Marlin Lane or Rajion Neal?

#76
#76
If Neal learns to hit the hole and quit dancing around looking for the huge gain every play then he should easily be our best back. Lane displayed the ability to go north/south and would pick up 3 or 4 yards when Neal would lose yards. With that being said, if Neal can run more like Lane he will be a dynamic player. I will wait and see how he looks in game one. I think there is a pretty good chance devrin and pig carry it a couple times and catch 2 or 3 screens a game that are essentially a run.
 
#77
#77
crparker21 said:
If Neal learns to hit the hole and quit dancing around looking for the huge gain every play then he should easily be our best back. Lane displayed the ability to go north/south and would pick up 3 or 4 yards when Neal would lose yards. With that being said, if Neal can run more like Lane he will be a dynamic player. I will wait and see how he looks in game one. I think there is a pretty good chance devrin and pig carry it a couple times and catch 2 or 3 screens a game that are essentially a run.
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Spot on.GBO
 
#78
#78
They are 1a and 1b right now. I think both can produce and bring something a little different to the table. I am anxious to see if Hill or the new kid from SC can become a solid #2 RB.
 
#79
#79
BTW, this fanbase has underestimated the last two 1000 yd rushers the Vols have produced- Poole and Hardesty. Neither had done anything until their break out years. Both broke out immediately following a coaching change that allowed them a "reset".

Lane (corrected) and Neal combined for over 1300 yds last year. I believe both are capable of big things and can be a great tandem.
 
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#80
#80
Both Neal and Lane had successful seasons last year under Dooley. Team just didn't run enough and far to many hail marys bombs. I think both will have better seasons this year and the addition of Alden as the bruiser makes me optimistic that we will be a tough running team and one hard for anyone to stop in a normal defense. I will be interested in what we do when teams put eight in the box. Dooley had no clue I think Jones does.
 
#81
#81
sjt18 said:
BTW, this fanbase has underestimated the last two 1000 yd rushers the Vols have produced- Poole and Hardesty. Neither had done anything until their break out years. Both broke out immediately following a coaching change that allowed them a "reset".

Poole and Neal combined for over 1300 yds last year. I believe both are capable of big things and can be a great tandem.
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i was thinking we may have a back situation similar to hardesty's. not much love going in to the season, but both of these backs will have a shot this year to really generate some attention for themselves.

anyway, the general vibe i get from this thread is neal has a high ceiling, but lane has better vision. so i guess if neal can sell himself to the coaches, he will be the started.
 
#82
#82
Many are hating on Neal for "dancing around," but he averaged 4.5 ypc last season against some of our tougher competition( he had good days against Florida and Georgia.)

Lane had a slightly better ypc, but those stats are mostly inflated by big days against Kentucky and Troy.

I think both are capable backs, though not elite by any means. But I think Neal has the better season and may get the nod because he's a bit more versatile with his receiving skills out of the backfield.
 
#83
#83
Neal has elite measurables but for whatever reason has not produced at that level.
 
#84
#84
Darth_Shiveman said:
Many are hating on Neal for "dancing around," but he averaged 4.5 ypc last season against some of our tougher competition( he had good days against Florida and Georgia.)

Lane had a slightly better ypc, but those stats are mostly inflated by big days against Kentucky and Troy.

I think both are capable backs, though not elite by any means. But I think Neal has the better season and may get the nod because he's a bit more versatile with his receiving skills out of the backfield.
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This is how I see it. People keep saying Neal dances and doesn't hit the hole, and it's simply not true. He has individual brain farts ocasionally and does prematurely break it outside. But if you watch the replays of the UF and UGA games, he's plugging it up in there. He was coming into his own when he was injured, was on pace for 1000+yds. And he did have 9 total TD. 5 rushing, 4 catching.

Either way, both should give us a respectable tandom, I'm hoping BOTH have huge seasons.
 
#85
#85
RichRollin said:
This is how I see it. People keep saying Neal dances and doesn't hit the hole, and it's simply not true. He has individual brain farts ocasionally and does prematurely break it outside. But if you watch the replays of the UF and UGA games, he's plugging it up in there. He was coming into his own when he was injured, was on pace for 1000+yds. And he did have 9 total TD. 5 rushing, 4 catching.

Either way, both should give us a respectable tandom, I'm hoping BOTH have huge seasons.
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This is what I think, as well. I used to think that Lane was the better back and he may very well have something more inside that's yet to come out. After going to the Florida game last year. Neal proved to me he can run against the elite defenses. He runs hard against the better competition. If Dooley would have played old Fulmer football (Can't believe I just said that!) and kept pounding the rock we would have won the Florida game. Of course, Dooley did what he does best, panic!. He was the worst game manager I have ever seen at UT!
 
