Emmit Smith on Trent Richardson

[RTR91]

Emmitt talks Trent | pnj.com | Pensacola News Journal

"I don't even flash back, because he's doing things that I didn't do," said Smith, recalling his own college career. "When I watch him, I am on the edge of my seat, because I know something explosive is about to happen. That is what this kid is bringing to the table.

Big praise for Trent from Emmit.

 

[disneybama]

Very cool - thanks for the link.

 

[kyallie]

Great article! Thanks! :smile:

 

[Hal Bennett]

I hope Trent and Mark have a breakout game tomorrow.

That was hard to take last Saturday, and neither one has quite rolled up the yardage this season like they are capable of.

If you ever ran the ball, you know that you can't do it without a line that is pushing -- or knocking -- the other line off the ball.

And we saw last Saturday how if your defense is not getting off the field, that puts the other team's defense on the field less, so that they are stronger against your running attack. Your offensive line therefore gets more and more tired having to react against a fresh defense. Result -- your running backs can look ordinary when they are world class. Rather disgusting situation.

I personally was never that taken with Emmit Smith. I know he was a great running back. But he made all that yardage sort of like Hank Aaron hit all those line drive home runs. Longevity. Why? He more or less ran straight ahead, legs following his shoulder pads, thus sparingly subjecting his knees to the punishment given to the knees of backs who run more dramatically.

Richardson has a little more wiggle that Smith, it seems to me, though Emmit was not just a straight ahead choo-choo type either. As for grit and determination, Smith certainly had that, and Richardson seems to have every bit of that going for him. But I think Emmit sees it correctly if he thinks Richardson is actually the more powerful back. Some athletes are known as "muscle men," regardless of their sport. Mickey Mantle. Ted Kluzewski. Trent is like an Olympic weightlifter. Tacklers seem to recognize too late that they have bit off more than they can chew when they grab ahold of him.

But he still needs some blocking, just like any other running back.

 

[Just Win]

I personally was never that taken with Emmit Smith. I know he was a great running back. But he made all that yardage sort of like Hank Aaron hit all those line drive home runs. Longevity. Why? He more or less ran straight ahead, legs following his shoulder pads, thus sparingly subjecting his knees to the punishment given to the knees of backs who run more dramatically.

Not to take anything away from Emmitt, but also you must consider the All-Pro Offensive Line he played behind for most of his career in Dallas. Can you imagine the kind of yards that players like Barry Sanders, Thurman Thomas, Gayle Sayers, OJ Simpson, Marcus Allen, Earl Campbell (I could go on and on) could have accumulated in their careers if they had played behind Emmitt's O-Line?

 

[sportbama101]

thanks Emmit Smith. Very nice.:tongue:

 

[bamacon]

Not to take anything away from Emmitt, but also you must consider the All-Pro Offensive Line he played behind for most of his career in Dallas. Can you imagine the kind of yards that players like Barry Sanders, Thurman Thomas, Gayle Sayers, OJ Simpson, Marcus Allen, Earl Campbell (I could go on and on) could have accumulated in their careers if they had played behind Emmitt's O-Line?

Barry still tried for the edge because he had too. He still was easy to tackle. Running between the tackles takes a more physical back that is more difficult to bring down. Barry wasn't that.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

E. Smith had GREAT and I mean GREAT vision. Sure, he had an all pro offensive line but I watched enough of their games to tell you that he was no slouch in the talent department and he was tough as nails.

 

[RogueElephant]

Thanks for the link, great article.

 

[deliveryman35]

Two guys from the same neck of the woods.

 

[Boclive]

Football is more complex than it used to be. Rules change, offenses change, defenses change. However the game is still played on a linear grid 300 feet long and 160 feet wide same as before the forward pass was legalized. The four plays to make ten yards pre-dates the forward pass, also.

If your team can't stop the run consistantly you are in trouble.

Ultimately, three yards and a cloud of dust remains a fundamental aspect of the game.

Running game needs to bounce back a little this week.

 

[banjeaux]

... But I think Emmit sees it correctly if he thinks Richardson is actually the more powerful back. Some athletes are known as "muscle men," regardless of their sport. Mickey Mantle. Ted Kluzewski.

Ted Kluzewski! Wow! Mr. Bennett, I haven't heard that name in 40 years, perhaps. Are you showing your age or did you read about that ol' National League all-star in the history books? :wink:

 

[NPGator]

Both incredible talents but we depended on Emmitt exclusively whereas Trent has support.

 

[Lost in TN]

Not to take anything away from Emmitt, but also you must consider the All-Pro Offensive Line he played behind for most of his career in Dallas. Can you imagine the kind of yards that players like Barry Sanders, Thurman Thomas, Gayle Sayers, OJ Simpson, Marcus Allen, Earl Campbell (I could go on and on) could have accumulated in their careers if they had played behind Emmitt's O-Line?

:BigA:Not only the O line but also the total offense. You could not key on the running game or Troy Aikman and Michael Irvin would hit you up for TD after TD.

 

[Nolan]

Thanks for providing that article, very cool. Kinda makes me smile when I think about Trent being the guy next year - the numbers he could put up, yikes.

 

[TommyMac]

Not to take anything away from Emmitt, but also you must consider the All-Pro Offensive Line he played behind for most of his career in Dallas. Can you imagine the kind of yards that players like Barry Sanders, Thurman Thomas, Gayle Sayers, OJ Simpson, Marcus Allen, Earl Campbell (I could go on and on) could have accumulated in their careers if they had played behind Emmitt's O-Line?

Emmitt doesn't have to apologize for having a good O-line, that guy was nails. He made plenty of YAC and was a helluva leader. He was the glue of those great Cowboy teams.

I remember Emmitt as a freshman slicing and dicing our D up and as bad as I hate to admit it, in the 2nd half I don't think our lads wanted any more of him.

 

[deliveryman35]

Emmitt doesn't have to apologize for having a good O-line, that guy was nails. He made plenty of YAC and was a helluva leader. He was the glue of those great Cowboy teams.

I remember Emmitt as a freshman slicing and dicing our D up and as bad as I hate to admit it, in the 2nd half I don't think our lads wanted any more of him.

You are right, TM. I was at that game in 1987 at Legion Field and remember it well.

 

[BamaJeff]

Not to take anything away from Emmitt, but also you must consider the All-Pro Offensive Line he played behind for most of his career in Dallas. Can you imagine the kind of yards that players like Barry Sanders, Thurman Thomas, Gayle Sayers, OJ Simpson, Marcus Allen, Earl Campbell (I could go on and on) could have accumulated in their careers if they had played behind Emmitt's O-Line?

The Dallas haters always bring this up. He did have a great line in front of him. But Emmitt was pretty darn tough! Barry Sanders was a quitter and Thurman Thomas wasn't near as tough as Emmitt.

 

[BamaFlum]

I certainly hope Mark and Trent look like Emmitt today versus the Ole Miss Rebears.

 

[TidePhin]

Mark reminds me of E. Smith