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Darryl Fields arrived at SMU last year as one of the most hyped running backs to arrive on the Hilltop in years. Blessed with exceptional size and speed, he ran into a problem: Zach Line, who led Conference USA by rushing for nearly 1,500 yards. But SMU head coach June Jones said Fields and fellow freshman Kevin Pope are such impressive athletes that the coaches have to find a way to get them on the field. To that end, each is getting an audition at linebacker during spring workouts.

Fields visited Tuesday with PonyFans.com to discuss his thoughts about playing defense, who he talked to about picking up the defensive system and terminology, and how he views the race for the kickoff return position and his new special teams coach, Frank Gansz, Jr.

Enjoy!

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This kills me...We have a really good running back on the team and hes playing linebacker. If you watched practice at all this Spring, Fields made everybody else look like amateurs. If you have two kids struggling to grasp a position, why would you send them both to a new position.

I'm struggling with Algebra so Im going to move on to Calculus.

i wish Coach would keep Fields at RB and use him as a change of pace with Zach sometimes. Kind of a Pony Express for us. Fields is so fast and talented at RB. I have not seem him practice this spring, but I guess he has had some trouble picking up the blocking assignments. Obviously, Zack Line is the guy unless his back is a problem in the fall.

Nobody has been moved yet, and maybe he won't. My guess is that Fields will stay at RB and Pope will be moved to LB.

But Coach Jones is absolutely right to explore this option (for both Fields and Pope). He has identified them as two of the best athletes on the team and says he wants to figure out a way to get them on the field. You're not going to take the best running back in Conference USA out of the lineup, so this experiment is absolutely the right thing to do. If he doesn't figure out how to get the best players on the field, Coach Jones wouldn't be doing his job, but he not only is doing his job, but his track record says he does it exceptionally well.

I vote for Fields at RB....find a way to get him in there with his speed and running instincts. He has a good attitude about the change. What was his 'dream' college choice anyway? I hate he didn't go to his dream college choice because they wanted him to play LB and he came to SMU because he COULD play RB, and now he may play LB here.........

I've watched Pope at lb, and Fields at both positions this spring, I think Pope will be at lb and Fields at rb when training camp opens.

The problem is and I have been stuck on this from the beginning is that JJ's offense rarely runs the ball. The offensive line is in a standup position, probably does not spend much time blocking for the run, there is no lead blocker and there is little or no option look with the QB. Basically the only run play is a draw. Line has been quite effective running the ball and Fields is not going to beat him out with just running ability unless he is a better blocker. Unless JJ changes his offense, there is really no place to use a good running back other than the role that Line has. In other words, SMU has to have a more balanced attack if Fields or Pope is going to get on the field, barring a problem with Line.

I would love to see him get 6 to 10 carries a game during the first few games this year just to see what happens. It's been said before, but I think it would make a nice 1 - 2 punch with Line and give Line just a little bit of a rest during the game. It might make Line a more effective 4th qtr "closer" (similar to what Marion Barber used to be for the Cowboys) and allow him to be stronger as the season goes. Previuosly, it was said that Fields had not picked up the blocking schemes yet, but I am not hearing that from anyone right now.

For what it is worth, Jones has said the blocking schemes were not an issue with Fields. He said it was just hard to take the Conference leading rusher out of the game. I tend to agree. Regardless of style of running, speed, high school prowess, etc. Line led all runners in CUSA and it is hard to ask for more than that.

You win with defense. I want my best athletes on defense. Fields is one of the best athletes on this team. I find it very interesting that a lot of the schools that recruited him wanted him on defense too, even his dream school, whoever that was.

If he's really fighting it picking up the offense (I would presume he played a very basic style of offense at Madill), he's not going to see the field.

I said last year that he needs to be a linebacker and I'm sticking with that. You get that speed on the perimeter and look out.

I think Fields will absolutely blow up on that side of the ball.

still think only one ends up at LB. Its not like we have tremendous depth at RB. If Line goes down its up to one of these guys (pope/fields) to step in. I only like moving fields to LB if they really think he can crack the starting line up. otherwise Id rather see him backing up Line rather than GJ.

I have a feeling that Fields transfers if he is moved to LB, he still has his redshirt.

I thought when Fields had his chances last year he was very impressive, the TT game comes to mind.

Fields was impressive on kickoff return. He never got a chance to be impressive in the back field.

RE Tycoon wrote:I have a feeling that Fields transfers if he is moved to LB, he still has his redshirt.

I thought when Fields had his chances last year he was very impressive, the TT game comes to mind.

I believe this is a real possibilty. In the interview, "his dream school wanted him to play defense" so he goes to SMU to play RB. He handled himself very well in the video, but something tells me he is not real happy playing defense.

Mitch McConnell wrote:You get that speed on the perimeter and look out.

I think Fields will absolutely blow up on that side of the ball.

Are you saying you can't think of fast guys who played OLB and didn't live up to the hype?
What about a seven footer in basketball who couldn't dominate in the paint?
Or a pitcher who throws over 90 MPH but can't throw strikes?

Don't misread what I'm saying: I see no reason to believe he can't excel at OLB. He might end up being the next DeMarcus Ware or Brian Orakpo or Terrell Suggs or whoever you consider the best OLB to be.

But you have never seen him tackle, never seen him take on a blocker, never seen him blitz and never seen him drop into coverage. Think you're jumping the gun just a little bit?