DeMarco Murray runs off with NFC offensive player of the month

[lostxn]

If McCoy had the Dallas line...that is really what we are going with? A Barry vs Emmitt debate should follow shortly I guess.

There's some pee-brained analysis for you. So you think he's special? You don't think there are guys like him - heck better than him - every year in the draft?

I would never say the line made Emmitt. Emmitt was great before the line as. I will say that about Murray. He's been pretty pedestrian running behind average lines.

 

[Carp]

There's some pee-brained analysis for you. So you think he's special? You don't think there are guys like him - heck better than him - every year in the draft?

I would never say the line made Emmitt. Emmitt was great before the line as. I will say that about Murray. He's been pretty pedestrian running behind average lines.

Pee brained analysis is not knowing that for his career Murray has a better YPC than McCoy has. So does Murray get credit for that or is that all the OL credit...even though the OL was not considered a strength until this year. If we are going to point out Randle's YPC, then the career averages for both Murray and McCoy are relevant.

 

[Newt]

I understand. You have to be realistic about the length of time for a new contract and see if you can sell an incentive deal. If you can get that accomplished that's great but I don't think you plan to get rid of the guy.

I don't think its planning to get rid of the guy, its more about being prepared for when its time for him to leave. We tend to hang on to guys a couple years too long, or we used to anyways, it seems to have gotten a little better over the last couple of years. But I could easily see Jerry trying to hang on to an aging Murray and I think it would be a mistake. I would be searching hard for a running back in the draft, a mid round guy, that could step in and be an every down back. I wouldn't want to waste a year with our offensive line by not having a good running back.

 

[lostxn]

Pee brained analysis is not knowing that for his career Murray has a better YPC than McCoy has. So does Murray get credit for that or is that all the OL credit...even though the OL was not considered a strength until this year. If we are going to point out Randle's YPC, then the career averages for both Murray and McCoy are relevant.

Well that's a better argument. Well done. In fact, Murray has a better YPC average than Emmitt Smith and Tony Dorsett. Go figure.

 

[Rev]

Last year he was running well too. The improved line obviously has helped but he was averaging over 5 last season. The only criticism I have for Murray is the fumbles. Other than that I don't see the fuss about Murray at all.

 

[Cotton]

Last year he was running well too. The improved line obviously has helped but he was averaging over 5 last season. The only criticism I have for Murray is the fumbles. Other than that I don't see the fuss about Murray at all.

Pretty much exactly how I feel.

 

[townsend]

I always thought it was "pea-brained"

 

[Cotton]

I always thought it was "pea-brained"

You thought correctly.

 

[L.T. Fan]

It is probably too early to compare Murray with runners who have a long history. It can be said however that his career thus far compares favorably with most. Give him his due up to now and see how it plays out. I have watched him for more years than most and I know what he can do. I am also probably bias. Murray is a top echelon running back regardless of whether he has a long or short career.

 

[p1_]

Were Murray and AP ever part of a depth chart or rotation at OU? I think both were there at the same time, briefly maybe.

Think how good that must have been.

 

[L.T. Fan]

Were Murray and AP ever part of a depth chart or rotation at OU? I think both were there at the same time, briefly maybe.

Think how good that must have been.

OH has always used the RB position in rotation since Stoops has been there. They ran the spread most of the time which featured the passing game. The RB didn't have a big workload and there was some rotation because two or three would be utilized. The same system was utilized when Peterson and Murray were there but each got the majority of the work as starters. The system however was primarily a passing.attack.

 

[ravidubey]

Were Murray and AP ever part of a depth chart or rotation at OU? I think both were there at the same time, briefly maybe.

Think how good that must have been.

Murray got stuck with some bad OL's in college. He had to fight through a ton of carries to get the production he did. All that tread is good reason to be concerned about him getting 400+ carries in a season.

 

[L.T. Fan]

Murray got stuck with some bad OL's in college. He had to fight through a ton of carries to get the production he did. All that tread is good reason to be concerned about him getting 400+ carries in a season.

Ravi I hope you have a resource for this comment. I didn't see it that way and I have seen every Oklahoma game. The OL and system was geared to the passing game during both Peterson and Murray's tenures. I can't recall Murray getting an over abundance of work. Try this link.
http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/demarco-murray-1.html

 

[ravidubey]

Ravi I hope you have a resource for this comment. I didn't see it that way and I have seen every Oklahoma game. The OL and system was geared to the passing game during both Peterson and Murray's tenures. I can't recall Murray getting an over abundance of work. Try this link.
http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/demarco-murray-1.html

It's his last two seasons I'm referring to. He was not only injured he was also playing behind a subpar OL (by Oklahoma standards). See how his average drops sharply after his sophomore season? This is an elite (NFL caliber) talent who's averaging 5 and 6 YPC (similar to AP) in his first two seasons in college.

But his last two college seasons his average drops to 4.1 and 4.3 YPC. NFL caliber backs usually do much better than that in college.

Then as a senior his carries increased by 111 carries. His 759 total career carries by itself isn't horrible, the negative quality of those carries against Big 12 defenses geared to stop the run his last two years was a red flag and why he fell in the draft.

