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Fletcher in '26

He'll be back. Mario seems to love him and will pay him more NIL than he likely gets in NFL so why leave early like Martinez and risk it?

Love fletch overall but my biggest gripe is inability to break any big runs (20+ yards) unless he breaks like 4 tackles. Just lacks speed which puts all the pressure on the QB for chunk / explosive plays
 
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would love to have him, he's a leader in the room too, great kid.

but is he our best option considering Mallory coming in as well and well see who pops up in the portal?

need day 1 an and day 2 guys playing for us though
 
It’s tricky with players. If you land on the right team. Look at Cook with the bills. I can’t say if Fletcher is NFL ready. Though hate seeing any kid leave early not to make it in the NFL roster. We have too many players leave early and not even make a roster.
 
Fletcher is a very good college back. He averages 5+ yards a carry and helps you beat real teams with physicality. If he jumped in the Portal, there would be a line of contenders out the door to take him.

He should not go pro. That’s a tough league for backs, and he’s a non-dynamic player with an injury history. He’s more valuable as a college player right now.

The rhetoric around Fletcher reminds me of the narrative around Shaq Quarterman. Fans ran his dad off the board because they couldn’t appreciate a good football player. Nobody is calling Fletcher a franchise back. Let’s focus on what he can do and how he helps us win.

I love the fit with him and Pringle because it’s a classic Thunder and Lightning set up. You could also play them together.

Bottom line, Fletcher is getting healthy at the right time and I’m looking forward to his return.
 
DMoney said:
Fletcher is a very good college back. He averages 5+ yards a carry and can help you beat real teams with physicality. If he jumped in the Portal, there would be a line of contenders out the door to take him.

He should not go pro. That’s a tough league for backs, and he’s a non-dynamic player with an injury history. He’s more valuable as a college player right now.

The rhetoric around Fletcher reminds me of the narrative around Shaq Quarterman. Fans ran his dad off the board because they couldn’t appreciate a good football player. Nobody is calling Fletcher a franchise back. Let’s appreciate what he is and how he helps us win.

I love the fit with him and Pringle because it’s a classic Thunder and Lightning set up. You could also play them together.

He’s getting healthy at the right time and I’m looking forward to his return.
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I would be very good with him filling the brown role from last week.
 
DMoney said:
Fletcher is a very good college back. He averages 5+ yards a carry and helps you beat real teams with physicality. If he jumped in the Portal, there would be a line of contenders out the door to take him.

He should not go pro. That’s a tough league for backs, and he’s a non-dynamic player with an injury history. He’s more valuable as a college player right now.

The rhetoric around Fletcher reminds me of the narrative around Shaq Quarterman. Fans ran his dad off the board because they couldn’t appreciate a good football player. Nobody is calling Fletcher a franchise back. Let’s focus on what he can do and how he helps us win.

I love the fit with him and Pringle because it’s a classic Thunder and Lightning set up. You could also play them together.

Bottom line, Fletcher is getting healthy at the right time and I’m looking forward to his return.
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I am a Fletcher guy, and this is spot on. In the NIL world, his value is higher in college. No reason to run to a late or UDFA situation for less money.
 
scrantoncane said:
Im not so sure they’d be lined up for him. Not fast, no wiggle, I don’t think he has good vision.

Replacement level player on a playoff-caliber team.
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Agree to disagree...but I think your problem isn't so much with Fletcher as the fact that we don't (other than maybe Pringle) have the dynamic backs he needs to be paired with in order to fully optimize his usage.

He should be the Mike James to a Duke Johnson.
 
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rascon said:
If Martinez can’t latch on, than Fletcher is going to have an even harder time.
Fletcher was 1b last year and then kinda won 1a by default this year.

Is he okay with going back to 1b next year? Or even lower? If yes, than bring him back. He’d be a solid #3.
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the same guys who cant make him 1b will be on the roster next year he returns he is the starting rb
 
Fletcher has been good this year. And he is certainly a useful player.

HOWEVER the positives don't outweight the negatives. And the unfortunate part is the negatives aren't even as much about HIM as this staff. Fletcher isn't great (he's fine/good) for our team specifically because this staff overuses him in situations they shouldn't be. They legit try to make him the starting RB when he just has no business being one. He is a short yardage/Redzone back who literally can't make anyone miss. He has been good at breaking contact and picking up 3-6 yards.

If Fletcher was a RB2/3 that had situational use, I'd like him and want him to return. But given that we alternate drives at RB, and he sucks in the pass game (idc how many people say he's a good blocker), and is essentially a glorified FB (along with Lofton), I think he is too limiting.

Either way One of he or Lofton shouldn't be returning tbh. @DMoney keeps talking about how good Lofton was last year and in spring - but at RB - okay, well if Lofton wants to stay on this team he can move to a FB / Shortyardage/GL role, Fletcher can take a shot at the draft, and we can move on to guys who can create explosive runs. I'd prefer Fletcher try to take his shot at the NFL, that clear up some NIL funds, Lofton gets a NIL decrease and position change (and unlike Fletcher he can be useful in pass game), and then we're good.

