Jonathan Dwyer

I have read that Dwyer is listed at the B-Back position. I have no problem with this and understand Coach Johnson's desire to see if Dwyer can become a good B-Back runner at this position.

However, last year Dwyer showed a remarkable potential for breaking to the outside and great decision making in eluding tacklers once he gets in the open spots in the secondary.

I understand the need for a good back to take it up the middle, but I also understand the philosophy of avoiding the placing a square peg in a round hole. I would like to know if Coach Johnson is flexible and would place Dwyer at an A-Back position if Dwyer did not win the #1 spot at the B-Back position.

Personally, I believe Dwyer would be tremendously successful at the A-Back position.

From a Dwyer, and some other similar athletes, they are geared in their past and their mentality to break into the open and then use learned instincts to elude the remaining tacklers. Sometimes these type of gifted athletes have not learned, and do not care to learn, to butt their heads on every play against the big defensive linemen.

A player such as this might become discouraged and not efficient, but would be tremendously successful and efficient under their previously learned techniques.

There was back at Houston many years ago who was rated the best back coming out of college that year (name may have been Gipson). He had a knack for running through a hole in the line, then he would always cut back against the oncoming tacklers. In this learned attribute, he had developed his running to a science and he would either run by the tackler or knock him off his feet. He knew the exact moment to use a burst of energy and leverage for each cutback.

I followed him for his first year in the pros and the coaches made him follow his blocking and he no long cut back away from his blocking into the oncoming tacklers. The coach had tried to make him conform to his style of play, but it made this player inept in the system. He never did much in the pros.

Sometimes, it is better to use a player where we can utilize his most potent abilities instead of placing a square peg in a round hole. If Dwyer perorms well enough to win the starting slot at B-Back, then that is fine, but I would like to see him moved to A_Back if he did not become #1 at the B-Back position.

Father Time

Adrian Peterson ran for 6500 yds. as a B back (and that doesn't include the 2600 yds he had in playoff games). I have complete trust in Paul Johnson. Hopefully Dwyer can run like this for Johnson:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usFFN9mPIDY

By the way, the head coach of the team Peterson is running over in the video is Jim Tressel.

I think Johnson has shown, by moving Greg Smith to A Back, that he will play people where they are best suited and would move Dwyer should he struggle at B Back.

I think he could/might play both positions.

You have got to check out this link to really appreciate the 3 O.

http://gtsports.blogspot.com/2008/02/triple-option-playbook-sewak-video.html

http://thebirddog.wordpress.com/2007/07/30/five-myths-of-paul-johnsons-offense/

Also read on a Navy blog something that really was telling about why Johnson has Dwyer at B-Back.

This 3 0 expert states that the way to stop the B-Back is to plug up the middle with a big nose-tackle... keep stuffing the run.... He says, therefore, it is important to overcome this by having a B-Back that can kick it outside when he needs to.

Read this:

http://thebirddog.wordpress.com/2007/10/05/reading-is-fundamental/

This 3 0 is gonna be fun to watch!

It is almost like Gailey was recruiting for PJ!

nwgatech wrote:

You have got to check out this link to really appreciate the 3 O.

http://thebirddog.wordpress.com/2007/07/30/five-myths-of-paul-johnsons-offense/

That, my friend, was a great read.

nwgatech wrote:

It is almost like Gailey was recruiting for PJ!

lol I've been thinking that too. Partly because I think our defensive depth is stout enough so that PJ can let Wommack do his thing and can concentrate solely on his offense. That being said, look at our early D commits:

As I've said before, I am not worried about the PJ O winning a game, I'm just worried about the D not keeping us in a game. Since our D was left in pretty good shape (despite losing some great seniors: Machine, Wheeler) and has some great returning starters (MJ, D-Rich) I have plenty of reason to think we will be fine.

That's good man.... Makes you wonder what PJ's recruiting/redshirt strategy will be for the next couple of years.... If he has the talent on offense to fill the positions needed in the skill areas will we see him continue to try to back-fill on D in recruiting and redshirt some of those speed-merchants like Wright, Peeples, and Shaw on offense? Will we continue to see less offensive recruits than defensive? With Roddy, Greg Smith stepping up to A-Back and Jamaal looking good, it will be interesting to watch his personnel choices in the fall as he determines depth charts and recruiting continues to shape up.....

Your right, it will be interesting to watch. On one hand all the early D commits make it seem like PJ is very satisfied with the weapons he has on O, on the other hand I wonder if it has something to do with offensive recruits wanting to wait and see how PJ's 3O shakes out in the ACC.

This is Scott from the GT Sports Blog. Here's another good read on the triple option:

Into the Mind of the Triple Option

I interviewed a head coach who has run this for years, and who in fact has his own site on multiple option offenses. In addition, he had a tie with Homer Rice, who was in fact one of the originators of the triple option.

You're absolutely right about Dwyer's speed to the outside, but it's his tackle breaking ability that makes him a perfect fit at B-Back. And the Adrian Peterson comparisons are well founded. Compare the famous Peterson run.. "The Run" that you can watch on Youtube where Peterson breaks about 5 tackles busting a huge gain from the B spot to Dwyer's big run from behind the QB in the Samford game last year, where he breaks 4-5 tackles on his way to the end zone. Dwyer has a low center of gravity, great lower body strength PLUS the speed to outrun D-Backs once he gets to the second level.

And don't forget that in this offense, anything goes. You'll see the QB-FB option run, where instead of hitting the hole, the B-Back will suddenly become the pitch-man on the outside. That's going to drive defenses crazy. Other times, you might see the B-Back shift into the slot or head to the flat for a pass. Dwyer at B-Back with shifty speedy guys at A-Back is the perfect fit for this offense.

BTW - Stinger92 ... love the Blog at GT Sports Blog.... Always able to get some great links and great reporting.... You were really the first site I found to start educating us guys to the 3 0.... You seem to do a great job in searching the web to pull out the great nuggets of info.... Great work over there.... Really my first and favorite blog to check for updates on GT sports.....

nwgatech wrote:

Really my first and favorite blog to check for updates on GT sports.....

Second that. Scott's blog is great. I'm there every day. And clickin the Amazon links to keep him flush.

Dwyer should fit right in at the B-back position. Has all the attributes to be a great B back. His lower body is very strong, and can break a lot of tackles. Combine that with his 4.4 speed, he should be fun to watch.

On another note, I ask you all to check out www.whiteandgold.wordpress.com
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Thanks,
Jake

Dwyer IMO struggled some running the ball up the middle. He didn't hit the hole as hard as Choice, or Evans. He ran the ball great outside the tackles. The times he ran over people was in space IMO. Not to say he can't do well up the middle, but Evans IMO hits the hole harder up the middle. This might be why PJ has mentioned he will be looked at both positions a and b. However, I think PJ will teach him and demand him to hit the hole harder. I expect him to improve much in this area or he will not be there. Also he was a freshman last year and it might have been some inexperience impacting him. I think he is going to be a great back and PJ will find a way to work him in the offense. Interesting side note is that Luke Cox had the longest run all day up the middle.

Running from the B-Back position, bouncing it outside isn't really an option unless you get past the LB's then you should get it outside and read the blocks on the safeties.

Lucas Cox did a pretty good job of that when he got in the open field yesterday.