Health a Must for Hardesty, Hillis

[BernietheKid]

Health a Must for Hardesty, Hillis
		By Don Delco OBR Browns Reporter Posted Jun 29, 2011 Browns’ backfield could be a formidable force in 2011 with a healthy running back duo of Montario Hardesty and Peyton Hillis. 2 Comments
Montario Hardesty’s rookie season with the Cleveland Browns boils down to three plays. Three plays that occurred in succession during the first quarter of the Browns’ fourth preseason game. Three plays that weren’t witnessed by many because it was that dreaded fourth preseason game. Three plays that showcased the Hardesty’s potential – when healthy. It was Thursday, Sept. 2 and the Browns were playing host to the Chicago Bears. In the first quarter, the Browns recovered a Bears’ first-quarter fumble and took over on Chicago’s 13-yard-line. It was Hardesty’s series. He ran off the right guard for six yards on first down. Same play, same result on second down. Finally, on first-and-goal from the 1-yard-line, Hardesty punched it in for a touchdown. The rookie was showing signs, but three carries later he suffered a torn ACL, which cost him the entire 2010 regular season. Despite Hardesty’s absence, Browns still had success in the running back department in 2010 with Peyton Hillis. Now as attention turns to the 2011 season, the Browns’ backfield could be a team strength. On June 20, Browns head coach Pat Shurmur said he expects Hardesty to be 100 percent by the time training camp starts in late July. Visions of a Hardesty-Hillis backfield commence. Entering last season, Hillis was an afterthought while the excitement for Hardesty was high. The Browns traded a third- and two fifth-round draft picks to move up in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft to select Hardesty with the 59th overall pick. There was one problem: Hardesty (6-foot, 225 pounds) had injury concerns coming out of Tennessee and those concerns came to the forefront against the Bears. Meanwhile, Hillis (6-1, 245) emerged last season, rushing for 1,177 yards and 11 touchdowns on 270 attempts and catching 61 balls for 477 yards and two scores. Those 270 carries were a career-high for Hillis. In his first two seasons at Denver, Hillis had a combined 81 rushing attempts. Now with two healthy and seemingly capable running backs, the Browns can divide and conquer. Gone in today’s NFL is the idea of a feature back. Instead it is running back by committee. In 1985, the Browns were ahead of their time with Kevin Mack and Earnest Byner. That season, the duo became only the third team in NFL history to feature two 1,000-yard rushers. Now, the Browns have two big, bruising running backs who also possess speed and the ability to catch passes. That can be a formidable attack if both players can stay healthy. That’s a big if. Hardesty has had knee problems dating back to 2005. Five years later he has now had a torn ACL in both knees. Hillis didn’t emerge from last season injury free either. At times, he played through a pulled quad and crack ribs. Yet when healthy, Hillis showed what he can do and in 2009, Hardesty had a breakout season for Tennessee, as he rushed for 1,345 yards on 282 carries with 13 touchdowns. He also caught 25 balls for 302 yards and one touchdown. Albeit on the college level, those numbers are on par with Hillis’ 2010 numbers. Hardesty’s health will be something to watch in training camp, but if major problems are avoided the outcome could go a long way in helping the Browns win games in 2011. Consider the Browns had one running back last season. When they rushed for more than 100 yards in a game as a team, they were 4-5. When they were held to less than 100 yards in a game as a team, they were 1-6. Moreover, when Hillis rushed for more than 100 yards, the Browns were 3-2. The two losses were to the New York Jets 26-20 in overtime on Nov. 14 and to the Buffalo Bills 13-6 on Dec. 12. Teams that can run the ball are in position to win games. Shocking, right? One quick way to exceed five wins in 2011 is if the Browns have Hardesty and Hillis gunning for that 100-yard milestone every game. Scout.com: Health a Must for Hardesty, Hillis

[Alo]

I'm mucho excited to see what Hardesty can do. If he's at 100% explosivity, he'll give the Browns a nice RB tandem and do some work in the passing game, perhaps in a way that's different from what Hillis does.

Peyton's got tremendous hands and the ability to crush defenders, but Hardesty may have more wiggle to shake defenders when split out as a receiver. In the '09 Bama game, he lined up in the slot and was shifty/deceptive enough at the line to stop Kareem Jackson from making a play on the ball, then he raced past the overrated-not-nearly-as-good-as-Haden corner.

I bet Hillis will get his hands on more balls this fall, but Hardesty could catch more downfield: Peyton's YPC last year was 7.8, Montario's in his final year in Knoxville was 12.1.

[Brown Warrior]

I loved Hardesty coming out. Wish our worst fears hadn't come true. Hope this is his year.

[Enigmatic Evil]

For our team to have ANY success next year, we need both these guys healthy and contributing. Hillis needs to keep playing at top form. He's a dual threat for us, running the ball or catching the pass out of the backfield and teams would be moronic not to realize that and try to shut Hillis down, that's where Hardesty comes in.

Hardesty's season can be summed up in 3 plays from a pre-season game because Hardesty (like a plethora of other young players on this team) has shown a ton of potential and we want to see that potential become a reality.

