part article from KFFL that provides strong evidence to that effect:

[url="http://thewarpath.net/showthread.php?t=475"]http://thewarpath.net/showthread.php?t=475[/url]
[url="http://thewarpath.net/showthread.php?t=476"]http://thewarpath.net/showthread.php?t=476[/url]

That article also points out that Gibbs may have never had a back with Portis' prodigious talents (though many would call that sacrilege, given Riggins' Hall of Fame credentials). But even John Riggins shared a lot of time with Joe Washington. George Rogers shared a lot of carries with Riggins, and later with Kelvin Bryant. Earnest Byner's load was lightened considerably by the combination of Gerald Riggs and Ricky Ervins.

Given the current selection of runningbacks Gibbs has to choose from, I'd say he'll find at least two backs from that group that will allow him to keep Portis fresh-- as one poster put it-- "for the playoff run".

At this point, the Redskins are said to have around $4 million in cap room, and could enter training camp without needing to restructure or cut any salaries-- which could mean that Trung Canidate is safe. But if one or two other horses from this stable are able to get a fast start out of the gates, Canidate's salary would make him the first candidate for the waiver wire.

I agree with Shane, and I believe the darkhorse here is McCullough. He's got the raw talent, and if the coaches can harness it, he could be a factor down the homestretch. He and Canidate are similar in size and speed to Portis, but McCullough's younger and cheaper, so if Sultan struts his stuff in camp, look for him to become the primary backup at some point.

I loved Cartwright's tackle-busting tenacity last season, and Morton showed Bryant-like flashes of 3rd-down lightning. Betts remains mostly a mystery, but I agree that he's built like a prototypical Gibbs back. I hope he has a great camp and emerges as the Davis-like power runner we all envisioned he would be. The Skins would be downright scary with Portis being spelled by a hammering Betts to wear down the defenses.

Mike Sellers could be a monster as an H-back lead blocker. In his first incarnation as a Redskin, he showed a lot of ability in that regard. Let's hope the coaches can retrieve and refine that talent, and keep him out of the legal trouble that threatens to wreck his career. If Sellers and Betts step up, the Heavy Jumbo formation would be ready for action.

One thing's for sure, there are a lot of questions at the backup runningback position this offseason. The coaches get their first look at possible answers when minicamp opens March 26th. I can't wait...[/QUOTE]

Nice job with that as alway's JC, I agree on mike sellers I alway's thought if used the right way he could be a real find and the way gibb's likes to use his TE's it just may happen, as for the running back situation, one of the thing's that I felt held back gibb's offense during his first tenure was a legitamate home run threat out of the backfield, I alway's felt the gibb's offense was at times held back because of lack of speed from the running back position we would get back's through the line of scrimmage only to have them run down after a 10 to 15 yd gain when we could of had a 40 or 50 yd gain or more with a big time back, I think from what I am seeing is gibb's is fixing the few thing's he felt were wrong the first time around, ala a back with serious speed and a real attack style defense, it's going to be interesting to see how thing's unfold early on we could be very scary, at least on offense.

Good post, Joe.

I agree, Offiss. I think we need a homerun threat at Running Back. We need a guy that can change the game in an instant which is something Portis can do. I wouldn't be suprised to see Gibbs have a lot of changes in his offense, he's probably been thinking about a lot of things he'd like to try while in Nascar. You can always quit coaching, but you can't ever stop thinking about it. So I hear!

[QUOTE=Daseal]Good post, Joe.

I agree, Offiss. I think we need a homerun threat at Running Back. We need a guy that can change the game in an instant which is something Portis can do. I wouldn't be suprised to see Gibbs have a lot of changes in his offense, he's probably been thinking about a lot of things he'd like to try while in Nascar. You can always quit coaching, but you can't ever stop thinking about it. So I hear![/QUOTE]The idea of Gibbs having an all-around home run threat like Portis really is pretty tantalizing. The fact that it's reality just gives me goosebumps...

I agree that Gibbs has probably been cooking up some pretty nifty little wrinkles in his time off, dreaming up sadistic new ways to torture defensive coordinators. That daydream tinkering has most certainly shifted into full-throttle brainstorming since Gibbs returned as coach and began assembling the talent that will constitute his new racing machine.

