MARK DILLARD

[MICKEYS14]

I have been amazed at how little attention is being paid to Mark Dillard, our "other" RB. It seems like Freddie Franklin has been crowned the heir apparent to Moatsy with little competition. It is true that Franklin is a talented RB--he proved that as a true FR last year filling in for Ryan when Ryan experienced the ankle injuries. However, how could anyone ignore Mark Dillard after such a fantastic spring training during which he could legitimately be termed as the best RB we had, during the spring. This grown man has most of what it takes to be a great RB--he weighs 207 lbs. with sprinter's speed (he ran the sprints on our track team); if I remember correctly, he gained over 100 yds. in most of our spring scrimmages & about 150 yds. in the spring game. He broke several long TD's, outrunning all of the DB's once he broke the LOS. He is truly a big, strong, durable RB that only gets stronger the more touches he gets. It IS true that he is NOT a "juker" like Freddie--he is the classic straight-ahead POWER runner AND, he is worth his weight in gold!

Now, get this. In the summer-ending testing last week, Mark Dillard, our "alternate" RB, in the three measured lifts, is stronger than every OL except one, and stronger than every DL except two. Please do not think our OL & DL are WEAK. It's just this: Mark Dillard is SUPER STRONG and worked his butt off to get that way! We already know he's fast, very fast. Now we know he's strong, very strong.

Mark Dillard has made a BELIEVER out of me. I just wonder if he has made BELIEVERS out of those who COUNT!?

[Rooster]

Please tell me that one of the DL's that he DID NOT outlift was Josh Muse.

[DONW]

Mick, I picked Mark Dillard as my impact player on offense this year. Sounds like he's ready.

[MICKEYS14]

DON-in my humble opinion, you made a very wise & informed pick! Mick

[MICKEYS14]

ROOSTER-HIPPA (ha-ha) prevents me from giving out names. Your guy, big Josh Muse, is BIG in the weight room as well as on the playing field. But, think about this: Mark Dillard squatted 530 lbs! Not many RB's in the country can do that!!

[Gooddawg]

I agree, you could not watch the spring game and think of Mark Dillard as an also ran in the RB race, he may be our best all around runner period.

[theinsider]

Our coaches feel the same way about Dillard...Conroy Hines told me he thought Dillard would be starter.

[glm47]

I agree, you could not watch the spring game and think of Mark Dillard as an also ran in the RB race, he may be our best all around runner period.

He was very impressive, has both speed and power and runs with a lean.

[boxerdog]

I'm sure he'll get his chances to prove it on the field.

[marketdawg]

It's not that we don't know who Mark Dillard is...it's that the rest of the nation hasn't seen this guy yet. they just know Franklin filled in for the now almost-famous Moats. Maybe our coaches don't want the other guys to think about a big OL with two hoss backs exploding from behind them as we enter the games against Florida and Kansas? These two guys will definitely be able to worry the opposing D enough to free up a passing game with what we are hoping to be some good receivers. I truly think that we are much better than all the pre-season gurus are preaching. I think that the SI preseason rating for us was way low for having us at what, 77 or so? If our corners and safe can stand and deliver then I think we'll be just fine....that is if the opposing teams survive the linebackers that is...Guys, we have a good team. GO DAWGS!

[DogsWin]

Imagine if every game we played our 3 top RBs (each coming in fresh throughout 4 complete quarters): 1. M. Dillard, 2. F. Franklin, 3. P. Jackson

If the passing game improves and the defensive secondary holds it's own 2005 could be an very memorable and exciting season for Tech football.

[johnnylightnin]

Coach,

I guess there's no way we'll have two of the three on the field at the same time? I just can't stop thinkin' about Carnell Williams and Ronnie Brown. Anyway, do you think the guys will split time pretty evenly? I'd love to see them split Freddie or PJ out into the slot a few times a game. Either way, I'm real excited about our RB's. Hopefully they'll work together and push each other to get better. I can't watch practices, so I just know about what Freddie did. If it's true that we've got 2 or three guys with that kind of talent, we really may surprise some folks.

Come on Matt and DA...make us proud.

[rphdawg]

Dillard Impressive on Field and in Weight Room
Posted Aug 16, 2005 21:49:56

RUSTON – Mark Dillard continued to impress Louisiana Tech coaches Tuesday during Day No. 2 of the Bulldogs preseason workouts held at the Jim Mize Track and Field Complex.

During the two-hour session, the sophomore running back from Baton Rouge split time in the backfield with the first team with teammate Freddie Franklin, who he will share the load with for Tech during the upcoming season. Despite a mild nagging injury, Dillard looked sharp.

“We have a number of good running backs and Mark is obviously one of them,” said Tech head coach Jack Bicknell. “He doesn’t really remind me of anyone (we’ve had since I’ve been at Tech); maybe a little of Joe Smith. He just has his own style.”

That running style could best be described as physical. It would also be the best word to describe Dillard in the weight room.

Tech head strength and conditioning coach Yancy McKnight said Dillard recently lifted a combined total of 1190 pounds during the three lifts used to total the “power index,” a total that ranked fifth best on the entire Bulldog squad.

Dillard’s totals included 530 pounds in the squat, 310 pounds on the power clean and 350 pounds on the bench press. For a 209-pound running back who possesses sprinter speed, the 1,190 pounds made an impression.

“He’s just a real powerful guy,” Bicknell said. “He just has to learn how to use that power when he runs. If he can do that, you could see something special. He possesses power and speed which is a dangerous combination.”

As a senior at Glen Oaks High School, Dillard won the Louisiana Class 5A state title in the 100- and 400-meters. During this past spring, he earned all-WAC honors as a member of Louisiana Tech’s second place 400- and 1600-meter relay teams that competed at the WAC Outdoor Championships.

About the same time this spring, Dillard rushed for over 100 yards in the Bulldogs final two scrimmages, scoring on two long touchdown runs of over 50 yards each.

It’s that type of ability that has Bicknell and the Tech coaching staff anxiously waiting to see what the sophomore has in store for the upcoming season.

[DocMarvin362]

My solution is the split backfeild sometimes. Who has a better chance of getting us a big play, a 3rd or 4th string WR, or the 2nd String RB? MIX IT UP! Every Year Madden seems to draft this really good RB named Matt Weiland , and usually it's to a team with a good backfield already (the Aints)so the choices were something Like Jerome Pathon, or Duece McAllister. Simple answer there. What ever happened to the Troy Edwards, 5 WR, Diamond formation? We ever gonna use that again?

[GonzoDawg]

Any idea what they are going to do with Weldon Brown?