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The Evolution of Mark Fletcher

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bshaw28

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I wanted to show the difference between Regular Season/"Old" Mark Fletcher vs Playoff/"New" Fletcher. Open-field running has always been his biggest issue.


Here's my scouting report after his Freshman year (#1 isn't changing - but #2 is the key):

If I were coaching Fletcher the two things I'd have him work on are:

1) Use your stiffarm - a stiffarm should be one of the main weapons for a big RB. Fletcher never holds the ball in his left arm (legit not one time), so when he runs left, a stiff arm isn't even an option for him. Switching hands is an effectiveness thing, not a ball security thing.

2) Get upfield with a purpose - force = mass x acceleration. Fletcher absolutely kills his acceleration on a lot of runs, which negates his size. Quit coming to dead stops on your runs. Quit D'Andre Swift dead legging. Quit making multiple left/right cuts when facing a defender in the open field. Get upfield, keep your momentum/acceleration & win with power. Embrace your size.

These are 2 things under Fletchers control, regardless of blocking and play calling, that I think he needs to improve on.


Here's runs that show the difference:

REGULAR SEASON FLETCHER

STANFORD - 16 YD RUN
GRADE: D - This is one of the worst cuts ever. He's so locked in on the defender he doesn't even see he has a wide-open path to the endzone. Instead of running straight to the open space, he puts on the breaks and cuts under the defender. This kills his momentum (negates his size) and slows him down so the pursuit behind him catches & easily tackles him. It's not an F because he did truck the defender at the line of scrimmage.




USF - 38 YD TD
GRADE: C - He starts dancing soon as he gets in the open field. It's really awkward. He's straight up tackled himself in the open field multiple times trying to make these type of cuts. It's a C because it worked (against an outmatched opponent), but man....it's not pretty.





PLAYOFF FLETCHER

TEXAS A&M - 24 YD RUN
GRADE: B - At first you might think "he didn't do anything, he just ran straight into his own guy". But that's the whole point. Regular season Fletcher would've put on the breaks, tried to cut under #25 & gotten caught from behind for a 10 yd gain. Playoff Fletcher just runs straight to daylight for a 24 yd gain - no wiggle/cuts, keeps his momentum going, picks up an extra 5 yds after contact. It's a B because he carries the ball in his right hand so he can't stiff-arm the defender.




INDIANA - 57 YD RUN
GRADE: A - On this run - 2 times he avoids the temptation to be Regular Season Fletcher & cut under the defender. #1 at the 45 and #7 at the 50. But he keeps his head focused on the open field, and runs to space. Even if a defender did catch up to him, he can use his stiff-arm. This run made him a Cane legend.




TEXAS A&M - 56 YD RUN
GRADE: A+ - Bursts through the hole, beautifully manipulates the defender #4 by getting him to the outside of the WR block (shot out to CJ Daniels) before making a subtle cut back inside (not a sharp cut that knocks him off-balance) before stiff-arming #25 at the 40....and still stiff-arming him at the 50....still at the 40....before finally going down at the 30. Gets upfield with a purpose, great subtle manipulation/change of direction, then tops it off with a 30 yd stiff-arm. This is Fletcher's signature run.

 
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Dwinstitles said:
When I saw him vs TAMU I was like who is this? Dude looked like a different RB during the playoffs. Maybe I been blind a long *** time but I did not expect it to look the way it did.
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I don't think you're blind. I think it was 1 of 2 things happening:

1 - Playoffs greatly focused him and made him think less causing him to just run naturally. Mindset of see hole, hit hole, and use his strength when needed pause.

2 - Something (maybe coaching/development) finally clicked to make him actively resist the urge to run like a scatback like a Jaylan Knighton 5'10" 190lbs RB and start running like a big feature back that used his size to his advantage again pause.

Hopefully it was both so that we continue to see it this year. I have a lot of faith that it was development and he will have a big year as long as he stays healthy and focuses on his strengths as well as being able to switch hands like @bshaw28 eluded to.
 
