Bronco conedes to O'Neil

I just thought this quote from Jay Drew's blog was interesting, and wanted to pass it on to anyone that may not have seen it:

After practice last night, I asked coach Bronco Mendenhall if McKay Jacobson would start returning punts again, now that he is back from injury. Mendenhall said he is sticking with O’Neill Chambers, although Chambers has been a bit reckless in fielding punts and had a fumble against Wyoming.

“I really like what O’Neill is doing. He gives us a physcial presence there. He doesn’t go down easy. He is certainly fearless. I like what he has done on both punt and kickoff returns.

So he will remain as the returner,” Mendenhall said.

And what about his refusal to call for fair catches?

“We will work on that. I would much rather have to pull him back, than have to encourage him to go get it. Right now, he has no fear, in fact, after the one that he didn’t fair catch, with players right around him, he said I thought I could fall forward for a yard. He said a yard is better than nothing, and that is hard logic to argue with, because he fell forward about a half a yard, is what we got,” Mendenhall said. “We always emphasize field position, so it was a good point.”

Sounds good to me. Just secure the ball, especially if you're not going to fair catch the close ones.



Maybe Chambers can run one back against UNM.

THIS is why O'neil is one of my favorite players. I don't think anyone out there matches his drive. Every fumble he's had (that's I know of anyway) has been in an effort to get that extra yard.

declocoug wrote:
THIS is why O'neil is one of my favorite players. I don't think anyone out there matches his drive. Every fumble he's had (that's I know of anyway) has been in an effort to get that extra yard.

It's the same attitude that Max Hall has, he's a gunslinger and will force balls into places that are dangerous. Unfortunately a couple of times that's bitten us. Luckily he's dialed it back a bit and learned when to take chances. I hope Chambers can learn the same.

hawkwing wrote:

THIS is why O'neil is one of my favorite players. I don't think anyone out there matches his drive. Every fumble he's had (that's I know of anyway) has been in an effort to get that extra yard.

It's the same attitude that Max Hall has, he's a gunslinger and will force balls into places that are dangerous. Unfortunately a couple of times that's bitten us. Luckily he's dialed it back a bit and learned when to take chances. I hope Chambers can learn the same.

We disagree a little. MAx Hall is great. I love the job he's done at the Y.



I feel that Max Hall's main responsibility is to control the pace of the game and to make SMART decisions in order to move the chains and hopefully get into scoring range. (Although you are exactly right, he does have a lot of drive and that gets him into trouble sometimes. Sometimes it makes him a hero).



I like to see O'Neil making the extra effort for a few yards. He has had some bad luck with fumbles trying to get those extra yards. Statistically doing what Chambers does is low risk. O'neil is also a sophomore and shouldn't have the same expectations as Senior QB. Bronco is right when he says it takes guts and courage to do what he does.



I don't like to see Hall throwing into double coverages and taking unnecessary risks when thowing it away could be the most beneficial option. What Hall does is often HIGH risk.



I know exactly what you mean thoguh, maybe I just have a double standard but I'm fine with Chambers' drive and when Hall is showing his moxie it kind of bothers me.



I have a lot of respect for Dalton (as far as QBs) who goes out and simply puts his team in a situation to win, and makes very few mistakes along the way.

I didn't see the Wyoming game so I can't judge that one. But I have yet to see anything about Chambers that impresses me...and he played nearly two full seasons. I'll go out on a limb here and predict Chambers will never run a kickoff or punt back for a touchdown--I just don't think he has the ability to do that. I hope I'm wrong, but he doesn't have that burst to get himself past that first rush of tacklers, and, yes, he just runs into whoever is in front of him, no moves, no lateral change of direction, no burst of speed. I think he's in the wrong position.

hawkwing wrote:

THIS is why O'neil is one of my favorite players. I don't think anyone out there matches his drive. Every fumble he's had (that's I know of anyway) has been in an effort to get that extra yard.

It's the same attitude that Max Hall has, he's a gunslinger and will force balls into places that are dangerous. Unfortunately a couple of times that's bitten us. Luckily he's dialed it back a bit and learned when to take chances. I hope Chambers can learn the same.

I'd like to spin this a little differently. I see Max Hall as being similar because when he scrambles he scraps for every single yard. I've never seen the guy dive feet first or even go down easy.

I recall an interview done with Vai Sikehema (relating to the 1984 season? I believe.) Anyway, he mentioned that he was supposed to start in the backfield that year and got beat out by Kelly Smith. He was disappointed to say the least that he wasn't getting the time in the backfield. He was returning punts. He decided that the only way he going to be able to show his ability to run the football was on punts, and so he wasn't going to "fair catch" all year. And he was going to run everyone back for a touchdown. I don't know if he fair caught any that year, but his bad experience of not starting at running back turned into an apparent blessing.... Pro Bowl Kick Returner. Maybe O'Neill has the same mentality. Hope he has vice grips for hands, though, because the chance of fumble due to the ferocity of the hit increases.......

I understand what OC is saying, however is the benefit of gaining 1 yard worth the risk of turning the ball over? Obviously, his fumble wasn't hurtful (thanks Kariya), but it could be in the future. I just think if three of your opponents are surrounding you, stick your arm in the air and catch the football. Just like punting isn't always a bad thing on offense (better than forcing a ball into tight coverage and turning into a pick), I don't think a fair catch is such a bad thing at all.

bostoncoug wrote:
I understand what OC is saying, however is the benefit of gaining 1 yard worth the risk of turning the ball over? Obviously, his fumble wasn't hurtful (thanks Kariya), but it could be in the future. I just think if three of your opponents are surrounding you, stick your arm in the air and catch the football. Just like punting isn't always a bad thing on offense (better than forcing a ball into tight coverage and turning into a pick), I don't think a fair catch is such a bad thing at all.

Exactly - risk vs. reward. You'll hear commentators all the time (granted, it's always after the fumble) say "he should have just gone down once he got wrapped up instead of scrapping for that extra yard or two with 3 guys hanging on him." Although it's the same commentators who always say "you've got to love the way this guy never goes down on first contact and is always fighting for that extra yard." So in the end, it's really the result that matters, but I agree that the risk of fielding a punt when surrounded by the opposition far exceeds the potential reward - gaining a yard or two.