"Seam Runner"-D. Green supposedly likes these kind of runners. What is a seam runner?

[Lomax to Green 84]

Dennis Green used the same term (seam runner) last year when he explained why he thought Emmitt Smith was a better fit for our offense than Marcel Shipp. Now the USA Today Sports Weekly is saying that JJ Arrington was Green's guy all along because he is an excellent seam runner.

I guess I would like to know what the heck defines a seam runner? I take it as meaning a one cut and up the field type which would be a pretty good definition of JJ Arrington.

Any info. would be appreciated.

 

[DKCards]

I think it is that he is so short that when he runs into the line he disappears and it seams the defense has him but then he squirts out the other side for a big gain.











jk I am not sure what they mean by that either.

 

[Russ Smith]

Dennis Green used the same term (seam runner) last year when he explained why he thought Emmitt Smith was a better fit for our offense than Marcel Shipp. Now the USA Today Sports Weekly is saying that JJ Arrington was Green's guy all along because he is an excellent seam runner.

I guess I would like to know what the heck defines a seam runner? I take it as meaning a one cut and up the field type which would be a pretty good definition of JJ Arrington.

Any info. would be appreciated.

To me it means a guy who can run inside, but not so much right up the gut as off the guards or off the tackle, but not so much wide turning the corner.

If you watch tapes of Cal games most of JJ's big runs fit that, he almost never goes wide and turns the corner he started deep in the backfield, got a head start and as soon as he sees a crack it's one cut and then straight up the field.

That's why when people say "I keep seeing him caught from behind" I think they're missing the point. When you run wide and turn the corner and go, typically the only guy there to catch you is on angle and it's the safety or the CB on that side. When you break it up the middle or in a "seam", both safeties are there, the LB is there, and both CB's have an angle to you. So running wide you typically have 2 guys with an angle you have to outrun, where JJ runs you have 4-5. That's why he gets caught, because he's simply got more guys to outrun. Most RB's don't get 30-40 yards downfield on those plays before they get caught, JJ did last year.

 

[pete]

To me it means a guy who can run inside, but not so much right up the gut as off the guards or off the tackle, but not so much wide turning the corner.

If you watch tapes of Cal games most of JJ's big runs fit that, he almost never goes wide and turns the corner he started deep in the backfield, got a head start and as soon as he sees a crack it's one cut and then straight up the field.

That's why when people say "I keep seeing him caught from behind" I think they're missing the point. When you run wide and turn the corner and go, typically the only guy there to catch you is on angle and it's the safety or the CB on that side. When you break it up the middle or in a "seam", both safeties are there, the LB is there, and both CB's have an angle to you. So running wide you typically have 2 guys with an angle you have to outrun, where JJ runs you have 4-5. That's why he gets caught, because he's simply got more guys to outrun. Most RB's don't get 30-40 yards downfield on those plays before they get caught, JJ did last year.

To me, a seam runner is a guy who can run laterally behind the line like Emmitt did, then bust through a seam when it opens up. As opposed to guys like Shipp and Pittman, who are more straight ahead, hit the hole whether there is one or not. Emmitt was the best at finding those seams, although he didn't have a lot of speed left to do much when he hit them by the time he got to Arizona. The guy amazed me with his vision to find those seams, even after he was past the line of scrimmage and into the open field. Some of those goal line runs that Emmitt had last year were pretty amazing!

 

[maddogkf]

I'd say it also has to do with when finding the hole in the OL, to have the ability to cut back against the defense to find the seam in the deense once beyond the LOS

 

[seesred]

FRom USA...

The Cardinals haven't had a 1,000-yard rusher sine 1998. Rookie J.J. Arrington rushed for 2,000 yards last season at California and knows how to find seams in the type of three-wideout formations that Cardinals will use frequently.

But there will be situations when a bigger back - Marcel Shipp or Troy Hambrick or Larry Croom - will need to line up and just smash for yardage behind the likes of Ross. And new offensive coordinator Keith Rowen is a career offensive line coach.

GBR
40

 

[Russ Smith]

To me, a seam runner is a guy who can run laterally behind the line like Emmitt did, then bust through a seam when it opens up. As opposed to guys like Shipp and Pittman, who are more straight ahead, hit the hole whether there is one or not. Emmitt was the best at finding those seams, although he didn't have a lot of speed left to do much when he hit them by the time he got to Arizona. The guy amazed me with his vision to find those seams, even after he was past the line of scrimmage and into the open field. Some of those goal line runs that Emmitt had last year were pretty amazing!

