Carrying The Mail: Why Cody Johnson Is The Answer At RB

Greg Davis could line me up in the backfield and I’d find a way to make my stats sound pompous when read over the Internet.

I think you should run Johnson to the outside to punish smaller, quicker defenders and Fozzy on the inside to dodge the bigger, slower guys.

“Career stats: 163 carries, 673 yards, 24 TDs*, 4.1 ypc, 7 catches, 42 yards

• He has a good chance at leaving Texas with 50+ rushing TDs. Wild stat.
  "

Wait, he’s only a Jr then? Really? It seems like he’s been here since Shipley started.

I think another number that would be good to see would be the number rushes that did not go for negative yards. I think that would drive home some of your points you are making.

Yes, the one thing I want in a big back is for him to run laterally without his shoulders squared while quicker athletes take out his legs.
 
Running an injury prone scatback into Colby Whitlock is also good.

That kind of offensive football acumen is way ahead of the curve and will get you a job at the University of Texas.

U- 06
 
I exist to serve my readership.
 
Cody Johnson has has 9 yards of negative yardage in 163 career carries. -5 in 2009. -4 in 2008.
 
By comparison, Fozzy has had 56 yards of negative yardage on only 117 carries. -34 in 2009. -22 in 2008.
 
AND THE DEFENSE RESTS!!!

Shit, Gerald Myers retired effective 5/31/11.

No one gives a shit.

I know Cody a little, though I’m cooler with other memebers of his family. I was saying hello to Cody at a Spring practice. Mad Dog took note of that and came over and asked me, “When’s he going to turn it on….” I told him I didn’t know, and if he hasn’t done it by now, I’m skeptical.

I don’t know what happened, but I’m glad it did. I’m hoping that this is for real and Cody didn’t thin out by getting the flu or an a light case of mono.

Don’t sleep on Cody’s explosiveness either. In high school, at 5’11" and 237 lbs, he could dunk. I could see Cody making a house call from 50 out.

For the DJ Monroe package – would we run that with another back on the field as well? Perhaps with CJ – that would give us a legit threat of a between the tackles run – added to the legit threat of a DJ end-around (or whatever we’re calling DJ plays). Yeah DJ’s not going to be able to block anybody – but someone’s going to have to account for him. He may actually be most effectively used as a decoy.

I know, but it also means I have to go blog about something no one gives a shit about.

“with DJ Monroe making occasional appearances to run a special play that the defense will be calling out before the snap. "

Quoted for truth.

At least from the pressers it seems they at least ACKNOWLEDGE that they are predictable as hell.

I know, but it also means I have to go blog about something no one gives a shit about.

Life on the South Plains is tough.

So do I still have to pay for my own tote bag?

UT-06
 
You should buy me tote bag for carrying your ass on this thread.

WeAreVince – using Monroe in a two back pro set formation with CJ as the centerpiece makes a lot of sense. Decoy for CJ between the tackles. CJ there to pass protect the weak side on a pass play to the wideouts. You still get the ball to the speedster by the preferred handoff/pitch.

To the extent we use pro set as a base formation with CJ, inserting Monroe in a rotation with Fozzy and Tre might muffle the alarm about Monroe’s presence. It definitely makes teams have to think and commit between stopping speed versus brute force, and that’s on top of still having to defend against the pass.

But again, it all revolves around what Cody represents and what he forces opposing defenses to do. Cody recommiting himself to shape and conditioning this year brings the potential even closer to reality.

I’m sold.

Although I was very impressed with Fozzy in the small amount of time I saw him last week. He does appear to have added some good weight.

I’m always impressed with Fozzy. But he’s made of popsicle sticks.
 
Cody’s injury issues don’t strike me as structural. More just bad conditioning.

All seems so logical. Too logical. Who’s callin’ Mack and ‘splainin’ this to him and Gregory D?

I think you should run Johnson to the outside to punish smaller, quicker defenders and Fozzy on the inside to dodge the bigger, slower guys.

This is one of the more genius comments I’ve seen on this blog.

Good write up. It’s interesting how football has changed to a “by committee” approach over the last few years. Me thinks if you keep yanking RBs in and out you it makes it difficult to develop timing and rhythm in the running game. Johnson could ware some D’s out if they just leave him out there. Make Newton the 3rd down back and call it a day. Anybody know what Paden Kelly did to get himself suspended?