It's hard to break bad habits at 20+ years of age. That he was able to cut down the wasteful dancing around is a testament to his willpower and hard work.

I think the fact that he wasted so much motion covered up that he actually has pretty good speed. Up until this year, you rarely got a chance to see the the speed because he was lollygagging around so much.
 
Fletcher improved, as hard workers often do. He also got healthier and flourished in the pistol formation.

But the OP is a long way to avoid saying, "I was wrong about Fletcher." We all remember who said what.

Mark Fletcher is a championship player and I'm grateful he's a Hurricane.
 
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DMoney said:
Fletcher improved, as hard workers often do. He also got healthier and flourished in the pistol formation.

But the OP is a long way to avoid saying, "I was wrong about Fletcher." We all remember who said what.

Fletcher is a championship player and I'm grateful he's a Hurricane.
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Smfh
 
JamesQuall said:
I don't think you're blind. I think it was 1 of 2 things happening:

1 - Playoffs greatly focused him and made him think less causing him to just run naturally. Mindset of see hole, hit hole, and use his strength when needed pause.

2 - Something (maybe coaching/development) finally clicked to make him actively resist the urge to run like a scatback like a Jaylan Knighton 5'10" 190lbs RB and start running like a big feature back that used his size to his advantage again pause.

Hopefully it was both so that we continue to see it this year. I have a lot of faith that it was development and he will have a big year as long as he stays healthy and focuses on his strengths as well as being able to switch hands like @bshaw28 eluded to.
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Facts I overlooked a lot of his traits and did not view him as a take, I was so wrong
 
DMoney said:
Fletcher improved, as hard workers often do. He also got healthier and flourished in the pistol formation.

But the OP is a long way to avoid saying, "I was wrong about Fletcher." We all remember who said what.

Fletcher is a championship player and I'm grateful he's a Hurricane.
Click to expand...


Yep, between @bshaw28 and @Calinative , we had some serious Fletcher hate flowing from those two dopes.
 
DMoney said:
Fletcher improved, as hard workers often do. He also got healthier and flourished in the pistol formation.

But the OP is a long way to avoid saying, "I was wrong about Fletcher." We all remember who said what.

Fletcher is a championship player and I'm grateful he's a Hurricane.
Click to expand...
I was just going to post that Fletcher wasn't playing in the pistol in those early games. You can clearly see across the playoffs his vision is way better in the pistol. When the A Gap is closed and their a crease in the B gap he takes it much more in the pistol. He also got less A gap calls in the playoffs, not a lot less, but a little. I love what he did.
Now let's see Lyle in the pistol with not every call in the A gap. I expect a bounce back year for Lyle.
 
DMoney said:
Fletcher improved, as hard workers often do. He also got healthier and flourished in the pistol formation.

But the OP is a long way to avoid saying, "I was wrong about Fletcher." We all remember who said what.

Mark Fletcher is a championship player and I'm grateful he's a Hurricane.
Click to expand...
I was dead *** wrong about him, I thought he was a basic slow RB. Dude is a elite human and a leader of men, glad he is Cane. Glad my mope *** was wrong about him.
 
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DMoney said:
But the OP is a long way to avoid saying, "I was wrong about Fletcher." We all remember who said what.
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Interesting interpretation D$ - considering all off season I repeatedly said I was confident Fletcher would be our best RB this year & I was trying my best to warn you about Lyle.


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I'd say I was dead on about Fletcher:

- His open field running the first 33 games of his career needed to change/improve.

- He finally changed in the playoffs - and everyone saw the results.

Now the question is - has Fletcher changed for good or will he revert to some of those bad habits?
 
I’ll admit I wrong on him. Always loved the kids work ethic but just didn’t see the vision and thought Pringle was the better option .

Fletcher improved as you said being more decisive and hope continues to improve. Pringle ca be a great change up
 
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