Lonestar
07-21-2009, 06:47 PM
Correll Buckhalter
Correll Buckhalter talks about his goals for the the upcoming season, taking Knowshon Moreno under his wing and the potential of the team's running back corps.
In the days leading up to training camp, DenverBroncos.com will examine several key areas on the Broncos' roster to give fans an idea of what to look for as the season approaches. Second in the eight-part series: running backs and fullbacks.
By Zach Eisendrath
DenverBroncos.com
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- After seven running backs were placed on injured reserve last season, adding depth to the backfield seemed to be one of the team's offseason priorities.
After a season in which the team tied for second in the league with an average of 4.8 yards per carry, Head Coach Josh McDaniels and his staff took measures to further improve the Broncos' running backs unit.
First, the club lured proven rushers to Dove Valley. Over the course of the first few days of free agency, Correll Buckhalter and LaMont Jordan inked deals with the team. Then, to further bolster the unit, the Broncos used their first pick in April's 2009 NFL Draft -- the 12th overall selection -- to nab University of Georgia standout Knowshon Moreno. Adding additional depth to the unit, the club signed third-year pro Darius Walker to a free agent contract in early May.
The Broncos' new quartet of running backs will share the backfield with the likes of returnees Peyton Hillis, Ryan Torain and Spencer Larsen in 2009.
As far as Moreno is concerned, when it comes to the backfield it never hurts to have a slew of capable ballcarriers.
"I think a lot of guys in the backfield, in that room, can get the job done," Moreno said. "Any snap, anyone in that room."
THE NEW GUYS
Some people have substance. Some people have style. Moreno, arguably the headliner of the team's running backs additions, has proven he has both.
Moreno made a name for himself at Georgia by hurdling over defenders and juking his way through defenses on his way to weekly SportsCenter appearances.
But he put forth just as much substance as he did style during his tenure with the Bulldogs. By putting up gaudy numbers seemingly every Saturday, Moreno became a two-time first-team All-Southeastern Conference running back. He finished his collegiate career with 2,734 rushing yards in two seasons at Georgia, ranking first in the SEC and sixth in the nation during that time period.
Just how good were Moreno's numbers at Georgia? To put them in proper perspective, consider this: He is one of only two players in school history to produce back-to-back 1,000 yard rushing seasons, joining College Football Hall of Famer and Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker.
Confident in his abilities, Moreno expects to make an immediate impact for the Broncos in year one. But, like any first-year player, he has been taking his first few months at the pro level in stride. He learned the ins and outs of the NFL game during organized team activities and minicamps by following the lead of his veteran counterparts.
"They know what to do -- you definitely watch them and then learn and when you get out there, try to do the same thing," Moreno said. "I'm just trying to find my place and keep on learning."
One of those veterans Moreno has relied on this offseason is Buckhalter.
After spending the first eight seasons of his career with Philadelphia, Buckhalter signed with club as an unrestricted free agent on Mar. 1. During his tenure with the Eagles, he established himself as a steadfast back, averaging 4.5 yards per carry, good for third-best in team annals.
When Buckhalter entered the league with the Eagles in 2001, he remembered veteran backfield teammates Duce Staley and Brian Mitchell taking him under their NFL wings. Now, Buckhalter is paying it forward and trying to do the same for Moreno.
"Knowshon looks great," he said. "I think he's going to be a really good player in this league. This offense fits him pretty well. He can catch real well; he has nice foot quickness. It's going to be a blessing to play with him."
Buckhalter is all about winning -- thus he is prepared to accept whatever role McDaniels envisions for him if it leads to success on the field. However, entering training camp, Buckhalter has his sights set on battling for the starting gig.
Last season, he was a key contributor on an Eagles team which reached the NFC Championship Game. During the regular season, he nabbed a career-high 26 catches for 324 yards and two touchdowns. He also finished the year with 76 rushes for 369 yards -- proving he still has plenty left in the tank.
"I'm always competing for the No. 1 spot and I hope those guys are doing the same because it will make all of us better," Buckhalter said. "We're just focused on coming out here and helping each other in the backfield and competing. We're friends. We're not enemies against one another."
Another player competing for the team's starting role is Jordan, who played under McDaniels in New England last season. The ninth-year pro, who owns nine career 100-yard rushing games, inked a deal with the Broncos on Mar. 4.
Jordan is no stranger to producing as a team's No.1 running back. In 2005, he started all 14 games for Oakland, tallying 1,588 all-purpose yards. He ran for 1,025 yards on 272 carries and nine touchdowns, while also recording 70 receptions for 563 yards and two scores.
