Bronco_Beerslug
07-26-2008, 10:01 AM
Man, Pittman has some arms on him doesn't he :)
I'm a little pessemistic about our RBs this year so I hope one of them breaks out.
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Competition open for No. 1 ballcarrier (http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/jul/25/all-backs-in-the-running/)
By Lee Rasizer, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Friday, July 25, 2008
Frozen food section, the pharmacy, it doesn't matter.
Bobby Turner gets more than he's bargained for when he shops.
People want information from the Broncos running backs coach.
"I constantly get that," Turner said as training camp opened Friday. "Whether I'm in the grocery store during quote-unquote 'down time' or if I run to pick up a prescription or something like that. I'll run into someone and it's the usual questions - 'Who's going to be toting it? Who's going to be carrying the ball?'
"And everybody has their favorite."
Um, so Bobby, just one question: Who is going to be toting it this season for Mike Shanahan's crew?
"We don't know yet," he responded.
http://media.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/content/img/photos/2008/07/25/436785538_t613.jpg
Denver Broncos running backs, from left, Anthony Alridge, Selvin Young, Ryan Torain, Andre Hall and Michael Pittman challenge each other during the opening day of training camp Friday at Broncos headquarters.
Turner got that message across to his group during Friday's first position meeting. He told them nobody's No. 1 and while there's an opening rotation in place, the top job is open.
Selvin Young, last year's leading rusher with 729 yards, opens the summer as the lead back. But given recent history, where virtual unknowns have emerged in August to eventually play a pivotal role in the backfield, it's hardly a lock several weeks down the road.
Young himself knows that either Michael Pittman or Andre Hall or rookies Ryan Torain or Anthony Alridge could surpass him if he doesn't play well in the next few weeks. Because last year at this time, he was one of the virtual unknowns just clawing to make the team, just like Mike Bell, the No. 2 rusher on the team in 2006, was the previous training camp.
"I was thinking about that (Thursday). And I have the same exact feeling I had last year. No one's told me, 'Hey Selvin, you're the guy that's going to be taking snaps against Oakland,' " Young said, referring to the Sept. 8 regular-season opener. "I still feel like I'm the guy that they're going to tell that to. But once you go to work every day, it doesn't matter if it's Year 1, Year 2 or Year 3, you try to keep the same mind-set. I'm still a rookie in one sense. I haven't done anything well enough to prove anything to anybody. I've still got proving to be done. So my mind-set hasn't changed one bit."
The circumstances, though, have changed.
The sudden release of Travis Henry last month added a further element of chaos to the proceedings.
But Turner isn't altering his approach. He'll coach them all up, watch them perform, then select his favorite in unison with Shanahan and offensive coordinator Rick Dennison.
"The thing that you want is to have a successful running game," Shanahan said. "I don't care if it's by committee or one guy who takes the opportunity to be the guy. The main thing I'd like to do is average over 5 yards per carry. We've had some backs here that have averaged over 5 yards per carry. If we can do that by committee, great. If one guy takes the opportunity and wants to get it done and can stay healthy, that's great as well."
Young averaged 5.2 yards on 140 attempts last year, which is a key reason why he currently is heading the pack.
Rushing numbers drop
But by Broncos standards, the running game hasn't been great lately, only good. The club ranked second in the NFL in rushing yards in 2005, but dipped to eighth and ninth the past two years. Denver hasn't had a 1,500-yard rusher since Clinton Portis in 2003. And the four rushers carrying the ball the most over the past four years (including Henry last year) have averaged 4.5, 4.2, 4.4 and 4.1 yards per carry.
"I'm upset if we're not No. 1 every year," Turner said. "That's what I come to work for."
The wide-open competition at Dove Valley seemed excited at the opportunity at hand.
On Friday, Hall followed Young in the rotation, with Pittman, Torain and Alridge next. But that mix will change frequently, depending on performance.
"It's definitely motivating," said Pittman, the most experienced player in the bunch with 10 years, 1,316 carries and 5,307 yards under his belt. "Right now, Selvin's slotted No. 1 and he should be. . . . But when coach comes in and says, 'Don't worry about the depth chart that comes out, we're going to play the best guy on the football field,' you know the job's open and if you go out and perform, you'll play."
