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Hey yall, I was just curious your current thoughts on our guy Carlos Blackman. He has only had one game over 100 yards, and has seemed to have below expected numbers. Is he just having a tough year, or would you say it's been the O-Line. Best wishes to him finishing out the season strong.

The offensive line is playing hard and getting better each week, but I think
there is a lack of continuity at this point. Most teams that excel at the running
game have a veteran O-line and the Bears are fairly young.

Carlos is a quality back and has proven that over his career. Not many are as
good as him catching the ball and his power is second to none in the conference.

I think that the blocking scheme is more or less just zone stuff,,,no traps or
pulling so far that I have seen.

Everyone the Bears have played have been intent on stopping the run and
it will be no different when Sam comes to Estes. They will load the box, play
tight man to man and blitz early and often.

It will be a challenge for the O-line , QB and recievers…

BPSG
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GO BEARS

Thanks for your thoughts. I can see it better now.

UCA has had quite a crew of great running backs...…. including numerous AAs...….

Leading rushers are:

1. Hosea Knowlton, 4549
2. Vaughn Edwards, 3620
3. Phil Caldwell, 3343
4. Brent Grimes, 3060
5. Kentrel Rogers, 3004

That does not even include guys like Shawn McGehee, Cedric Holt, Nakita Robertson and Nathaniel Daniel.

Then there is the one and only Henry Hawk, certainly one of the very best athletes to come out of Arkansas, who averaged 6.56 per carry.

I only saw Grimes as I was living out of state while the others played and only read about them. Brent was so versatile and like Carlos was the guy who wanted the ball when a play was needed. He could run inside, outside, wheel routes, play slot and block.

Blackman led UCA in rushing in 2016 with 616 and in 2018 with 786 and 2172 career yards coming into 2019 plus 200+ yards receiving and 25 TDs, 23 rushing. He has 394 net rushing after last Saturday (now 2566) and needs to get 439 more to move into #5 slot. He has moved from 12th into 10th (moved Hawk off the Top 10 list) this season and needs only 3 yards to move into 9th ahead of Erron Bobo. He should easily move into 7th ahead of Holt and Daniel and a good shot to nudge McGehee out of 6th.

Even though he is unlikely to make the Top 5 in rushing he plays in an era where the pass rules. He reminds me a lot of Grimes, even though he runs stronger (ie, runs over LBs) where Grimes was a little more finesse runner. He is versatile like Grimes and a good receiver as well.

No matter where he ends up in stats, he will go down as one of the very best RBs. At least that is my view.

I would throw Blake Veasley up in there as a great RB at UCA.

Willie Hopson from Nashville, Ar only played two seasons
03 and 05 and had 1621 yards .

Bernard Scott only played one year, 04 and went for 1026.

These were two really good backs...and I think that Bernard went on
to the NFL.

My favorite back was Vaughn Edwards...because I played with him.
Also Phil Caldwell and Nakita Robertson.

Shawn McGehee was always a great one in my mind...

1. Hosea Knowlton, 4549

This was my favorite RB. If we needed a first down by any amount of yards the defense could stack the box and he would get it dragging poor defender behind him.
He just looked like a grown man playing with jr. high kids. Beast.

I think it has been said: When you have a Carlos Blackman and a Kierre Crossley, you're going to play 7-8 players in the box. Every team but Hawaii has sold out to that concept to keep us from running. Hawaii chose to play against the pass and Carlos ran wild on them.

Other teams rather test Breylin with our young receiving corp.

Coach Brown did say Carlos is dealing with a wrist injury that probably contributed to the fumbles Saturday night. But the big problem is we're just young and not getting push upfront. Most of the gaps opening are not the called gaps on the play. When Carlos has made some great runs, he's recognized a different hole than the blocking scheme called for. When he doesn't, he ends up running into the backs of our O-line and just hoping for a push.

I really hope Breylin and the receivers step up on Saturday. If we can establish the pass early, things will open up for Carlos.