While the basic, tried-and-true components of his one-back offense will most certainly be evident, I expect that we will see an evolved, more developed manifestation of the beast that wreaked terror on opponents in the '80s and early '90s. Gibbs has sat back and watched the league's offensive wunderkinds devise explosive, 21st century versions of his offense, taking note of what has worked and what hasn't, and how he would improve upon their revisions of his master work.

The strongest catalyst for change, however, will be the skillsets of the various new weapons he has at his disposal. When you have an F-22, for example, you don't waste a whole lot of flight hours in the old F-4. That analogy applies to both the offensive gameplan and the personnel. Gibbs will shape his strategy and tactics to maximize the talents of his QBs, RBs, WRs, TEs and blockers.

In the case of Clinton Portis, Gibbs will find a way to distribute his touches-- on the ground and in the air-- over the course of each game, and the season as a whole, so as to optimize the damage Portis inflicts on defenses, while keeping his body in peak operating condition. I suspect that will translate to a workload similar to what George Rogers got in the '86 season, where Portis will get close to 300 carries, while the other backs combine for the remaining 200 or so carries. In that scenario, Portis would total around 1650 rushing yards, with 15-16 TDs, assuming that he maintains his career average of 5.5 yards per carry and .052 TDs per carry.

Great stuff, Crisp.

Still, we're going to have to spell Portis after his 60-yard gains!

One factor that will be important for a backup is can the RB BLOCK? An RB who can't pass protect isn't going to make it in Gibbs system. That may help separate out the RBs. I still hope Betts emerges and stays healthy. Can Rock Block?

Portis can block!

[QUOTE=JWsleep]Great stuff, Crisp.

Still, we're going to have to spell Portis after his 60-yard gains!

One factor that will be important for a backup is can the RB BLOCK? An RB who can't pass protect isn't going to make it in Gibbs system. That may help separate out the RBs. I still hope Betts emerges and stays healthy. Can Rock Block?[/QUOTE]As Daseal said, Portis CAN block. I read somewhere that the Redskins coaches-- Joe Gibbs in particular-- were raving about Portis' tenacity as a pass blocker. They said he really gets after it and finishes his blocks.

Another thing I read is that Portis is the kind of back that will work on his weakpoints until they become his strengths. The guy has a drive and desire to be the best runningback in the game-- maybe the best ever-- and he understands that you have to bring the entire package to the table in order to meet those lofty qualifications.

So while Portis may not be the biggest back out there, it's his drive and tenacity that make him one of the best backs in the league-- whether that's breaking off 60-yard TDs, turning a 5-yard swing pass into a highlight reel clip, or keeping blitzing linebackers away from his quarterback.

As far as Betts, Rock and the other backs, none of them showed any real consistency as blockers last season, but-- as is always the caviat when referring to Spurrier's final season in Washington-- you can probably put a lot of the blame on the coaching and the scheme.

Rock would seem to have an ideal build for a blocking back-- low center of gravity, strong legs-- but it seems like he had a hard time with the footwork and maintaining position and leverage. Hopefully, Byner and Bugel will turn him and the other backs into at least serviceable blockers. If they can't, they'll find other backs who can get the job done.

The games I saw Portis in last year more than his running I was impressed by his blocking. He picked up big name players and just totally took them out of the picture. He didn't try some little chop block to slow him down like most backs, he knocked the guy on his ass. I really think this guy is special.

God, when does the season start!

I wonder what role we would have for a blocking back in our system. I am assuming we are going to a two tight end, one back formation. I'm glad Portis takes blocking so seriously. Walter Payton was the best running back ever in Madden's eyes, because he was the most complete player, and was a great blocker as well. I imagine we would never have traded for Portis if he wasn't special as a blocker because if you have only one back, he has to be able to block.

The blocking issue will probably be key in terms of playing time for our backs because if they don't do well in that area, they can't do what is necessary for a RB in a one back system.

Good point - exactly why I suspect Canidate will be gone soon. Betts and Cartwright can block and Johnson is good as gone, so I see us starting the season with Portis, Betts, McCullough, Cartwright and Sellers.