Danny Woodhead

DixieDestroyer

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Just wondering out loud. In addition addition to the black cloud of the caste system that hovers over every white player in the NFL these days, I believe its counter productive to be negative against said white players future.

I come here to see hope, truth and learn about White atheletes. Not to hear "very respected" posters become "debbie downers" about Danny's prospects when the pre season games have yet to be played. Not see the reason for that. :icon_question:

I also hope Danny tears it up in SD, and know (full well) he has the ability to play at a Pro-Bowl caliber. However, thanks to the caste system...optimism doesn't always equate to reality...as we've seen with a slew of talented White players in the NFL.
 

Wes Woodhead

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I feel bad to say this, but I believe we have seen the end of Woody. It was fun while it lasted. For a couple years we had two white men under 6 foot, and under 200 pounds on the same team, and they were awesome. The satan worshiping puppet masters couldnt stand it no more. The Pats must have received orders from whoever is pulling these strings to blacken up those skill positions or else. I hope they lose every game next season.
 
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I am going to take the glass is half-full view on his situation.

Woodhead was signed to a 2 year deal. They obviously have a plan for him. He may just be the third down back at best but he has a shot as a kickoff returner as well and I could see him spelling Ryan Matthews who is talented but overrated.

I think Danny will be a good fit there. He's clearly popular around the NFl so maybe the fans warm to him and his talent gets him 10-12 carries a game. Time will tell.
 

FootballDad

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I ran across this article a few moments ago in regards to the Chargers' signing of Woodhead. It's really quite a nice article, and gives me some hope. For the most part, the most encouraging thing I've been seeing is that Woodhead seems to have some respect. He's being discussed as a key component to the offense, not some "undersized" white boy that shouldn't be on the same field as the "real athletes". Here you go:

[h=1]Signing Danny Woodhead a Fitting, Smart Move in Low-Key San Diego Chargers Free Agent Market[/h]New San Diego Chargers general manager Tom Telesco told the Associated Press just days before the 2013 National Football League's free agency market opened there was "a time and a place" for splashy free agent moves.
Telesco is opting for a less aggressive course of action in pursuing veterans, focusing instead on April's draft. But he did address one pressing need on offense with the signing of free agent running back Danny Woodhead to a two-year contract.

Woodhead is not an every-down back, nor will he be asked to function as such. He will, however, provide change-of-pace support behind Ryan Mathews and give quarterback Philip Rivers a proven commodity in the passing game.

Rushing woes in 2012 hamstrung the Charger offense. San Diego averaged just 91.3 yards per game -- No. 27 in the league -- with Mathews limited to just 12 appearances. Rejuvenating the ground attack is predicated on the feature back's availability and effectiveness, but pairing a healthy Mathews with Woodhead offers variety eluding the Chargers in recent campaigns.

Woodhead carved a niche in the New England Patriot offense his second year removed from Div. II Chadron State. His reliability in third down situations was a tremendous asset to the high scoring Patriots, particularly in 2010 and 2012.

In those seasons, Woodhead caught a combined 74 passes for 827 yards. Woodhead also ripped off 5.6 yards per carry in his breakout 2010 campaign.

San Diego has lacked similar contribution from a third down-style back since losing Darren Sproles to free agency in 2011. Sproles was a consistent target for Rivers, catching 104 passes in his last two seasons with the franchise.

Curtis Brinkley never quite developed into the role Sproles vacated when departing for the New Orleans, but Woodhead provides a proven answer.

Sproles was most effective as a ball carrier when he was an accentuating piece, not a focal point. His yards per carry average suffered in 2009 when he rushed 93 times. Woodhead's production has trended in the opposite direction -- he was averaging more yards when garnering more carries.

Integrating Woodhead as a regular ball carrier could fit first-year Charger head coach Mike McCoy's M.O. As offensive coordinator of the Denver Broncos in 2012, McCoy used three running backs with at least 85 carries.

In contrast, last season's San Diego offense saw significant dips in workload between each of its top three ball carriers. Mathews carried 184 times; Jackie Battle carried 95; and Ronnie Brown had just 46 opportunities.

