![]() ![]() Some of his most impressive moments in this game came on carries that netted less than four yards. The Alabama running back is definitely closer to the spectrum of Trent Richardson and Mark Ingram than he is to Glenn Coffee. "Skill" almost seems like a neutral term for a player like Lacy. The 6-feet-even, 220-pound Lacy had 12 carries for 55 yards and three touchdowns in a blowout against the Arkansas Razorbacks two weeks ago, but there were plenty of worthwhile moments to contribute towards an overall evaluation of Lacy’s skill as a runner. However, even the best blockers have moments where the running back has to bail them out and do the tough sledding alone. The Crimson Tide’s front five is considered among the best units in college football. When it comes to weak offensive lines, Alabama running back Eddie Lacy has no such problem. In English, that’s the decision-making aspect of vision. Athleticism aside, good running backs must possess a consistent understanding of how to assess and act on situational risk-reward on every play. I think a good example of a situation where the line made the back was former Alabama and (briefly) San Francisco 49ers back Glen Coffee, who I graded as a low-end reserve when I watched him years ago. However, a strong offensive line can also mask a running back’s deficiencies. ![]() In each of their cases, the skills they exhibited despite their offensive lines getting dominated at the point of attack transcended the final outcome of the play, the game, and the box score. I gave NFL starter grades in these linked reports to Ahmad Bradshaw, Matt Forte, and Joseph Addai in past Rookie Scouting Portfolio publications based on performances against top-tier defensive competition that limited these running backs to less than three yards per carry. I do think there are observational methods to tell us whether a college running back has NFL-caliber skill regardless of his current offensive line. ![]() Does the offensive line make the running back or is it the other way around? Some view the topic as an either/or answer. ![]()
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