will/can Gurley improve this off-season

http://www.ramsondemand.com/threads/yahoo-preview-rams-2017.50005/

WHAT HAPPENED TO TODD GURLEY?

Here’s a report from our colleague Greg Cosell of NFL Films from Gurley’s 13-carry, 50-yard game against a bad New Orleans Saints defense on Nov. 27: “Gurley did not run well, he did not show good vision at times leaving yards on the field, he also looked mechanical and robotic, not fluid and quick – not the same decisive and explosive runner he was a year ago.” It’s amazing how much worse Gurley was than in 2015, when he won NFL offensive rookie of the year. His yards per carry dropped from 4.8 to 3.2. He didn’t have a 100-yard game. He only broke 80 yards once. A bad line, horrendous quarterbacking and a poor offensive staff did not help. But Gurley needs to play much better than he did last season. The dynamic, decisive runner from 2015 was nowhere to be seen last year.

NFC West Q&A: Can Todd Gurley still become an elite running back?

Alden Gonzalez

http://www.espn.com/blog/los-angeles-rams/post/_/id/34195/nfc-west-qa-do-you-believe-todd-gurley-can-be-an-elite-running-back

Todd Gurley went from Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2015 to one of the least productive runners of the 2016 season, compiling 885 rushing yards on 278 attempts.

One thing Gurley lacks is supporting cast. The Los Angeles Rams, who ranked last in yards in each of the past two seasons, have way too much work to do on offense. There are reasons to believe that Gurley will be better moving forward, though. Sean McVay, a prodigy when it comes to the way offenses function, should dream up creative ways of opening up running lanes for Gurley. Left tackle Andrew Whitworth will no doubt improve an offense line that was one of the NFL’s worst units last season.

Heading into his second year, Jared Goff still has a lot to prove, and that receiving corps still leaves something to be desired. Because of those two question marks, defenses will continue to stack the box and focus primarily on stopping Gurley, confident the Rams passing attack won’t hurt them all that much.

Do you believe Gurley can still be an elite running back?

Josh Weinfuss, Arizona Cardinals reporter: In a nutshell, yes. He’s a talent, and in the NFL, talent will shine when paired with the right pieces. Beyond that, Gurley’s talent didn’t just disappear last season. He averaged 2.7 yards per carry before contact in 2015 compared to 1.59 last season — a sign he wasn’t getting enough space to move before the defense converged. Some of the blame has to fall on the offensive line, which was improved this offseason through the signing of veteran tackle Whitworth. Whitworth may be 35, but his presence on the line should bolster its physicality and productivity, giving Gurley room and allowing him to run more freely. Gurley has the potential to be one of the best running backs in the NFL, with the talent to rival the likes of David Johnson and Ezekiel Elliott. Another factor that could fuel his resurgence involves the expected improvement of Goff. If Goff can grow like most players do between their rookie and second seasons, then an improved passing game will open up the ground game for Gurley, allowing him to return to the elite running back conversation.

Nick Wagoner, San Francisco 49ers reporter: This doesn’t seem like a simple yes or no question anymore. Gurley had an impressive stretch of brilliance as a rookie, largely buoyed by his big-play ability. Nobody topped his 14 20-plus-yard runs in 2015. Despite those numbers, Gurley was hindered by a questionable offensive line and questionable passing game, and his production dipped in the final stretch of the season. Last year, Gurley couldn’t recapture the magic he displayed during the first half of his rookie campaign. Once again, some of the blame has to fall on a poor supporting cast and an unimaginative offense, but Gurley also didn’t resemble his 2015 self on the rare occasion when holes were open. He broke 47 tackles as a rookie, good for seventh-best in the league, according to Pro Football Focus. Last year, that number dropped to 41, even though Gurley had 71 more touches. As a result, he ripped off only two 20-plus-yard runs and averaged just 3.18 yards per carry. Yes, teams were focused on stopping Gurley, and yes, he didn’t have much help, but the truly elite running backs find ways to get yards. Gurley should be better in McVay’s offense, but the new head coach’s emphasis on passing leads me to believe that Gurley will be less of a focal point for the Rams in 2017. Though McVay’s presence might help Gurley put up better numbers, it might also prevent him from becoming the elite back many thought he’d be after his rookie season.

