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Someone wrote a few months ago that Jonas Rutledge should play offense as well as defense. Well, Rick Alonzo reported this morning that he'll get a few plays on offense. So whoever wrote that a few months made a great comparison .... between Jonas and Jacoby Rhinehart. Both came to SMU as rather unheralded cornerbacks. Both showed superior athletic ability. Both wore #3. Both ended up playing on defense, special teams and offense.

Now we just need Jonas to complete the parallel by getting to the NFL.

From Rick Alonzo in today's Dallas Morning News:


SMU defender Rutledge will get chance on offense

Junior cornerback Jonas Rutledge, SMU's big-play man in the 2001 season, will play some offense this year, coach Phil Bennett said.

Bennett said Rutledge, a first-team All-WAC selection, would play receiver and possibly tailback. Rutledge scored three touchdowns on returns last year – on a kickoff, a blocked field goal and an interception. Bennett said he wants to take advantage of Rutledge's ability to make plays.

"I think we have to find ways to get our best players the ball," Bennett said. "I can't practice him on offense all the time, but we can do things to get him the ball. He has vision and he's got that 4.3 speed."

Rutledge starred in high school on both sides of the ball.

[This message has been edited by PonyPride (edited 07-25-2002).]

About time!!!! Not saying that this move is the answer to the teams problems but Jonas will at least be able to make plays when needed. He has good hands and has great vision something you cannot teach. As far as running back goes, he played the position in high school and started there as a freshman til senior year so it won't be foreign to him. The way he should be used is on reverse's, screens out of the back field and on wide receiver screens, get him the ball early and sit back and watch. This is a great move by the new coach, sounds like a man that knows when you have to take chances to be successful. Good luck Jonas and it's your time to shine!!

Go Stangs!

Rutledge is certainly the real deal, but how many running backs can we use? RB is already our deepest position. Heck, the guy many preseason pubs are picking to lead the WAC in yardage isn't even the starter.

Making more sense... Putting Rutledge at wideout. That adds an interesting element into the Ford (a TE) vs. Cardwell (good receiver, but starter material??) vs. Taylor (all the physical tools, but hasn't done anything yet) vs. Freeman (all speed, no hands) vs. Griffin (stretches defenses, but how many catches?) vs. Nixon vs. Vinson debate.

Fact is, we have two proven, starter-quality receivers in Cunningham and Hampton, a couple of good receivers in Ford and Cardwell, and a bunch of guys, any of whom we'd love to see emerge as a dependable downfield threat.

So until somebody steps up, why not throw Rutledge into the mix? After watching Rutledge blaze through your kickoff coverage unit a few times, some CB will have a stroke when Rutledge trots out for an offensive play here and there.

Very Well Put PP.

I agree completely. I think that is how Rutledge will be used. Some, special plays maybe for him to shine. Your assessment was right on about the other recievers. Jonas HAS a major job to do already at CB, and some ST runbacks. The man should be primarily a CB, where he is one of the best in the country, as well as KG. A few offensive plays here and there to shake it up, and a few runbacks per game will be a full load. I don't think he should be competing for a wideout job to go along with his CB and ST duties. Just My Opinion.

I agree with most of what's been written here, except the fact that RB is already our deepest position. It's not. It may be the position where we have the most talent -- we all like what we've seen from Kincade and especially ShanD -- but beyond that, who knows what we have? Kris Briggs is unproven at FB. Anthony Barnett is a true freshman, so you never know what you'll get. Derron Brown and Earl Morris have ability, but they're being run at FB right now, and they're both too small for the position. I'd say we have two tailbacks with star potential, but that beyond that, we're thin. Colorado has four RBs with star potential, and I'd love to see Coach Bennett and his brother (the RB coach) have to decide between four guys with bigtime ability.

I like PonyFan's comparison to Jacoby Rhinehart. Rhinehart was one of the most exciting and dangerous players we've ever had. I hope Jonas is just as good, if not better.

PonyTales,

I see your point, BUT I don't think fullback is an every down position in a spread offense. Currently, I think our two deepest positions are linebacker and offensive back. Take a look at this:

Barnett: A true freshman, but one of our highest rated recruits in years? Certainly a badass waiting to be unleashed on an unsuspecting WAC.

Briggs: Hampered last season with an injury, but he WAS the starter. He was tentative last year, but when healthy, Briggs is a punishing runner. Listed as FB now, it probably wouldn't take much to transition him back.

Brown: Supposed to be very talented. May have the size to play FB in our offense, but anywhere else he'd be a tailback.

Charles: Nuff said.

Kincade: Ditto.

Morris: Don't know him well enough to comment, but probably in the same situation as Brown.

Williams: Don't know him either.

Then there's Freeman. If they move him from WR to tailback (which is supposedly his natural position)... Weel, you know what that kid can do once he has the ball firmly grasped in his hands. Bye bye!

Still, that's 5 legit runing backs, and a couple more who, if not for the depth at RB already, would normally line up there.

Even at linebacker where we have a stable of good ones, there's like 10 guys competing for 3 positions.

At running back, we have 5 or more guys for one position. That's depth!

I think that all the running backs have their strengths and weaknesses - which I won't go into right now - and any one of them can be effective in the offense, which IS PRIMARILY a spread formation.

There's a report today on ESPN.com that Warren Sapp is going to play offense - or that he might play offense - for Tampa Bay this year. If he can go both ways, Jonas sure can, too.

Maybe we could stick Lute Croy at fullback once in a while? Think he'd open up a few holes?

And maybe while we're at it, we could stick in Warrie Birdwell as a blocking tight end. Talk about a jumbo line.