The thing that made Hillis' rise so great was that right out of the gate he was proclaiming "I am the steal of the Brady Quinn trade" while Denver laughed at us and people raised their eyebrows, Peyton Hillis earned the respect (and fear) of the entire NFL and at points we even looked like a resepctable football team. There was the point mid-season when we beat New Orleans and New England that some people around the NFL were going O_o?! but a lot of that was thanks to the play of Peyton Hillis (and a certain Messiah...)

Our running game needs Hardesty to come up and stay healthy because if Hillis gets injured and we don't have anyone to fall back on... it's going to be a scary season for this team.

[Brown Warrior]

For my friend Riff, I'm bumping this because it isn't about Colt or WRs.

I think a really good running game would certainly help Colt and the WRs. I'm here all week!

[Sez.EJ]

All the more we need a reliable RT. Can it be Pashos? .. hmmm

[Enigmatic Evil]

Can it be that we would be able to rely upon the crop we have Pachos/Lauvao/Pinkston (the guy we drafted from Pitt who had over 40 starts with that team in college) maybe one of the younger draftees could play RT? I don't think Lauvao has the chops to play RT but maybe Pinkston?

[Flugel]

Originally Posted by Enigmatic Evil

Can it be that we would be able to rely upon the crop we have Pachos/Lauvao/Pinkston (the guy we drafted from Pitt who had over 40 starts with that team in college) maybe one of the younger draftees could play RT? I don't think Lauvao has the chops to play RT but maybe Pinkston?

Nice job with that EE!

I've thought the same thing about Pinkstone; BUT I read somewhere they'd rather start him out at OG. The article made a ton of sense to me. If Pinkston starts at RG, there's some intriguing OTs that will be FAs with more upside than Pashos. Not only that, I hope we bring Billy Yates back to compete because our oline looked peaked vrs New England with him at RG.

It seems like we've been in the same boat at RT looking to guys that had too much milage or wear and tear on them. After Ryan Tucker went AWOL, he goy busted for dirty urine season later. Chicago noticed Shaffer had no upside the day Cutler got sacked 10 times and got a concussion. Then we looked to St Clair, who had a nice long career in this league BUT the best days were long past. Then we commit to Pashos, who wore ble jeans to more games than uniform.

I think we gotta be a healthier consumer this time around and get one of the intriguing guys. In fact, Pittsburgh is in trouble at OT so we need to BEAT them in the free agent market at this position.

As far as the RBs, thanks for sharing the article BTK! I'd really LOVE it if Hardesty gets past the injury. I'll never forget the day Lane Kiffen was on the radio and he was asked about a superstar RB recruit (Brown). Kiffen replied, "The guy I can't seem to take my eyes off on film or in practice is Montario Hardesty. That kid is pedal to the metal all the time. Right now, he's easily the biggest pleasant surprise I've seen."

And then there were the jumps at the combines measuring explosion that he ranked elitely with as well as the nice 40 time. If there's anyone cut out to overcome this with work ethic during rehab - he sounds like the guy.

[Brown Warrior]

Best case, Lauvao and Pinkston make up the right side some day. The former might be more realistic than the latter.

[Vegasdogg]

Originally Posted by Alo

I'm mucho excited to see what Hardesty can do. If he's at 100% explosivity, he'll give the Browns a nice RB tandem and do some work in the passing game, perhaps in a way that's different from what Hillis does.

Peyton's got tremendous hands and the ability to crush defenders, but Hardesty may have more wiggle to shake defenders when split out as a receiver. In the '09 Bama game, he lined up in the slot and was shifty/deceptive enough at the line to stop Kareem Jackson from making a play on the ball, then he raced past the overrated-not-nearly-as-good-as-Haden corner.

I bet Hillis will get his hands on more balls this fall, but Hardesty could catch more downfield: Peyton's YPC last year was 7.8, Montario's in his final year in Knoxville was 12.1.

I feel the same way. Hardesty is big like Hillis (almost) and he has great open field awareness. Splitting the carries is one thing. Teams will have to wonder how we split the passes, and like you say above, these are not all swing passes into the flat.

Hardesty has some wheels off tackle, and with sweeps. Of course to a slightly lesser degree does Peyton. It would be nice to add a RB with the speed of Skrine into the mix, but not necessary this season, IMO.

Hardesty is my VIP breakout player on offense. He can take some heat off the QB and a young group of WR's.

[Vegasdogg]

Originally Posted by Brown Warrior

Best case, Lauvao and Pinkston make up the right side some day. The former might be more realistic than the latter.

Lauvao seems to be - from the Heckert love on him - the frontrunner to lose the job. If someone can point out a scouting report from the past regime that tells me different I am all ears. He should have been in there to take his lumps. He is a nasty mauler when he wants to be.

Teach him to play center and both G spots in his first camp? This is not camp Belichick bro. This is "we need a G and a draft pick to play it" ball.

Jesus he did this with Veikune and didn't learn. I get versatility, but not to the detriment to the player or the pick.

[Brown Warrior]

Agree, agree, agree. You draft a RG in round 3, on a team in desperate need of a long-term starter at that spot? You give him every possible chance and a lot of rope.