MARK DILLARD

[MICKEYS14]

BOXER-please KNOW that there is going to be PLENTY of playing time available for Freddie & Mark and, who knows, Patrick & Weldon. RB is a position where you just CANNOT have enough healthy bodies! Both of the true FR, Patrick Jackson & Weldon Brown, have shown plenty, plenty of inate ability--quick, quick, quick!

[boxerdog]

BOXER-please KNOW that there is going to be PLENTY of playing time available for Freddie & Mark and, who knows, Patrick & Weldon. RB is a position where you just CANNOT have enough healthy bodies! Both of the true FR, Patrick Jackson & Weldon Brown, have shown plenty, plenty of inate ability--quick, quick, quick!

You're right. But these preseason threads are built on hope and hype, I was just trying to swing the pendulum back toward Freddie a little bit. People seemed to have forgotton what he did against Auburn and UTEP, teams with good run defenses. Franklin had a nice yard-per-carry average. Sure, Dillard had a nice track season and Spring, but he's got prove it in game-action before we crown him heir apparant. His yard-per-carry totals last season weren't very exciting.

[Gooddawg]

boxer-

It is amazing to me how much more comfortable Dillard looks in the offense and how much of a difference that makes. Last year I was ready to move him to safety and let him anchor our D but after watching spring practices, the spring game, where the D knows our offense. I think he will be a great complement and change of pace from Freddie. I was far from impressed with him last year but he has made a believer out of me. Our coaches are crazy if they don't get both of these guys 15 carries a game minimum. I think both of these guys will have good years behind our OL and put up some really nice numbers, let's just hope the numbers add up to wins.

[boxerdog]

Cool. I plan on heading over that way next Saturday and seeing for myself.

[LaTechFanatic]

Their was a nice article about Dillard in today's Advocate(the paper in Baton Rouge). They also had a nice pic of him playing against Boise. I can't seem to find the article on their website though.

[DogsWin]

http://2theadvocate.com/stories/0819...atech001.shtml

[arkansasbob]

The thing that most worries me about Dillard is his balance. I know he runs with a "lean" but, alot of players who run leaning forward tend to get tackled by the first defender. Franklin has shown exceptional balance and elusivity. Many times that translates making "something out of nothing" on the football field. Correct me if I'm wrong, but in both of Dillard's long runs in the Spring Game he was untouched.(?) I'm certainly not sold on him being better than Freddie at this point.

i haven't seen dillard run (that i can remember), but i remember another running back we had that ran with a "lean", and despite his low center of gravity, seemed to struggle with balance -- bobby ray tell. bobby was a great blocker, and every once in a while had a break-out game, but i am sure everyone will agree that he was not the caliber of running back we are expecting dillard to be.

[96bulldog]

Bobby Ray Tell was a great blocker, and every once in a while had a break-out game, but i am sure everyone will agree that he was not the caliber of running back we are expecting dillard to be.

I loved watching Bobby Ray Tell play. While I think Bobby had great potential, it seems that injuries took their toll on his body and ultimately he had a good, but not spectacular, career at Tech.

Dillard sounds like he has great potential, too. Hopefully he will stay healthy and has every chance to meet that potential!