How good can Devwah Be?

Football Insider Board
#1

Assuming health, of course.

I loved the roundtable discussion, and would love to hear some of the folks on this board chime in.

I feel like he can be as good as Collins and JWill…and maybe even better…although that’s a mouthful. Devwah reminds me more of JWill than Collins. No one has Collins super quick feet and cutting ability. But Whaley is just as big as those guys…and looks to bas as strong…with what seems to be better top-end speed…though I don’t know any Whaley’s times other than a PR 11.12 100 meters in high school. I think he likes the physical game…like JWill.

CBB saying he may be the most talented RB he ever recruited is pretty major though. And EVERYONE wanted him.

I look for big things. If he can get a few more lanes, and SEE them, I think he can explode and go for close to 1500.

#2

He will be as good as our offensive line’s improvement.

#3

I think he has more burst than AC or RWIII & probable more powerful tha JWill. Looking forward to a big year from him.

#4

I think Devwah can be good, but whether he reaches Rawleigh-type numbers from last season are going to be based on a lot of factors outside his control. One obviously is staying healthy, but others include how well the offensive line progresses and another how well the passing game adjusts to losing so many top receivers. I think Arkansas might run the ball more this season, but it has to be able to pass to keep defenses from keying on the run game.

#5

Based on what I have read (okay, preseason last year our defense was going to be outstanding . . . . . )about our receiving corps, I have less concern about them than I do about the offensive line. Assuming that they come through like they should (?), the offensive line should (at least) be improved from last year. Also assuming that Devwah is as good as we think he is, I see no reason that his yardage total should not be as good or better than Williams from last year if he plays as much. I would hope that one or more of the other backs available prove to be good enough to share a reasonable portion of the carries, and am more concerned about our total yardage on the ground than I am about who gets how many however. One other question is the effect of the defense on our offensive time of possession. Last year our defense allowed so many big plays (took so little time) that the offense got the ball more than they may this year? Hopefully the defense can “shut them down” quickly (without letting them score) such that this is a non factor.

#6

I totally expect Devwah to have a great year (without injury, obviously). He appears to have all the tools to be a great back. I really don’t expect what I’m about to say to happen, but what if he just doesn’t “get it”? Again, I think he will, but all of us have seen athletes with great tools who just don’t pan out for some reason (the “light” doesn’t come on, the expectations are too high, etc., etc.). Devwah showed last year signs of greatness. There’s no reason to think that won’t be the case, but until it happens, we can just never be sure. If this did happen, it sure is good that David Williams is coming and the freshmen have to grow up super fast.

#7

I think if our passing game is strong, Devwah will explode on the college world with many explosive runs! Im talking 50 60 yd take it to the house type plays! If our passing is very very good, our run game explodes and this offense could be top ten in the country! All depends on, not only O-line but Offensive team blocking, RBs, Tight Ends, and the receivers down field after the catch!

#8

We are going to have a 4 game run to start the season that will allow us to run the ball more while the WR’s gel. Our TE’s are ready to pick up some slack during those early games too. We are not deep at RB and we have a great passing QB so it doesn’t make sense to run very much this year. I see us running more early and then becoming a strong passing team during SEC play.

#9

How many quality running backs would make us “deep” at that position, and which running backs on the team do you see as making up the roster at that position?

#10

I personally think Devwah has the opportunity to be one of the top backs ever to come from the Razorback program providing he stays healthy and our O-line shows some improvements. He has the size,speed and a year under his belt and he’s the bell cow now and he’s a first class competitor. Looking back at his production last year as a freshman playing behind Rawleigh and a not so great line I would think you would have to think he should show vast improvement coupled with more carries. Wouldn’t surprise me in the least to see him run for over 100 yards in all the non conference games which will add confidence to this young man and the team. It will also help to have our passing game play well to keep them honest. WPS

#11

He’s faster than his predecessors (Collins, Williams)
It’s true he may have more burst than Collins but Budda could turn on a dime at top end speed without downshifting and change direction.

On the other hand SEC has DB’s & Safety’s with track speed that all too often caught Collin’s & Williams.

Devwah if ever caught (which would be a rarity at top speed) would probably give them a piggy-back right a extra 5-10 yds because he’s will run over most guy’s that are not LB size.