The even split among Bronco ball carriers last year was, in part, a byproduct of both Knowshon Moreno and Willis McGahee suffering injuries. However, in 2011, none of McCoy's top three rushers carried any less than 96 times.

McCoy has operated with diverse and balanced run games. Battle returns to provide a power rushing style in short yardage situations. The trio of Mathews, Battle and Woodhead should combine for over 350 carries, and each brings a unique enough look to keep opposing defenses honest.

In turn, the approach will open the field for Rivers, one of the most pressured quarterbacks in football a season ago.
 

Don Wassall

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San Diego Chargers’ Coaching Staff Should Not Hesitate to Give Danny Woodhead Touches

The San Diego Chargers had a weak rushing attack in 2012 when they ranked 31st in yards per attempt, and their four rushing touchdowns were tied for last with the Oakland Raiders.

Ryan Mathews ranked 10th in the NFL with 1,091 rushing yards in 2011, and no one in the top 10 equaled his 4.9 yards per attempt. Mathews struggled last season when he had career lows with 3.8 yards per attempt and one TD in 12 games before his season ended due to a broken clavicle against the Carolina Panthers.

Mathews was not the only one to blame though, because San Diego averaged 3.6 yards per attempt last season which shows that he was just a part of the problem.

San Diego’s front office signed former New England Patriots running back Danny Woodhead this year, and he will be Mathews’ primary backup. Woodhead averages 4.8 yards per attempt in his career and is coming off a season in which he had the same amount of rushing touchdowns as San Diego’s team.

Mathews averaged a career high 16.4 attempts per game last season before his injury against Carolina. If Mathews struggles in 2013, San Diego’s coaching staff should not hesitate to limit his attempts.

There were other issues with the Chargers in 2012 like an offensive line that allowed 49 sacks and a receiving corps that ranked 30th in yards per reception, but their rushing attack was the biggest weakness. This is a part of San Diego’s offense that has to improve if the team is going to be successful in 2013.

I expect Mathews to bounce back, but his injury history could determine the effectiveness of San Diego’s rushing attack. Mathews and Woodhead can be a dangerous combination, but an injury to Mathews could be a setback because the most attempts per game that Woodhead had in a season was 6.5 in 2010.

Read more at http://www.rantsports.com/nfl/2013/...e-danny-woodhead-touches/?lo7ocVF4FPmfWCYu.99
 

Extra Point

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Reports are that Woodhead signed a 2 year deal for 3.5 million. This is for a proven NFL player. Woodhead is worth more and would have gotten more if he had been black.

A team could get good in a hurry by signing underrated white players to below market value contracts.
 

Don Wassall

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Hopefully this is more than just typical offseason fluff:

One thing that will make an offensive line and a quarterback look far worse than they actually are is the lack of a running game. The San Diego Chargers have suffered from that affliction for the past few seasons with lead back Ryan Mathews in and out of the lineup with injuries. New General Manager Tom Telesco (TT) took a significant step in alleviating those issues this offseason with the acquisition of former New England Patriots’ running back Danny Woodhead. Now the only question is just how will the Bolts utilize the multipurpose back?

According to Pro Football Talk, Telesco held a conference call with season ticket holders and had some high praise for his backfield acquisition. TT said: “We were looking to add playmakers on offense, and he’s one of those guys that when the ball gets in his hands, he’s got some magic to him. So he’s going to be a fun player to watch during the season.” He also went on to say that Woodhead is a “dynamic runner in space” and that he is “underrated” as a pass blocker.

If you are salivating at the potential already, I don’t blame you. Woodhead seems to fix much of what has ailed the San Diego offense for the past few seasons. Still at the top of the depth chart, Mathews has been unable to stay healthy during his career with the Chargers playing in just 38 of a possible 48 games over the past three years. Regarding him, TT said: “He’s healthy right now, and we’re expecting big things from him this year.”

Of course he has to say that currently, but it seems more and more likely that Mathews could see a reduced role if his struggles perpetuate into the opening weeks of 2013. His 3.8 yards per carry average in 2012 won’t cut it in the upcoming season if he wants to hang on to the lead role. This will be a huge year to determining just what the future holds for the former number 12 overall pick.