Agreed we all talk about the big holes he lacked the burst to exploit but there were a lot of big runs he had that no other RB on our roster would have made because they would have missed the seam.

Similar to what I'm saying, he doesn't run laterally to outrun to the corner, he runs laterally until he sees a seam and then bam hits it. that's what Arrington did last year.

 

[JPlay]

I can't wait to see him in action. I want to buy and Arrington jersey already.

 

[BACH]

To me, a seam runner is a guy who can run laterally behind the line like Emmitt did, then bust through a seam when it opens up. As opposed to guys like Shipp and Pittman, who are more straight ahead, hit the hole whether there is one or not. Emmitt was the best at finding those seams, although he didn't have a lot of speed left to do much when he hit them by the time he got to Arizona. The guy amazed me with his vision to find those seams, even after he was past the line of scrimmage and into the open field. Some of those goal line runs that Emmitt had last year were pretty amazing!

That's how I would describe it to.
To hit the seam is to see the hole and hit it in that split second, where it opens up.

 

[Lomax to Green 84]

Thanks for the info. I too am excited about seeing Arrington in action. The guy has had an amazing run. I remember hearing back in late September (2004) some draft "guru" who said that Arrington was an intriguing prospect who would probably be taken somewhere between the 5th and the 7th round.
The guy has made a meteoric rise in 9 months.

He also seems like a really grounded, humble kid.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

i'm not funny

 

[Cheesebeef]

no, no, no, you have it all wrong. didn't any of you play football? a seam runner is the back that the equipment guy routinely goes to for any uniform tear that is seam-related. it is only conjecture, but the lockerroom rumor outta cal was that jj was quite nimble with a thimble and needle.

okay dude - just stop - your stab at being a stand-up comedian has been a disaster in the last couple threads.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

okay dude - just stop - your stab at being a stand-up comedian has been a disaster in the last couple threads.

residual giddiness from last night's win. apologies all around.

 

[maddogkf]

no, no, no, you have it all wrong. didn't any of you play football? a seam runner is the back that the equipment guy routinely goes to for any uniform tear that is seam-related. it is only conjecture, but the lockerroom rumor outta cal was that jj was quite nimble with a thimble and needle.

 

[maddogkf]

okay dude - just stop - your stab at being a stand-up comedian has been a disaster in the last couple threads.

I'm glad one of you is funny

 

[nurnay]

Agreed we all talk about the big holes he lacked the burst to exploit but there were a lot of big runs he had that no other RB on our roster would have made because they would have missed the seam.

Similar to what I'm saying, he doesn't run laterally to outrun to the corner, he runs laterally until he sees a seam and then bam hits it. that's what Arrington did last year.

Of course, the key to a seam runner's success is the offensive line. I've seen plenty of seam runners who run along the line waiting or the seam, but it never comes. Arrington's success will hinge on the OL. Of course, the same can be said for any RB, but seam runners get tackled more for losses than straight ahead runners when the OL isn't solid.

 

[CronosCard]

"..And in this corner.."

Excellent Descriptions, Pete and Russ.. Now it makes sense to me when Tedford and others said JJ has "great vision", presumably for the seams in the LOS.. Does Anyone Know what Arrington's jersey # is? I thought he wore #28 when the NFL Network covered the Cards Minicamp, my old number in High school[DECADES ago...sigh ]

 

[JeffGollin]

Firstly, this is another one of those questions, reporters should be asking Dennis. (Sometimes I get the feeling they don't ask, because they don't want to sound stupid. This factor is responsible for more collective ignorance on the part of media than anything else I can think of).

I always thought that the concept of a "seam runner" was based on a vertical passing offense. During the course of a play-action fake, holes open up briefly in the defense affording the split-second opportunity for the runner to hit the seam before the hole closes. To be successful, the runner has to (a) see the hole, (b) have the reflexes and quicks to hit it instantly and (c) the super-speed to zoom right through it.

Others on this board have a somewhat different take - based a bit on the so-called newly discovered "stretch play" - where the RB cruises horizontally behind the LOS waiting for a seam to develop before making a quick cutback and zipping through the seam (one which, incidently, needn't be at right angles to the LOS but could be 160 degrees counter to the blocking action).

In both instances, you need a runner with instincts, vision, reflexes and quicks. Pure speed would be nice too.

But like I said, I'm not quite sure what "seam runner" means, and it would be nice if someone could get Keith or Dennis to elaborate just a little bit.