Familiar with McDaniels' offensive philosophy, Jordan is expected to make an immediate impact for the orange and blue. He already seems to be making a strong impression in his new threads. During the team's minicamps and passing camp, he could be seen running with the first-team offense on a regular basis.
Walker, a third-year pro, also looks to establish himself with the unit. Walker signed with the club on May 8 as a free agent after spending his first two pro seasons split between Houston (2007-08) and St. Louis (2008). In his rookie campaign with the Texans in 2007, Walker appeared in four games -- starting two -- after beginning the year on the practice squad. He finished his rookie season with 58 carries for 264 yards with one touchdown.
THE VETERANS
Although many of the Broncos' newcomers should strengthen the backfield unit, the team is also counting on a plethora of young and talented backs who return from last season's squad.
Hillis is the club's most notable returnee. A seventh-round selection by the Broncos in the 2008 NFL Draft, Hillis burst onto the scene last year, instantly becoming a fan favorite in Broncos Country by posting an impressive 5.0 yards per carry. In total, Hillis started six games during his rookie campaign, tying for the team lead with six touchdowns in 12 regular season contests.
Quickly, Hillis proved himself to be a dual-threat out of the backfield. In Week 9, he caught seven passes for 116 yards and a score against Miami. In Week 13, Hillis recorded 129 rushing yards on 22 carries at the New York Jets. He became only the second player in team history with a 100-yard rushing and a 100-yard receiving game in the same season, joining Floyd Little, who accomplished the feat in 1968.
Just how versatile can Hillis be in McDaniels' system? Time will tell, but the head coach already envisions using the second-year player in a variety of ways.
"He does a lot of things well," McDaniels said. "He can run the ball out of a single-back formation; he can catch the ball out of the backfield. He can block in two-back sets … He's got great hands, he's got a great feel for the passing game and he's a very tough runner when you give him the ball. He'll do a lot of different things for us. Expect him to play a good role in our offense."
It should also be intriguing to see how Torain fits into the team's backfield mix, as he prepares to bounce back from a rookie campaign cut short by injuries.
Last season, Torain -- a 4th round draft pick by the Broncos -- was on track to play prominent role in the the backfield, but injuries hampered him.
The 6-foot-1, 225-pounder missed the club's first seven games of 2008, recovering from a left elbow injury suffered during training camp. Torain eventually made it onto the field in Week 9. A week later, he made his first NFL start during a Thursday Night contest at Cleveland, and was off to a resounding start before injury struck again. In the first half, Torain totaled 12 rushes for 68 yards and one touchdown. But in the second quarter, Torain suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, ending his rookie season.
All offseason, Torain has been a mainstay at Dove Valley, vigorously rehabbing the injury. On June 12, he returned to practice for the first time, wearing a brace on his left knee. With training camp on the horizon, Torain is prepared to do whatever running backs coach Bobby Turner and the offensive staff asks of him this season, all in hopes of proving he is still a force among the running back corps.
"All the hard work, it will pay off once I get back to 100 percent on the field," Torain said.
Mr. Versatility, Larsen, also returns to the Broncos' backfield; listed as the squad's only fullback entering training camp -- his official position is inside linebacker/fullback. As a rookie in 2008, Larsen became the first Bronco in team history to start on both offense and defense in the same game, opening the club's game at Atlanta on Nov. 16 at middle linebacker and fullback.
Like many positions on the team's roster, minus pads, it was hard for the Broncos' coaching staff to create a set-in-stone running backs depth chart this spring. Thus, training camp will likely seperate the competition and in the process define roles and set playing time.
"It'll be an interesting training camp for us, because we've got a lot of good football players at the same positions, and those guys understand their roles in terms of battling for those spots and the playing time that they're going to try to earn," McDaniels said. "We're looking forward to that."
MEET THE PLAYERS
Correll Buckhalter has played in at least 14 games in each of the past three seasons.
Peyton Hillis was named Diet Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week and FedEx Ground NFL Player of the Week after recording 129 rushing yards against the New York Jets last season.
In his lone season with the Patriots in 2008, LaMont Jordan averaged 4.5 yards per carry -- the second-best per carry average of his career -- and tallied 363 yards on 80 carries while appearing in eight games for the club.
Since 1990, Spencer Larsen is one of only four players in the NFL to start on both offense and defense in the same game. The others are Deion Sanders, Orlando Brown and Champ Bailey.
In his rookie season in 2008, Ryan Torain appeared in two games for Broncos, averaging 4.6 yards per carry.
At Georgia, Knowshon Moreno averaged 105.2 rushing yards per game.
In his rookie campaign with Houston in 2007, Darius Walker ran for a career-high 86 yards on 10 carries vs. Jacksonville on Dec. 30.