Full article: http://www.rantsports.com/nfl/2013/...ction-on-offense-in-2013/?dPwWFoODZX28s79x.99
 

backrow

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some more on Danny:

Danny Woodhead - RB - Chargers

The Union-Tribune San Diego's Michael Gehlken reiterated that Danny Woodhead is going to be a "big part" of the Chargers' offense.

"So Woodhead is going to be a big part of this thing," Gehlken said. "Woodhead is just better in a lot of areas than Ryan Mathews." The new Chargers regime has talked up Mathews as a "bellcow back" capable of playing all three downs, but they wouldn't have brought in Woodhead and re-signed Ronnie Brown if they felt that comfortable with Mathews. Woodhead is purely a flex option in standard leagues, but his value jumps considerably in PPR formats.
Related: Ryan Mathews

Source: NFL.com

 

Don Wassall

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I receive daily Google alerts on Woodhead (and many other players), and almost all of the Woodhead articles are quite positive. It looks like the new regime in San Diego is going to try to take advantage of some of his numerous strengths, plus he's in a potentially very good situation because of Ryan Matthews' fragility and weakness in receiving and pass protecting, two of Danny's many assets. It would hardly be a surprise if Woodhead is underutilized given the criminal way Whites have been screwed at the running back position over the past 40 years, but the potential at least is there for him to be used a lot this season.
 

whiteathlete33

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I receive daily Google alerts on Woodhead (and many other players), and almost all of the Woodhead articles are quite positive. It looks like the new regime in San Diego is going to try to take advantage of some of his numerous strengths, plus he's in a potentially very good situation because of Ryan Matthews' fragility and weakness in receiving and pass protecting, two of Danny's many assets. It would hardly be a surprise if Woodhead is underutilized given the criminal way Whites have been screwed at the running back position over the past 40 years, but the potential at least is there for him to be used a lot this season.

Woodhead could probably handle 200 carries a season. The most he's had is 97 a few years back. At 5'8 and a solid 200lbs he has the enough bulk to handle that kind of workload yet he's considered too small by the DWF's.
 

dwid

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Woodhead could probably handle 200 carries a season. The most he's had is 97 a few years back. At 5'8 and a solid 200lbs he has the enough bulk to handle that kind of workload yet he's considered too small by the DWF's.
I think he can handle more. Warrick Dunn had 280 and 286 when he was 30 and 31, and that was in 2005 and 06, its not like the league has gotten bigger since then. He as 5'9 180. Jamaal Charles had 280 last year, I didn't think he could handle it because of a real skinny frame, he is also 200 (I think coming out he was more in the 190 range) at 6'1, so less muscle than Woodhead who is packing the same weight at 4 inches shorter.

I hink his ideal situation is how Dunn was used in his early years, 230 to 245 carries with 40 to 50 catches, although if he does get a shot to start, it may be his only year, so I wouldn't mind him getting close to 300 carries with 50+ catches.
 

Wes Woodhead

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I think Woodhead can handle whatever load hes given. Size is the second most over valued attribute in all of football. Right behind dark skin. Woodhead has proven himself an elite tailback, and if he was black he would be getting as many carries as he wanted. Its disgusting how the Pats would have rather lost than give this amazing record setting talent the workload he should have had.
 

Don Wassall

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Woodhead is within the size range of many starting NFL RBs. He's the only one whose size must be mentioned in every single article about him. There's no reason he can't be an every down back, at least until he's given that opportunity to see if he can handle it or hot.
 

Don Wassall

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Check it out:

2013 Bold NFL Prediction: Danny Woodhead Will Be Leading Rusher for San Diego Chargers

by Anthony Blake

It’s been 19 consecutive games since the San Diego Chargers had a 100-yard rusher. That kind of streak really seems impossible given the club’s knack for running the pigskin over the course of history, but the Bolts have been a pass-happy club over the past few years under the direction of Norval.

