How does Franklin use all of these exceptional running backs?

[BobPSU92]

Sanders will be the feature back this year and most likely next as well. Given that, how does Franklin work Slade, Brown, and Ford into the lineup?

Some consider Brown raw, maybe because of the competition he saw in high school (?), but there is talk of him being used on returns. Is that where we will most likely see him, at least this season?

Slade is a true freshman this year, and Ford will be a true freshman next year. They look to be too talented to redshirt or to just spell Sanders here and there. How will Franklin use them?

We need more footballs.

 

[Nashville Lion]

A great problem to have and I think we should look at how alabama used multiple backs or even Georgia with Chubb and Michel. Honestly if the egos are kept in check, it keeps these young men fresh, healthy, etc

 

[sluggo72]

You know there is always the power I!!

 

[bdgan]

Sanders will be the feature back this year and most likely next as well. Given that, how does Franklin work Slade, Brown, and Ford into the lineup?

Some consider Brown raw, maybe because of the competition he saw in high school (?), but there is talk of him being used on returns. Is that where we will most likely see him, at least this season?

Slade is a true freshman this year, and Ford will be a true freshman next year. They look to be too talented to redshirt or to just spell Sanders here and there. How will Franklin use them?

We need more footballs.

KO returns for sure. I think Franklin only used Barkley on KO returns to help him pad his Heisman stats. I don't think he would ordinarily want to use his starting RB. Sanders might run back a few kicks this year but I think Franklin would prefer to limit him to RB duties.

One of them could get carries behind Allen and Thomas. Maybe as a slot receiver but they have to prove they can block. Maybe Slade redshirts. We'll know in a few months.

 

[ACGT]

You know there is always the power I!!

How about the power III?

 

[NJPSU]

Sanders will be the feature back this year and most likely next as well. Given that, how does Franklin work Slade, Brown, and Ford into the lineup?

Some consider Brown raw, maybe because of the competition he saw in high school (?), but there is talk of him being used on returns. Is that where we will most likely see him, at least this season?

Slade is a true freshman this year, and Ford will be a true freshman next year. They look to be too talented to redshirt or to just spell Sanders here and there. How will Franklin use them?

We need more footballs.

Sanders could be gone after this year.

 

[sss]

Sanders could be gone after this year.

Correct. You have to plan for this, if Sanders has a breakout year. This fall, Sanders gets the majority of the carries, with Allen and Brown getting 3rd down reps. Maybe Slade fits in here as well if he is talented enough. I would expect Thomas to get some carries late in games. Certainly some of these guys get reps on returns. Then in 2019, Thomas, Allen, and possibly Sanders are gone. That leaves only Brown, Slade, and Ford. Plenty of carries to go around. And just enough depth to cover an injury.

 

[Nittany Security]

Sanders will go pro if he has a good year. He sent out a tweet around the draft it said something like "one more year" I want him to have a great season.

 

[royboy]

Barkley may be the start of a number of 3-year guys at Running Back

 

[demlion]

You know there is always the power I!!

T formation. Micah Parsons @fullback! He should play both ways for 4 years.

 

[brupsu]

Sanders will be the feature back this year and most likely next as well. Given that, how does Franklin work Slade, Brown, and Ford into the lineup?

Some consider Brown raw, maybe because of the competition he saw in high school (?), but there is talk of him being used on returns. Is that where we will most likely see him, at least this season?

Slade is a true freshman this year, and Ford will be a true freshman next year. They look to be too talented to redshirt or to just spell Sanders here and there. How will Franklin use them?

We need more footballs.

Sanders will be the feature back this year and most likely next as well. Given that, how does Franklin work Slade, Brown, and Ford into the lineup?

Some consider Brown raw, maybe because of the competition he saw in high school (?), but there is talk of him being used on returns. Is that where we will most likely see him, at least this season?

Slade is a true freshman this year, and Ford will be a true freshman next year. They look to be too talented to redshirt or to just spell Sanders here and there. How will Franklin use them?

We need more footballs.

Will be great fun watching how CJF uses all this talent.There also seems to be a good chance for a second back in this class.Interesting psu is now going up against Saban more frequently in recruiting.

 

[BobPSU92]

Barkley may be the start of a number of 3-year guys at Running Back

I'm old-school and hope these guys leaving early get their degrees at some point.

 

[psuro]

6 offensive lineman
5 running backs

No quarterback.

Mark. It. Down.

 

[SoParkLion]

Hopefully the RBs will be more well rounded and work more on blocking and catching passes. I didn't think that Sanders played all that well last year. Not just compared to Saquon, but compared to our usual RBs.

 

[Roar More]

The wishbone returns!!!!

 

[Rip_E_2_Joe_PA]

Sanders will be the feature back this year and most likely next as well. Given that, how does Franklin work Slade, Brown, and Ford into the lineup?

Some consider Brown raw, maybe because of the competition he saw in high school (?), but there is talk of him being used on returns. Is that where we will most likely see him, at least this season?

Slade is a true freshman this year, and Ford will be a true freshman next year. They look to be too talented to redshirt or to just spell Sanders here and there. How will Franklin use them?

We need more footballs.

Exceptionally.

 

[bmw199]

Sanders could be gone after this year.

