Don’t worry about B-back
Even though Anthony Allen was held out of Wednesday’s practice as a precautionary measure after sustaining a blow to the head, Georgia Tech is still very deep at B-back.
Coach Paul Johnson said earlier this week that the position was the deepest on the team. Assistant coach Brian Bohannon said it’s the deepest they’ve had in three seasons at Tech.
Including Allen, Tech has Lucas Cox, Preston Lyons and Richard Watson. They are all big, punishing runners whose style works well in a spot that demands tough runs between the tackles.
“It’s a good problem to have,” Bohannon said. Obviously we can’t play four backs so we’ll sort that out as we get closer.”
Bohannon raved about each player earlier this week.
“I think Preston and Lucas have had a really good camp,” he said. “Richard’s done some things that he hasn’t done before.”
Bohannon said one noticeable difference is what they are doing when they don’t have the ball: blocking, particularly their pass blocking.
“Their physical nature without the ball has been a ton better,” Bohannon said. “I’ve been more encouraged by that than anything.”
Lyons, who was the No. 2 behind Jonathan Dwyer last season, said that improvement is a product of the competition.
“When you get one guy out there making a good play, you know you can’t relax,” Lyons said. “Because you get hit every play, pass blocking some guys think you can take it off. But that’s another opportunity to hit a guy and make a play. So it gets more competitive.”
Lyons is returning from an injured shoulder that he said feels 100 percent.
–
A look at the B-backs:
Anthony Allen 6-0, 239 Fast enough and big enough to always be a threat
Lucas Cox 6-0, 251 A bowling ball of a runner; tough to bring down
Preston Lyons 6-0, 213 Shifty, but tough. He can fool a defense
Richard Watson 6-1, 231 Has shaken off last year’s injuries to look good in camp
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66 comments Add your comment
Nesbitt for Heisman
August 26th, 2010
5:39 am
`
Go Jackets!
Stan Darsh
August 26th, 2010
7:15 am
Ready for a great 2010 campaign. Go Jackets!! And THWG!
T-Rav and the Eastside Grainger
August 26th, 2010
7:25 am
Sit him out the first week. No need to run him until Sept 11th, and maybe not until Sept 18th.
Colgate Raider
August 26th, 2010
7:41 am
Lets go Preston! Colgate represent
mwh6767
August 26th, 2010
7:49 am
Even if AA is heathly for sc state you should only see him for about a half. Would like to see Cox and Watson get some carries think the reps will do nothing but help when it gets to the end of the season and everyone is tired.
East Georgia Jacket
August 26th, 2010
8:27 am
Doug, whatever happened to Daniel Drummond a B-Back?
AtWork
August 26th, 2010
8:28 am
It will be interesting to see if CPJ goes with a rotation in the backfield…keeping these guys fresh could be crutial down the stretch. Especially in a fourth quarter play…fresh legs make a BIG difference.
JAdams
August 26th, 2010
8:35 am
deep
East Atlanta
August 26th, 2010
8:39 am
Doug, when can we expect your follow up to the Carter piece? Since you made it sound as though a Biomedical engineering degree wasn’t offered at Rutgers when it most certainly is. You didn’t accidentally let the cat out of the bag on Johnson paying yet another player to leave his school now did you???
reebok
August 26th, 2010
8:39 am
that’s good depth. pass blocking and protecting the football are big keys to the position as well as running ability.
Hayseed Dixie
August 26th, 2010
8:44 am
Doug,
Has Charles Perkins been redshirted?
-HD
Tokyo jacket
August 26th, 2010
8:45 am
East Georgia, DD got busted for breaking team rules. Word on the street is that he might have been on the needle, just a rumor though. He got suspended for 11 games.
ss
August 26th, 2010
8:45 am
I think Drummond cant play half of the season due to a suspension, which i think is eligiblity issues.
ss
August 26th, 2010
8:46 am
Could be wrong though. Thought there was something on ramblinwreck.com during the end of the year/early summer.
Robert
August 26th, 2010
8:47 am
East Atlanta, only the Dawgs cheat in this state. You should know, you are one.
Tokyo jacket
August 26th, 2010
8:47 am
It’s nice that with Watson and Perkins, Tech is pretty much set for the next five years at B-back. But, I still hope AA puts up 1500 yards this year.
GT Sambo
August 26th, 2010
8:49 am
I thought Daniel Drummond was out for 10 games. I am not sure it matters, for all practical purposes he won’t play this season. Seemed like the ideal recruit for B-Back when he was brought in.
michael
August 26th, 2010
8:52 am
well…i guess it’s up to coaching now,
collegeballfan
August 26th, 2010
9:13 am
A couple weeks ago Allen said he was down to 229.
Perkins has been moved to A-Back. But expect him to be a B-Back next year as he will be bigger and depth will be smaller.
Jonathan
August 26th, 2010
9:22 am
Lucas Cox will be one of those signed by an NFL team and play 10 years while carrying the ball less than 100x in his career. One of those dudes who simply gets the ball and runs straight forward.
Cam
August 26th, 2010
9:39 am
Can’t wait for the season to get here. Looking forward to another great year with hopefully another acc champ.
JasonG
August 26th, 2010
9:40 am
AA, the new 12 step program
BigTimeTechFan
August 26th, 2010
9:43 am
Why not keep Allen at A-Back?
He was pretty productive there, nice size to block, can run.
Let Watson, Lyons, then Cox play BB.
Or is it that the primary back will always be the “B” back?
TechCrazy
August 26th, 2010
9:54 am
None-the-less, Coach Johnson will be able to rotate guys often, keeping their legs fresh for the 4th quarter beat downs!
