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Ryan Nall Situation

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Does anyone else take issue with the way Nall is being handled? Not so much constantly shuffling positions, but playing at a weight that he says hurts his knees and makes him slow to get through the hole as a RB.

I am high on Nall, but I’m concerned that he’s not in the best position to succeed. When I saw him in the scrimmage film, I wrote in my notes that he looked slow. Much slower than he looked as a HS running back. A few days later, he said he’s playing at 250lbs, feels slow, and feels knee pain.

It’s just not cool. My guess is GA wants him at 250lbs because he still wants to use him as H-back or backup TE? So the weight makes some sense there. But the guy is saying he feels it in the knees and feels slow…I sense an injury waiting to happen here and find the entire situation mismanaged.

15 COMMENTS

  1. I don’t get the long snapper part. They brought in a JUCO long snapper in the 2015 class. Ryan Navarro. Are we sure there isn’t a miscommunication here somewhere? Like maybe GA said “Ryan is our starting long-snapper” and people just assumed he meant Ryan Nall?
    Just a hunch, but I haven’t seen where this rumor originated.

      • The decision to move him to RB is pretty recent, based on Cook going down. And Telly Lockette says he’s a running back now, which I like better than using him as a TE, just because we need a bruiser. Still would like to see him on defense, but don’t like the position switching. He’s been here 2 years and both coaches have raved about him, but neither has figured out how they wanted to use him. I’d imagine after this year, they’ll switch him somewhere else if Cook comes back healthy for his final year.
        I’d imagine the complaints about knee pain won’t fall on deaf ears and they’ll figure out what weight makes sense for his body to carry, but since this switch to RB is so recent, the weight will take time to come off.

        • I have no problem with him at RB, but they need to get him down to a weight where his knees can support him no matter where he plays. Based on his height and frame 230lbs seems much more reasonable. He looked insanely big (and slow) in the scrimmage footage. Agree with GoBeavs below that he has good/deceptive speed at his natural weight, but I don’t think he has that now with this added weight.

          They should slim him down ASAP. I don’t want to see this guy get injured.

          • It didn’t seem like the move to RB was permanent. I would think it’s only this year until the injured RBs return and next year’s class come in. He’s probably a short yardage guy that pushes the pile. Not an every down back in this offense. And he is definitely not long snapping.

          • If he’s only going to be a short yardage guy and then sit the rest of the game then, IMO, he’d be of more benefit to the team as a LB’er. Course, that’s just my opinion which according to my wife isn’t worth much most of the time.

  2. Ya know I thought I heard the same thing about Nall (long snapping) too! That threw me for a loop. Hope it’s not true.

    I agree on Nall’s shuffling but one thing to keep in mind here, there are a hell of a lotta practices we aren’t seeing. I think it’s kind of smart to have a utility guy though, just in case. He is young and very versatile. I would not be surprised if after the first few games they see how he performs in some situations and fit him into a position permanently.

    But playing him at TE, especially when he’s flexed into the slot in a 4 receiver set, he can run seams and catch the ball barreling down on a Safety and he can be the lead blocker on fly sweeps from the other slot. They can also flex him and then motion to the backfield and use him as a blocker or a ball carrier. His pad level is too high as a ball carrier though I have seen him break open on a few runs and he has some deceptive speed for his size. He will be a change of pace if anything! Love all the versatility.

    Go Beavs!

  3. I’m very curious who the emergency 4th QB is? I know people might have a knee jerk reaction and revert to BV but he weighs about 30 more lbs and the offense would have to probably drastically change. I would have thought that after what Coach McGiven experienced last season (though it was a fluke) but in this offense your QBs are exposed to more contact. Knock on wood of course.

    Go Beavs!

  4. I’m actually a bit concerned too, because he could do just fine and could probably drop 10 pounds easy money if he wanted too. Either way he’d still be a bruiser. He’s like 6’2 and Caleb Smith is 6’6 250 himself, so if Nall is really worried about his knees he should probably lose some, see how he feels, and make sure his strength is as good as it can be.

    I hope we see a lot of him this year no matter what. Dude is a helluva athlete, a Portland native, a winner, and I hope he becomes a Beaver ATG. Just gotta give him the rock and let him work.

  5. I think Jaylynn Bailey is one of those guys that’s gonna fight for good reps in games. He is very explosive to the edges. It is not easy to get the edge and turn it up for positive yardage but I have seen him do it time and time again. He also has a very tight build (compact) and is very good in the middle of the field as well. I know they want to use quite a few backs this season and with; Storm, Brown, Haskins, Bailey, and perhaps even Sands, I’m not sure Nall’s even needed. I love Haskins but I have to believe from what I have seen, JB is the more complete back (feet, power, speed, hands, vision). Haskins is very powerful but more of a true North/ South guy (which is a good thing), especially in short yardage with his bowling ball frame.

    Go Beavs!

  6. I keep hearing this quote about Ryan Nall saying he felt pain in his knees at 250 lbs. Not saying it didn’t happen, but the only one I heard was he felt just a little pressure in his knees at 250 lbs, but he would play at whatever weight the coach wants.
    I am pretty confident that the coaches have had a chance to discuss and talk to Ryan now and that there is no longer any confusion on what is the best action. The running back switch happened quick and I am sure there was still some communication that needed to happen. Also, I think the coaches think of it more as a running back flex, meaning Ryan can pretty easily switch between the 2 positions. Wasn’t it Myles Jack that was all the rage as a hybrid type player.

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