Ground and pound

This game finally looks like Miami football from the glory years of the mid-70s. Unyielding defense and controlling the ball most of the game. In our day it was Sherman Smith, Randy Walker and Rob Carpenter.

6 Likes

I recall a pretty good ground attack when I was at Miami with a guy named George Swarn running for over 4000 yards in his career. Pretty good OL on those teams too. Guy named Dan Daryrample.

6 Likes

The War Pigs. That was the OL. There was one Cincinnati paper reporter that followed the line pretty close for a few years.

1 Like

They had evil minds and plotted destruction

2 Likes

Travis Prentice and the Miami offense of the late 90s might resent your reaching all the way back to the 70s as well :wink:

Yeah our Prentice years with Randy Walker were great! Gosh that 1998 team was good (10-1), and did not even get a bowl game. The next year in 1999 after Walker took the Northwestern HC job, behind Prentice we beat them 28-3.

I was there in Evanston that day, and remember one play particularly well when Prentice came around the edge on a sweep and then just accelerated like crazy and pulled away from the NW defenders. I recall thinking then that this guy would be a player in the NFL. To this day, I am surprised he didn’t have a bit more success there.

1 Like

My own theory on why he did not make it in the NFL is that he was always a slow starter as a running back but when he would get around the end or through the line he would just explode and his full speed cuts were great. That was a bad Browns team that he played on and defenses always had guys in the backfield quickly and Travis seldom got the chance to do what he was great at, getting through or around the line at full speed, where he became a great player. With the Browns he seldom got up to full speed because they were on him quickly and behind the line.

2 Likes

“Touchdown Travis”?
Man did I tease friends and customers in Louisville for letting Travis get out of town!

1 Like

He was playing for the expansion Browns behind a bunch of reject OL who came in the expansion draft. He still had a decent first year rushing for about 600 yards and a half dozen TDs. Got screwed when the Browns hired asshole Butch Davis who cut or traded him to Vikings to make room for his “U” RB James Jackson I believe. Davis then finished off my love for the Browns by passing on Big Ben for Kellen Winslow, Jr. Did Ben a favor and me since I haven’t suffered for the last 20 years as the Browns fuck up every major decision they make.

2 Likes

Only really played 1 season since he had about 14 carries for the Vikings his 2nd season. Does not seem he ever got a real shot in the NFL

1 Like

39 different QB this century?

I am a Browns season ticket holder and have been since 1991. What I noticed about Travis was how small and slow he looked in the NFL compared to college (no duh right). But he looked big to me in college

Despite his short comings he still scored like 7’or 8 tds for the browns that year which was a good number and he had a good game I think vs the Bengals

4 Likes

TD Travis never got a chance, Butch Davis was in a long line of failed Clowns coaches and simply didn’t allow him a chance.

Not sure I get the size comment, TD was optimal size for an NFL RB, maybe not fast enough, but really good RB. Hit the hole, didn’t fumble, shaked off tacklers, not sure there is much more guy can do?

2 Likes

BTW Swarn was a beast, was on the sidelines when he played. No one in the MAC wanted to take that guy on. Complete stud. We were better than our record in 1986.

2 Likes

I think he scored the first ever TD in the new Paul Brown Stadium

Right I am saying he looked average size in the NFL compared to being a monster size in college

His performance in college was monstrous but I don’t recall thinking he was “bigger” than other good players. IMO MAC players generally have the same size as P4, just not as athletic or skilled in many cases. Big Ben would be one that I would say was a little different in that he just was tall and strong, defenders had a hard time bringing him down. Then his passing accuracy was off the charts. Plus we had a good coach and really good players at that time.

1 Like

Prentice was listed in the NFL at 5’11" and 221 pounds.

George Swarn was listed at 5’10" 205 pounds. Drafted by the Cardinals in the 5th round of the 1987 draft.

2 Likes

A Browns fan friend of mine would always say Prentice took small shuffle-like steps and would often go down from the slightest touch around his ankles.

Regarding Swarn, my entire freshman year I had no idea the PA announcer was saying “The runner is Swarn.” I thought it was “The runner is swarmed.” :grimacing:

Must be related to the person responsible for “inaccurate” down and distance on the scoreboard. I mentioned this to Chris W early in the Central Michigan game. The questionable selection of “too loud and obnoxious music from the scoreboard” continues. Correct down and distance is more important than the irritating music.

5 Likes