Grinter to Fullback?

[UedK]

I've been reading on other boards that Maurice Grinter willbe slotted at fullback this Fall. It seems that we are so stacked at linebacker and he is such a talent that he must see the field this season and fullback is a spot that really is in need.

If this is true, it really gets me excited. Grinter was a great high school offensive player, he is huge and he is fast. His potential running, blocking and pass catching out of the fullback spot will cause a lot of problems for the defenses we face.

[I. Melvin]

Does Joker's offense employ a fullback very much?

A great lead blocker seems a logical fit for our personnel. Is Grinter a great blocker?

[jwade]

They certainly haven't emphasizedthe FB positionin their recruiting strategy as all 5 players listed at the position (Conner, Bankhead, Flannery, Davidson and Jones) are walk-ons. One might conclude, therefore, that FB is not expected to be a major part of the offense. Nor did I see evidence of it in the spring.

That said, there will be certain situations (short yardage, goal line) where a good lead blocking FB could be useful indeed. It wouldn't surpise me to see either Grinter or Micah Johnson line up there situationally.

This is the time of year when guys try different things,so I wouldn't read a whole lot into the report of Grinter playing FB. His athleticism is needed much more at SLB, assuming he can learn the nuances of the position. If Grinter is working exclusively at FB after two weeks in August, then I'll believe this position change is for real.

Jim

[RV]

I love the rumor of Grinter to FB. Since we'll be using a two back set quite a bit and from that we can/will move them to slot receivers ... :thumbup

INSTANT MISMATCH BABY!

[sardiscat]

I thought the reason Grinter wanted to play safety was that he had seen UK's backfield for next year and concluded the only place he would be able to play was FB, and he didn't want to play FB. OTOH, I remember a walk-on FB under Claiborne who was a great lead blocker and caught a lot of passes when he wasn't blocking (he didn't get to carry the ball much), and I remember Terry Samuel caught a lot of passes when Tommy Bowden was Curry's OC. I can't remember UK throwing to its FB a single time under Brooks, but maybe the old dog is capable of learning a new trick.

[johnkyblue]

I do remember a pass to the FB with our current coach. One I think.

I would NEVER recruit a FB. I would always give that spot to the kid that was too skinny to play OL but had the frame and I thought he would grow into it - or something. The best HS athletes never play FB.

[bret1555]

johnkyblue wrote: I do remember a pass to the FB with our current coach. One I think.

I would NEVER recruit a FB. I would always give that spot to the kid that was too skinny to play OL but had the frame and I thought he would grow into it - or something. The best HS athletes never play FB.

That is not necessarily accurate. . . As a disciple of the triple option, the fullback should often be featured as your most talented back. Many high school teams STILL feature a fullback. . . Few college teams do, however. Navy has done pretty well featuring a fullback in their triple-option.

[fatcat]

johnkyblue wrote: I do remember a pass to the FB with our current coach. One I think.

I would NEVER recruit a FB. I would always give that spot to the kid that was too skinny to play OL but had the frame and I thought he would grow into it - or something. The best HS athletes never play FB.

UK had an All-SEC fullback in Andy Murray during the late eighties. He made a lot of big runs by Mark Higgs and Co. possible.

Andywas certainly worth a scholarship and was recruited by nearly all of the football powerhouses. Andy played fullback and linebacker in H.S. at Trinity on a team that also featuredUK playersCarwell Gardner, Donnie Gardner, David Crane and Mike Pfieffer.

[EricBigNally]

bret1555 wrote: johnkyblue wrote: I do remember a pass to the FB with our current coach. One I think.

I would NEVER recruit a FB. I would always give that spot to the kid that was too skinny to play OL but had the frame and I thought he would grow into it - or something. The best HS athletes never play FB.

