Notes from Nashville: Titans fullback elbowed out by McClain
When the subject of Ravens running back Le’Ron McClain comes up among other teams, it’s fairly common to hear coaches and players make the point that McClain is far from the typical fullback because of his productivity as a ball carrier.
Although he has fullback size, the 260-pound McClain went on to lead the Ravens with 902 rushing yards on 232 carries. Actually, Lorenzo Neal, whose career-long forte has been blocking, has often been McClain’s lead blocker.
“I would classify him maybe as a running back rather than a fullback,” Titans coach Jeff Fisher said Tuesday of McClain. “Either that or they’re handing the ball off to the fullback 200 times a year. He’s a real good player. He pushes the pile, he’s a north-south runner, he’s got good vision and he’s tough. That’s what you need if you’re going to take the approach they take with their run game. They create a lot of third-and-ones and third-and-twos which makes it hard to get off the field.”
Sounds innocuous enough, even complimentary, until you travel the Titans locker room and then Fisher’s comment that McClain is a running back rather than a fullback or else the Ravens are “handing the ball off to the fullback 200 times a year” takes on more meaning.
There seems to be a feeling that just maybe McClain was misclassified for the purpose of Pro Bowl voting and that Tennessee’s own fullback, Ahmard Hall, was short-changed in the process.
Hall, basically a starter at fullback, had just eight carries all season but did the dirty work as the lead blocker for Chris Johnson (1,228 yards) and LenDale White (773 yards).
Hall gave McClain his props for answering the bell as the featured running back when Willis McGahee struggled, but ...
“It’s hard for me to take that because it takes away my spot from going to the Pro Bowl but at the same time he does have that title. When Willis [and others] were playing he did play fullback. It just is what it is,” Hall said.
“I think he’s definitely a tailback,” the Tennessee fullback added. “He carries the ball the majority of the time for them and they probably misclassified him.”
Comments
big deal, cry me a river. players get hosed out of a pro-bowl appearance every year for many reasons.
Posted by: brandon | January 7, 2009 4:50 PM
Then hand him the ball 20 times, or at least until Ngata, one of our own to be snubbed, makes him frumble a few.
Posted by: rick | January 7, 2009 5:25 PM
Fullback can mean a lot of things, just like tight ends. Your job contains more blocking than wide receiver or running back, but your glory comes mainly from your offensive numbers. Mike Alstott is a classic example of a perennial fullback who had a lot of touches.
This happens all the time in pro-bowl voting. blocks and tackles are generally undervalued while TD's, yards of offense, sacks or INT's are generally overvalued. Tough.
Posted by: Direwolfc | January 7, 2009 5:35 PM
Well, maybe recently the definition of "fullback" has been distorted due to the use of them by teams... however, historically, and this is according to wikipedia: "Many of the great runners of the history of American football have been fullbacks, notably Jim Brown, Franco Harris, Mike Alstott, and Larry Csonka, but in recent years the position has evolved to be more a blocker than a runner, with occasional pass-catching duties. "
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fullback_(American_football)
So, if Jim Brown was a fullback, why can't McClain?
Posted by: Bill | January 7, 2009 9:01 PM
this is about as ridiculous as chris johnson whining about not getting ROY because the award is "bogus". McLain started the year at FB, was a FB all last year, why would they classify him as a HB? He was forced to get carries because Mcgahee got hurt and they werent ready to give rice the ball 25 times a game. Should he be penalized because of his versatility? Besides, didnt Chris Johnson do most of his damage in a single back set? Dont the titans make a living out of the 2 TE set with no FB? Is the entire backfield of Tenn a bunch of cry babies?
Posted by: Tim | January 7, 2009 10:47 PM
come on.....we need more reasons to pound you AGAIN like Oct. 5th!
Posted by: TitansSuperBowlRun | January 8, 2009 8:43 AM
Saw a neat special on Ahmard Hall...served in the Marines, I believe, and never gave up his dream of playing football. I was impressed...glad he had a good year, but will be happy to see his season end this week.
Go Ravens!
Posted by: steve | January 8, 2009 9:56 AM
I'm with Brandon -- cry me a freakin river.
Posted by: skaybaltimore | January 8, 2009 10:05 AM
i hope mcclain puts that in his locker just for a little extra motivation this week.. not that it should be needed but that stuff will be used. look for cameron to use that to his advantage at some point this weekend with a trick play
Posted by: pv | January 8, 2009 11:56 AM
Waaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!
Posted by: Mr. Deez | January 8, 2009 3:25 PM
Man I feel BAD -- NOT!!
Posted by: grey32 | January 8, 2009 5:13 PM
I respected Hall until I read this story. What a little baby...McClain was supposed to be starter at FB and played Prob-Bowl caliber at that position last year. He was asked to change for the team, he did and did a pretty damn good job. And Hall thinks McClain tricked his way into the pro-bowl? Idiot
Posted by: Sono | January 8, 2009 8:30 PM
They have a point, a very small one.
Posted by: pete | January 8, 2009 8:58 PM
To titanssuperbowlrun,
By pounding are you reffering to the game where we were up 10-6 in the 4th quarter? The same game where the officials gave Tenn a first down because suggs hit collins in the shoulder pad and drew a 15 yard penalty. The play where a very kerry collinsesque ugly incomplete pass fell to the turf on 3rd and long and inturn should have been a punt. Then you dink and dunk your way to a phantom TD in the final moments. If thats a pounding in titans language, then what do you call what we did to tenn in 2000? what is that called? How do the titans even know what a superbowlrun feels like?
Posted by: Tim | January 8, 2009 9:37 PM