Can we just %$!&! find a LEGIT full back?

[lloydroid]

Don't the Steelers understand the simple concept of a low center of gravity and how that helps a blocking full back? I thought the RETARDED concept of a tall FB was the brain fart of Arians, and yet, Pgh was planning on staying the course with a TE playing FB. Now that he is out for the year, we have the opportunity to re-install a real FB, who are always squatty and stout, like Kreider et al. I recall him planting Ray Lewis on his wallet all the time. That is what we need. If you are going to claim to be a power rushing team (at times) then get a %!!@% stocky FB. The one kid they got on the roster has the right build but has never been a blocking back, so I don't know how that will go. In order to be a good blocking back, you have to love to knock people on their @ss. I think it has to come natural or you won't be any good at it. They missed out on Hynoski - a legit FB who played at PITT and wasn't even drafted that NY scooped up. What a missed opportunity.

Use a @%$#%#% real FB and stop trying to be cute.

Not having a legit FB is anti-Steelers. Wake the F up. Learn about a low center of gravity and how it impacts blocking.

[Discipline of Steel]

In addition, a fullback can stay in and protect the QB or act as pressure relief valve on passing downs...something that should be attractive to the Steeler passing purist out there.

[hawaiiansteel]

position flexibility is what's in vogue, the old traditional FB has become extinct like the dinosaur.

[feltdizz]

Carolina has Tolbert and he was punishing Miami last night. The TE/FB hybrid isn't working.

[Discipline of Steel]

Granted Hawaiian but i think there is still room for a guy who can lead the way effectively on 3rd and short and goalline situations. Situational football is en vogue these days regardless of what you would call him, i agree with the need for the type of guy lloydroid was describing. Lets hope Will johson can become the next Vontae Leech...
http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/steelers/will-johnson-finds-way-to-play-at-friends-expense-648625/

[hawaiiansteel]

Granted Hawaiian but i think there is still room for a guy who can lead the way effectively on 3rd and short and goalline situations.

if you're looking for a guy to lead the way on 3rd and short and on goal line situations why not use Doug Legursky?

[Shawn]

if you're looking for a guy to lead the way on 3rd and short and on goal line situations why not use Doug Legursky?

@$/; !@ Legs? No &@$!'b way can Legs play $)&!?'vin FB!

[Shoe]

Don't the Steelers understand the simple concept of a low center of gravity and how that helps a blocking full back? I thought the RETARDED concept of a tall FB was the brain fart of Arians, and yet, Pgh was planning on staying the course with a TE playing FB. Now that he is out for the year, we have the opportunity to re-install a real FB, who are always squatty and stout, like Kreider et al. I recall him planting Ray Lewis on his wallet all the time. That is what we need. If you are going to claim to be a power rushing team (at times) then get a %!!@% stocky FB. The one kid they got on the roster has the right build but has never been a blocking back, so I don't know how that will go. In order to be a good blocking back, you have to love to knock people on their @ss. I think it has to come natural or you won't be any good at it. They missed out on Hynoski - a legit FB who played at PITT and wasn't even drafted that NY scooped up. What a missed opportunity.

Use a @%$#%#% real FB and stop trying to be cute.

Not having a legit FB is anti-Steelers. Wake the F up. Learn about a low center of gravity and how it impacts blocking.

OK, you are obviously a lemming, if you think Kreider"planted Ray Lewis on his wallet all the time".

[hawaiiansteel]

@$/; !@ Legs? No &@$!'b way can Legs play $)&!?'vin FB!

Mike Tomlin seems to think he can, in fact Legursky has already lined up at fullback during actual games and had success so I would say he definitely can play FB in short-yardage and goal line situations.


Offense wins goal-line, 4-3

Posted Aug 8, 2010
By Bob Labriola – Steelers Digest

LATROBE, Pa. – This is what Steelers President Art Rooney II was referring to all along when he said following the end of a disappointing 2009 season that he believed the team needed to be able to run the ball more effectively.

As in, run the ball more effectively in situations such as short-yardage and goal-line. Those situations were the highlight of Sunday’s afternoon practice at Saint Vincent College, and Rooney had to like what he saw.

The Steelers ran four live plays, which means tackling to the ground was included, in a short-yardage period where the down-and-distance was always third-and-1. The offense was 4-for-4 in converting those situations, with Isaac Redman getting the yardage on the first two plays, with Dennis Dixon rolling out and hitting Mewelde Moore with a pass on the third, and with Jonathan Dwyer plunging for 2 yards before taking a big hit from safety Da’Mon Cromartie-Smith on the fourth.

