And Ingram is a bruiser.
Grant is a Harvin-type back. If you can name a player for Bama that has contributed in that way, I'll concede. Prothro was like that. Perhaps Terry Grant was similar in stature.
Grant will never be a 15-carry running back. He's a hybrid like McCluster, McCalebb (who needs to catch some more balls), or Fannin.
If you had to pick between Malzahn and McElwain's systems, based on what we've seen so far, Grant is much more applicable in a spread offense.
Alabama has been trying to incorporate things like lining up RBs at WR, moving them from the backfield to WR in motion, etc for the past two years. Grant has been taking reps at WR lately, and we know they would like to do some Wildcat stuff, since we have already ran it some. Ingram is pretty much an all around back. Have you ever watched him just turned loose? He can run it down your throat, he can make you miss in space, he has speed, and he has good hands. Thats an all-around back, and thats the sort of back Alabama looks for. Trent Richardson is a carbon copy of Ingram almost. Grant follows along with that as well. We haven't really had a Harvin type back, true enough. But I doubt you have watched how Alabama has been using their backs that closely, except for the VT game. Really, UA and AU use the backs the same way except for Wildcat if you really really compare. We don't use Wildcat nearly as much, and Ingram lines up at QB. I think in AU's Wildcat, Fannin lines up at WR?
Our bread and butter this season has been out of the Pistol formation. If you aren't familiar, its a shotgun formation with a RB like 2 yards behind him. This is a great formation for downhill running, and gives the RB a head of steam to bust through the line. It also gives him a little time to read how the line is breaking down when the ball is snapped. We're running alot of Pistol formations, utilizing some spread, and some Wildcat.....showing alot of multiples, which I think is great.
Does Grant fit into both systems? Yes. I just don't see how he fits into one better than the other. When you cut right down to it and actually analyze it, UA and AU use their backs the same way, minus the Wildcat.
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