Sheil Kapadia, Seattle Seahawks reporter: I’m not sure about elite, but Gurley can still be a quality back in the NFL. The numbers suggest that blocking was a huge issue for Gurley and the Rams last season. Gurley averaged 1.59 yards before contact, which ranked 41st out of 42 players last season. In 2015, that number was 2.70, good for 10th among running backs. The Rams need to devise some way of threatening defenses with their passing game at least occasionally in order for Gurley to return to his 2015 form.

How much of it was him?

We KNOW it wasn;t all him.

But there’s different views on how much was him.

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Insider Buzz: Rams Impressed with Gurley’s Offseason Conditioning & Practices

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2707552-insider-buzz-rams-impressed-with-gurleys-offseason-conditioning-practices?utm_source=bleacherreport&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=tsandroid

“Gurley;s work habits last off-season were considered inconsistent at best, leading to a lack of quickness.”

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http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-0603-rams-gurley-20160602-snap-story.html

The 6-foot-1 Gurley said he prepared for the start of OTAs by eating better and training in the weight room. He is listed on the roster at 227 pounds, but he appears to be about 10 pounds lighter. The drop was not planned, he said.

“It’s probably just having the first offseason not doing anything for about a month or two,” he said. “I feel fine how I am. I’m not going to add weight.”

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http://www.espn.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/240175/nfc-west-qa-do-you-believe-todd-gurley-can-be-an-elite-running-back

Last year, Gurley couldn’t recapture the magic he displayed during the first half of his rookie campaign. Once again, some of the blame has to fall on a poor supporting cast and an unimaginative offense, but Gurley also didn’t resemble his 2015 self on the rare occasion when holes were open. He broke 47 tackles as a rookie, good for seventh-best in the league, according to Pro Football Focus. Last year, that number dropped to 41, even though Gurley had 71 more touches. As a result, he ripped off only two 20-plus-yard runs and averaged just 3.18 yards per carry. Yes, teams were focused on stopping Gurley, and yes, he didn’t have much help, but the truly elite running backs find ways to get yards

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Todd Gurley lost 10-15 pounds, isn’t sure where they went

Gurley says when he weighed in at the Rams’ Organized Team Activities, he discovered that he had lost about 10 to 15 pounds. That wasn’t a specific goal but wasn’t unwelcome either.

“I don’t know what happened this offseason,” Gurley said. “I was just losing weight. It’s probably just having the first offseason not doing anything for about a month or two. I feel fine how I am so I’m not going to add weight.”

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max
October 17, 2016 12:26AM

It’s been reported that Gurley was a fat cat in the off season, and he didn’t report in the best shape.

Not injury related, condition related.

It was said on ESPN radio by explayers.

They said the LA move was a huge distraction for him, he lost weight unintentionally. He’s not stronger or conditioned.

He needs to dedicate himself next offseason. That’s what was said.

I can’t remember the name of the player, but he said Gurley can still get it back, he still has the talent, but it’ll be next year.

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Insider Buzz: Outgoing Rams Coaching Staff Blames Todd Gurley’s Struggles on Him

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2689592-insider-buzz-outgoing-rams-coaching-staff-blames-todd-gurleys-struggles-on-him

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https://www.profootballfocus.com/news/pro-todd-gurley-loves-the-new-offense

Gurley was seventh out of 52 running backs in yards after contact per attempt in 2015 at 2.87, but he saw that number drop to 2.18 in 2016, putting him 46th out of 53 qualified backs.

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BTW, just to develop this, everyone saw TG was a different player last year, but here are the numbers.

He averaged 1.59 yards before first contract, which was also the second-worst mark in the league. The latter stat shows that defenses were getting to him quickly. But Joyner’s numbers say the Rams gave him good blocking on 36.3 percent of his carries, which ranked 28th among 43 qualifying running backs and indicates that Gurley should have been better. Perhaps significantly so.