Even though Turner’s play-calling was horrendous at times and flat-out unbearable at others, the fact that Ryan Mathews has been so inept led the team to make a bold move of its own this offseason by signing a new ball carrier to compete with the former first rounder.

Norv is gone and so is A.J. The new guys in charge want to revitalize the San Diego rushing attack, and their free agent addition of Danny Woodhead certainly underscores that commitment.

Head coach Mike McCoy’s offense with the Denver Broncos was run-heavy with Tim Tebow at quarterback and adjusted to the arrival of Peyton Manning by integrating more passing. Now I know Philip Rivers is far more Manning than he will ever be Tebow, but the Bolts could use a run-based attack to open up more play-action passes as well as take some pass rush pressure off of Rivers.

In a roundabout way, all of this to say that Woodhead, not Mathews, is the man to help the Bolts achieve this.

Now the highest rushing totals that Woodhead has ever attained in the NFL came in his first season with the New England Patriots when he carried the ball 97 times for 547 yards (5.6 yards per carry (YPC)). Last season was his least productive on the ground with only 301 yards at just a 4.0 YPC clip, but it was also his most productive as a receiver with 40 catches for 446 yards. 2012 was also the first year that New England relied on one consistent ball carrier in Stevan Ridley for the majority of its rushing workload.

Given the injury-prone nature of Mathews combined with Woodhead’s ability to be a three-down back, the Bolts would be wise to use him as their primary workhorse in 2013. Now I know that 97 carries as the most in a single season for his career is a really low number, but that’s just because the Patriots used a running back by committee and had a pass-happy attack for the most part. Woodhead is more than capable of handling a ton of carries as his collegiate career at Chadron State illustrates (1,135 attempts, 7,962 yards, 6.9 YPC, 183.0 YPG, 101 TD).

Worst case scenario for Woodhead in 2013 is a timeshare in the San Diego backfield, but even that will likely result in him dominating the rushing statistics given his substantial 4.8 career YPC compared to Mathews’ steadily declining 4.4 YPC number. There’s no doubt that the former Patriot will lead the Bolts in rushing in 2013; you can take that to the bank.

http://www.rantsports.com/nfl/2013/...ill-be-leading-rusher-for-san-diego-chargers/
 

jaxvid

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Danny Woodhead could be the ultimate caste-buster if he has big success at the RB position. Even more then Peyton Hillis, who was from the mold of big White bruising backs. There have at least been a few of those types of players in the last 20 years, like Mike Alstott, but a White scat-back?? Who was the last one? Jim Kiick, Rocky Blier?? I can't even think of a guy that had a few carries, maybe the Bears Brock Forsey?
 

white lightning

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This is what I would love to see. It's just like seeing Jordy Nelson blow by people. It breaks down stereotypes. Woodhead runs a legit 4.30's in the 40 and he has the moves to go with it. The kid is also pretty durable. Can we get a thousand yard season for Danny please? That would even better than Hillis doing it a few years ago as you said because he is a scat back. Maybe it would give a team an idea to give a kid like Sam McGuffie a chance and others too. Gotta root for the Chargers this year.
 
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Danny Woodhead could be the ultimate caste-buster if he has big success at the RB position. Even more then Peyton Hillis, who was from the mold of big White bruising backs. There have at least been a few of those types of players in the last 20 years, like Mike Alstott, but a White scat-back?? Who was the last one? Jim Kiick, Rocky Blier?? I can't even think of a guy that had a few carries, maybe the Bears Brock Forsey?

Probably Dickie Post, ironically with the Chargers 1967-70. If Woodhead does well in San Diego, get ready for the comparisons. Post was also short, stocky, baby-faced.
 

Carolina Speed

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Danny Woodhead could be the ultimate caste-buster if he has big success at the RB position. Even more then Peyton Hillis, who was from the mold of big White bruising backs. There have at least been a few of those types of players in the last 20 years, like Mike Alstott, but a White scat-back?? Who was the last one? Jim Kiick, Rocky Blier?? I can't even think of a guy that had a few carries, maybe the Bears Brock Forsey?


