Two Wheel Forums banner

College Football's Ultimate Weapon

2K views 21 replies 5 participants last post by  Need4Speed 
#1 ·
By Bruce Feldman
ESPN The Magazine

I admit I thought Reggie Bush was the most devastating player in college football. I thought he was the biggest headache any defensive coordinator could ever have this season, and that he might even win a Heisman sooner in his college career than any other player in football history. He was the ultimate weapon.


But then something changed. I saw Adrian Peterson.


The Oklahoma freshman is the best running back we've seen in a generation. If Heisman voters hold his age against him, they're idiots. Peterson's got Eric Dickerson's glide and burst, only he runs tougher and sheds more tackles. In a word, he's scary. Hands down, he's the most dangerous man in college football. (And yes, hands down even though he's seldom utilized as a receiver and not as a returnman.) Every time Peterson lines up in the backfield, the opposing defense winces. Most of the time they know what's coming: Peterson's going to get the ball, and yet they still can't bottle him up.



Oklahoma RB Adrian Peterson has left defenders in his wake as he's run for 1,272 yards and 8 TDs this year.
"In my 10 years of coaching I've never seen anybody like him," Oklahoma offensive coordinator Chuck Long told reporters recently. "He makes it look easy, but it's not easy."


See what Peterson did to a pretty formidable D in Texas? The Longhorns have given up 915 yards this season -- 690 to their other seven opponents and 225 to young Mr. Peterson. He single-handedly out-gained UT's previous four opponents.


See what he did to Oklahoma State last weekend? Peterson gashed the Cowboys for more yards in the second half than any team has rushed on them in an entire game. "It's tough to believe he's a freshman," said Oklahoma State coach Les Miles.


The guy's already had 34 carries go for at least 10 yards and eight for over 30. Even more impressive is that Peterson's busting runs often come on plays that are only blocked to get three or four yards. Instead, he's slipping tacklers, juking defenders out of their cleats and ripping off 35- and 40-yarders. And ripping out defenders hearts in the process. Teams are well aware that OU loves to run him over their left side and they still can't derail him. By now, we all know that he is eight-for-eight, having topped 100 yards in his first eight games and that he's on pace to eclipse the 2,000-yard mark.


But really, it's not just about the yards with Peterson, it's about his presence. The guy's as inevitable as T-Mobile commercials. It's like Mike Tyson in his heyday, where you watched just waiting for that freak-show moment, that flash of the spectacular that you knew you'd see dozens of times on the highlight shows but you still just had to gulp down every second live waiting in anticipation for it. You watched that OU-Oklahoma State game and you just knew that it was only a matter of time before Peterson detonated.


Now, we have a lot of respect for Ted Miller, who regards Reggie Bush as college football's ultimate weapon. He does great work, but maybe some of the fumes off that putrid U-Dub football team are clouding his judgment here. There is however, a difference between most exciting and most dangerous. Bush, no doubt, is exciting. He can do so much damage just as a decoy as well as a receiver or as a returnman. Devin Hester and young Ted Ginn can also be included in the exciting category.


Peterson, though, operates on a whole different level. In part, it's because of the nature of how he's used. He's going to get his touches, twice as many as Bush per game, which means he stresses the defenses -- and everyone sitting in the stands -- twice as often. In OU's two big games, against Oklahoma State and Texas, Peterson had 66 touches for 475 yards. In the Trojans' two big challenges, against Cal and ASU, Bush got 21 touches. More importantly, in that Cal game, Bush didn't touch the ball at all until midway through the second quarter.


Peterson is just getting revved up. He also seems to be at his best in the big spots.


"He's good at not getting himself in a hurry," K-State coach Bill Snyder said. "A lot of guys have all that speed, and they get out in front of things, get there faster than they should and not let things be created for them, and he's pretty good about that. He doesn't hit holes until they're there. He can still grow, but he's pretty adept at what he does right now."