I don’t think there is a cunt hair’s difference between Cody and Tre in our scheme overall. Situationally, one is better than the other. I hope we utilize them well.

WHAT?! Dang it I spend damn near every minute at work perusing Longhorns sites and I’m just now hearing Kelly got suspended? Shit. And he was getting praise from coaches for having a good camp.

Anybody know what Paden Kelly did to get himself suspended?

He’s from Lake Travis. If it didn’t involve grass, a nubile and disrobed 16 year old, and a Skurfer, i’d be shocked.

how often are we gonna see a two-back set?
really. c’mon.
that alone will be showing our cards.

even under 11 or 12 personnel DJ’s presence on the field will cripple our prospects on the edge.

“I don’t think there is a cunt hair’s difference between Cody and Tre in our scheme overall.”

This equates thusly: Cody = the red C-hair. Fozzy = the brunette C-hair. Fozzy = the blonde C-hair.

Re: how often are we gonna see a two-back set? really. c’mon.

Perhaps never. But compared to last year, a combination of the diminished role of QB as runner by design and option, and OL performance in pass protection could ultimately shift it towards more often. And it goes without saying that it would be split back formation.

magnus -
 
Interesting info. Cody can break a long run – see A&M game in ‘08 – but I don’t think J Charles is worried about his legacy being challenged.

Q Package for DJ?
or Cluster Flux

I could see Cody hitting 5 per carry in a regular role. His YPC was not helped by scoring 1 yard TDs, which he was proficient at, or getting the ball in short yardage when everyone in the stadium knew he was getting the ball.

The line about 250 lbs of added protection for Gilbert is what sold me.

But The Secret is totally overrated as a back.

I can’t credit The Secret for positive yardage unless I count all the defenestration.

I’ll vote for Cody. Let him grind out the hard yards for the first 3 quarters, using Tre for 3rd and long. Drop Fozzy in there during the 4th and see if he can break free against tired teams.

Honest question from know-nothing: are shovel passes the same thing as shuttle passes?

Irregardless (ha-ha), no more unblocked shovel/shuttle passes, please.

And some woman on this planet still has cunt hair?

AI be “The Answer,” bee-otches! Don’t be talkin’ ‘bout no cracker named “Cody” takin’ that from me. From ME. No how. As long as we’re not talkin’ ’bout practice, of course.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGDBR2L5kzI

I like a big back as a fit for what we are trying to do offensively for the reasons you state. I also like a physical back (and running game) as a match for a defense and special teams that hit hard enough to make the other guys’ hats ring. Our passive east-west running game has been the thing on our team that is not like the others. The clip of Cody bull-dozing CU’s D-line makes the point.

Can Tre or Fozzy stop Ronnell Lewis on a blitz?

That’s not the most important thing. The most important thing is to know he’s coming, or to know where to look to find out and then what to do. Tre gets the nod in this department, possibly. Insufficient data on Cody. I’d rather see a 200 lb guy at least slow down or get run over by the LB than have a 250 lb guy go the wrong way and let him have a kill shot on our season.

shovel pass = shuffle pass = shuttle pass. I’ve always been a shovel pass man myself.

“with DJ Monroe making occasional appearances to run a special play that the defense will be calling out before the snap. "

Ah yes, the Brett Robin Package. I started covering my eyes for that by the North Carolina game.

As far as Mr Glass is concerned, he won’t see the end of the Rice game so I try not to think about his great talent.

Speed Kills -
 
Cody is pretty conscientious about that, from what I’ve read. And mastering pass protection as a RB isn’t very complicated if you can understand two words: inside out.
 
Then it’s just a matter of want-to and physics.

Utah pass

“Cody Johnson has has 9 yards of negative yardage in 163 career carries. -5 in 2009. -4 in 2008. "

game over. cant have 2nd and 10s this year.

What has Johnson done to suddenly become our sole hope at rb?

Be seen by me in person looking good.

So basically our running game is going to be mediocre regardless of who plays running back, so it’s better to have a guy back there that can block, and won’t lose yardage?

You make some good points, but it doesn’t mean we have to like it.

My favorite run by Cody was a sweep right for a TD against OU two years ago. He and Roy Miller (I believe it was Roy) were fighting for the goal line like it was for the freaking Alamo.

I share Scipio’s RB fetish. It makes me sick to have a team that can’t run the ball like we had last year.