2009 POSITION PREVIEWS:
http://www.denverbroncos.com/page.php?id=334&storyID=9152
Correll Buckhalter talks about his goals for the the upcoming season, taking Knowshon Moreno under his wing and the potential of the team's running back corps.
In the days leading up to training camp, DenverBroncos.com will examine several key areas on the Broncos' roster to give fans an idea of what to look for as the season approaches. Second in the eight-part series: running backs and fullbacks.
By Zach Eisendrath
DenverBroncos.com
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- After seven running backs were placed on injured reserve last season, adding depth to the backfield seemed to be one of the team's offseason priorities.
After a season in which the team tied for second in the league with an average of 4.8 yards per carry, Head Coach Josh McDaniels and his staff took measures to further improve the Broncos' running backs unit.
First, the club lured proven rushers to Dove Valley. Over the course of the first few days of free agency, Correll Buckhalter and LaMont Jordan inked deals with the team. Then, to further bolster the unit, the Broncos used their first pick in April's 2009 NFL Draft -- the 12th overall selection -- to nab University of Georgia standout Knowshon Moreno. Adding additional depth to the unit, the club signed third-year pro Darius Walker to a free agent contract in early May.
The Broncos' new quartet of running backs will share the backfield with the likes of returnees Peyton Hillis, Ryan Torain and Spencer Larsen in 2009.
As far as Moreno is concerned, when it comes to the backfield it never hurts to have a slew of capable ballcarriers.
"I think a lot of guys in the backfield, in that room, can get the job done," Moreno said. "Any snap, anyone in that room."
THE NEW GUYS
Some people have substance. Some people have style. Moreno, arguably the headliner of the team's running backs additions, has proven he has both.
Moreno made a name for himself at Georgia by hurdling over defenders and juking his way through defenses on his way to weekly SportsCenter appearances.
But he put forth just as much substance as he did style during his tenure with the Bulldogs. By putting up gaudy numbers seemingly every Saturday, Moreno became a two-time first-team All-Southeastern Conference running back. He finished his collegiate career with 2,734 rushing yards in two seasons at Georgia, ranking first in the SEC and sixth in the nation during that time period.
Just how good were Moreno's numbers at Georgia? To put them in proper perspective, consider this: He is one of only two players in school history to produce back-to-back 1,000 yard rushing seasons, joining College Football Hall of Famer and Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker.
Confident in his abilities, Moreno expects to make an immediate impact for the Broncos in year one. But, like any first-year player, he has been taking his first few months at the pro level in stride. He learned the ins and outs of the NFL game during organized team activities and minicamps by following the lead of his veteran counterparts.
"They know what to do -- you definitely watch them and then learn and when you get out there, try to do the same thing," Moreno said. "I'm just trying to find my place and keep on learning."
One of those veterans Moreno has relied on this offseason is Buckhalter.
After spending the first eight seasons of his career with Philadelphia, Buckhalter signed with club as an unrestricted free agent on Mar. 1. During his tenure with the Eagles, he established himself as a steadfast back, averaging 4.5 yards per carry, good for third-best in team annals.
When Buckhalter entered the league with the Eagles in 2001, he remembered veteran backfield teammates Duce Staley and Brian Mitchell taking him under their NFL wings. Now, Buckhalter is paying it forward and trying to do the same for Moreno.
"Knowshon looks great," he said. "I think he's going to be a really good player in this league. This offense fits him pretty well. He can catch real well; he has nice foot quickness. It's going to be a blessing to play with him."
Buckhalter is all about winning -- thus he is prepared to accept whatever role McDaniels envisions for him if it leads to success on the field. However, entering training camp, Buckhalter has his sights set on battling for the starting gig.
Last season, he was a key contributor on an Eagles team which reached the NFC Championship Game. During the regular season, he nabbed a career-high 26 catches for 324 yards and two touchdowns. He also finished the year with 76 rushes for 369 yards -- proving he still has plenty left in the tank.
"I'm always competing for the No. 1 spot and I hope those guys are doing the same because it will make all of us better," Buckhalter said. "We're just focused on coming out here and helping each other in the backfield and competing. We're friends. We're not enemies against one another."
Another player competing for the team's starting role is Jordan, who played under McDaniels in New England last season. The ninth-year pro, who owns nine career 100-yard rushing games, inked a deal with the Broncos on Mar. 4.
Jordan is no stranger to producing as a team's No.1 running back. In 2005, he started all 14 games for Oakland, tallying 1,588 all-purpose yards. He ran for 1,025 yards on 272 carries and nine touchdowns, while also recording 70 receptions for 563 yards and two scores.
Familiar with McDaniels' offensive philosophy, Jordan is expected to make an immediate impact for the orange and blue. He already seems to be making a strong impression in his new threads. During the team's minicamps and passing camp, he could be seen running with the first-team offense on a regular basis.
