Reggie Bush

[htxfan]

If the Texans draft Reggie Bush, will they really use him as an all-purpose running back/receiver AND punt-kickoff returner, and risk losing him on a special teams play?

[Texans Horror]

So many options, so many choices. But that's one of the things I like about him. However, I think that since we already have a Pro-Bowler doing kick-off returns, Bush will probably not do them. I could see him lining up back there, but I don't think he is going to be our returner. We need him in the offensive backfield.

[edo783]

Reggie will only see kick and punt vreturns in some sort of an emergency situation IMO. Mathis goes down we MIGHT see him, but I still doubt it.

[kastofsna]

i could see him back there if say you're playing the colts, and the score is 28-24 colts with 10 seconds left in the game, and they're kicking off. the feeling will be "okay we need to do whatever we can to get a touchdown/excellent field position here." but during the course of a regular game, doubtful.

[Vinny]

I bet he returns punts like Steve Smith does. Mathis will return kicks, but he doesn't strike me as a great punt returner.

[hollywood_texan]

Originally Posted by kastofsna

i could see him back there if say you're playing the colts, and the score is 28-24 colts with 10 seconds left in the game, and they're kicking off. the feeling will be "okay we need to do whatever we can to get a touchdown/excellent field position here." but during the course of a regular game, doubtful.

Check out the college stats for punt and kick returns. Reggie was not that high in average yards. I think he had only one touchdown in 2005 and that was on a punt return.

He was a good returner in college, but not great, he got the job done. You should check his stats, you will be amazed how a lot of other players did so much better than him. He would be good to provide depth, but that is about it.

[hollywood_texan]

Reggie Bush average 9.9 yards on punts and was 39th in the country. His longest return was 89 yards.

He averaged 17.6 on kickoff returns yards, which wasn't even in the top forty. With his longest return being 30 yards.

His return ability is overrated looking at these stats.

http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/sortabl...dir=descending

http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/sortabl...dir=descending

[kastofsna]

Originally Posted by hollywood_texan

Check out the college stats for punt and kick returns. Reggie was not that high in average yards. I think he had only one touchdown in 2005 and that was on a punt return.

He was a good returner in college, but not great, he got the job done. You should check his stats, you will be amazed how a lot of other players did so much better than him. He would be good to provide depth, but that is about it.

yeah i know. that's one of the reasons he wouldn't be used during the regular course of the game, especially considering mathis is a pro bowler. but the rams did the same thing with marshall faulk a few times, and the vikings did it with randy moss i believe. it's just a "who can make the biggest play here" situation. mathis would be back there, but so would bush.

[TreWardTxn]

Bush's return stats for 2005 were unimpressive, but everyone remembers that one ridiculous return he had against Washington (wouldn't put too much stock in that). I guess he did something in 2004 to make teams stop punting to him even though he only had two TDs that year. I still think if he gets that one block on any PR he can go the distance so you got to put him back there. I don't think it can only be during crunch time, 'cause that's when the opposing team will do something (directional punt, pooch) to contain the return.

I don't think the Texans are getting adaquate "bang for their buck," if Bush doesn't get 25-30 touches a game, and he's gotta play special teams to hit that mark...

[MasterC25]

Originally Posted by hollywood_texan

Check out the college stats for punt and kick returns. Reggie was not that high in average yards. I think he had only one touchdown in 2005 and that was on a punt return.

He was a good returner in college, but not great, he got the job done. You should check his stats, you will be amazed how a lot of other players did so much better than him. He would be good to provide depth, but that is about it.

A lot of people preformed better than him last year, because the coaches that faced USC remember the 2004 season that Bush exploded for many yards and TDs in the special teams area, causing more teams to scheme against him and also kick it away from him. Compare the 2004 stats and the 2005 stats and you will see what a am thinking about.

[hollywood_texan]

Originally Posted by MasterC25

A lot of people preformed better than him last year, because the coaches that faced USC remember the 2004 season that Bush exploded for many yards and TDs in the special teams area, causing more teams to scheme against him and also kick it away from him. Compare the 2004 stats and the 2005 stats and you will see what a am thinking about.

I am unable to find the 2004 stats in a similar fashion that found the 2005, so I will take your word for it.

But, if a college coach with college talent can limit Reggie Bush, then he can be limited in the NFL. I watched Reggie Bush on several occassions and I didn't really see teams kick away from him, but I wasn't really paying attention to that. If they did kick away from him, he wouldn't have had all those high all-purpose yards, which were very helpful in him winning the Heisman.

