PFT: Cowboys legends want Ezekiel Elliott to stop with the hurdling

Cotton

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Cowboys legends want Ezekiel Elliott to stop with the hurdling
Posted by Darin Gantt on February 27, 2017, 10:54 AM EST

Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott rookie season stood out — even for a franchise which has produced a number of big-time backs.

But those Cowboys legends also had a word of advice for the eager young back — stop trying to hurdle people.

“He better stop that. He better stop that. He better stop that,” Hall of Fame running back Tony Dorsett said, via Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “That’s one thing that I don’t like. When you get airborne, you’re at the mercy of the hit, and sometimes you can’t protect yourself. I think as he gets older he may take that out of his repertoire. He needs to stop that. That scares me every time he gets airborne. I’m like oh….”

Emmitt Smith, the NFL’s all-time rushing leader, echoed that sentiment, saying he cringes when he sees Elliott up in the air.

“Get on the ground as quickly as possible,” Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith said. “Every time I watch somebody run, I’m looking very closely, very tentatively, seeing how they fall because a lot of things happen when you fall.”

Elliott was a high school hurdler, and it became a bit of a signature move last season. And while the old guys might get a little nervous, they might also worrying about some of their franchise rushing records.

Elliott led the league in rushing (1,631 yards) and scored 15 touchdowns last year, eclipsing the rookie numbers set by Smith (937) and Dorsett (1,007) when they were rookies.

They also never used their leaping ability to jump into a giant Salvation Army kettle at the end of a touchdown run. No matter what any old guy says, Elliott should never stop doing that, because it was awesome, that’s why.
 

skidadl

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It really is stupid. And I don't like the legends getting all up in the teams business in the media either. Still, it is a pretty risky way to avoid contact.
 

Cowboysrock55

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It really is stupid. And I don't like the legends getting all up in the teams business in the media either. Still, it is a pretty risky way to avoid contact.
I don't want to coach anything out of his running style. If you start messing with things too much you get in a RBs head.
 

mcnuttz

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I don't want to coach anything out of his running style. If you start messing with things too much you get in a RBs head.
Yeah, if Emmitt wants to teach him anything why don't he focus on training and extending his career through preparation and exercise?

The guy is a damn hurdler, and while he could hurt himself and there probably are defenders who'd like to catch him in a hurdle and drive him into the ground, it's stupid to take away a part of a guy's game that's natural...especially if it isn't a hindrance to his game. He's extending plays, so STFU.
 

skidadl

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I don't want to coach anything out of his running style. If you start messing with things too much you get in a RBs head.
Staying on the ground is something that you start teaching in Jr High. It is a basic element of running the football. He does it for the same reason he likes to tuck his jersey under his pads before games. It is strictly to get attention.
 

skidadl

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Yeah, if Emmitt wants to teach him anything why don't he focus on training and extending his career through preparation and exercise?

The guy is a damn hurdler, and while he could hurt himself and there probably are defenders who'd like to catch him in a hurdle and drive him into the ground, it's stupid to take away a part of a guy's game that's natural...especially if it isn't a hindrance to his game. He's extending plays, so STFU.
No.
 

mcnuttz

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Staying on the ground is something that you start teaching in Jr High. It is a basic element of running the football. He does it for the same reason he likes to tuck his jersey under his pads before games. It is strictly to get attention.

When you're that damn good, you're getting attention anyway.

While he shouldn't try to hurdle every damn defender that comes at him, I like to see him gain more yards after jumping over someone.

Should he not spin, stiff arm, juke? You're taking a chance with injury just being on the field.

Also remember the nature of NFL rules...no more hitting high, so everyone's going for the legs. Let's use that shit to an advantage when you've got a pretty close to world class hurdler on the field.
 

skidadl

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When you're that damn good, you're getting attention anyway.

While he shouldn't try to hurdle every damn defender that comes at him, I like to see him gain more yards after jumping over someone.

Should he not spin, stiff arm, juke? You're taking a chance with injury just being on the field.

Also remember the nature of NFL rules...no more hitting high, so everyone's going for the legs. Let's use that shit to an advantage when you've got a pretty close to world class hurdler on the field.
It seems douchey and high risk for injuries. That's my opinion on the matter.

Believe me, I've got a 16" vertical myself and could be jumping over fools too if I wanted to.
 

ravidubey

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Yeah, if Emmitt wants to teach him anything why don't he focus on training and extending his career through preparation and exercise?

The guy is a damn hurdler, and while he could hurt himself and there probably are defenders who'd like to catch him in a hurdle and drive him into the ground, it's stupid to take away a part of a guy's game that's natural...especially if it isn't a hindrance to his game. He's extending plays, so STFU.
All of this. Emmitt and Tony didn't have the hurdling instinct and weren't as big with people going low at them as often.

