Not sure what to think about Rathman
I’m not sure what to think of Tom Rathman’s appointment as running backs coach by the Raiders this week. The guy was as solid as they come when he played for the 49ers back in the 80’s. In 1989 his 73 receptions led all running backs in the category.
Yes, a majority of those receptions were on quick swings out of the backfield, but when Rathman made those catches, they were typically for positive yards. We all know what the 49ers offense did in 1989 and Rathman was a big reason San Francisco was successful that year.
But as a coach, Rathman doesn’t make the hair on the back of my neck stand up. When Al Davis hired Jon Gruden, the hair stood up. There was so much talk of Gruden’s football aptitude, that it was hard not to get excited about the possibilities. I can’t say that any of Oakland’s recent coaching hires have had that ”wow” effect on me, but the Rathman one has me the most crossed up. It could be a good thing. Then again, it couldn’t.
You know you’re going to get a real professional, but are you going to get a true teacher or motivator. Being a success at the running back position is more about talent than technique. How a player fills a hole or shakes off a tackle is about physical skill. You don’t teach those things. Does Rathman have the coaching experience necessary to turn one of the weakest rushing attacks in the league around? I’m worried enough about having a head coach who is at the helm of a team for the first time in his coaching career.
What Rathman brings to the table is a wealth of knowledge about receiving out of the backfield. LaMont Jordan is no Tom Rathman when it comes to landing a reception as a second or third option for whomever is going to quarterback the Raiders offense. So perhaps there is some value in this hire.
Rathman was also a fullback. Does Jordan need to understand how to throw a lead block? The Raiders haven’t even had a true fullback since Jon Ritchie (no Zack Crockett isn’t a true fullback), so unless they’re planning on drafting a true bruising blocker, what expertise will Rathman bring to the Raiders backfield?
The one thing I hope Rathman does bring is a winning attitude. The frustration that Jordan exhibited in his last few games of the 2006 season told me that Jordan cared enough about losing, that a guy like Rathman could revitalize someone like him.
Yes, a majority of those receptions were on quick swings out of the backfield, but when Rathman made those catches, they were typically for positive yards. We all know what the 49ers offense did in 1989 and Rathman was a big reason San Francisco was successful that year.
But as a coach, Rathman doesn’t make the hair on the back of my neck stand up. When Al Davis hired Jon Gruden, the hair stood up. There was so much talk of Gruden’s football aptitude, that it was hard not to get excited about the possibilities. I can’t say that any of Oakland’s recent coaching hires have had that ”wow” effect on me, but the Rathman one has me the most crossed up. It could be a good thing. Then again, it couldn’t.
You know you’re going to get a real professional, but are you going to get a true teacher or motivator. Being a success at the running back position is more about talent than technique. How a player fills a hole or shakes off a tackle is about physical skill. You don’t teach those things. Does Rathman have the coaching experience necessary to turn one of the weakest rushing attacks in the league around? I’m worried enough about having a head coach who is at the helm of a team for the first time in his coaching career.
What Rathman brings to the table is a wealth of knowledge about receiving out of the backfield. LaMont Jordan is no Tom Rathman when it comes to landing a reception as a second or third option for whomever is going to quarterback the Raiders offense. So perhaps there is some value in this hire.
Rathman was also a fullback. Does Jordan need to understand how to throw a lead block? The Raiders haven’t even had a true fullback since Jon Ritchie (no Zack Crockett isn’t a true fullback), so unless they’re planning on drafting a true bruising blocker, what expertise will Rathman bring to the Raiders backfield?
The one thing I hope Rathman does bring is a winning attitude. The frustration that Jordan exhibited in his last few games of the 2006 season told me that Jordan cared enough about losing, that a guy like Rathman could revitalize someone like him.
Labels: LaMont Jordan, Tom Rathman
posted by Mike at
11:50 PM
7 Comments:
Rathman has been pretty succesful getting production from his talent.
Here's a look at what his teams did year by year.