Things were a bit more complicated to decipher during the goal-line drill, where the ball was placed just inside the 2-yard line on each of seven plays, with tackling to the ground included again. The offense was awarded the win, 4-3, but there was one disputed play in which Dwayne White was ruled to have crossed the plane while the defense was calling for a booth review via instant replay.

“Featured periods of the day were short yardage and goal line,” said Coach Mike Tomlin. “They were live periods, and I like what I saw on both sides. There was a little bit of success and failure. There were a lot of teaching opportunities more than anything else. I am pleased with the work from standpoint.”

The Steelers have been looking for a short-yardage back since Jerome Bettis retired, and following this little bit of live action they aren’t ready to say the search is over.

“I think (the running backs) represented themselves well,” said Tomlin. “I thought they exercised great vision, they found some holes and finished some runs off. They have to get their pad level down a little bit. I like the way Dwyer is hitting the hole, but he has to roll his shoulders forward and reduce his hit surface for his protection and protection of the football.”

The star of the goal-line drill last summer was Isaac Redman, who used his success in it to make enough of a name for himself to be kept on the practice squad all season. Redman was 1-for-2 on Sunday, with Casey Hamptonbeing the driving force that kept him out of the end zone on the second play of the drill.

“His physical characteristics are still the same,” said Tomlin. “He has a great center of gravity and great leg drive. I think he’s potentially better this year because of his patience and vision. He has done a nice job in camp thus far of putting the ball where it is supposed to be and that highlighted his effort today.”

Was it the backs who deserve the credit for the plays in which the offense scored, or might it be the Legursky effect. Center Doug Legursky, the second-year pro, lined up in the backfield on two of the offense’s four touchdowns, and the back ran behind him both times. For the defense, ther guys being credited for making the plays on the stops were Hampton, Steve McLendon and Renauld Williams.

“Guys like Legursky are backfield capable,” said Tomlin. “He has great short-area quickness, which is the same thing that makes him a functional center. That kind of negates his lack of stature, if you will. He is a good leverage guy.”

http://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/Offense-wins-goal-line-4-3/a95c886b-df21-44c2-b011-812969c8224b

[NJ-STEELER]

legs in the backfireld means the defense knows the other guy is getting the ball

[hawaiiansteel]

@$/; !@ Legs? No &@$!'b way can Legs play $)&!?'vin FB!

Legs already has played FB...


The Big Legursky

by CRAIG WOLFLEY on FEBRUARY 2, 2011

The Big Legursky.

If Maurkice Pouncey wasn’t Maurkice Pouncey (A Pro Bowl and All-Pro center in his first year), then Doug Legursky would be the starting center of the Pittsburgh Steelers and most likely Maurkice would be lining up next to Doug at guard (the original plan if you remember). Doug could start for other teams in this league. He is the equivalent of Chris Hoke playing behind Casey Hampton.

I know Bronko Legursky is not as athletic and able to track down and dominate second tier linebackers like Maurkice, but he brings his own particular skill set to the big shooting match (this isn’t CNN and remember, we are in Texas).

Though not as athletically gifted as Maurkice, Doug played goalline FB and TE as well as guard and of course center. Remember that Doug was chosen to play those positions because he demonstrated the quicks to make the physical adjustments required of TE’s and banging FB’s. That takes athleticism.

http://craigwolfley.com/2011/02/the-big-legursky/

[pittpete]

legs in the backfireld means the defense knows the other guy is getting the ball

With Arians at OC I would agree.
With Haley maybe playaction.
Crazy right?;)

[lloydroid]

position flexibility is what's in vogue, the old traditional FB has become extinct like the dinosaur.

Maybe with some, but I still see legit, traditional FBs on other rosters all the time, including Hygnoski, who can lead block AND catch passes out of the backfield. If the traditional FB has become extinct, he shouldn't on the Pgh Steelers.

[lloydroid]

Carolina has Tolbert and he was punishing Miami last night. The TE/FB hybrid isn't working.

Pgh is supposed to be a physical team. And taking away a thumping FB does not add to that mix whatsoever. Just because you have a legit FB doesn't mean your offense is outdated. I hate that Pgh no longer has a legit lead blocker. They don't need one in every play, but to not have one at all? BS

[lloydroid]

OK, you are obviously a lemming, if you think Kreider"planted Ray Lewis on his wallet all the time".