 I watched a ton of CJ’s high school film when he signed. He ran hard and actually busted some long runs. He seems like the kind of back that needs to get “lathered up” to really make a difference. He could be a guy that the other team is tired of seeing by the 4th quarter…I just hope the rumors about his conditioning are true.

Needless to say, Malcolm Brown signing was better than hearing that Eva Mendez made a sex tape.

Just over one week ’til we hitch up the Dreamwagon baby!!

Is Rudi Johnson a good model for Cody’s possible ceiling, or am I high on Dreamwagon fumes?

By God, you’ve done it again Scipio. Brilliant overall thesis.

I liked Cody in the past for being able to get at least some positive yardage even on the zone, he always seemed more interested in cutting back and just knocking someone back a yard than trying to get outside.

Dedfischer: Fozzy inside and Cody outside is fine in theory but:

For fozzy to be effective inside there has to be a hole there he is willing to shoot through, and he has to stay healthy doing so. Neither of those are close to givens.

Running Cody outside against Lewis and Lewis at OU hoping to punish them in the open field sounds like a terrible idea. Against A&M, Tech and Nebraska maybe it would work but often getting a guy like Cody going lateral makes him easier to bring down for the smaller tacklers. Does he consistently run with good body lean on the corner? I haven’t seen enough to say yes or no.

You could punish those outside linebackers and defensive backs just the same by running up the middle and making them fight blocks. So much of the punishment of a physical running game doesn’t come from tackling the back but from fighting off OL blocks.

Don’t underestimate Cody. If the coaches give him the reps, he’s going to have a very good season.

Every piece of film from practice that I have seen and what I saw at open practice gives me this confidence.

Running Cody on the outside doesn’t mean that he is going sideways WRT to the CB tackler. He can aim right at the DB and even use the carom of the collision vs the DB to help turn upfield. It can be quite difficult for an OL to block a dodging safety or CB in space but when the DB has to make a tackle, there is no dodging the runner.

Cody is cutting better since he lost weight and, in any event, the horns still run the stretch play so backs have to cut to the hole anyway.

Back when Vince and Cedric were in the same backfield, Vince would pitch to Cedric to get Ced isolated on the little guys outside and it was always easy money. A little swing pass plus decent blocking by the TE and H back vs the DE and playside OLB plus Malcolm shielding the playside safety ought to get Cody nicely isolated on a CB. The nice thing about the play is that you don’t need to even try to block the targeted CB and Cody doesn’t need to worry about dodging him, just bounce off him.

Mack has said Cody is blocking well. In terms of physics, there is no reason Cody can’t win or draw on a collision with most LBs. Even a DE better watch out because at 5’10", 250, Cody is packing a lot of mass with a very low center of gravity and explosive strength. Tall players are vulnerable to short squat powerful massive players. In a collision, whoever gets lower has an advantage. Cody is always going to be lower than the 6’4" DEs trying to blast him. Those little short steps Cody is forced to take are an advantage WRT to positioning his body for the block (the much taller, longer striding DE is unlikely to juke Cody). The biggest problem Cody will have blocking smaller DEs is the much longer reach of the DE (the big DEs may just run over him).

If you roll out the QB or do a WR sweep, you get an excellent lead blocker with Cody. Cody could also chip block a DE to help the OT get into his block of the DE. If you want to line up a WR (Tres or Fozzy, for example) at TB, Cody can play H back and provide the lead block.

The key thing is Cody needs to be stretching his hamstrings thoroughly every day.

My guess is that Cody and Tres get most of the TB carries. It might be nice to put Fozzy at IWR some, where he could participate in the running game on WR sweeps, line up at TB occasionally, get get lots of YAC on short passes, punish covering LBs deep, and avoid the physical punishment sustained by TBs.

I’m always skeptical of 250# running backs. They never seem to get out of their weight what they lose in their speed. That said, a tough blocking back makes all the sense in the world in Greg Davis’ offense. If you run spread with a new QB either you better have a prodigy or you better have a running back who can block. (The under center "power " running game will last until about the 3rd quarter against Rice when we have a grand total of 54 yards rushing). Greg Davis hates the running game.

The MNC game last year gives me some cause for concern about gilberts current ability to quickly respond to pressure. He’s going to see a lot of pressure.