The hurdles make the defense more indecisive on how to tackle Elliott. Up high and take punishment or down low and get hurdled.

When you're off the ground, it would seem hits have less of a chance of injuring your ankle or knees.
 

Cowboysrock55

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Staying on the ground is something that you start teaching in Jr High. It is a basic element of running the football. He does it for the same reason he likes to tuck his jersey under his pads before games. It is strictly to get attention.
Except it is a very effective part of his running style that gains him extra yards. And I disagree with the reason he does it. He does it because he is a big RB and defenders dive at the legs of big RBs like Elliott. You hurdle them and suddenly guys aren't diving at your legs anymore.

You start taking things like this away from him and you change his entire running style. Seems like a really bad idea to me.
 

Cowboysrock55

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All of this. Emmitt and Tony didn't have the hurdling instinct and weren't as big with people going low at them as often.

The hurdles make the defense more indecisive on how to tackle Elliott. Up high and take punishment or down low and get hurdled.

When you're off the ground, it would seem hits have less of a chance of injuring your ankle or knees.
Yeah when defenders are basically diving at your knees the legs are a whole lot safer off the turf then they are planted in it.
 

mcnuttz

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It seems douchey and high risk for injuries. That's my opinion on the matter.

Believe me, I've got a 16" vertical myself and could be jumping over fools too if I wanted to.

It sounds to me like you've got a problem with belly shirts.
 

lostxn

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Staying on the ground is something that you start teaching in Jr High. It is a basic element of running the football. He does it for the same reason he likes to tuck his jersey under his pads before games. It is strictly to get attention.
This is right. If he wants to do it for a first down on 3rd down or for a TD, fine, but it needs to be very rarely used. It's really dangerous.
 

Cowboysrock55

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This is right. If he wants to do it for a first down on 3rd down or for a TD, fine, but it needs to be very rarely used. It's really dangerous.
That's the problem though, you can't think situtionaly with stuff like that as a RB. It's all instincts. It's nearly impossible for a RB to realize, well hey I need to go all out because it's third down and the game is on the line. But if it's first down just go ahead and let yourself be tackled. It just doesn't work like that.
 

skidadl

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That's the problem though, you can't think situtionaly with stuff like that as a RB. It's all instincts. It's nearly impossible for a RB to realize, well hey I need to go all out because it's third down and the game is on the line. But if it's first down just go ahead and let yourself be tackled. It just doesn't work like that.
Well, I'm pretty sure that's what 99% of the coaches out there will teach him. No coach in his right mind wants to see his QB going head first or their WRs and RBs in the air.
 

Cowboysrock55

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Well, I'm pretty sure that's what 99% of the coaches out there will teach him. No coach in his right mind wants to see his QB going head first or their WRs and RBs in the air.
Well you never want your QB going head first. Unless it's on a planned QB sneak.

Zeke has been doing it all of his life, I'm just thankful he has managed to have those 1% of coaches that don't try to change his running style. The real failures of the profession like Urban Meyer.
 

NoDak

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Staying on the ground is something that you start teaching in Jr High. It is a basic element of running the football. He does it for the same reason he likes to tuck his jersey under his pads before games. It is strictly to get attention.
I don't agree with that at all. It's a running style, and he's either fully escaped tackles or gained a few more yards during the tackle doing it. I sincerely doubt that one day he decided to try and hurdle tacklers just because it looks cool and might garner him more attention.
 

skidadl

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Well you never want your QB going head first. Unless it's on a planned QB sneak.

Zeke has been doing it all of his life, I'm just thankful he has managed to have those 1% of coaches that don't try to change his running style. The real failures of the profession like Urban Meyer.
Do you mean like coaches teach QBs not to take uneccessary risks with the football? Apparently coaches don't tell QBs to be careful either. If they did they'd just automatically stop.

Two HoF RBs and just about everyone that isn't a fan probably wants him to cut that shit out. But I'm the one that's wrong. Mmmkay.
 

skidadl

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I don't agree with that at all. It's a running style, and he's either fully escaped tackles or gained a few more yards during the tackle doing it. I sincerely doubt that one day he decided to try and hurdle tacklers just because it looks cool and might garner him more attention.
I cant read his mind but that would be my guess.
 
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NoDak

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Two HoF RBs and just about everyone that isn't a fan probably wants him to cut that shit out. But I'm the one that's wrong. Mmmkay.
I think mainly people are disagreeing with you because you think his hurdling tacklers is just an extension of his half shirt. Wanting attention.

Other runners and receivers have hurdled tacklers, too. Are they just doing it for attention?
 
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