Correct. You have to plan for this, if Sanders has a breakout year. This fall, Sanders gets the majority of the carries, with Allen and Brown getting 3rd down reps. Maybe Slade fits in here as well if he is talented enough. I would expect Thomas to get some carries late in games. Certainly some of these guys get reps on returns. Then in 2019, Thomas, Allen, and possibly Sanders are gone. That leaves only Brown, Slade, and Ford. Plenty of carries to go around. And just enough depth to cover an injury.

Sanders will go pro if he has a good year. He sent out a tweet around the draft it said something like "one more year" I want him to have a great season.

I don't get how more don't understand these five stars come with expectation that they are 3 and done from the start. They're also told that is the plan from the staff. I put the odds on Sanders coming back very low

 

[BobPSU92]

I don't get how more don't understand these five stars come with expectation that they are 3 and done from the start. They're also told that is the plan from the staff. I put the odds on Sanders coming back very low

He was a five-star coming out of high school a few years ago. He has shown potential at Penn State, but obviously in limited duty. Let’s see if he lives up to the billing in his first opportunity as the every-down back since high school.

 

[Connorpozlee]

KO returns for sure. I think Franklin only used Barkley on KO returns to help him pad his Heisman stats. I don't think he would ordinarily want to use his starting RB. Sanders might run back a few kicks this year but I think Franklin would prefer to limit him to RB duties.

One of them could get carries behind Allen and Thomas. Maybe as a slot receiver but they have to prove they can block. Maybe Slade redshirts. We'll know in a few months.

I think he played Barkley as a returner because he was the best option and gave him another opportunity to touch the ball. I don’t think it was just a Heisman ploy.

 

[Connorpozlee]

I don’t quite see it with Sanders like some in here seem to. I think there is a better chance of him splitting carries with Slade this year than him leaving early to be a high draft pick.

 

[bmw199]

He was a five-star coming out of high school a few years ago. He has shown potential at Penn State, but obviously in limited duty. Let’s see if he lives up to the billing in his first opportunity as the every-down back since high school.

See Trent Thompson. He's gone barring injury

 

[83wuzme]

Sanders hasn’t had to be the man yet because of Barkley. Now he has to be the man. Sometimes, this changes a player’s mentality.
Slade can challenge for #2 this year. But at his size right now and being a true freshman, he doesn’t appear readly for anything like what Saquon was able to provide in 2015.
RB is a position where you always need multiple quality guys. From what I have seen from Rahne, I think he will try to create a more dependable running game than what we have seen for the past few seasons. The OL has been seriously upgraded and the offense maintains some significant weapons in the passing game. As long as that continues, whatever backs we have are likely to experience success.

 

[SoParkLion]

Joe have one play linebacker...

 

[swordsman_l]

In today's game a 4-5* RB rarely stays 4 years.
I see no reason to redshirt a legit 4-5* RB.

 

[dmdpsu]

Sanders will be the feature back this year and most likely next as well. Given that, how does Franklin work Slade, Brown, and Ford into the lineup?

Some consider Brown raw, maybe because of the competition he saw in high school (?), but there is talk of him being used on returns. Is that where we will most likely see him, at least this season?

Slade is a true freshman this year, and Ford will be a true freshman next year. They look to be too talented to redshirt or to just spell Sanders here and there. How will Franklin use them?

We need more footballs.

Frankly, I think RB is one of our riskier depth positions. If Sanders goes down, Allen is our only real qualified experienced sub. Remember a few years ago we were down to our 4th string RB in one of our games. I forget which game, but you need at least three good experienced RB's ready. Not to mention, with rotations, and special teams KO's & PR etc...all these guys will get PT if they are qualified.

 

[tboyer]

It's been so long since PSU had this kind of quality depth at the position, we forget that coaches totally can take advantage of 3, even 4 backs. Look at 1986, Dozier, Smith, Manoa and Blair Thomas, and Paterno used them all, a lot.

Now the fullback position is gone, it's more a game of speed and backs who are also receivers, but there will be no problem making good use of 4 great running backs if that's what PSU ends up with.

Plus the days are long gone when players wanted 32 carries a game. Their chance of NFL gold is a lot greater if they have 15-20 carries a game, a high YPC, great film and pass-catching and blocking ability. The NFL will risk more money on backs that don't have 100,000 miles on the engine.

Look at Ford, he's looking forward to playing with Ricky Slade - they'll make each other better.

Huge number of carries and yardage is of greater interest to the Heisman committee than it is to college coaches and the NFL. The Heisman is still living in the past in that sense.

Sanders will be the feature back this year and most likely next as well. Given that, how does Franklin work Slade, Brown, and Ford into the lineup?

Some consider Brown raw, maybe because of the competition he saw in high school (?), but there is talk of him being used on returns. Is that where we will most likely see him, at least this season?

Slade is a true freshman this year, and Ford will be a true freshman next year. They look to be too talented to redshirt or to just spell Sanders here and there. How will Franklin use them?

We need more footballs.

 

[Ranger Dan]

I don't get how more don't understand these five stars come with expectation that they are 3 and done from the start. They're also told that is the plan from the staff. I put the odds on Sanders coming back very low

Alabama seems to be doing ok, so is tOSU... if you contend for national championships and get players into the league, I think you will find guys who are willing to wait or shRe the time. Those that aren’t willing to do sk aren’t worth having.

 

[PSUQBKeeper]

look guys....after this season Tommy Stevens is going to move into the starting quarterback slot and SOMEBODY is going to have to step up at the LION position