Honestly we may need to bring in a portal RB, I'm very underwhelmed by our depth chart at RB next year, unless Pringle really finishes very strong here.
 
Calinative said:
Fletcher has been good this year. And he is certainly a useful player.

HOWEVER the positives don't outweight the negatives. And the unfortunate part is the negatives aren't even as much about HIM as this staff. Fletcher isn't great (he's fine/good) for our team specifically because this staff overuses him in situations they shouldn't be. They legit try to make him the starting RB when he just has no business being one. He is a short yardage/Redzone back who literally can't make anyone miss. He has been good at breaking contact and picking up 3-6 yards.

If Fletcher was a RB2/3 that had situational use, I'd like him and want him to return. But given that we alternate drives at RB, and he sucks in the pass game (idc how many people say he's a good blocker), and is essentially a glorified FB (along with Lofton), I think he is too limiting.

Either way One of he or Lofton shouldn't be returning tbh. @DMoney keeps talking about how good Lofton was last year and in spring - but at RB - okay, well if Lofton wants to stay on this team he can move to a FB / Shortyardage/GL role, Fletcher can take a shot at the draft, and we can move on to guys who can create explosive runs.
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we were 4-0 when he got 15 carries going into SMU
He started the last drive to put them away before getting hurt, then we couldn't run, he was the running game before Pringle.
i don't think we used fletcher enough when Pringle wasn't in the plans.
Fletch got better with more touches.

Pringle is legit, i think rotation of those 2 is best for the offense now, mix Brown in some, but get those 2 their touches

**Edited the 3 for 18 2 1st downs was opening drive
 
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Dwinstitles said:
He won’t get faster or anything and he has been preserved here I would say. He should go to the league and go make that money. True cane and real likable off the field. Will always root for him but keep it 100 that he slow asf.
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He’s not getting drafted. This is what NIL is supposed to be. Prevent these guys throwing their eligibility away for the possibility of fighting for a 53 man spot every week in a city you don’t know.

Or he can stay here make more money and have a prominent role on the team.
 
Dwinstitles said:
He won’t get faster or anything and he has been preserved here I would say. He should go to the league and go make that money. True cane and real likable off the field. Will always root for him but keep it 100 that he slow asf.
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Spoken liken like a true politician or coach.
 
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DMoney said:
Fletcher is a very good college back. He averages 5+ yards a carry and helps you beat real teams with physicality. If he jumped in the Portal, there would be a line of contenders out the door to take him.

He should not go pro. That’s a tough league for backs, and he’s a non-dynamic player with an injury history. He’s more valuable as a college player right now.

The rhetoric around Fletcher reminds me of the narrative around Shaq Quarterman. Fans ran his dad off the board because they couldn’t appreciate a good football player. Nobody is calling Fletcher a franchise back. Let’s focus on what he can do and how he helps us win.

I love the fit with him and Pringle because it’s a classic Thunder and Lightning set up. You could also play them together.

Bottom line, Fletcher is getting healthy at the right time and I’m looking forward to his return.
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Idc how much you like Fletcher but if you want to contend for national championships we need better RBs than Fletcher or else we’ll continue getting whooped in the ACC etc.

And no, the top contending teams have better Running backs and backups than Fletcher. So stop with the line of contending teams.
 
cowboycane said:
Agree to disagree...but I think your problem isn't so much with Fletcher as the fact that we don't (other than maybe Pringle) have the dynamic backs he needs to be paired with in order to fully optimize his usage.

He should be the Mike James to a Duke Johnson.
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He has a role. He is fine.

Replacement level on a playoff team means he is an average starter. I think that is fair.

Would you say he is better than the average starter for the 12 playoff teams? I would say he is not.
 
I personally like having Fletcher as a big back on the team. I need to see more of Pringle against better comp to believe he's better. Even if he turns out to be better, we are no longer deep at RB, and I'd take Fletcher as RB2 in a heartbeat. Of course, I thought Martinez would make it in the league, so what do I know.
 
DMoney said:
Fletcher is a very good college back. He averages 5+ yards a carry and helps you beat real teams with physicality. If he jumped in the Portal, there would be a line of contenders out the door to take him.

He should not go pro. That’s a tough league for backs, and he’s a non-dynamic player with an injury history. He’s more valuable as a college player right now.

The rhetoric around Fletcher reminds me of the narrative around Shaq Quarterman. Fans ran his dad off the board because they couldn’t appreciate a good football player. Nobody is calling Fletcher a franchise back. Let’s focus on what he can do and how he helps us win.

I love the fit with him and Pringle because it’s a classic Thunder and Lightning set up. You could also play them together.

Bottom line, Fletcher is getting healthy at the right time and I’m looking forward to his return.
Click to expand...
Honestly, with Pringle emerging, it would be hard for him not to entertain the portal. I would not be surprised if he hits the portal.

I would love for him to stay but man he has some very lucrative options. All the top programs would want him and pay a premium to get their hands on him.
 
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