There are areas in which he can improve his game but the Irish have a talent capable of playing at a very high level.Running BacksWhen utilized, running back play was a strength for the Fighting Irish offense in 2007 (as discussed here). The running back position picked up at the Blue Gold Spring game right where it left off in 2007, very strong. The Big Three of Robert Hughes, Armando Allen, and James Aldridge averaged 4.4 yards per carry in the Blue Gold game. With three very solid and dependable backs, this is a position of depth for Offensive Coordinator and Running Backs Coach Mike Haywood.Hughes looks to be taking over the starting spot as he performed very well in the Spring scrimmage, rushing for 100 yards on 22 carries. Hughes has good speed, exceptional balance, excellent agility, and makes very quick, full-speed cuts for a running back weighing 235 lbs. He has the ability to move piles of defenders, and rarely doesn’t gain an extra yard or two after contact.

Hughes’ combination of size, strength, and power, along with the cutting ability and excellent agility make him a rare talent at tailback.Hughes is, however, limited in what he can do. Rarely is he used in pass protection (presumably because it is a deficient part of his game) and he is not the break-away threat you’d like to see from a running back. As such, he doesn’t have big play potential, but he can still carry a team down the field by chewing up nice chunks of tough yardage on the ground.Allen also had a nice performance in the Blue Gold game, rushing for 50 yards on 11 carries Some are skeptical about Allen’s top-end speed After watching him run Saturday there is no need to be. He has exceptional quickness, speed, and agility as well as surprising toughness for a back of his stature.

Allen is a bona fidehome-run threat.Allen’s play is restricted by two factors The first is vision and patience. While Allen does possess premier speed, he doesn’t seem to understand when to use it. Many times he rushes too quickly to the hole, when a little more patience would be prudent. Other times he hesitates to get to the outside, when using his speed would create larger gains Hopefully time and experience will correct these two areas. While he did run with more patience Saturday, there is still room for improvement.The second factor limiting Allen’s playing time is his ability to effectively contribute in pass protection packages. His positioning, feet wide, knees bent, and shoulders square to the pass rusher, has improved relative to 2007 His strength and ability to slow the defender hasn’t. Several times during the Spring scrimmage he merely tweaked the onrushing defender’s trajectory to the quarterback rather then stop or significantly alter it.Aldridge wasn’t showcased much during the Blue Gold game Barring an unknown injury this is surprising.

Aldridge has consistently exhibited the best pass protection skills of the three. Additionally, he is a tough runner that rarely gets moved backward. While he still hasn’t shown the speed he had in high school prior to a serious leg injury, it would be foolish for the coaching staff to give up on his ability to contribute at this point in his career.Aldridge is a nice blend of Hughes and Allen. He is faster (albeit not as quick) as Hughes, but slower than Allen. He runs tougher and harder than Allen but is not as powerful as Hughes He blocks better than both. In terms of pure versatility and as an every-down back Aldridge seems to have more capability than either Hughes or Allen.Tight End/Receivers One of the more disappointing performances during the Blue Gold game had to be the tight end and wide receiver position. Blocking by both positions in the run game was below average, many times lacking physicality.

There was also a distinct inability to gain separation from defenders and multiple dropped balls.At times during the 2007 season certain players at the receiver position showed promise for the Fighting Irish. David Grimes, Golden Tate, Robbie Parris, and Duval Kamara all showed flashes of good to very good play. However, on the whole, the group was largely inconsistent; a dropped pass can kill a drive and inadequate blocking from the wide receiver position on running plays prevents long gains.Looking forward to the 2008 season the receiver position looks deep on paper, especially with the freshmen talent arriving on campus in the Fall. They still, however, have a lot of room for improvement in terms of consistent play.