C-Mac
08-29-2005, 10:27 AM
Vermeil: Too much running talent is no problem
By ELIZABETH MERRILL
The Kansas City Star
Less than 24 hours after his backup sprinted, cut and swaggered his way to a 147-yard night, Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil wanted to make something clear.
There is no running-back controversy. There will be no running back controversy. And if anyone tries to start a running back controversy …
“It ain’t going to happen here,” Vermeil said Sunday. “I won’t allow it. Not today, not tomorrow, not next week.”
Vermeil, apparently, foresees this week’s water-cooler chatter over the Chiefs’ running-back situation. His starter is Priest Holmes, a three-time Pro Bowler who owns more records than K-Tel. The No. 2 back is Larry Johnson, a 2003 first-round draft pick who’s made it no secret that he wants to play more.
Johnson captivated Arrowhead Stadium on a sticky late-summer night when he broke through a huge hole and raced 97 yards for a touchdown against Seattle. Vermeil said that wasn’t even his best run. He raved about the 18-yard burst in his first snap and the 11-yard run at the end of the first quarter.
“He runs with an attitude,” Vermeil said. “He’s running to punish the tacklers. He’s better right now than last year by far.”
But regardless of what happened, the 16.3 yards per carry, the 16-yarder up the middle that was called back by a holding penalty, Vermeil said it didn’t change the way the coaches plan to use both running backs this season.
He’d only say that Holmes and Johnson will line up in the same backfield on some plays, that they’ll get their share of snaps and that their roles will vary on the opponent and the situation.
When asked whether he can keep both of them happy, Vermeil said, “I don’t know if everybody can be happy. They can be professional. I think Larry can, and I know Priest can. Larry had a tremendous training camp, and he’s everything that I thought he would end up being.”
Some NFL teams have made the dual running-back situation work. In St. Louis, where the Chiefs close out the preseason Friday night, they use Marshall Faulk and Steven Jackson. Faulk is a veteran finesse runner who’s headed for the Hall of Fame; Jackson is a second-year bruiser who won the starting job in the offseason.
Pittsburgh and Atlanta have also had success using two running backs. The Steelers made it to the AFC championship game with Jerome Bettis and Duce Staley, and the Falcons had a good balance of speed and power with Warrick Dunn and T.J. Duckett.
Johnson was stuck at No. 3 on the depth chart heading into last season, and then Holmes and Derrick Blaylock suffered injuries. In the last six games of the season, Johnson erupted for 541 yards and nine touchdowns.
In an interview late last week, Johnson said he deserves to be starting somewhere in the NFL but understands the Chiefs’ situation.
“I’m good at being No. 2, but I don’t want to stop there,” he said. “I want to be No. 1. But that all comes through with production and how the season goes.”
Vermeil, who stresses team chemistry, said he likes Johnson’s fire. And honesty. Of course he wants to start, Vermeil said. Who wouldn’t? When Johnson was younger, he was known to occasionally pout over his lack of playing time. Now his passion is spilling out onto the field.
“It’s better to do that than pout,” Vermeil said. “Some guys go in a shell and just complain. Larry’s gone the other way. He’s turned it up a notch. He’s learned and gotten better from Priest.
“All I know is we have two (high-)quality running backs. And you can never have too many good ones.”
By ELIZABETH MERRILL
The Kansas City Star
Less than 24 hours after his backup sprinted, cut and swaggered his way to a 147-yard night, Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil wanted to make something clear.
There is no running-back controversy. There will be no running back controversy. And if anyone tries to start a running back controversy …
“It ain’t going to happen here,” Vermeil said Sunday. “I won’t allow it. Not today, not tomorrow, not next week.”
Vermeil, apparently, foresees this week’s water-cooler chatter over the Chiefs’ running-back situation. His starter is Priest Holmes, a three-time Pro Bowler who owns more records than K-Tel. The No. 2 back is Larry Johnson, a 2003 first-round draft pick who’s made it no secret that he wants to play more.
Johnson captivated Arrowhead Stadium on a sticky late-summer night when he broke through a huge hole and raced 97 yards for a touchdown against Seattle. Vermeil said that wasn’t even his best run. He raved about the 18-yard burst in his first snap and the 11-yard run at the end of the first quarter.
“He runs with an attitude,” Vermeil said. “He’s running to punish the tacklers. He’s better right now than last year by far.”
But regardless of what happened, the 16.3 yards per carry, the 16-yarder up the middle that was called back by a holding penalty, Vermeil said it didn’t change the way the coaches plan to use both running backs this season.
He’d only say that Holmes and Johnson will line up in the same backfield on some plays, that they’ll get their share of snaps and that their roles will vary on the opponent and the situation.
When asked whether he can keep both of them happy, Vermeil said, “I don’t know if everybody can be happy. They can be professional. I think Larry can, and I know Priest can. Larry had a tremendous training camp, and he’s everything that I thought he would end up being.”
Some NFL teams have made the dual running-back situation work. In St. Louis, where the Chiefs close out the preseason Friday night, they use Marshall Faulk and Steven Jackson. Faulk is a veteran finesse runner who’s headed for the Hall of Fame; Jackson is a second-year bruiser who won the starting job in the offseason.
Pittsburgh and Atlanta have also had success using two running backs. The Steelers made it to the AFC championship game with Jerome Bettis and Duce Staley, and the Falcons had a good balance of speed and power with Warrick Dunn and T.J. Duckett.
Johnson was stuck at No. 3 on the depth chart heading into last season, and then Holmes and Derrick Blaylock suffered injuries. In the last six games of the season, Johnson erupted for 541 yards and nine touchdowns.
In an interview late last week, Johnson said he deserves to be starting somewhere in the NFL but understands the Chiefs’ situation.
“I’m good at being No. 2, but I don’t want to stop there,” he said. “I want to be No. 1. But that all comes through with production and how the season goes.”
Vermeil, who stresses team chemistry, said he likes Johnson’s fire. And honesty. Of course he wants to start, Vermeil said. Who wouldn’t? When Johnson was younger, he was known to occasionally pout over his lack of playing time. Now his passion is spilling out onto the field.
“It’s better to do that than pout,” Vermeil said. “Some guys go in a shell and just complain. Larry’s gone the other way. He’s turned it up a notch. He’s learned and gotten better from Priest.
“All I know is we have two (high-)quality running backs. And you can never have too many good ones.”