Pretty adept? Right, and Texas has had a few problems dealing with OU in the last couple of years.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/columns/story?columnist=feldman_bruce&id=1915094

All Day. :smash: :party:
 
See less See more
#6 ·
pickle.of.doom said:
He should probably win the Heisman for sure, but probably wont. The people with the votes don't feel like freshmen have earned it no matter what they do. Pretty amazing guy though.
I think you're right. . however, I don't think anyone has ever seen this much hype over a freshman. I'm only 30, so I don't remember that far back. . Herschel Walker maybe.

Need4Speed. . lol :here: :cheers:
 
#8 ·
A freshman or sophomore has never won it. Herschel could and should have his Freshman year in 1980.

They talked about it a little bit with Clarette at Ohio State a couple years ago, but it wasn't much more than just gossip. This year, on ever show and on every site I see them saying the same thing. If Peterson continues with this kind of season, the people that don't vote for him are idiots. lol Hell, even Mark May went off about it and he can't stand the Sooners.
 
#10 ·
Pigface1 said:
A freshman or sophomore has never won it. Herschel could and should have his Freshman year in 1980.

They talked about it a little bit with Clarette at Ohio State a couple years ago, but it wasn't much more than just gossip. This year, on ever show and on every site I see them saying the same thing. If Peterson continues with this kind of season, the people that don't vote for him are idiots. lol Hell, even Mark May went off about it and he can't stand the Sooners.
i didnt think so, but wasnt sure..and yeah Walker should have definately been the man for the heisman back in the day..

I cant stand clarrett..that man just needs to get a clue..he's wasting a great career opportunity...!! :skep:

ive been watching peterson off and on, he just racks up 200 yd performances like they are old hat!! :eek:
 
#11 ·
Clarrett's deal was just stupid. . granted, he listened to his lawyers, but still.

Now, Mike Williams on the other hand, is a total idiot. Does he not read the papers? lol I feel sorry for him, but come on.

At any rate, I'm glad the NFL held their ground on both instances. Young players are what ruined the NBA, IMO. They have no concept of how to play as a team. Guys like Jordan learned those concepts in college, not highschool, not the NBA. Now it's just a junk league.

As for Peterson, I wish I still had his highschool highlight video. . it pretty much looks like he does on Saturdays now, only the kids are smaller. lol He was the Texas state 100 champ I believe, the kid can fly. And I don't think I've seen anyone break tackles like him since John Riggens. :crazy:
 
#12 ·
How high do you think Mike Williams will go in the draft ..a few teams were ready to break the bank and call him a high to mid 1st rounder last year b/4 that debacle happened..
 
#14 ·
Pigface1 said:
He'll go 1st round. . Clarrett will go 4th or 5th I bet.

I'm curious to see how high Jason White goes. I'm guessing 3rd round. :crazy: Someone will get a steal with him.
Anybody who takes clarrett needs their head examined..but u know someone will. if he goes b/4 the 5th round I'd be totally shocked!!

I think white could go as high as an early 3rd, maybe a low 2nd round depending on who's already been picked over QB wise by then.
 
#18 ·
Pigface1 said:
People would kill to have his ability, but he got greedy. He should be playing in Canada to stay sharp, but he's not even doing that.

I agree..the world league or canada would have snatched him up if he wasnt so hell bent on getting his own way.. :mad:
 
#20 ·
yeah NFL europe is solely controlled by the NFL, so there was no way they were gonna let him get off that easy... come to think of it, the NFL has a big hand in Canadian football as well... hhmmm...
 
#21 ·
Hmmm Mike Williams will be a late first round pick possibly going to Baltimore or something like that... As far as Clarett goes he will be a mid 4th round pick... Someone will take a stab at him... What do they have to lose possibly a team that really doesnt need a running back like Denver... Clarett wasted his talent though and for that matter so did Mike Williams... If they would have both stayed in college the would have made a boatload more money... I believe that both would have been potential top 5 draft picks... What boneheads :bash: :bash: :bash:
 
#22 ·
if teams are smart, who wanna take him, they'll stick him on special teams or even the practice squad for awhile and let him get his feet wet.

but u know somebody will grab him, and try to find a diamond in the ruff..
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top