Milton Takes TB Lead
8/23/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
In an age of instantaneous feedback and video access to almost anything, aMontana State offensive coordinator Don Bailey has hit on a way to handicap the race between MSU’s three tailbacks on a daily basis.
“We try to make a highlight video every day,” Bailey said. “We show every touch (during practice) for each guy, and that really bears out how a guy’s doing with the ball in his hands. All three are very capable.”
As expected, tailback is one of the most-watched position battles in MSU’s fall camp. Jason Gathing earned the starting nod during the spring and held it through the early part of fall camp. On Monday, though, Morris Milton took a giant leap, vaulting into the top spot while Justin Domineck also moved up a spot, into second.
“Morris Milton is in the lead at tailback,” said MSU head coach Mike Kramer. “He’s smooth, fast, elusive. The other guys are hard-core physical. They’ve all had good moments so far.”
All of this, Bailey says, matters very little in the long run. “The situation can change constantly,” he said, who is impressed with all three. “They’re all playing with more consistency and at a high intensity level. They’re getting in better shape and showing their ability.”
Bailey’s timeline for identifying his starting running back is anything but firm. “After the first scrimmage we’ll start to look at that,” he said. “We have (five) practices left (after Monday), and we’ll use those to evaluate. A lot of will have to do with health. I hope it doesn’t come down to that, but last year, the healthiest guy started.”
The evaluation will cover more than just health, however. “We’re looking to see who’s able to make guys miss, who’s able to get yards after contact, who can pass protect,” Bailey said. “You have to be able to do those things to play tailback for us.”
Bailey engineered the Bobcat offense during tailback Ryan Johnson’s record-breaking junior and senior seasons. MSU’s fourth-year offensive coordinator said he prefers that situation to one like last season, when a handful of tailbacks battled on even terms for playing time until Bruce Molock captured top honors at the outset of the conference season. “We want the guy to be in the flow and see all the looks” before deciding on a starter.
Until the season starts, Bailey said, the tailback situation will remain largely up in the air. “We won’t try to rush this thing. Until we see these guys out there running around in a Montana State uniform during a game, we’ll be trying to figure out who the guy is.”
“We try to make a highlight video every day,” Bailey said. “We show every touch (during practice) for each guy, and that really bears out how a guy’s doing with the ball in his hands. All three are very capable.”
As expected, tailback is one of the most-watched position battles in MSU’s fall camp. Jason Gathing earned the starting nod during the spring and held it through the early part of fall camp. On Monday, though, Morris Milton took a giant leap, vaulting into the top spot while Justin Domineck also moved up a spot, into second.
“Morris Milton is in the lead at tailback,” said MSU head coach Mike Kramer. “He’s smooth, fast, elusive. The other guys are hard-core physical. They’ve all had good moments so far.”
All of this, Bailey says, matters very little in the long run. “The situation can change constantly,” he said, who is impressed with all three. “They’re all playing with more consistency and at a high intensity level. They’re getting in better shape and showing their ability.”
Bailey’s timeline for identifying his starting running back is anything but firm. “After the first scrimmage we’ll start to look at that,” he said. “We have (five) practices left (after Monday), and we’ll use those to evaluate. A lot of will have to do with health. I hope it doesn’t come down to that, but last year, the healthiest guy started.”
The evaluation will cover more than just health, however. “We’re looking to see who’s able to make guys miss, who’s able to get yards after contact, who can pass protect,” Bailey said. “You have to be able to do those things to play tailback for us.”
Bailey engineered the Bobcat offense during tailback Ryan Johnson’s record-breaking junior and senior seasons. MSU’s fourth-year offensive coordinator said he prefers that situation to one like last season, when a handful of tailbacks battled on even terms for playing time until Bruce Molock captured top honors at the outset of the conference season. “We want the guy to be in the flow and see all the looks” before deciding on a starter.
Until the season starts, Bailey said, the tailback situation will remain largely up in the air. “We won’t try to rush this thing. Until we see these guys out there running around in a Montana State uniform during a game, we’ll be trying to figure out who the guy is.”
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