#12

I don’t look at it as a number of backs needed to reach a depth comfort. I look at it from a point of replacing a starter, but how well can that player block, pick up blitzes, know the plays AND run the ball. We have a true Soph in Whaley as a starter, and he is not heavily experienced in blocking and picking up blitzes. The backups would likely be David Williams or Maleek Williams. David Williams is Grad Transfer that will be learning the offense in summer and Fall Camp. He has SEC game experience but has NO Arkansas experience. Maleek Williams went through the spring which helped him learn some of the offense and blocking. Maleek has no College game experience, much less SEC. If we run the ball very much, then we will have injuries or nagging injuries to Whaley.

#13

Well stated, but if they are not very good at blocking, wouldn’t it make more sense to just let them all run the ball more to lessen the possibility of the quarterback getting hit when trying to pass? Then the rushers would be more prone to go for the running back on a fake run, allowing more time to complete the pass.

#14

Personally, I think that you have to be able to run to set up the play action pass YET you have to be able to pass enough to back the safeties out of run support. A dangerous Pro I offense needs to pass to run and run to pass. Enos and CBB have shown a love for the balanced Pro I and it is appreciated by the NFL coaches. Enos is extremely good calling plays for this type of offense as well as his emphasis of using the TE. The TE is a blocker and a very active receiver in our offense and a secret to our run game success.

#15

I have had some thoughts/feelings on this for some time. Guess this is the right time/thread to post them in.

I will first say this - I’ve never been shy about making “bold” predictions. I don’t make lots of them, but when I feel something - good or bad - I put it out there. Actually, my record over many years is pretty good (won’t list them all here; and that’s not the point), but I’ve also had some flat out busts (predicting QB Jacoby Walker would lead us to the SEC title after Mallett graduated, for example).

On this matter, it isn’t so much of a bold prediction as it is a nagging feeling.

As with any of our players, I pull for each to do well. I was excited when Devwah committed to us, and I continue to hope his career matches the expectations. But, for some reason, I just have a feeling that he will be a “good”, but not great RB for us. Can’t put my finger on why. Am not able to isolate a particular part of his game to pick apart or criticize. Again - just a gut feeling. Someone may say “how can you say that? Have you seen enough of him to make a judgement?”. Good questions, and I have no real answer other than “just a feeling”.

That’s why no “bold prediction”. First, I do think that he is capable - given good health and enough opportunities - to rush for 1,000 yards. But 1,500? All-SEC? I don’t see that.

I do see more of a RB by committee for us this season, as opposed to DW and then everyone else. He will probably have more carries any one else, but it will be more closely distributed among 3 or 4 than mostly him, IMO.

I don’t want to be critical of DW - I have NO reason to be. Again, just stating my “gut”. And, I’d be thrilled to be totally wrong and see him rush for 1,800 or more yards.

Remember - the OP asked us what we thought. Just responding.

#16

After watching him get better as the year went along last year, I really thought that Devwah was going to have a big soph season even before Raleigh had to quit. He’s built to run for the tough yards, but he also has more burst and a bit more wiggle than Raleigh. If he stays healthy I think he will have a really big year.

The harder thing to judge is who ends up second on the team in rushing, and whether the Hogs can get close to averaging 200 yards a game rushing this year. The closer we get to 200 a game, the better the chances of having a really good year.

#17

I think we would have beaten Mizzou last year if Enos had not forgotten about Devwah in the second half. Give him enough carries and he will break a long run.

#18

MHO, Devway should have a break out year. Even with a sub-par O-Line last year Rawleigh still managed to rack up some major yardage and I believe he finished first in the regular season for rushing - ~1,300 yards (then Guice took it over in the bowl, could be wrong here). Rawleigh was great but he would occasionally miss wide open lanes (didn’t happen often) that I think Devwah would capitalize on. All in all you can’t go wrong with Devwah being the feature back and throwing the young guns & Hammonds in the mix adds a good variety of speed & power. WPS!

#19

Devwah got hurt in the first half of the Mizzou game. That’s why he didn’t play in the 2nd half.

#20

That is good to know. Devwah is going to have a much better Oline and a much more comfortable and confident QB. He has more in his favor than last year for sure. We will have to run the ball more early until the WR’s get acclimated, so he will have a chance to get in the groove early.