If you were Lashlee

[Ikus]

... would you take Brashard Smith off of kickoff return duty?

Camar Wheaton, Rooster Knighton and Zane Minors are out for the year, and who knows when LJ Johnson is back, so the deep running backs group is suddenly anything but deep. It's Smith and McFall and Daniels.

Doing so would take away the team's (ACC's?) most dangerous return man, but he might be the team's best player and needs to stay healthy.

I don't know if I'd take him off return duty, but it would be tempting.

Also makes you wonder if they're going to start working other players from other positions at running back, just in case.

[Charleston Pony]

I think there's a good chance McFall's RS gets burned this year...especially if we are competitive in ACC play and actually have a shot of getting into the title game. We'll find out these next 2 weeks. If guys keep getting hurt, I wonder if they will experiment with Luster as a RB?

[Lotus]

I think there's a good chance McFall's RS gets burned this year...especially if we are competitive in ACC play and actually have a shot of getting into the title game. We'll find out these next 2 weeks. If guys keep getting hurt, I wonder if they will experiment with Luster as a RB?

If LJJ doesn't come back quickly, I think you're 100% right about McFall ... and I'm OK with that. The days of "protect the redshirt season" are over, anyway.

Luster at RB is a fascinating idea. He's got wheels and he's really strong ... and has a huge arm available for RB option passes, if Lashlee wants to get tricky.

[ponywhupp9202]

Along these lines, I wonder if it would be worth giving Stone Eby 3-5 carries a game at fullback. Just a thought, but could be entertaining/effective.

[Swamp Gas]

I don't recall ever seeing a fullback in a Lashlee offense get any carries, but how cool would that be?

Also, imagine being a linebacker who has to try to bring down Smith and McFall all day, only to face a human battering ram like Eby. Bring it on!

[PonyPride]

Some coaches try to minimize risk for key starters by keeping them off of special teams and letting them focus on their roles on offense and defense, while others don't.

During his year as interim head coach, I asked Tom Mason that same question about ... somebody (I forget who it was). His response was that "you can get hurt stepping off a curb on your way to class, too." In other words, if he and his staff thought a player was the best option for a certain role on special teams, that player was going to be out there.

[highlander]

Jason Sehorn

[carolina stang]

I appreciate the question. Being overly dramatic here: It was a day that lived in infamy when both Eric Dickerson and Charles Wagoner were both injured during the opening kickoff against Texas Tech late in 1979. It was the end of WagonerΓÇÖs career.