1997 in SF
......RUSHING.................................. RECEIVING
Name GP ATT YDS AVG TD LNG ........REC YDS AVG TD LNG
Garrison Hearst 13 234 1019 4.4 4 51 21 194 9.2 2 69
Terry Kirby 16 125 418 3.3 6 38 23 279 12.1 1 82
William Floyd 15 78 231 3.0 3 22 37 321 8.7 1 44t
Total
523 attempts for 1969 yards and 16 TD's
1998
......RUSHING.................................. RECEIVING
Name GP ATT YDS AVG TD LNG ........REC YDS AVG TD LNG
Garrison Hearst 16 310 1570 5.1 7 96t 39 535 13.7 2 81t
Steve Young 15 70 454 6.5 6 24 0 0 0.0 0 0
Terry Kirby 9 48 258 5.4 3 31t 16 134 8.4 0 25
Total
491 attempts for 2544 yards and 19 TD's
1999
......RUSHING.................................. RECEIVING
Name GP ATT YDS AVG TD LNG ........REC YDS AVG TD LNG
Charlie Garner 16 241 1229 5.1 4 53 56 535 9.6 2 53
Fred Beasley 13 58 276 4.8 4 44t 32 282 8.8 0 24
Jeff Garcia 13 46 221 4.8 2 25 0 0 0.0 0 0
Total
418 attempts for 2095 yards and 14 TD's
2000
......RUSHING.................................. RECEIVING
Name GP ATT YDS AVG TD LNG ........REC YDS AVG TD LNG
Charlie Garner 16 258 1142 4.4 7 42 68 647 9.5 3 62
Jeff Garcia 16 72 414 5.8 4 33 0 0 0.0 0 0
Fred Beasley 15 50 147 2.9 3 9 31 233 7.5 3 34
Total
416 attempts for 1801 yards and 15 TD's
2001
......RUSHING.................................. RECEIVING
Name GP ATT YDS AVG TD LNG ........REC YDS AVG TD LNG
Garrison Hearst 16 252 1206 4.8 4 43t 41 347 8.5 1 60t
Kevan Barlow 15 125 512 4.1 4 25 22 247 11.2 1 61t
Jeff Garcia 16 72 254 3.5 5 25 0 0 0.0 0 0
Total
509 attempts for 2244 yards and 16 TD's
2002
......RUSHING.................................. RECEIVING
Name GP ATT YDS AVG TD LNG ........REC YDS AVG TD LNG
Garrison Hearst 16 215 972 4.5 8 40 48 317 6.6 1 16
Kevan Barlow 14 145 675 4.7 4 35 14 136 9.7 1 29
Jeff Garcia 16 73 353 4.8 3 21t 0 0 0.0 0 0
Total
489 attempts for 2244 yards and 16 TD's
Went to the Lions with Mooch and...
2003
......RUSHING.................................. RECEIVING
Name GP ATT YDS AVG TD LNG ........REC YDS AVG TD LNG
Shawn Bryson 16 158 606 3.8 3 39 54 340 6.3 0 26
Olandis Gary 13 113 384 3.4 2 27 ... 13 69 5.3 0 13
Total
376 attempts for 1338 yards and 5 TD's.
2004
......RUSHING.................................. RECEIVING
Name GP ATT YDS AVG TD LNG ........REC YDS AVG TD LNG
Kevin Jones 15 241 1133 4.7 5 74 28 180 6.4 1 34
Artose Pinner 9 57 174 3.1 2 14 11 72 6.5 0 26
Shawn Bryson 16 50 264 5.3 0 28 44 322 7.3 0 30
Total
407 attempts for 1777 yards and 7 TD's
2005
......RUSHING.................................. RECEIVING
Name GP ATT YDS AVG TD LNG ........REC YDS AVG TD LNG
Kevin Jones 13 186 664 3.6 5 40 20 109 5.5 0 28
Artose Pinner 16 106 349 3.3 3 19 21 181 8.6 0 24
Total
404 attempts for 1471 yards and 10 Td's
His teams have averaged 448 carries per year for 1943 yards and 11 TD's.
Not too shabby...
Rathman was a big part of Garrison Hearst resurrecting his career w/ SF, and Hearst will be one of the first to tell you that. What often goes unmentioned is that Hearst could block really well too, and guess who helped him fully develop his blocking skills?
Love reading your blogs, they're always well thought out and well written...you do a lot of Raiders fans a great service!
Both comments above are great points. It's funny how Rathman has never really been hyped as a great coach. Perhaps that has more to do with what those teams did? The line play is also a huge factor in how well a back will perform. It is still a team game. If anything, perhaps Rathman can teach the tackles and guards how to block :)
BTW, thanks for the kind words nomoss. I've wanted to blog about the Raiders for a number of years, but the time was never right. Thought I'd start 2007 of fresh, as I hope the Raiders get to do.
Mike
You're an idiot. Rathman was a Running Backs coach at both SF and Detroit. He had successful running games at both. He is considered amongst his peers as being a good coach and teacher. I have as much disdain for the niners and our taking on their hand-me-downs. Do your homework before you post this crap.
Didn't do your homework... Rathman has been an extremely succesful coach... and your comparing apples to oranges when saying that Rathman hire didn't wow you like the Gru hire... isn't it obvious that one is a RB Coach, a piece of the offensive coaching puzzle and Gru was hired to lead the team? Compare the Kiffen hire to the Gru hire!?!?!?!?!?!
I wasn't comparing Rathman to Gruden. I was comparing my own reaction to the hiring of each. Just because Rathman is a position coach, I'm not allowed to have a reaction to his hiring? The "wow" factor is limited to head coaches only?
And where do I suggest that taking 49er hand-me-downs is a bad thing? I had a post a couple of days ago that implied that there have been some great pickups from the 49er junk pile.
As for me being an "idiot", that's a bit of a reach, considering you know nothing about me. If I was an idiot, I would have said Rathman was a bad coach. I've read my post three times now, and can't find a single reference to me implying any such thing.
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