That is not necessarily accurate. . . As a disciple of the triple option, the fullback should often be featured as your most talented back. Many high school teams STILL feature a fullback. . . Few college teams do, however. Navy has done pretty well featuring a fullback in their triple-option.
Beat me to it. I LOVED the triple option when we played it in high school. Option is still my favorite type of football to play and/or watch. I would love to see us get a solid FB in the game and get some carries/receptions. It would help to keep the defenses honest and helpLittle out on running downs.Of course, so would improving the passing attack...

[MercerTitan]

EricBigNally wrote: bret1555 wrote: johnkyblue wrote: I do remember a pass to the FB with our current coach. One I think.

I would NEVER recruit a FB. I would always give that spot to the kid that was too skinny to play OL but had the frame and I thought he would grow into it - or something. The best HS athletes never play FB.

That is not necessarily accurate. . . As a disciple of the triple option, the fullback should often be featured as your most talented back. Many high school teams STILL feature a fullback. . . Few college teams do, however. Navy has done pretty well featuring a fullback in their triple-option.
Beat me to it. I LOVED the triple option when we played it in high school. Option is still my favorite type of football to play and/or watch. I would love to see us get a solid FB in the game and get some carries/receptions. It would help to keep the defenses honest and helpLittle out on running downs.Of course, so would improving the passing attack...I love the option as well...but equally tough to run as it is to prepare for.

[Coldstream]

EricBigNally wrote: bret1555 wrote: johnkyblue wrote: I do remember a pass to the FB with our current coach. One I think.

I would NEVER recruit a FB. I would always give that spot to the kid that was too skinny to play OL but had the frame and I thought he would grow into it - or something. The best HS athletes never play FB.

That is not necessarily accurate. . . As a disciple of the triple option, the fullback should often be featured as your most talented back. Many high school teams STILL feature a fullback. . . Few college teams do, however. Navy has done pretty well featuring a fullback in their triple-option.
Beat me to it. I LOVED the triple option when we played it in high school. Option is still my favorite type of football to play and/or watch. I would love to see us get a solid FB in the game and get some carries/receptions. It would help to keep the defenses honest and helpLittle out on running downs.Of course, so would improving the passing attack...

Did you go to Nelson Co.? If so what year you graduate? I graduated in '94 and we ran the snot out of the triple-option!

[EricBigNally]

No, I went to Bethlehem ('03).

MercerTitanhit the nail right on with it being difficult to prepare for.If you run it well several times a game, defenses have to prepare so much for all the possibilities that it takes a lot of valueable time in practices.

[Coldstream]

EricBigNally wrote: No, I went to Bethlehem ('03).

MercerTitanhit the nail right on with it being difficult to prepare for.If you run it well several times a game, defenses have to prepare so much for all the possibilities that it takes a lot of valueable time in practices.

I was way before your time then. Bethlehem didn't even have a team then and the first few years, you guys had all your games on the road I remember (while I was in college).

You're both correct about the preparation it takes but I think its success ultimately boils down to how well the O-line can keep up with it all game. It can be taxing and the best way for the defense to stop it is to not focus on finding the ball so much in practice but emphasis the importance of controlling the line with your down linemen. Let your 2nd line of defense worry about that by assigning zones.

[MercerTitan]

I think it was ex-Texas Coach Darry Royal who said "Three things happen when you throw the ball, and two of them ain't good". Lovers of Texas Tech's system I'm sure hate the option lol.

[MercerTitan]

I remember watching the Nebraska and Oklahoma teams of the 80's absolutely punish opponents with the option, but as was noted in another post they had some incredible offensive lines. The Shawn Jones-led Georgia Tech team of 1990 and the Colorado teams of that era were also fun to watch.

The service academies, particularly Air Force, have run this offense for years. Good way for them to make up for physical shortcomings compared to more talented opponents. Dee Dowis was as an efficient QB I have ever seen in that system.

Funny how many UK fans cringe when the word "option" is brought up. Hell, Curry and company didn't know what they were doing.

[UedK]

MercerTitan wrote: I love the option as well...but equally tough to run as it is to prepare for.