I witnessed it with my own eyes. All the time? Maybe not. Sometimes? Damn certain of it. It was the opposite of what happened when Ray came in and blew up Mendenhall's shoulder. Ray got a clean shot and ended his season.

[Shawn]

Hawaiian I think my lame attempt at humor missed you. Yes, I know Legs has played FB.

[Flasteel]

I'm excited to see what Will Johnson can do. He's got prototypical size, is apparently quite strong, is very athletic, has good hands, can block, and the coaches seem to love what he has done in camp. His background and production is kind of sketchy, but I'm thinking he could be what we are looking for.

[hawaiiansteel]

Hawaiian I think my lame attempt at humor missed you. Yes, I know Legs has played FB.

sorry, if we were conversing face to face I would have been able to catch your humor but sometimes it's hard to do so over the internet. :Cheers

I actually agree with lloydroid, I would love to see a traditional FB like Dan Kreider lead the way on short yardage and goal line situations. it always drove me crazy when Arians would go empty backfield or have David Johnson at FB, you really think the other team didn't know it was going to be a run when DJ was lined up at FB and what good was he really at blocking or going out for a pass out of the backfield?

my contention is if you're not going to go out and get a real FB that has actually, you know played FB before like Henry Hynoski then why use these hybrid guys like DJ or now Will Johnson who couldn't even start on his college team?

Legs is a better pure blocker than any of them and IMO would be much more effective leading the way than Will Johnson is going to be from the FB position. I guess we'll see, I'm willing to give Haley the first half of the first game before I start criticizing him...:D

[Discipline of Steel]

my contention is if you're not going to go out and get a real FB that has actually, you know played FB before like Henry Hynoski then why use these hybrid guys like DJ or now Will Johnson who couldn't even start on his college team? Legs is a better pure blocker than any of them

Yes but Legs is an offensive lineman and already has a role with the team. Its my understanding that Haley actually does want a pure fullback who may be able to catch a few passes. I think the Steelers like what they have seen and are trying to groom the WJohnson kid into the DJohnson role. Lets hope it works out and we dont have to look outside the organization to fill the role.

[Shawn]

sorry, if we were conversing face to face I would have been able to catch your humor but sometimes it's hard to do so over the internet. :Cheers

I actually agree with lloydroid, I would love to see a traditional FB like Dan Kreider lead the way on short yardage and goal line situations. it always drove me crazy when Arians would go empty backfield or have David Johnson at FB, you really think the other team didn't know it was going to be a run when DJ was lined up at FB and what good was he really at blocking or going out for a pass out of the backfield?

my contention is if you're not going to go out and get a real FB that has actually, you know played FB before like Henry Hynoski then why use these hybrid guys like DJ or now Will Johnson who couldn't even start on his college team?

Legs is a better pure blocker than any of them and IMO would be much more effective leading the way than Will Johnson is going to be from the FB position. I guess we'll see, I'm willing to give Haley the first half of the first game before I start criticizing him...:D

I agree with roid as well. Having a true lead blocker would be terrific. As for the humor...it just always makes be giggle like a 5th grader when people curse like &@?$!? To bypass the filter. :)

[Jooser]

FB isn't a new position for Will Johnson. He started his college tenure at FB @ WVU before being moved to TE because the team had transitioned into an offense without a FB. Will was a great athlete and demonstrated great hands and had the ability to block, so the team moved him to TE just to keep him on the field.

[flippy]

The real reason to have a real FB on the roster is teams are designing their defenses to stop the pass. If teams are gonna give up the run, why not go out there and take it?

And just because you have a real FB on the roster doesn't mean you have to use him all the time. Use him in situations where teams can't stop the running game. Use him selectively to get mismatches on the field.

[hawaiiansteel]

Steelers Preseason Vs. Colts: Offensive Stars

Aug 20th, 2012 at 10:18 pm by Craig

A big question for the Steelers offense was how Will Johnson would fit into the fullback position with the abrupt exit of David Johnson due to injury. If there was ever someone to step up and speak loud and clearly that they deserved to be on this Steelers roster, it was WJ with his performance Sunday.

WJ immediately made his case in the first series. Johnson did a great job engaging his assignments – he sealed his blocks and prevented his assignment from getting at Dwyer, Batch, or Rainey. There were even a few plays in which he was able to get low enough on a linebacker to push him back off the line of scrimmage. He only had one carry for no gain, but his blocking was superb. I was thoroughly impressed, as this was his first NFL game experience.

Chalk up WJ as a player who was an offensive star.

http://nicepickcowher.com/2012/08/20/steelers-preseason-vs-colts-offensive-stars/