In 2015, while on his way to being named Offensive Rookie of the Year, Gurley averaged 10.9 good blocking yards per attempt (GBYPA) on 73 carries, the highest rate in the NFL. In 2016, Gurley averaged 6.8 GBYPA on 101 carries, 38th among the 43 running backs with triple-digit good blocking attempts.

That means that in 2015, on 229 attempts, Gurley got good blocking attempts 31.9% of the time. In 2016 he got good blocking attempts 36.3% of the time yet his yards on those attempts decreased by 37.6%

some of the blame has to fall on a poor supporting cast and an unimaginative offense, but Gurley also didn’t resemble his 2015 self on the rare occasion when holes were open. He broke 47 tackles as a rookie, good for seventh-best in the league, according to Pro Football Focus. Last year, that number dropped to 41, even though Gurley had 71 more touches.

In 2015 he had broke tackles on 47 of 229 attempts, which is 20.5% of the time. In 2016, he broke tackles on 41 of 278 attempts, which is 14.7%.

Normally you might say, he had fewer chances to break tackles, he was stymied behind the line. According to Football Outsiders, the Rams runs were stuffed 22% of the time, which ranks 28th in the league; in 2015, Rams runs were stuffed 23% of the time, which also ranked 28th in the league. So just in terms of stuffs, 2015 was no different from 2016, yet he did better in 2015 under the same conditions. This brings us back to the first stat—Gurley actually got fewer yards on more good blocking plays (non-stuffs) in 2016, and more yards on fewer good blocking plays in 2015. That measures his own contribution—how much does he get when given the shot to get something. That went down in 2016.

Gurley was seventh out of 52 running backs in yards after contact per attempt in 2015 at 2.87, but he saw that number drop to 2.18 in 2016, putting him 46th out of 53 qualified backs.

The stat “yards after contact” allies with breaking tackles and good blocking yards. Going from 2.87 in 2015 to 2.18 in 2016 is a drop of 24%.

Everything went wrong with the running game in 2016, but one of those things was Gurley. It was visible and I think the numbers back that up.

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from PFF: Ranking all 32 backfields heading into the 2017 season

http://www.ramsondemand.com/threads/pff-ranking-all-32-backfields-rams-26.50195/

…

26. LA Rams

Todd Gurley and fellow first-rounder Melvin Gordon have had two polar opposite seasons to start their careers. After a strong rookie season, Gurley massively declined in 2016 to a 53rd ranked 50.7 season grade. With new head coach Sean McVay in town, Gurley should be in line to have a bounce back year but its tough to say how much so. Running backs needs to be able to show patience and create yards on their own and Gurley was able to do neither in 2016 as he forced just 28 missed tackles and gained 2.2 yards per carry after contact. Lance Dunbar (48.9) will spell Gurley and FB Cory Harkey (73.4 run-block grade) will lead the way, though Sam Rogers was drafted and will compete for that starting fullback position.

Rams still figuring out the right workload for RB Todd Gurley

Alden Gonzalez

http://www.espn.com/blog/los-angeles-rams/post/_/id/34531/rams-still-figuring-out-the-right-workload-for-rb-todd-gurley

IRVINE, Calif. — Lance Dunbar’s prolonged injury has helped rookie head coach Sean McVay realize something: Todd Gurley is a very talented receiver.

Gurley’s skills were on display once again Tuesday afternoon during the Los Angeles Rams’ first padded practice of training camp. Early into drill work, he lined up one-on-one against a cornerback out wide, beating him up the sideline on a fly route and connecting with Jared Goff. In an 11-on-11 red zone drill later on, Gurley came across the field before the snap, then ran toward the sideline and hauled in another catch for a touchdown.

The Rams signed Dunbar because they liked his pass-catching ability. They were hopeful he could mimic Chris Thompson’s role in McVay’s offense during his two-year stint in Washington. But a lingering knee issue has kept Dunbar from practicing, and there is no timetable for his return. His injury has the Rams wondering when Gurley will actually be able to take a break this season.

While they want to give him all the early-down carries, they also want to use him more frequently on third downs — assuming he improves as a pass-blocker — and now they really like him as a receiver.

Something has to give.

“When you have a special player like Todd, you want to continue to find ways to get him involved but also be mindful of, ‘What is that fine balance between him being at his best and not wearing him out?’” McVay said. “That is something that we’re continuing to find out.”

