• March 19, 2024

Finally Somebody Comes To The Defense Of DeMarco Murray

DeMarcoMurrayOTA2I knew it was going to happen before training camp or the season started.  Not that it really matters, but someone has finally looked at the tape and come to the defense of the NFL’s leading rusher in 2014, former Cowboy and current Eagles running back DeMarco Murray.  Former offensive coordinator for two New York Giants Super Bowl Championship teams, Kevin Gilbride, stood up for Murray in an interview with Ross Tucker on The Ross Tucker Football podcast.

“I think I have a lot higher opinion of DeMarco Murray than a lot of people”, Gilbride said.  “I do not think he’s as flashy as some of the names as you have mentioned (LeSean McCoy, Adrian Peterson and LaDainian Tomlinson), but I do think in his own subtle running form, running style, I thought he made great entry decisions.  In other words, he read blocking schemes very well.  He made great decisions. He’s a downhill runner.  He’s got enough elusiveness where he made people miss.  Not as flashy, not as much shake and bake as some of those other players, LeSean McCoy, Adrian Peterson.  As good as that offensive line is, I don’t think there’s any question that they helped to make those running opportunities, but I also think he made that offensive line look a little bit better.”

I concur with Gilbride about Murray.  He does a great job of using his instincts to make good, conservative decisions with the football.  You know Chip Kelly loves this about Murray.  He’s going to make his job much easier by keeping them out of second and third and long.  It’s always going to be second and four, second and five, second and six, or second and seven.  They don’t anticipate there being many second and twelve, or second and elevens.

There’s very little indecision on Murray’s part when he gets the football.   It’s one two cut, or one, two, three cut.  He makes a quick instinctive decision regarding where he’s taking the football then executes it. The former Oklahoma Sooners will get you the three or four yards that the blocking provides and another one or two because of his strength.  He doesn’t juke defenders or dance in the hole.  Number 29 is one cut and he’s heading up the field.

Murray seems to run like an offensive coordinator would want him to.  He gets what yardage is there.  He always moving forward and falling forward at the end of the run.

Murray has a boring style of running, that kills a defense because he’s always getting plus yardage.  I’ve heard from some of the Eagles players talk about how strong he is.  Murray is as strong as a horse and you can see it by the way defenders fall backward when they hit him.

The most surprising thing about Murray is his leadership skills.  Normally it’s the quarterback who is the calming force on an offense, but I hear that Murray is that guy.  He is very unselfish and team-oriented.  I’ve had former Cowboys players who live in Dallas, tell me that Murray is a winner and I’ve seen it with the way he conducts a meeting after practice with the running backs, where they go over what they did right during the practice and what they did wrong.

Murray has a take charge presence.  He handles controversial questions at a news conference with a polished professionalism.

GCOBB

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gloomysmitty
gloomysmitty
July 27, 2015 8:09 am

Off topic just dreaming out loud for a second just was still back and imaging the eagles front 7 in a 4-3
De’s- graham,curry
Dt-cox
Dt- Logan
De- barwin,hart
Slb- Alonzo
ILb- Ryans
Wlb- kendricks
The D would be crazy…

bugsyhawk
bugsyhawk
July 27, 2015 10:10 am
Reply to  gloomysmitty

Yeah Gloomy, we have talked about this before. That set up looks pretty awesome, but I also am looking forward to seeing Kiko and Kendricks run around together this year in the middle.

gloomysmitty
gloomysmitty
July 27, 2015 11:29 am
Reply to  bugsyhawk

The only problem is chip wants to get rid of kendricks him and Alonzo would be great together for yrs

paulman
paulman
July 27, 2015 10:32 am
Reply to  gloomysmitty

Do note Gloomy that the Eagles D will be lined up as you listed about 40% of the Time in Obvious Passing Situations..

bugsyhawk
bugsyhawk
July 27, 2015 10:04 am

Honestly, I don’t give a crap about what people say about Murray. Saw plenty of him enough last year to know what he is last year and I am pretty excited to see him in this offense as well as Matthews. Not too mention another year of Sproles. Would love to see a lot of mixes with those guys on the field at the same time. The running game will be fine.

paulman
paulman
July 27, 2015 10:30 am

Wonder If Chip Kelly will Hire Kevin Gilbride to replace OC Pat Shurmur next Off-Season, if the “Sam Bradford Experiment” goes poorly ..