Walker, a third-year pro, also looks to establish himself with the unit. Walker signed with the club on May 8 as a free agent after spending his first two pro seasons split between Houston (2007-08) and St. Louis (2008). In his rookie campaign with the Texans in 2007, Walker appeared in four games -- starting two -- after beginning the year on the practice squad. He finished his rookie season with 58 carries for 264 yards with one touchdown.
THE VETERANS
Although many of the Broncos' newcomers should strengthen the backfield unit, the team is also counting on a plethora of young and talented backs who return from last season's squad.
Hillis is the club's most notable returnee. A seventh-round selection by the Broncos in the 2008 NFL Draft, Hillis burst onto the scene last year, instantly becoming a fan favorite in Broncos Country by posting an impressive 5.0 yards per carry. In total, Hillis started six games during his rookie campaign, tying for the team lead with six touchdowns in 12 regular season contests.
Quickly, Hillis proved himself to be a dual-threat out of the backfield. In Week 9, he caught seven passes for 116 yards and a score against Miami. In Week 13, Hillis recorded 129 rushing yards on 22 carries at the New York Jets. He became only the second player in team history with a 100-yard rushing and a 100-yard receiving game in the same season, joining Floyd Little, who accomplished the feat in 1968.
Just how versatile can Hillis be in McDaniels' system? Time will tell, but the head coach already envisions using the second-year player in a variety of ways.
"He does a lot of things well," McDaniels said. "He can run the ball out of a single-back formation; he can catch the ball out of the backfield. He can block in two-back sets … He's got great hands, he's got a great feel for the passing game and he's a very tough runner when you give him the ball. He'll do a lot of different things for us. Expect him to play a good role in our offense."
It should also be intriguing to see how Torain fits into the team's backfield mix, as he prepares to bounce back from a rookie campaign cut short by injuries.
Last season, Torain -- a 4th round draft pick by the Broncos -- was on track to play prominent role in the the backfield, but injuries hampered him.
The 6-foot-1, 225-pounder missed the club's first seven games of 2008, recovering from a left elbow injury suffered during training camp. Torain eventually made it onto the field in Week 9. A week later, he made his first NFL start during a Thursday Night contest at Cleveland, and was off to a resounding start before injury struck again. In the first half, Torain totaled 12 rushes for 68 yards and one touchdown. But in the second quarter, Torain suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, ending his rookie season.
All offseason, Torain has been a mainstay at Dove Valley, vigorously rehabbing the injury. On June 12, he returned to practice for the first time, wearing a brace on his left knee. With training camp on the horizon, Torain is prepared to do whatever running backs coach Bobby Turner and the offensive staff asks of him this season, all in hopes of proving he is still a force among the running back corps.
"All the hard work, it will pay off once I get back to 100 percent on the field," Torain said.
Mr. Versatility, Larsen, also returns to the Broncos' backfield; listed as the squad's only fullback entering training camp -- his official position is inside linebacker/fullback. As a rookie in 2008, Larsen became the first Bronco in team history to start on both offense and defense in the same game, opening the club's game at Atlanta on Nov. 16 at middle linebacker and fullback.
Like many positions on the team's roster, minus pads, it was hard for the Broncos' coaching staff to create a set-in-stone running backs depth chart this spring. Thus, training camp will likely seperate the competition and in the process define roles and set playing time.
"It'll be an interesting training camp for us, because we've got a lot of good football players at the same positions, and those guys understand their roles in terms of battling for those spots and the playing time that they're going to try to earn," McDaniels said. "We're looking forward to that."
MEET THE PLAYERS
Correll Buckhalter has played in at least 14 games in each of the past three seasons.
Peyton Hillis was named Diet Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week and FedEx Ground NFL Player of the Week after recording 129 rushing yards against the New York Jets last season.
In his lone season with the Patriots in 2008, LaMont Jordan averaged 4.5 yards per carry -- the second-best per carry average of his career -- and tallied 363 yards on 80 carries while appearing in eight games for the club.
Since 1990, Spencer Larsen is one of only four players in the NFL to start on both offense and defense in the same game. The others are Deion Sanders, Orlando Brown and Champ Bailey.
In his rookie season in 2008, Ryan Torain appeared in two games for Broncos, averaging 4.6 yards per carry.
At Georgia, Knowshon Moreno averaged 105.2 rushing yards per game.
In his rookie campaign with Houston in 2007, Darius Walker ran for a career-high 86 yards on 10 carries vs. Jacksonville on Dec. 30.
2009 POSITION PREVIEWS:
http://www.denverbroncos.com/page.php?id=334&storyID=9152