Because he was right, and a Coach is doing something about it.
We (meaning DomerMQ) have been harping on the RB’s inability to break big runs for some time now. Forget about the general suckitude of the running game in ’07 and ’08, MQ’s focus has been more on getting those big runs to happen.
Just recently, DMQ did some analysis on our top runs in terms of yardage vs. our competition last year. You can see that analysis here.
Well, 1st year Coach Tony Alford has heard DMQ, and he agrees, and has taken the blame, and has accepted the challenge.
“I think we need to make more big plays,†Alford said Tuesday. “We got tripped up too many times.†“We have to do a better job of breaking tackles at the end and finishing runs off,†Alford said.
Alford takes the blame for Allen not breaking more big runs (the biggest run Saturday was for 19 yards, which is pretty solid compared to last year considering the longest run all year was 21 yards, but not great in general).
“…That’s a lot on me. I’m going to take a lot of that heat from [Allen]. I’ll deflect that, because if I’m not doing drill work to help him improve on those skills, that’s on me. So we’re going to see what we can do to get that better.â€
And when Alford takes the blame and sees an issue, he addresses it immediately in drills. Instead of their usual progression, Alford switched up the drills to focus more on breaking tackles, staying upright and moving forward after contact.
That’s why he’s changing up practice this week. Irish running backs are running through rope ladders instead of bags, and when they burst out of the gauntlet, which simulates breaking a tackle, they have to immediately run over bags to simulate stepping out of another tackle.
And this, to me, is the key. He identified the issue in Week 1. Awesome. He took the blame and deflected it from his players. Awesome. And he’s addressing it NOW in practice, and not just theoretically – but with drills that get right at the issue. That’s good coaching. I am starting to love Coach Alford.
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Michael Homula
Great piece on an important topic for our running game. I played high school football with Tony Alford and, among a thousand great things I can say about him, he is hard working, accepts responsibility and he is a champion – it’s that simple.
He will fix this and you will see AA and company breaking off some big runs. Wouldn’t be surprised to see one this week in Ann Arbor (is a whore).
Go Irish!