[CTcard]

The interesting thing to me is that if Love comes back, to best help the team he would likely be used in the same role he was last season.  He played that role about as well as one could.  What more could he show running the ball?  Maybe adding weight and showing durability.

Is Shaw going to play Love on passing downs when there are much better pass blocking RB on the team?  Love can improve his technique but his size is what it is.  Is Shaw going to put Love in the slot or out wide when there are much better receiving threats on the team?  Is Shaw going to have Love return kicks when there are better choices from a ball security standpoint and those touches risk injury to the most critical offensive player?

First of all, my guess is that if Love is to return, it will not be primarily to improve his profile to the NFL.


Secondly, I see no reason at all for Love to come out on third down plays (he should come out from time to time, just not specifically third down plays).
His pass blocking isn't great but not atrocious. More importantly, I don't see any reason he cannot be effective as an outlet. Backs catching a dump off usually have at least a few steps of space around them, and having Love with some space seems like a very good idea.

Don't know if he should return kicks or not. On the one hand, it does seem as if he ought to be very good at it - that whole having space thing again. On the other, he does need some plays off and Scarlett was at least good at this role last year. (#2 in Pac 12 in yds/return; #1 in the country in total kick return yards ... which may be a pretty meaningless stat)
Do kick off returners really suffer injury at a greater rate than running backs?

[CTcard]

The interesting thing to me is that if Love comes back, to best help the team he would likely be used in the same role he was last season.  He played that role about as well as one could.  What more could he show running the ball?  Maybe adding weight and showing durability.

Is Shaw going to play Love on passing downs when there are much better pass blocking RB on the team?  Love can improve his technique but his size is what it is.  Is Shaw going to put Love in the slot or out wide when there are much better receiving threats on the team?  Is Shaw going to have Love return kicks when there are better choices from a ball security standpoint and those touches risk injury to the most critical offensive player?

First of all, my guess is that if Love is to return, it will not be primarily to improve his profile to the NFL.


Secondly, I see no reason at all for Love to come out on third down plays (he should come out from time to time, just not specifically third down plays).
His pass blocking isn't great but not atrocious. More importantly, I don't see any reason he cannot be effective as an outlet. Backs catching a dump off usually have at least a few steps of space around them, and having Love with some space seems like a very good idea.

Don't know if he should return kicks or not. On the one hand, it does seem as if he ought to be very good at it - that whole having space thing again. On the other, he does need some plays off and Scarlett was at least good at this role last year. (#2 in Pac 12 in yds/return; #1 in the country in total kick return yards ... which may be a pretty meaningless stat)
Do kick off returners really suffer injury at a greater rate than running backs?