[Goose]

Yes, the pieces were there, as was subsequently demonstrated. However, what one notices is that Gerhart  had 3  "clunker" games (45, 14, and 21 yards) in 2008 and none in 2009 (worst was 82). Lots of that was OL play. The defense doesn't affect those stats much.

What "one should notice" is that the 14 yard "game" was on only 2 carries before an injury, the 21 yard "game" was on only 8 carries before an injury, and the 45 yard game was against the #1 rushing defense in the country in TCU which allowed just 1.7 YPC all year. (Gerhart averaging 3 YPC against that defense is thus very good in context.)

Anthony Kimble had 100+ yard games in relief of Gerhart in both of the supposed "clunkers" where he went out.

How was "lots of that OL play?"

Well, in the last two I could say that they allowed him to get hurt but I agree that is not a fair evaluation. However, I was at the TCU game and nothing about it was good in any context :-). My point all along is that the 2009 line was significantly better than the 2008 one was. IMHO the 2009 line would have handled those guys and if Pritchard had any time at all there were plays to be made. TCU was blasting off the line and misdirection was working. The problem was they stiffed the plays before they started.

[Goose]

Yes, the pieces were there, as was subsequently demonstrated. However, what one notices is that Gerhart  had 3  "clunker" games (45, 14, and 21 yards) in 2008 and none in 2009 (worst was 82). Lots of that was OL play. The defense doesn't affect those stats much.

What "one should notice" is that the 14 yard "game" was on only 2 carries before an injury, the 21 yard "game" was on only 8 carries before an injury, and the 45 yard game was against the #1 rushing defense in the country in TCU which allowed just 1.7 YPC all year. (Gerhart averaging 3 YPC against that defense is thus very good in context.)

Anthony Kimble had 100+ yard games in relief of Gerhart in both of the supposed "clunkers" where he went out.

How was "lots of that OL play?"

Well, in the last two I could say that they allowed him to get hurt but I agree that is not a fair evaluation. However, I was at the TCU game and nothing about it was good in any context :-). My point all along is that the 2009 line was significantly better than the 2008 one was. IMHO the 2009 line would have handled those guys and if Pritchard had any time at all there were plays to be made. TCU was blasting off the line and misdirection was working. The problem was they stiffed the plays before they started.