DEL.ICIO.USCOLLEGE FOOTBALL: GEORGIA TECH VS. GEORGIA
Moreno, Dwyer run to success with different styles
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Operating 70 miles apart, Georgia’s Knowshon Moreno leads the SEC in rushing, Georgia Tech’s Jonathan Dwyer the ACC.
But they haven’t exactly been tracking each other’s accomplishments.
Rich Addicks / raddicks@ajc.com
Georgia running back Knowshon Moreno has rushed for 1,244 yards and 15 touchdowns this season.
Jason Getz / jgetz@ajc.com
Georgia Tech running back Jonathan Dwyer has rushed for 1,184 yards and 10 touchdowns this season.
“Who?” Moreno responded when asked if he knew Dwyer. Moreno said he’d never even seen Dwyer play.
Dwyer was more familiar with Moreno, thanks in part to the YouTube video of Moreno hurdling a Central Michigan player.
“He brings excitement to the game, but there are a lot of backs who bring a spark to the game,” Dwyer said. “(Ohio State’s) Chris ‘Beanie’ Wells, other guys, I pretty much watch everybody.”
So who’s better? It’s not an easy comparison, and likely won’t be any easier after Saturday’s game in Athens.
Moreno and Dwyer run in different systems, have different running styles and haven’t played a common opponent.
Georgia uses a pro-style offense, where Moreno’s ability to out run, fake out, run over, or leap over an opponent works well.
Tech uses an option offense, where Dwyer is a no-cut, bowling ball of a running back, who gets pointed in a straight line and runs until he’s tackled, runs out of bounds or scores.
Each has his admirers.
Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville said Moreno — who ran for 131 yards and caught a 35-yard touchdown pass against the Tigers two weeks ago — “has great hands, great vision and is an explosive runner who’s very elusive.”
Duke coach David Cutcliffe saw Dwyer rip his Blue Devils for a career-high 159 yards on 23 carries.
“Dwyer has got unbelievable strength in his lower body. He’s a sprinter with big powerful legs, which is what makes the best backs. He’s a powerfully built young man with good vision, good toughness and good body lean, everything you want in a back,” said Cutcliffe, who also faced Moreno last year when he was Tennessee’s offensive coordinator.
“Knowshon will bounce around and give you all types of moves,” he added. “Jonathan is a much more physical runner, but they are both great finishers of runs. Moreno will absolutely finish a run, but they’re different styles of runners.”
Moreno entered 2008 as a Heisman candidate after running for 1,334 yards and 14 touchdowns last year. Backing up Tashard Choice last season, Dwyer ran for nine touchdowns.
This year Dwyer has eight 100-yard games, Moreno seven. Moreno is more involved in the passing game, with 23 catches to Dwyer’s five.
ESPN analysts Craig James and Jesse Palmer got a first-hand look at Dwyer last week against Miami, when he exploded for 128 yards and two touchdowns on just 10 carries.
But they weren’t ready to put him on par with Moreno.
“Dwyer right now, he’ll run you over,” James said. “He put his shoulder down and smoked somebody. He’s got the ability, but Knowshon Moreno, he’s done it week in and week out against the SEC defenses. So Dwyer’s not there yet.”
Palmer said Dwyer, playing in Paul Johnson’s option attack, doesn’t make as many defenders miss as Moreno does.
“You see a lot of his touchdowns have just been gashers right up the middle,” Palmer said. “I just think [Moreno] is a more complete runner right now than Jonathan Dwyer, but Jonathan Dwyer I think is exceptional and a lot of fun to watch.”
Dwyer himself didn’t want to get involved in the debate.
“I try to do the things I can to help my team win, and he does what he can to help his team win,” he said.
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