#86
#86
Honestly, Neal's tendency to take it outside was hurt by the fact that UT's WR's over the past several years were not committed to blocking well all the time. Hunter wasn't a very good blocker. ZR was a good blocker. D Rogers was a good blocker but not consistent in effort. CP was a horrible blocker.

Neal is faster than Poole by a fairly wide margin. With Jones, Stocker, and Moore blocking, Poole had a very good season. When they were gone... he was no longer able to bounce outside when the inside was clogged up.

Dallas was noted as the best blocking WR on the team last year. I think that likely earns him a starting spot even if he isn't an explosive receiver. If the outside blocking is good, Neal's outside bounces will go for big yards.
 
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#87
#87
orange parmejohn said:
lol no player will get a start because of seniority.
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Unless both kids are roughly equal. I think they both get the same amount of carries why not start Neal over Lane because of his seniority? They may have slightly different skill sets but I don't think one is better the the other.
 
#88
#88
If you have two kids that are about the same one is a senior and the other a underclassmen, you start the senior. He's put in he time. Lane is not necessarily better then Neal. Unless he has improved leaps and bounds from last year, especially the ability to hang on to the ball. But the only information we have to go on is last years performance and based on that alone I would start Neal but play both equally. Seniority alone is not enough, and I never said that was the only requirement. But when everything else is equal or is a wash you start the senior, even if they get equal playing time. If someone doesn't understand that then they had never played football before.
 
#89
#89
Seniority should NEVER play a role in who starts or plays. That as much as any other factor led to Fulmer's decline from the top to 2nd tier.
 
#90
#90
sjt18 said:
Seniority should NEVER play a role in who starts or plays. That as much as any other factor led to Fulmer's decline from the top to 2nd tier.
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When I was a freshman in high school Carbondale,Il, the coach played us based on seniority. Didn't matter who was better it was his belief. It was unreal watching your team lose with juniors and seniors knowing you should be out there.
 
#91
#91
a coach decision should not be decided on seniority only but to say it should never in any circumstance be a factor ever I think is a little unreasonable especially when you have equal talent. Are you to tell me that someone who has worked hard for 3+ years and is as talented as an underclassmen in the same position shouldn't have an advantage?
 
#93
#93
Next year we won't have to worry about this, we will have Hurd. For now I am hoping Neal can pull similar numbers to Isiah Pead.
 
#94
#94
Neal more versatile, having played wr. Better hands and overall strength/speed. Lane has good vision and better moves. Lane runs with more authority. Hill is the x factor. Hurd and Hill will be a better tandem
 
#95
#95
Last year, neither were consistent for a variety of reasons including injuries. So I say go with the hot back which might also be Alden Hill. Maybe let Hill bruise up the defense and then send a speedster like Lane or Neal to break one open.

Just because brisket and ribs are on the menu, doesn't mean that people won't occasionally go for grilled yardbird or pork chops from time to time.
 
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#97
#97
terrypedigo said:
Neal will because Lane puts the ball on the ground to much.
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I wouldnt say that. I think Lane is the better pure RB we have. Lane fits Jone's offense better than Neal or Hill but all 3 will get their share of touch's. Lane and Neal are serviceable RB's but if Lane has fully learned to trust his knee he is by far the most talented RB on the roster. But cant wait to see Hurd, Paulk and whoever the 3rd RB is we take. Much brighter outlook at RB in the coming yrs.
 
#98
#98
Donvolson said:
Neal more versatile, having played wr. Better hands and overall strength/speed. Lane has good vision and better moves. Lane runs with more authority. Hill is the x factor. Hurd and Hill will be a better tandem
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I agree on all but Lane is just as good or even better catching the ball out of the backfield. Lane is a great weapon catching the ball and as you said has the better vision and runs with authority. Think this is Lanes breakout yr if he fully trusts his knee and a much better offensive staff.
 
#100
#100
Aday25 said:
a coach decision should not be decided on seniority only but to say it should never in any circumstance be a factor ever I think is a little unreasonable especially when you have equal talent. Are you to tell me that someone who has worked hard for 3+ years and is as talented as an underclassmen in the same position shouldn't have an advantage?
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Show me two equal talents.

But directly to your point. The younger player, if truly equal, can use the experience of that PT to help you in the future. If you have a Sr and a SO that are equal then you let the So get the experience so he's even better in the future. You lose nothing now and gain alot later.
 
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