DeMarco Murray as a Cowboy

[Lott's Bandana]

DM7 always puzzled me with his running style. He glided and tippy-toed and seemed to run gingerly the last few years at OU, yet his success and production beguiled what I was seeing with my eyeballs.

Simply said, he seemed to run like he hurt and was avoiding injury, yet he would steamroll defenders in his way. Really looked strange to me after all the great RBs I have seen wearing C&C through the years. Like a blue football field messing with my eyes, I didn't see how he would translate at all to the NFL. Love the guy, never questioned his heart and ability...not what I'm saying. He just ran...different.

Fast forward 11/6/2011:

DM29 is a beast. He looks like a polished, veteran NFL running back and I am at the point where I want Romo to hand it to him on every play. He punishes and slips tackles in a great way.


I have rescinded all of my applications I have submitted to be an NFL Scout. My hat is off to the 'Boys for seeing it.

[bluedogok]

I think it was the perception between how he ran as a freshman and how he ran in later years. He was a flash as a freshman, incredible speed and seemed to be running in a more deliberate manner in the years following his injury. Which seems to translate into a better back for the pros where patience and waiting for holes to develop is a valuable attribute. It just comes down the differences in the level of play between the two. Some players are better suited for the pro game than they are college and other vice versa (i.e. VY, Tebow, etc.).

[Lott's Bandana]

The only back I can remember that ran that way previously at OU was Elvis Peacock.

[Lott's Bandana]

DeMarcoMurray (http://twitter.com/#%21/DeMarcoMurray) DeMarco Murray





Apprecite ya @KingJames (http://twitter.com/#%21/KingJames) !! RT @KingJames (http://twitter.com/#%21/KingJames): Good win by the Boyz! D.Murray looking better and better each week!

[C&CDean]

david, is that you?

[btb916]

Glad that he's playing so well right now. Hope he keeps it up.

[Lott's Bandana]

david, is that you?

Tweet responsibly

[C&CDean]

That was the very first time in my entire existence that I saw a twitter page. The first. I ain't sure what all the ruckus is about. Sounds like some 13 year old kids texting pretty much.

[swardboy]

I don't recognize #29 for the Cowboys. Sorry, but it's a whole different style of runner than #7 at OU. More like a larger Joe Washington or smaller Billy Sims. It seems like he's discovered lateral movement.

[DarrellZero]

That was the very first time in my entire existence that I saw a twitter page. The first. I ain't sure what all the ruckus is about. Sounds like some 13 year old kids texting pretty much.

I think it makes the unwashed masses feel important to get a response from a professional athlete.

To each his own, but it does nothing for me.

[picasso]

DM7 always puzzled me with his running style. He glided and tippy-toed and seemed to run gingerly the last few years at OU, yet his success and production beguiled what I was seeing with my eyeballs.

Simply said, he seemed to run like he hurt and was avoiding injury, yet he would steamroll defenders in his way. Really looked strange to me after all the great RBs I have seen wearing C&C through the years. Like a blue football field messing with my eyes, I didn't see how he would translate at all to the NFL. Love the guy, never questioned his heart and ability...not what I'm saying. He just ran...different.

Fast forward 11/6/2011:

DM29 is a beast. He looks like a polished, veteran NFL running back and I am at the point where I want Romo to hand it to him on every play. He punishes and slips tackles in a great way.


I have rescinded all of my applications I have submitted to be an NFL Scout. My hat is off to the 'Boys for seeing it.
Gingerly? Dude, watch some Youtube.

[Lott's Bandana]

Don't need to, I was there.

I said he "seemed to run gingerly", then later said he "steamrolled".

It was deceptive to my eyeballs.

[cyclonesooner]

He is doing a great job of following his blockers and accelerating thru the hole.

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

I don't recognize #29 for the Cowboys. Sorry, but it's a whole different style of runner than #7 at OU. More like a larger Joe Washington or smaller Billy Sims. It seems like he's discovered lateral movement.DeMarco is a SUPERB athlete, and I'm about halfway (still)convinced he was running in a guarded way at OU, since that injury in his freshman yr to his knee in the ttech game in Lubbock, near the end of that season. Yes, 3 yrs of guarded running, saving hissef for the NFL. JMHO

[BoulderSooner79]

DeMarco was dinged up most of '07 - sprained his foot on that very run against the horns everyone remembers. He was still rehabbing from off season knee surgery for at least half of '08. Ditto for hamstring surgery half of '09. He was a warrior for us last year and finally had a season far removed from surgery. He didn't put up huge running stats because we just don't block running plays that well - but he was productive. And he excelled in every aspect of the passing game - one of my favorite Sooners. We are just seeing what he can do with a pro level line and running scheme. His 4.4 combine time was a hint he had regained his step.

[JiuJitsuSooner]

I don't recognize #29 for the Cowboys. Sorry, but it's a whole different style of runner than #7 at OU. More like a larger Joe Washington or smaller Billy Sims. It seems like he's discovered lateral movement.

Smaller Billy Sims? He's bigger!

[Salt City Sooner]

Smaller Billy Sims? He's bigger!
Bigger than AD as well. He's put on some SERIOUS muscle compared to that kid that broke away on that run in the '07 RRS.