If Pulley can find his arm (Although I don't really know oif he has lost it) the idea of having a tallented, huge and fast back in the lineup along with Little and Dixon and Pulley makes me believe that the staff will be moved to find ways to make use of them all. I go along with RV on the matchup problems Grintercould create.

BTW: MercerTitan, Welcome to WildcatNation! :cool:

[MercerTitan]

UedK wrote: MercerTitan wrote: I love the option as well...but equally tough to run as it is to prepare for.


If Pulley can find his arm (Although I don't really know oif he has lost it) the idea of having a tallented, huge and fast back in the lineup along with Little and Dixon and Pulley makes me believe that the staff will be moved to find ways to make use of them all. I go along with RV on the matchup problems Grintercould create.

BTW: MercerTitan, Welcome to WildcatNation! :cool:
Thanks! I have read the boards for a long time before I signed on.

[RV]

In 2005 our fullbacks carried the ball 76 times for 304 yards (4 ypa) and caught 15 passes for 70 yards.

In 2006 our fullbacks had 79 carries for 367 yards (4.65 ypa) and 13 pass receptions for 86 yards.

Given we practiced 2 back sets with some regularity in the spring (not necessarily the I formation) it would appear that the FB would get more chances to have the ball in his possession than the previous two years.

Grinter's talent (potential) should enable him to improve on those previous numbers given the same opportunities but I expect (if he is in fact at FB) that his opportunities would increase.

[sardiscat]

The only way you get 79 carries for UK's fullbacks in 2005 is to count every carry by Beach and Bwenge as a carry by the fullback.Virtually every carry Beach got in the games I saw came when he was playing tailback, and some of Bwenge's carries came when he was playing at tailback as well.

[poodoo]

BTW: MercerTitan, Welcome to WildcatNation! :cool:QUOTE

_____

Ditto. Welcome, MercerTitan!

In regard to Grinter's possibly playing fullback, it's an interesting possibility. He's a very strong athlete. I'll trust the coaches to make the proper decision. :)

[MercerTitan]

poodoo wrote: BTW: MercerTitan, Welcome to WildcatNation! :cool:QUOTE

_____

Ditto. Welcome, MercerTitan!

In regard to Grinter's possibly playing fullback, it's an interesting possibility. He's a very strong athlete. I'll trust the coaches to make the proper decision. :)

Thank you!

[BigblueDrew]

MercerTitan wrote: EricBigNally wrote: bret1555 wrote: johnkyblue wrote: I do remember a pass to the FB with our current coach. One I think.

I would NEVER recruit a FB. I would always give that spot to the kid that was too skinny to play OL but had the frame and I thought he would grow into it - or something. The best HS athletes never play FB.

That is not necessarily accurate. . . As a disciple of the triple option, the fullback should often be featured as your most talented back. Many high school teams STILL feature a fullback. . . Few college teams do, however. Navy has done pretty well featuring a fullback in their triple-option.
Beat me to it. I LOVED the triple option when we played it in high school. Option is still my favorite type of football to play and/or watch. I would love to see us get a solid FB in the game and get some carries/receptions. It would help to keep the defenses honest and helpLittle out on running downs.Of course, so would improving the passing attack...I love the option as well...but equally tough to run as it is to prepare for.

Plus it doesn't work worth a crap in the SEC where the linebackers are as fast and atheletic as most quarterbacks.

[trublue4life]

I think Joker is the kind of OC who is going to adapt his offense to the talent on hand rather than insisting the talent adapt to his system (take a bow, Ron Hudson). So, if he sees he's gota big, strong, fast fullback with an attitude (ala Grinter), then I would predict he will find ways to get him on the field and enough touches of the ball to keep defenses honest. Not only can he be a potentially powerful lead blocker for our talented stable of tailbacks but he can also do his own damage with the ball in his hands. I like the move.

[jwade]

Call me crazy, but Istill don't see Grinter as a FB. When all is said and done, I think he will be a LB. Time will tell.

Jim