Also, while Cody only has 9 negative rushing yards, how many of his carries come inside the 10 with two tight ends and or a fullback? It’s hard to lose much yardage under those conditions, no one is coming free unblocked

I am interested to see what the coaches reaction will be if we struggle to establish the run against lesser teams. Even the wishbone back in the days took until the 3rd game to get going. Will the coaches show enough patience to make it work? I fear Texas’ psyche is too fragile when it comes to the running game.

I just watched Cody’s touchdown against Colorado. Don’t watch Johnson, watch the line.

We have the ball at the five and we run what i would call a severe angle blocking scheme and pull the backside guard and tackle. It’s the slowest developing play you can imagine. Our center blocks like a fucking girl. He has the d tackle at a serious positioning disadvantage and he basically falls on his ass. No one blocks either the playside linebacker or backside linebacker, mainly because the pulling guard falls all over himself and basically plugs up what should be a huge hole.

That may very well be the absolute worst design for a counter I have ever seen in my life. I hate the way the back sets it up-, I hate the formation and i hate the blocking scheme inside the 5.

Traylon is redshirting according to his Facebook, whatever that’s
worth.

Roach-

Can’t tell you how many times last year I would re-watch the Texas game late Saturday night and just laugh at the pitiful excuse for a blocking system we would devise. Multiple times a game a lineman would fire off the line to block NO ONE and then turn around and watch the RB/QB get tackled.

My sunshine pumping half wants to think if we “go downhill” with a big back that the blocking assignments are less confusing, and therefore, more likely to work.

uthookem, one would have to harken back to the days of Jr. High to find that. Or, I’m sure some of the over 40’s on here have significant others that have packed it in and decided to go au naturale.

Art Vandaly, I watched that game with one my best friends, Cody’s cousin. We shit ourselves when we saw that toss sweep to CJ. You’re right, they fought their asses off for that score. Part of what helped was, if memory serves, he had already busted them up the middle twice for td’s. 3 td’s against OU = scholarship earned.

When he has the ball, he’s damn serious. When he doesn’t have the ball, he wants to drop dominology on fools and crack jokes, in between seconds and thirds. He’s good at all three of those leisures, but they don’t pay. He’s got an NFL future, if he wants it. I’m excited for him.

Oh, and his brother is built like Ben Alexander, except an inch or two wider and shorter. It ain’t all fat either. I joke with him about being only 5 inches from the NFL.

Scipio – Do you think Nebraska can still get away with running a base nickel without having a DT occupy two OL and still generate pressure? I know he wasn’t their entire defense, and of course it’s a Pelini specialty, but he gave them some freedoms I don’t think they’ll enjoy anymore.

I approve of this thread. All the pubic hair talk is good value.

Beyond the blocking and RB’s, the coaches have to be willing to stick with the running game and a back (even through a fumble or two) to figure out if we can do this or not.

Bailing for the passing game in the second quarter of game 2 won’t give us enough data to figure out if we can succeed on the ground.

“What identity would you hope we’ve established when we roll into Lincoln?”

I want our offense to steal our defenses identity.

As someone else already said, but it’s worth mentioning again – CJ’s YPC is surprisingly high considering the 1-3 yard TDs and short yardage carries he has been given through his career. I think I heard Mack say that Cody is no longer a short-yardage back in (could be wrong about this)… does this mean he will use someone else for the Jumbo package? Cody is clutch inside the 5

HipHop -
 
In the Big 12? Yes. They can get away with it because they avoid the teams on their schedule that can punish them for it. Their Front 4 is pretty good across the board, even without Suh.
 
rob-oh -
 
He’s still our short yardage back.

You guys that playe football tell me – after a run like that does everyone look down at the colorado players ont he ground and cull them a bunch of pussies?

Not with the official standing that close.

Scipio – Point taken.

I do like their DL even without Suh, and their secondary is probably one of the best in the country, but unless there’s new blood at LB, they’re still pretty weak there. I’m the standard fence sitting pussy in between the two camps saying that “Suh was their whole defense” and those that “don’t expect much dropoff.”

I know there’s still plenty of talent, but he was the most game changing DT I’ve seen since at least Sapp. I don’t see them reverting anywhere near Callahan level defense, but maybe closer to year 1 of Pelini than year 2. You’re absolutely right that the Big XII doesn’t have many offenses to punish them consistently, but I still see them bending just enough that I’ve got them at 8-4. I’ll especially be curious to see how they handle Locker.

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