Dr. Gado

[Tarlam!]

Patler, Leaper, yeah you nailed it. B U T : we are talking about the Great Gado.

He has a slim chance to defy the odds!

[FavreChild]

Setting the expectation that Gado can shine as the featured back, yes, that's a bit unfair. But again, this season *should* be a whole different ball game. The idea is to have the three-headed monster of Green-Davenport-Gado build a consistently strong running game. It isn't all on Gado's shoulders anymore. He never had anyone to spell him last year. He doesn't need to be the hero, and he certainly doesn't have the new scheme mastered in MAY.

Y'all nervous nellies need to chill. Be grateful to have a man who works as hard as Samkon on the roster. Worry about keeping the RB core healthy this year. It's going to be awesome to take young Dr. Gado out for a spin when the other backs are healthy, too.

[mraynrand]

I remember what some guy wrote on a Cristl chat. He was getting this flashback to the Starr/Gregg/Infantee years where the team sucked so bad that fans would elevate a pedestrian player to 'elite' status after one good game or for showing an attitude the fans liked. Walter Stanley, Phil Epps, Jeff Query and Chuck Cecil come to mind. You may have to face the reality that Gado fits in this category. I hope I'm wrong but.....

[Patler]

My concern is only that fans set an unrealistic expectation, then when it is not met they tend to turn on the player like he is a failure.

Why do we even think that Gado will master in 4 months something he never developed a feel for in 4 years of college?.

Not all runners are good in all systems. Some runners are very good at running to a designed hole and getting what is there. Some can get to and through the holes quickly. That is where Gado showed talent last year. He did not show the patience sometimes needed to let his blocking develop. That he can improve, and I expect will improve

The ability to see, maybe even "feel" cutback opportunities is almost an innate sense a runner has or does not have, In an offense that requires it for success, a runner without it might improve a little, but not a lot. Its like an assist in hockey or basketball. You can teach a player to look for opportunities in specific situations, but they will never accomplish as much as the player born with the feel for developing plays. The anticipation to sense what will happen before it does. In that area, I do not expect Gado to change a lot. We may always be faced with plays that we see him pick up a reasonable gain, but say to ourselves, "If only he had........."

Again, nothing will make me happier than for Gado to prove me wrong.

[GrnBay007]

I hope Gado has a fantastic year.....what more deserving player. But I can't help but wonder how much of his "fan love" was based purely on the fact that we were SO desperate last year in so many areas and he was this breath of fresh air that gave people a little hope.

[MJZiggy]

I think he will. I just cannot tell you why. And should the unthinkable happen, I will not be one of those turning on him. He's shown potential and carried the entire load when we desperately needed it. I just got over it enough to watch the televised version of the Baltimore game and after he went down and Herron went in and had a good run, who was over on the sideline with a huge smile and encouraging words? This is a team player with hopefully a much better coaching staff working with him than what they have at Liberty University. He'll be fine.

[K-town]

In four years of college he did not develop enough of a feel behind zone blocking to be a starter.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Terrell Davis a back-up at Georgia? And didn't Dorsey Levens transfer from Notre Dame to Georgia Tech due to lack of playing time? Seems both of these are examples of players who didn't reach their full potential until they reached the pro level. Of course, Georgia and Georgia Tech are considerably higher profile schools than Liberty, but I hope you get what I mean.
If I'm wrong on this, or comparing apples to oranges, I am sure you will all let me know.