As a pro I like how Murray is finally running hard and staying healthy (at least so far), but the 400 carry pace is insane. I remember how the 400+ carries Jamal Anderson had in 1998 basically ruined his career. He was never the same after that.

 

[boozeman]

Tue Oct. 7, 2014

Ride Him, Cowboys

DeMarco Murray has had an historic start to the 2014 season, with five straight 100-yard games. Despite the success, the Cowboys plan to dial back the running back's usage to keep him healthy and fresh for the end of the year ... and beyond


By

Peter King


Question for Dallas running back DeMarco Murray, an hour after his fifth straight 100-yard game to start the NFL season: “Can you survive a season when you’re running as much as you’ve run so far?”

Answer by Murray: “I think I can. I’m in the cold tub right now. Taking care of myself.”

Murray’s been amazing in the first five weeks of the season. He’s the first running back since O.J. Simpson in 1975 to rush for 100 yards in each of his first five games. His 670 rushing yards is 210 more than any runner in football, and he’s apace to break the all-time single-season rushing mark of 2,105 held by Eric Dickerson. At this rate, Murray will run for 2,144 … but it’s unlikely this will continue to be the rate.

Murray, 26, has already rushed the ball 130 times this year. The fourth-year pro’s career high is 217 rushes, and at this rate, he’d almost double that. Which sounds like it won’t happen. “We think it’s probably too many carries in the game, week in and week out,” Dallas coach Jason Garrett said Monday. “He ended up with 31 [Sunday against Houston] so we’d like to get that number lower. I don’t see any wear and tear in DeMarco but having said that, we want to make sure we create a rotation and we’ll focus on doing that in the next few weeks.”

It’s smart. In his three previous NFL seasons Murray has missed 11 games with knee, ankle and foot injuries. Garrett on Monday made it sound like backups Joseph Randle and Lance Dunbar would be getting more touches starting Sunday in Seattle. Each has 11 rushes this year.

“We’ve got to make sure we take care of him over the course of the season,” said Garrett.

Where Did It All Go Right?

It’s interesting how the game has changed. A generation ago, it wasn’t surprising to see a back carry it 20 to 25 times a game. Today, it’s almost cause to call the authorities if a back rushes 25 times in a game. This, of course, has all happened because Murray, both inside the tackles with his power game and outside where he uses his speed and shoulder-lowering power, has been one of the league’s two or three most valuable players in the first five weeks.

Dallas has gotten nowhere but the middle of the pack by handing the ball to Tony Romo for the last three seasons. The Cowboys threw on 64.9 percent of the snaps last year and struggled to reach 8-8. So the Cowboys this year decided to go more with the run, and it’s worked well in the team’s 4-1 start. They’ve passed on 50.8 percent of the downs, a significant boost in run reliance.

So the Cowboys have gotten smart on offense, making sure Romo doesn’t ruin their chances by turning it over too much. And with the exception of Murray fumbling it four times in the first five games, it’s been a smart strategy.

“We’re finding different ways to win,” Murray said. “You can’t blow out everybody in this league. The NFL is hard. But whether they want me to run it 30 times or 10 times in a game, I don’t care. I can handle whatever the load is. Whatever they ask me to do, as long we win, I’m fine with it.”

I always wonder if players who are so hot, and who are on the road to all-time numbers care about the numbers. Some do, some don’t. I tried and plied Murray several different ways about the historic start to his season—Simpson and Jim Brown are the only backs pre-Murray to have rushed for 100 yards in their first five games of a season—but he wasn’t biting.

“Is 2,000 yards, or the all-time record, significant to you?” I asked.

“Those are things I don’t worry about or think about,” Murray said. “At this time of year, I basically have tunnel vision. Take it one play at a time, one step at a time. I pride myself as being a complete player—running, blocking and catching. It’s so important to me to be the best blocker I can be. So if I have a good day running the ball but missed a block, I’m not going to be happy about that.”

Not much not to be happy about so far for Murray. Now Garrett has to do the right thing, starting Sunday in Seattle: be sure he keeps his franchise back upright for 11 more games.

 

[L.T. Fan]

It's his last two seasons I'm referring to. He was not only injured he was also playing behind a subpar OL (by Oklahoma standards). See how his average drops sharply after his sophomore season? This is an elite (NFL caliber) talent who's averaging 5 and 6 YPC (similar to AP) in his first two seasons in college.

But his last two college seasons his average drops to 4.1 and 4.3 YPC. NFL caliber backs usually do much better than that in college.

Then as a senior his carries increased by 111 carries. His 759 total career carries by itself isn't horrible, the negative quality of those carries against Big 12 defenses geared to stop the run his last two years was a red flag and why he fell in the draft.

As a pro I like how Murray is finally running hard and staying healthy (at least so far), but the 400 carry pace is insane. I remember how the 400+ carries Jamal Anderson had in 1998 basically ruined his career. He was never the same after that.

Your initial post implied he had been overworked in college and as a result was already worn down. That just wasn't the case.