TechCrazy
August 26th, 2010
9:58 am
That first game against South Carolina Junior Varsity should be a decent game: they were Div.AA champs, plus we will see Washington at QB and some of the 2nd and 3rd string running backs.
Doug Roberson
August 26th, 2010
10:15 am
Answering a few of your questions:
Perkins may be redshirted. That decision usually isn’t made until deeper into the season. CPJ has implied that will happen.
Drummond was suspended for 11 games; he likely won’t play this season at all.
Allen was a featured back in Louisville. That’s his natural position.
Just Typing
August 26th, 2010
10:35 am
@TechCrazy. South Carolina State has never been Div.AA champs. They’ve won their conference a couple of times though.
UGAG is gitting the ncaa death penalty, he he ha ha
August 26th, 2010
10:38 am
To Hell with Georgia
Buzzzed
August 26th, 2010
10:39 am
@AtWork As CPJ gets the personnel for his offense, I think you may see a good bit of rotation at a lot of positions including QB. There will always be someone fresh with the ball ready to take a hit. We have so many good QBs, I won’t be surprised to see this Days kid sharing snaps with someone in the future. UGA won’t be able to twist ankles fast enough to slow down this offense.
Joe
August 26th, 2010
10:46 am
Lucas Cox = Mike Alstott
Burdell
August 26th, 2010
11:01 am
Synjyn Days looked good at the scrimmage. He is a lot bigger than I thought he would be and I love the way he throws the ball–quick release, crisp spiral but the ball hits the receiver “soft” like it would be easy to catch. Kind of like a Jacory Harris ball without all the arc (and hopefully not to the defender). Excited about seeing the 2010 Jackets finally play some football…9 more days folks!! GO TECH!
gtgirl
August 26th, 2010
11:07 am
I think b/c the B-Back is usually more of a fullback in terms of size (i.e. Lucas Cox is a true fullback), but in CPJ’s offense the B-Back is always the featured running back therefore AA has to be there, but I did like his play at A-Back last year hopefully he’ll still get some pitches
North Ave Killer Beez
August 26th, 2010
11:08 am
Can we get some new uniforms yet? I’m already tired of these and we wear white EVERY game. Not to mention russell Sucks!! Bring on the Nike. GO JACKETS!!
RambleOn84
August 26th, 2010
11:17 am
Let the cheerleaders and the sissies up in Oregon worry about the cute outfits they’re going to wear…
A uniform is for protection…who cares what they look like?
phil
August 26th, 2010
11:28 am
East Atlanta,
Doug won’t touch this story because he screwed up. Why on earth would a kid not be able to do a particular major at Rutgers, yet he’s able to do it at GT? Besides, it’s clear that Carter, CPJ and even Doug weren’t aware that Rutgers has a biomed program. This story needs national attention. Looks and sounds very shady.
Not Disappointed
August 26th, 2010
11:34 am
Thanks Doug!
RDR
August 26th, 2010
11:42 am
Well at least the nerds have some depth at one position. Unfortunately, the other 21 positions are a little light. Still, gti should run the table in the mickey mouse a she she before their annual beatdown in Athens.
RambleOn84
August 26th, 2010
11:45 am
Clever comments, thanks for stopping by!
JW
August 26th, 2010
11:49 am
Agree, we need new uniforms. Our practice uniforms look better than our game uniforms. Go back to the old ones. AND please get us out of those awful black shoes and socks.
William Casey
August 26th, 2010
11:49 am
RDR: Yada, Yada, Yada. This is 2010. Worry about your own “Little Sisters of the Poor” schedule. Weak.
pigmons
August 26th, 2010
11:55 am
yes rdr is a coward warm weather with no brain
Paddy
August 26th, 2010
11:57 am
I love the tradition of white uniforms at home. When you wear white at home, it allows the opponent to be in their school colors for every home game. When the home team wears their dark colors at home, every visitor looks the same every week. Now thats boring. I sort of like the new Tech uniforms.
RDR
August 26th, 2010
12:11 pm
You nerds are great! Definately one of a kind. Thanks for being such good sports in taking all the abuse that you and the team get. Somebodies got to be the “whipping boy” in this state. Thanks, CHUGA!
Brent Cunningham
August 26th, 2010
12:20 pm
Allen needs to be the B back for 2 reasons, the same reasons you want your best ball carrier there unless he’s undersized.
1 B back typically receives the majority of the carries and the type of carries produce more good (and varied)opportunities
2 if the dive is not a threat, shutting down the qb and pitch are a whole lot easier.
Green&Gold 4 life
August 26th, 2010
12:28 pm
AA will be one of the best running backs in the nation by the end of the year.He has great speed and strength.
Delbert D.
August 26th, 2010
12:56 pm
No Gold jerseys. Leave them for basketball.
Delbert D.
August 26th, 2010
12:58 pm
In mental health terminology, “phil” is perseverating about this transfer of Carter from Rutgers.
Buzzzed
August 26th, 2010
1:08 pm
@phil – What’s the obsession with Carter. My impression was that Carter is an average player and he just wants a chance at more PT. Oh and main reason he came to Tech: GT > Rutgers.
Gold Whitey
August 26th, 2010
2:29 pm
Anthony Allen fits better at B back to me. He isn’t quite as strong and bruising as Dwyer was but he’s enough to get through the hole and get big chunks of yards. I’d rather have a smaller faster guy at A back that won’t get caught from behind when he turns the corner. Remember the clemson game last year? There’s no way Roddy gets caught like that.
dawgy
August 26th, 2010
3:00 pm
Drummond was juicing pretty hard – that’s why he got suspended. Dude is a beast though. Be interesting to see how he pans out. What’s the deal with Dwyer in Pittsburgh? Is he even going to make the team?