CONT.
I'm a little pessemistic about our RBs this year so I hope one of them breaks out.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Competition open for No. 1 ballcarrier (http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/jul/25/all-backs-in-the-running/)
By Lee Rasizer, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Friday, July 25, 2008
Frozen food section, the pharmacy, it doesn't matter.
Bobby Turner gets more than he's bargained for when he shops.
People want information from the Broncos running backs coach.
"I constantly get that," Turner said as training camp opened Friday. "Whether I'm in the grocery store during quote-unquote 'down time' or if I run to pick up a prescription or something like that. I'll run into someone and it's the usual questions - 'Who's going to be toting it? Who's going to be carrying the ball?'
"And everybody has their favorite."
Um, so Bobby, just one question: Who is going to be toting it this season for Mike Shanahan's crew?
"We don't know yet," he responded.
http://media.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/content/img/photos/2008/07/25/436785538_t613.jpg
Denver Broncos running backs, from left, Anthony Alridge, Selvin Young, Ryan Torain, Andre Hall and Michael Pittman challenge each other during the opening day of training camp Friday at Broncos headquarters.
Turner got that message across to his group during Friday's first position meeting. He told them nobody's No. 1 and while there's an opening rotation in place, the top job is open.
Selvin Young, last year's leading rusher with 729 yards, opens the summer as the lead back. But given recent history, where virtual unknowns have emerged in August to eventually play a pivotal role in the backfield, it's hardly a lock several weeks down the road.
Young himself knows that either Michael Pittman or Andre Hall or rookies Ryan Torain or Anthony Alridge could surpass him if he doesn't play well in the next few weeks. Because last year at this time, he was one of the virtual unknowns just clawing to make the team, just like Mike Bell, the No. 2 rusher on the team in 2006, was the previous training camp.
"I was thinking about that (Thursday). And I have the same exact feeling I had last year. No one's told me, 'Hey Selvin, you're the guy that's going to be taking snaps against Oakland,' " Young said, referring to the Sept. 8 regular-season opener. "I still feel like I'm the guy that they're going to tell that to. But once you go to work every day, it doesn't matter if it's Year 1, Year 2 or Year 3, you try to keep the same mind-set. I'm still a rookie in one sense. I haven't done anything well enough to prove anything to anybody. I've still got proving to be done. So my mind-set hasn't changed one bit."
The circumstances, though, have changed.
The sudden release of Travis Henry last month added a further element of chaos to the proceedings.
But Turner isn't altering his approach. He'll coach them all up, watch them perform, then select his favorite in unison with Shanahan and offensive coordinator Rick Dennison.
"The thing that you want is to have a successful running game," Shanahan said. "I don't care if it's by committee or one guy who takes the opportunity to be the guy. The main thing I'd like to do is average over 5 yards per carry. We've had some backs here that have averaged over 5 yards per carry. If we can do that by committee, great. If one guy takes the opportunity and wants to get it done and can stay healthy, that's great as well."
Young averaged 5.2 yards on 140 attempts last year, which is a key reason why he currently is heading the pack.
Rushing numbers drop
But by Broncos standards, the running game hasn't been great lately, only good. The club ranked second in the NFL in rushing yards in 2005, but dipped to eighth and ninth the past two years. Denver hasn't had a 1,500-yard rusher since Clinton Portis in 2003. And the four rushers carrying the ball the most over the past four years (including Henry last year) have averaged 4.5, 4.2, 4.4 and 4.1 yards per carry.
"I'm upset if we're not No. 1 every year," Turner said. "That's what I come to work for."
The wide-open competition at Dove Valley seemed excited at the opportunity at hand.
On Friday, Hall followed Young in the rotation, with Pittman, Torain and Alridge next. But that mix will change frequently, depending on performance.
"It's definitely motivating," said Pittman, the most experienced player in the bunch with 10 years, 1,316 carries and 5,307 yards under his belt. "Right now, Selvin's slotted No. 1 and he should be. . . . But when coach comes in and says, 'Don't worry about the depth chart that comes out, we're going to play the best guy on the football field,' you know the job's open and if you go out and perform, you'll play."
CONT.