I don't know if you could call Travis Jervey a scat back at 5'11 maybe 6'0, 225lbs., but he was probably the fastest RB, before Woodhead. Jervey who played for Green Bay, Atlanta, and San Francisco, once ran a 4.35, 40. I believe White Lightening once posted a video of Jervey walking down Hushell Walker at a fastest man competition, anyway you can google Jervey vs Walker and see the video.
 

Thrashen

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As Don mentioned earlier in the thread, I’ve read nothing but absolute positivity regarding Woodhead signing with San Diego. Countless articles compare him to Darren Sproles, a talented black scat-back who last played for the Chargers in 2010 before signing with the Saints. Woodhead is bigger, taller, and stronger than Sproles, with analogous speed and elusiveness. Personally, I'd compared Woodhead to players such as Maurice Jones-Drew, Ray Rice, or former eagles RB, Brian Westbrook.

Woodhead’s competition includes the meager likes of the fumble-surrendering, eternally-injured 1[SUP]st[/SUP] round bust, Ryan Matthews, injury-maven and former 1[SUP]st[/SUP] round pick, Ronnie Brown, and ever-corpulent, molasses-in-January powerback, LeRon McClain. Sadly, of these three black competitors, I believe that McClain actually has the most talent…

256px-Le'Ron_McClain.JPG

CAPTION: LeLard McClain

In a fair league, Woodhead should eclipse them all in the first handful of practices. With the Casteon flame of re-tread coach, Norv “Leatherneck” Turner (coupled with habitual loser GM, AJ Smith) finally extinguished, we’ll see how newcomer, Mike McCoy, will treat Danny, speedy white WR Dan DePalma, and Steve Tasker’s son, Luke Tasker...

512x.jpg

CAPTION: Dan DePalma Fights for Roster Spot at WR

Lest we forget…after McCoy left the tar-hued Carolina Black Panthers franchise, he became the coordinator for Peyton Manning’s Bronco offense, which featured WR Eric Decker, WR Brandon Stokley, TE Jacob Tamme, TE Joel Dreessen and even gave Jacob Hester a few carries at RB.
 

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Another positive article on Danny W.


http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/jul/30/woodhead-chargers-height-sproles/


"“I can’t wait to see him in games,â€￾ said Chargers safety Eric Weddle, who’s become fast friends with Woodhead. “He’s so hard to deal with in the running game, because you can’t see him. He just gets swallowed up, then bounces out or sneaks through a hole. He’s short, but very compact and really, really powerful. He's the kind of back we haven't had here in quite a while. Guys like that, who create mismatches, will really kill you. You don’t really have a game plan for guys like that.â€￾
 

Pie

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http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/jul/30/woodhead-chargers-height-sproles/


"“I can’t wait to see him in games,†said Chargers safety Eric Weddle, who’s become fast friends with Woodhead. “He’s so hard to deal with in the running game, because you can’t see him. He just gets swallowed up, then bounces out or sneaks through a hole. He’s short, but very compact and really, really powerful. He's the kind of back we haven't had here in quite a while. Guys like that, who create mismatches, will really kill you. You don’t really have a game plan for guys like that.â€

From the same article:

Presumably because of his height, the Nebraska Cornhuskers didn’t offer the multi-sport star from North Platte a scholarship, so he went to Chadron State instead and became one of the most productive backs in Division II history.

lol... Way to take the path of least resistance, writer. Stay classy, San Diego.
 

Don Wassall

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Another promising article on how Danny might be used this season.

snippet: With the return of Ronnie Brown and signing of Woodhead, the Chargers are more than hinting at the switch to a multi-back system that’s not so totally reliant on Ryan Mathews. Early as it is in the process, Woodhead would appear to be a highly viable addition as a third-down back, given his combination of blocking and pass-catching skills.

He’s already showing signs in camp of being a go-to guy for Rivers. Woodhead’s height certainly isn’t making it difficult for Rivers to find him, open as the back so often has been.

“Now, correct me if I’m wrong,†said Woodhead, completing his point, “but there are not a lot of halfbacks they send on fade routes.â€

full article: http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/Jul/30/woodhead-chargers-height-sproles/2/?#article-copy
 

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