It seems as though he will not be an effective returner as everyone thinks, that is all that I am saying.

[TreWardTxn]

Ret. Yards TDs Yds/ret ret/game
2005 18 179 1 9.94 1.38 38th in nation
2004 24 376 2 15.67 1.85 9th in nation

Bush wasn't the only one to suffer a dropoff, none of the top ten returners from 2004 who came back for the 2005 season cracked the top ten again, didn't come close...

So just having Bush back there will force teams to punt differently if he proves he can get a few big returns early in his career. IMO opinion Bush will be most immediately effective as a punt returner in the NFL because unless the team pooches the kick he will be starting in space, where he does his best running. Unfortunately that threat can be easily neutralized as NFL punters are better at hanging punts and gunners are much faster, but all it takes is that one player to over run the play or get blind sided

[Apoch]

Bush isn't the best return man, but he CAN return punts/kicks if we want him to do so. The reality is that we have a pro bowl kick returner in Mathis, and P-Buc is pretty good at returning punts.

Bush can, however, be a nice addition/decoy to go with Mathis on kick returns. Put him out there with Mathis and fake/execute a reverse. I just see the Texans' return game getting better and better.

[MasterC25]

Originally Posted by hollywood_texan

I am unable to find the 2004 stats in a similar fashion that found the 2005, so I will take your word for it.

But, if a college coach with college talent can limit Reggie Bush, then he can be limited in the NFL. I watched Reggie Bush on several occassions and I didn't really see teams kick away from him, but I wasn't really paying attention to that. If they did kick away from him, he wouldn't have had all those high all-purpose yards, which were very helpful in him winning the Heisman.

It seems as though he will not be an effective returner as everyone thinks, that is all that I am saying.

Now you you know NFL coaches are the most cocky coaches they ain't going just give him that respect so they will not scheme to stop him as soon as he comes into the league until he proves something. (see Carolina vs. Chicago Playoff game Steve Smith 1-1 coverage) They still did give Smith respect after his MVP type season. So Bush should be able to get kicks his way, Lbs and safeties covering him in pass coverage and six or seven men only in the box. Thats until he proves that it is a major mistake to do one of those three things against him.

[tulexan]

Originally Posted by Vinny

I bet he returns punts like Steve Smith does. Mathis will return kicks, but he doesn't strike me as a great punt returner.

That's what I think too. Mathis needs the extra 20 yard head start to get up to full speed and doesn't have great moves. Bush can accelerate quickly and is really shifty. His running style is better suited for punt returns than Mathis'

[bad]

Originally Posted by MasterC25

... So Bush should be able to get kicks his way, Lbs and safeties covering him in pass coverage and six or seven men only in the box. Thats until he proves that it is a major mistake to do one of those three things against him.

Linebackers and safeties covering Bush. There's something I can't wait to see. Cornerbacks are going to have their hands full covering him one-on-one.

[MorKnolle]

Originally Posted by kastofsna

i could see him back there if say you're playing the colts, and the score is 28-24 colts with 10 seconds left in the game, and they're kicking off. the feeling will be "okay we need to do whatever we can to get a touchdown/excellent field position here." but during the course of a regular game, doubtful.

Originally Posted by Vinny

I bet he returns punts like Steve Smith does. Mathis will return kicks, but he doesn't strike me as a great punt returner.

That is about the only way I see Reggie on kickoff returns, at the end of a close game like that we stick Reggie and Mathis out there together to have two lightning fast options at returner, maybe run a Music City Miracle-type play.

I could see him returning punts, but depending on how much they are using him in the offense and whether Buchanon is still on the team, I think they'll use Buchanon back there more than Reggie to reduce the risk of injuring Bush and to not wear him out with a punt return right before the offense takes the field.

[edo783]

Originally Posted by Vinny

I bet he returns punts like Steve Smith does. Mathis will return kicks, but he doesn't strike me as a great punt returner.

I agree in principal. However, I see Buchannon doing the punts. PBuc and Mathis have better stats for those than Reggie does anyway.

[Koolbrz]

Has anyone looked over his scouting report. Looks pretty damn good to me. I really do hope we get this guy, would hate to have to face him twice a yr. Could be a major thorn in our sides. Heard a rumor that Indy might pull off a trade and move up to the 2nd pick and draft Bush if the Texans don't take him. Anyone else have any info on this?


http://www.nfl.com/draft/profiles/2006/bush_reggie

[Frank_The_Tank]

Reggie is fast, but he is nothing on Mathis, remember Mathis qualified for the Olympics in the 100 meters.