Non-Conference Per Game Averages:
126.5 yards and 1 TD..............for Shonn
159.67 yards and 2 TDs........for Kaleb
126.5 yards and 1 TD..............for Shonn
159.67 yards and 2 TDs........for Kaleb
Kaleb Johnson on pace for 2,130 yds & 29 TDs. Shonn Greene, in 2008, was 6th in the Heisman Vote (1,850 yds & 20 TDs)
- Thread starter Franisdaman
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Numbers are cool and all, but as much as I like Kaleb Johnson, he's no Shonn Greene . . . at least not yet . . . no matter what the numbers say. Greene literally ran over people like a bulldozer and still had top end speed. Johnson has a different style. I've haven't seen him bulldoze anyone, and he's been caught from behind most of the time. I hope Johnson ends up somewhere close to Greene, but I'll reserve judgment for now. I'm a whole lot more interested in what he's going to do against Minnesota and Ohio State than what he's done against Illinois State and Troy.
Johnson reminds me a bit of Arian Foster. Smooth long stride and deceptively fast.
A little bit bigger (and I think faster) version of Melvin Gordon III
Caught from behind most of the time? Not really. He's run away from dbacks more than any RB we've had since probably Tavian. Greene was a slasher and bruiser, Kaleb is finesse and speed.
Not sure I’ve seen Johnson caught from behind but he definitely isn’t as physical of a runner like SG.
My critique of Johnson is that he doesn’t seem to have a lot of wiggle. He’s straight north south runner and there’s a tendency to go down too easy with arm tackles for as big as he is
But he’s our best player
My critique of Johnson is that he doesn’t seem to have a lot of wiggle. He’s straight north south runner and there’s a tendency to go down too easy with arm tackles for as big as he is
But he’s our best player
Shonn was like a pinball as he would bounce off defenders and got stronger as the game progressed. My memory is that he had to sit out a season and delivered furniture prior to his record setting year.
Getting caught on an angle taken by a defender is different from being caught from behind. For Kaleb - Yes on the former, no the latter.
He’s a different back from Shonn. But, he has added a new dimension to his game this year. He’s had multiple carries this year where he’s moved the pile 4-5 yards down the field after initial contact.
He’s a different back from Shonn. But, he has added a new dimension to his game this year. He’s had multiple carries this year where he’s moved the pile 4-5 yards down the field after initial contact.
The pinball guy this year is Jaz, and that 1/2 punch should be more than enough to keep Iowa's running game moving. Damn that kid initiated contact yesterday. With note to Johnson, he is not going down via arm tackles either, he isn't the downhill runner, but on those outside carries, he is something special.
I'm old, so I think KJ runs like Eric Dickerson. Looks effortless.
Great post Franny!
His gliding straight up running style kind of reminds me of a poor man’s Eric Dickerson.
I think Johnson is a bit faster than Greene, but he's not as shifty as most backs we've had.
His style reminds me more of a less-shifty Albert Young.
His style reminds me more of a less-shifty Albert Young.
Going out on a limb, and say Greene.
Running style like Vince Young.
Shawn had to play himself into shape in 2008. KJs 6 TD is impressive. When all The backs are healthy just run the ball.
Much faster than AY..
I think they are pretty similar. Greene was a little more powerful and had a little more twist and cut to his game. Greene was one of the fastest players on the team as a freshman but I think he lost some of that speed as he put on weight. kJ has some power to his game and is great at slicing through a hole. Good but not great top end speed. He may end up every bit as powerful as Greene with another year. If he sticks around. 🤞
Play. More. Jazzy.
Williams and Moulton can spell here and there, but it should be Johnson and Patterson here on out.
Shonne was not fast. I think some of you forgot his long runs were mostly because he left a wake of broken tackles behind him. He had incredible balance, vision, one cut ability and strength but his top end speed was below average.
I actually thought Moulton ran MUCH better on Saturday than he had in weeks 1 & 2
Johnson was also suspended for the first half of the Illinois State game... Hard to know for sure, but would it be a stretch to think he'd be well over 500 yards and possibly 7/8 TDs had he not missed that time?
He'd probably have 7-8 TDs if he hadn't been standing on the sideline both times the Hawks had 1st and goal inside the 5 against ISU.....
Below average? No. I recall him having the 3rd best 40 on the team as a freshman. But as I mentioned, he put on weight and slowed down some. His NFL time was 4.62, which I’m guessing is about average for an NFL back. But Id say he was more quick than fast.
Average nfl rb 40 time is 4.5. A 4.62 is slow for a linebacker.
Johnson is but one head of 4 headed monster that is Iowa’s 2024 Running Backs..Potentially this might be the best Iowa Running Back group since 1958….that team had guys babes Jauch, Horn, Furlong, , Gravel and a couple of guys named Jeter and Fleming. These guys had skills like no other…. And they played BOTH ways… hence the large number of them…
This Iowa backfield MIGHT become that good offensively.
This Iowa backfield MIGHT become that good offensively.
Yeah, KJ is a good bit faster than Greene ever was, but not quite as powerful (although he seems to have put on a good bit of muscle). I agree with the above comparison with Vince Young's running style -- both guys are/were really fast but look extremely smooth and effortless. Their legs churn like crazy but their upper body stays quite still. Very unique but extremely effective style. Fantastic work so far this season by KJ, and I hope he mows down the Big Ten, starting with the Rowers.
The commentators called him a poor man’s version of Dickerson and I see it, but as a Vikings fan, he reminds me of former Ohio State runningback Robert Smith. Again, an upright runner who was deceptively fast.
Nobody has mentioned Cedric Shaw. Shaw was faster than SG.
I thought Shaw was the best back I have seen at Iowa.
I think Shaw played with Albert Young, Tavian Banks and SG.
Correction, Banks did not play with AY or SG.
I thought Shaw was the best back I have seen at Iowa.
I think Shaw played with Albert Young, Tavian Banks and SG.
Correction, Banks did not play with AY or SG.
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Prior to '08, Greene had to get his grades in order at Kirkwood. He also had ballooned-out in terms of weight ... I remember some folks claiming that he had gotten up to 280 ... but I think that it was more likely that he was at around 260 to 265. Thus, he came into the season lacking conditioning. Furthermore, having ballooned-out like that ... he lost most of the high-end speed he had when he was younger. However, the flip-side of that is that he had great balance and toughness ... and he really ran behind his pads. When you run behind your pads, keep your legs driving, and you have good balance ... it can be really tough to get you down.
Anyhow, as you indicated ... Greene was great at reading cutbacks in Iowa's zone-system. He'd see an opportunity, and make the cutback ... and then just run hard. There were obviously broken bodies strewn behind (and around) him. You know you're doing something right when you reach around 1800 yards rushing on a season!
Anyhow, I see Kaleb as more of an upright runner than Shonn. Furthermore, Kaleb has higher-end speed (compared to '08 Shonn). However, Kaleb has the similar attribute of having pretty good vision and reading his blocks. Perhaps due to his upright style ... he's able to "get skinny" and make it through more narrow holes than Shonn. On the flip side, it's obviously significantly easier to bring down Kaleb than it was to bring down Shonn.
The comp that keeps on coming up in my head when I watch Kaleb is Adrian Peterson. I see the comp to Melvin Gordon too though ...
He also has some Derick Henry traits long stride and runs tall JMO. He's not as big as DH obviously, . Deceptive speed. I think Henry ran like a 4.5. I'm wondering if KJ is faster than that!
I'm betting that a fully healthy Kaleb can probably run around 4.45 ... maybe a shade lower. Anyhow, definitely fast ... particularly given his size!
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