Here's what drives me nuts about Walton defenders.
So take out the FAMU & FAU games and here's their stats for the rest of the season:
Yearby - 75 for 382 yds - 5.09 ypc - 4 TD's (a TD every 18.75 carries)
Walton - 177 for 846 yds - 4.77 ypc - 9 TD's (a TD every 19.66 carries)
So how does this make Walton better???
And who was the better RB in the GT, FSU, UNC, and VT games - Yearby or Walton?
These arguments just make no sense to me.....
The only game you could say that Yearby out performed Walton out of those four would be UNC.
The second half of the season, Walton dominated.
Pitt - 14 for 125
UVA - 16 for 111
NCSt - 19 for 120
Duke - 13 for 60
But yeah, you guys are right. Yearby is clearly the better player and the coaching staff was purposely playing the worse player.
And every single NFL GM and scout cant' see it either.
Joe Yearby has a lot in common with Brad Kaaya. Both are good players. Both never really got better in college. Both are limited phisically except teams can work around a slow quarterback. It's tough to justify giving a little guy with no break away speed more than 5-10 carries a game in college.
You do realize the UNC game is the only one where Walton actually gained more yards than Yearby, right?
GT
Yearby - 9-65, 7.2 ypc
Walton - 15-44, 2.9 ypc
FSU
Yearby - 10-39, 3.2 ypc
Walton - 14-39, 2.8 ypc
UNC
Yearby - 10-74, 7.4 ypc
Walton - 24-82, 3.4 ypc
VT
Yearby - 9-59, 6.6 ypc
Walton - 11-38, 3.5 ypc
Yearby gained 34 more yards on 26 less carries. Walton's longest run in these 4 games was 14 yds. Yearby had a 25+ yd run in 3 of those 4 games.
For your "Dominated the 2nd Half of the Season", you left off WVU - 17 for 52. So his last 2 games he went 30 for 112. So I'd argue he played great for 3 games, no question, but didn't "dominate" all of those games, and was just average in the last 2.
For your statement -
It's tough to justify giving a little guy with no break away speed more than 5-10 carries a game in college. - I couldn't agree with you more!
Yearby = 5'9" 200, runs a 4.7
Walton = 5'9" 205, runs a 4.6
Neither of those guys should be what we expect as a workhorse RB at Miami. Both are similar talents, and both of their talent levels should be what we want in a backup/2nd string, not a starter.
We get it.
At minimum, you think they're even.
At most, you believe Yearby is better.
Fact is, Richt disagreed with you. Richt believes Walton to be the better back.
Fact is, Yearby didn't get drafted, wasn't signed as an UFA, and didn't make a 90-man roster after getting an invite to a team that has an abysmal situation at running back. So, if Walton gets drafted next year, gets signed as an UFA, or makes a 90-man roster, then the NFL will also believe he is the better back.
At what point will you acknowledge the folks paid to make these decisions might have better insight on this topic, than just taking a look at YPC?
NO QUESTION Richt & the staff have are ridiculously smarter than me, and way have better insight - I'd never argue against that.
I'm just a random fan with an opinion - like 95% of the posters on this board.
But ask yourself this - Do you agree with every decision made on offense this year? Does any fan on here just say to themselves "Richt knows more than me" and go along with everything Richt decides?
Richt preferred Walton. I would've preferred Yearby. I think they're similar, and it's a close call. My problem is when people act like the gap between Walton and Yearby is huge, so I make points that argue otherwise.
Richt preferred Berrios as a PR. I would've preferred Coley or Elder. I don't think either Richt or myself are wrong - it's just a preference.
Jarret Payton, Tyrone Moss, Damien Berry, Graig Cooper, Javarris James, Mike James - I'd say all were similar talents. Now some played a couple years in the NFL, some never did.
I'd lump Yearby & Walton in that group talent-wise. I think all are NFL journeyman at best. But I don't think JJ playing a couple years in the NFL necessarily makes him a better RB than Cooper. I think NFL journeyman is Walton's ceiling, but don't think that necessarily means he's the better RB than Yearby if he never plays a down in the NFL. It's a close call on all of those RB's - and just a preference on who you prefer IMO.