Gurley struggled mightily last year, averaging 3.2 yards per carry and scoring only six touchdowns. But it wasn’t for lack of opportunities. He earned 278 carries (fifth-most in the NFL) and was targeted 57 times as a receiver, which ranked 12th among running backs and more than doubled his targets from the year before. McVay is committed to striking a run-pass balance, but he is also open to letting the flow of a game dictate the dynamic.

“I trust in the coaches,” Gurley said. “They’ve been doing a great job with putting in the offense, and then obviously you’ve seen Coach McVay’s work in Washington. I don’t understand why it wouldn’t be able to work here on this level.”

Under McVay, the Redskins’ offense excelled at throwing the football but ranked 20th in the NFL in rushing yards per attempt in 2015 and 2016. In that two-year stretch, however, McVay’s offensive line coach Aaron Kromer oversaw a Bills unit that helped Buffalo lead the NFL in rushing in back-to-back seasons.

The league average in rushing yards per carry in 2015 and 2016 was 4.16. Gurley has fallen below that mark in 21 of his 28 starts. In other words, Gurley has been a below-average rusher for 75 percent of his career. He was the league’s Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2015 but rushed for only 885 yards in 2016, the fewest ever for a running back with at least 275 carries. Gurley averaged 1.59 rushing yards before first contact that year, 41st among 42 qualified running backs.

The Rams have since reshuffled their offensive line, signing left tackle Andrew Whitworth and center John Sullivan, moving Rob Havenstein to right guard and — for now, at least — making Jamon Brown their new right tackle.

They need to establish better chemistry with Gurley.

“Once you’ve got everybody doing their job and what we have to do in this scheme, then it’ll fall into place,” Brown said. “That’s all we have to focus on as individuals is making sure that we’re doing our one-eleventh. If everybody’s doing their one-eleventh, then we’ll have success. Just stay true to what you’re doing. That’s it.”

The Rams hope to eventually establish some depth behind Gurley by drawing from outside the organization. For now, though, Malcolm Brown is the favorite to become Gurley’s backup. McVay acknowledges that Dunbar’s injury — however long it may linger — changes the way Gurley fits into this offense, giving him more chances as a receiver. But he’s hoping it doesn’t increase his workload too much.

“Regardless of whether Lance is available or not, we always knew that Todd would be the lead dog,” McVay said. “And it’s just kind of us figuring out what is that fine line between him being at his best, while making sure that he gets his touches necessary, and then also being mindful of having somebody that can spell him so that when the fourth quarter rolls around, and to finish the game, he feels good.”

Rams expecting big things from “violent runner” Todd Gurley

Josh Alper

Rams expecting big things from “violent runner” Todd Gurley

Rams running back Todd Gurley said recently that he’s seen improvement from quarterback Jared Goff as Goff prepares for his second NFL season and one of the ways the Rams can make the most of that improvement is by teaming Goff with a productive Gurley.

That Gurley wasn’t in evidence for most of the 2016 season as he slipped from 1,106 yards as a rookie to 885 yards despite carrying the ball 49 more times in his second NFL campaign. There were plenty of explanations for the drop, including poor offensive line play, but there’s little doubt that having Gurley run through and around defenders more often would energize the entire offense.

A weekend scrimmage with the Chargers didn’t offer a true game scenario, but it did provide some optimism on the Gurley rebound front. Coach Sean McVay said he was happy to see a “violent runner” coming out of his backfield.

“He did a great job of getting it out into the open field and there was a couple where he’s reading it one gap at a time on some of the schemes we have, and you can feel his speed once he gets to the corner,” McVay said, via ESPN.com. “He’s a guy that has been motivated and has been a standout throughout the offseason program, and it’s been the same throughout camp. We’re expecting big things from Todd.”

The Rams brought in left tackle Andrew Whitworth and center John Sullivan on the offensive line in hopes of providing better lanes for Gurley up front. If those moves work out, Goff should have a better run game to lean on than he did as a rookie and that should bode well for McVay’s chances of putting together a better offense in his first season with the team.