[oumartin]

he's beefy and dreammmmmy :D

[Lott's Bandana]

he's beefy and dreammmmmy :D

This was good for a laugh that startled my dog.

[goingoneight]

1. He actually LOST weight after the 2009 season compared to 2007 and 2008.
2. He looked just fine all of 2008, and coincidentally started playing better as the OL started playing better post Tejas embarrassment.
3. His style never changed. AD speed and power with Reggie Bush shake-and-bake ability.
4. OU has been bad at run-blocking in KW and Heupel/Norvell's offense. Look at what AD did in 2007 in the NFL versus what he was doing at OU the year before. You cannot say with a straight face that Texas and UAB played better defense than the NFL defenses he demolished NFL rushing records in as a rookie.

[BoulderSooner79]

1. He actually LOST weight after the 2009 season compared to 2007 and 2008.
2. He looked just fine all of 2008, and coincidentally started playing better as the OL started playing better post Tejas embarrassment.
3. His style never changed. AD speed and power with Reggie Bush shake-and-bake ability.
4. OU has been bad at run-blocking in KW and Heupel/Norvell's offense. Look at what AD did in 2007 in the NFL versus what he was doing at OU the year before. You cannot say with a straight face that Texas and UAB played better defense than the NFL defenses he demolished NFL rushing records in as a rookie.

I disagree on the cause in '08, not that it matters. I had a similar patella injury and it took almost 2 years to recover. I wasn't a young, elite athlete, but I did find out that this injury causes the quad muscle to atrophy a lot and takes longer to recover than an ACL injury. DM was just getting back close to normal mid-08 and then had that dang injury hit him on the opening KO of the CCG. Argh.

[BillyBall]

DeMarco was dinged up most of '07 - sprained his foot on that very run against the horns everyone remembers. He was still rehabbing from off season knee surgery for at least half of '08. Ditto for hamstring surgery half of '09. He was a warrior for us last year and finally had a season far removed from surgery. He didn't put up huge running stats because we just don't block running plays that well - but he was productive. And he excelled in every aspect of the passing game - one of my favorite Sooners. We are just seeing what he can do with a pro level line and running scheme. His 4.4 combine time was a hint he had regained his step.

He also had turf toe in 2009, he was getting his foot shot up before every game.

[delhalew]

Love to see him tearing it up...love. it.

[starclassic tama]

i think the difference you are seeing is offensive line play. 2009 he had atrocious run-blocking, 2010 it was upgraded to poor run blocking.

[delhalew]

Everyone but martin knew he had the juice.

[jkm, the stolen pifwafwi]

4. OU has been bad at run-blocking in KW and Heupel/Norvell's offense. Look at what AD did in 2007 in the NFL versus what he was doing at OU the year before. You cannot say with a straight face that Texas and UAB played better defense than the NFL defenses he demolished NFL rushing records in as a rookie.

No but I can say with a straight face that the Pro game happens a lot faster than the college game. The few times that Peterson showed patience in letting the blocks develop he busted some huge runs. For example, a hole that opens in 1.1 seconds in the pro game, may not open until 1.6 seconds in college.

[winout]

Already halfway to 1000 yards.

Here are some thoughts from Seahawk players.

#25 Richard Sherman (CB)

On Cowboys RB DeMarco Murray: “He’s a great back. He did a lot of great things in college, obviously. And he is continuing it on in the NFL.”


#50 K.J. Wright (LB)

On DeMarco Murray: “He burst on the scene. He had a real good game against the Rams and he played good against us, so he is really bursting on the scene and opening a lot of eyes.”

#29 Earl Thomas (FS)

On the Cowboys running game: “There were a lot of misreads. He [DeMarco Murray] is a great runner, a cutback runner. I played him in college, so we already knew what to kind of expect. Hats off to their offense line and their running backs. It is stuff that we could control, but like I said, we had a lot of misreads.”

On DeMarco Murray: “He’s a cutback guy. He’s patient, and he’s turning out to be a star on the Cowboys. He had a good game. But I think we could have held him more than what we did today. There were a lot of misreads. And he found the right hole, and he stuck with the game plan and got the yards.”

[oumartin]

Hell he still looks slow compared to his freshman year but obviously he is pretty damn fast! He may be unstoppable if he would pick up his feet. but heck maybe it just looks like he dosn't pick them up..

[ouleaf]

Demarco now owns the Cowboys single game rushing record. He now owns the record for most rushing yards over a 3 game perioed. Think about the names his passed there like Emmitt and Dorsett to name a few. Demarco has burst onto the scene and really surprised me personally. He is making his claim for the number one spot even when Felix comes back healthy.

Granted his 250 yard game was against the Rams, but the Seahawks are a decent defense and he solid all game long against them. He is also doing all this with a very mediocre to below average offensive line too.

[oumartin]

He is also doing all this with a very mediocre to below average offensive line too.


It's like he never left college! :rimshot:

[OUmillenium]

Love DM and the Cowboys, a match made in Heaven for me.

As a sr he ran really physical. I remember seeing him bust a long play on Baylor, I think a catch out of the backfield, and showed he had his speed.

So happy he is having great success!!!

[LVSOONER15]

I too never questioned DM's heart and ability. Wish he would of played in NC against uf.