2011 Syracuse Football Preview: Running Backs

Welcome to part 2 of our series previewing the 2011 Syracuse Orange football team.  We kicked things off last week with the Quarterbacks, today we'll examine the Running Backs.  Before we do that, allow me a little rant (or don't and just skip ahead).

The wife and I are in the process of selling the townhouse we currently own and purchasing a larger domicile.  We've been at it a couple of months and let me assure you, it's nothing like that garbage you see on HGTV. It's actually a giant f*cking pain in the ass.  If it was as simple as seeing three houses and picking one, life would be a big fat bowl of cherries. Au contraire my friends, what those shysters on TV don't show is that it's one big negotiation.  You've got to negotiate your listing price, negotiate with potential buyers, negotiate on price reductions, negotiate with your significant other on important facts you won't think of -- like if you buy a certain house where will you put the Christmas tree? (seriously) 

And then the coup de grace is you've got to negotiate with all the realtors that populate the industry.  Half of these people make Lane Kiffin look ethical, the other half make Greg Robinson  look like a MENSA member.  And when you get done with that, make sure you don't make a bad choice, since you're spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on a place your children are going to inevitably destroy.  It's a blast, I tell ya, I blast.  I'd rather funnel bleach and snort Ajax than look at another house or talk to another realtor.

With that out of the way, let's look at SU's Running Backs.

Position Overview

The departure of 1,000 yard rusher Delone Carter to the Syracuse Indianapolis Colts leaves a gaping hole at the position Doug Marrone initially called the "Super Back."  While thankfully that term quickly disappeared, for the Orange, even with Carter gone, the talent they have at that position is still there. Senior Antwon Bailey will anchor a unit that's largely unproven, but dripping with potential.  Sophomore Prince-Tyson Gulley, RF Jerome Smith, and true freshman and hearty eater Adonis Ameen-Moore bring a nice variety of running and body styles to throw at opponents.

At the fullback spot, former walk-on Adam Harris has locked down the starting spot (and a team captaincy) and he's backed up by senior bowling ball Tombe Kose.

Pre-season Depth Chart (year listed by football eligibility)

Halfback

• Antwon Bailey (Sr)
• Prince-Tyson Gulley (Soph)
• Jerome Smith (RF)
• Adonis Ameen-Moore (Frosh)
• Steven Rene (RF)

Fullback

• Adam Harris
• Tombe Kose

Projected Changes to the Depth Chart

Barring injury, Bailey will be the man this year. He's certainly not going to get beat out and lose his spot.  However, he'll be spelled by a number of the players behind him and how that shakes out will most likely depend on the position on the field, down and distance, and which players emerge when given the opportunity.

Fullback appears set in the order listed above.

Synopsis

You heard a frequent refrain from us after games last year -- give Bailey more touches.  We weren't alone, as our good buddy Brent Axe also called for Ant to get the rock more.  However, Delone Carter was a beast and SU won 8 games, so who are we to argue?

While Bailey hasn't been a starter since he's been on campus, he's played extensively for three years, starting as a freshman when he almost beat Notre Dame all by himself.  He's proven to be dynamic in open space, has excellent hands and isn't afraid to put his head down and run hard between the tackles. He runs with a determination and resolve that would have made Smedley Butler proud. The concern has been that given his diminutive size he doesn't have the frame to take a full season of pounding. 

Behind Bailey things get interesting.  Gulley played sparingly last year and missed the first portion of camp because he was stabbed.  Reports indicate Jerome Smith showed excellent signs last year before getting injured, and has looked sharp so far.  The most intriguing potential contributor  is true freshman Adonis Amen Moore, who at 5'10" and almost 250 has drawn comparisons to Jerome Bettis -- so much so that he's wearing 36.

On the fullback side, Harris has proven he's a strong leader -- he'll need to improve his blocking and clear space for Bailey to have the best year he's capable of having. For an excellent report on how the running backs looked this spring, check out this post from Dan Lyons.

Prediction

While there are size concerns with Bailey, this is college football. It's a place where small backs have thrived.  Bailey hasn't been injury prone since he's been here. I'm looking for a big year out of him.  I think Gulley is the main back up, getting 5-10 touches a game, and I have no knowledge of this, but based on reports coming from the SU beat writers, I think Ameen-Moore works his way into the rotation as the short yardage back by mid-season.

Look for Bailey to have a big year for the following reasons:

• He will be running behind an experienced offensive line.
• He will benefit from utilization of the shotgun formation, which will allow coaches to use his quickness better and get him the ball in space more quickly.
• He's small enough to get lost behind a tall offensive line -- he won't be easy to find.

The most interesting thing to watch will be whether Smith or Ameen-Moore gets on the field.  A lot of the answer will come down to who picks up the blocking schemes quicker.  Bailey has proven himself adept and fearless at picking up the blitz and I can't see Marrone putting Ryan Nassib's life on the line if he's afraid one of the younger backs will miss a double A gap blitz and send the QB to the hospital.

Best Case Scenario


Antwon Bailey has a year that makes everyone forget Carter. He racks up 1,000 yards on the ground and another 400 receiving.  Gulley spells him in spots and proves to be even quicker and more dynamic. Ameen-Moore compliments the duo and really does become a young Jerome Bettis, running over multiple defenders with ease.
 
Worst Case Scenario

Bailey gets injured, Gulley goes to more knife parties, Amen-Moore wins a lifetime free pass to the Old Country Buffet, leaving an often nicked up Smith and tiny Steve Rene to carry the load.  The Orange running game regresses to 2007 Greg Robinson levels - when Curtis Brinkley led the team with 371 yards rushing.
Position Grade

B- (would be higher but a lack of proven depth keeps it here).

Bonus Video

We told you Bailey could block: