- Joined
- Jul 31, 2010
- Messages
- 8,874
Tre Mason tabbed as potential 'breakout star' for 2015 NFL season
By Mark Inabinett
http://blog.al.com/sports_impact/print.html?entry=/2015/03/tre_mason_tabbed_as_a_potentia.html
St. Louis Rams running back Tre Mason will be one of the NFL's "breakout stars" during the 2015 season. That's the prediction of NFL Network analyst Heath Evans.
During an "NFL Now" feature for NFL.com, Evans said of Mason: "Tre kind of had to wait his turn (in 2014). When he got it, you see plays like this. You see the electrifying speed. But you saw a back that really started to get a hang and a knack for what (St. Louis coach) Jeff Fisher was trying to create on the offensive side of the ball. He's got a big offensive line in front of him. I think he learned to hang on to the ball last year. That ball is precious. You can't put it on the ground, otherwise an old-school, Jeff Fisher-type coach isn't going to have you on the field. I look for big things from Tre Mason next year."
Evans picked Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and Detroit Lions defensive end Ziggy Ansah with Mason as his breakout stars for 2015.
A third-round draft choice after setting Auburn's single-season rushing record in 2013, Mason didn't play a down in the Rams' first four games of the season. Then the running back was St. Louis' leading rusher in each of the remaining 12 games. Mason had a pair of 100-yard games as he finished with 765 yards and four touchdowns on 179 carries and 16 receptions for 148 yards and one TD.
Mason became the fourth player in NFL history to have a touchdown run of at least 85 yards and a touchdown reception of at least 35 yards in the same game. The rookie running back broke an 89-yard scoring run and caught a 35-yard TD pass against the Oakland Raiders on Nov. 30.
Mason will be working with a new quarterback this season. The Rams obtained Nick Foles in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles earlier this month.
Mason also could be working with new faces on the offensive line. The Rams don't have a single offensive lineman under contract who started every 2014 game at one position. Rodger Saffold started all the games at one of the guard spots and is penciled in at left guard for now.
A teammate of Mason's at Auburn, Greg Robinson made three starts at left guard and nine at left tackle as a rookie last season. He'll be the left tackle in 2015, taking over for Jake Long, who suffered another knee injury seven games into the 2014 season and was released this offseason, as was starting center Scott Wells. Joe Barksdale, last year's right tackle, and Davin Joseph, who started 13 games at guard in 2014, are free agents and have not been re-signed.
If the Rams had to start the season with the players currently on their roster, Robinson and Saffold might be joined by the largely untested trio of Tim Barnes at center, former Alabama star Barrett Jones at right guard and Garrett Reynolds at right tackle.
St. Louis also has a new offensive coordinator. Frank Cignetti moved up from quarterbacks coach. Last year's offensive coordinator, Brian Schottenheimer, now has the same position at Georgia.
"You run the ball to win," Cignetti said at his introductory press conference. "The quarterback's best friend is running the football, but you also have to be flexible enough to do whatever it takes to win a game."
Like Mason, Evans is a former Auburn running back. He played for the Tigers from 1998 through 2000. After being selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the third round of the 2001 NFL Draft, Evans spent 10 seasons in the NFL as a fullback.
By Mark Inabinett
http://blog.al.com/sports_impact/print.html?entry=/2015/03/tre_mason_tabbed_as_a_potentia.html
St. Louis Rams running back Tre Mason will be one of the NFL's "breakout stars" during the 2015 season. That's the prediction of NFL Network analyst Heath Evans.
During an "NFL Now" feature for NFL.com, Evans said of Mason: "Tre kind of had to wait his turn (in 2014). When he got it, you see plays like this. You see the electrifying speed. But you saw a back that really started to get a hang and a knack for what (St. Louis coach) Jeff Fisher was trying to create on the offensive side of the ball. He's got a big offensive line in front of him. I think he learned to hang on to the ball last year. That ball is precious. You can't put it on the ground, otherwise an old-school, Jeff Fisher-type coach isn't going to have you on the field. I look for big things from Tre Mason next year."
Evans picked Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and Detroit Lions defensive end Ziggy Ansah with Mason as his breakout stars for 2015.
A third-round draft choice after setting Auburn's single-season rushing record in 2013, Mason didn't play a down in the Rams' first four games of the season. Then the running back was St. Louis' leading rusher in each of the remaining 12 games. Mason had a pair of 100-yard games as he finished with 765 yards and four touchdowns on 179 carries and 16 receptions for 148 yards and one TD.
Mason became the fourth player in NFL history to have a touchdown run of at least 85 yards and a touchdown reception of at least 35 yards in the same game. The rookie running back broke an 89-yard scoring run and caught a 35-yard TD pass against the Oakland Raiders on Nov. 30.
Mason will be working with a new quarterback this season. The Rams obtained Nick Foles in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles earlier this month.
Mason also could be working with new faces on the offensive line. The Rams don't have a single offensive lineman under contract who started every 2014 game at one position. Rodger Saffold started all the games at one of the guard spots and is penciled in at left guard for now.
A teammate of Mason's at Auburn, Greg Robinson made three starts at left guard and nine at left tackle as a rookie last season. He'll be the left tackle in 2015, taking over for Jake Long, who suffered another knee injury seven games into the 2014 season and was released this offseason, as was starting center Scott Wells. Joe Barksdale, last year's right tackle, and Davin Joseph, who started 13 games at guard in 2014, are free agents and have not been re-signed.
If the Rams had to start the season with the players currently on their roster, Robinson and Saffold might be joined by the largely untested trio of Tim Barnes at center, former Alabama star Barrett Jones at right guard and Garrett Reynolds at right tackle.
St. Louis also has a new offensive coordinator. Frank Cignetti moved up from quarterbacks coach. Last year's offensive coordinator, Brian Schottenheimer, now has the same position at Georgia.
"You run the ball to win," Cignetti said at his introductory press conference. "The quarterback's best friend is running the football, but you also have to be flexible enough to do whatever it takes to win a game."
Like Mason, Evans is a former Auburn running back. He played for the Tigers from 1998 through 2000. After being selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the third round of the 2001 NFL Draft, Evans spent 10 seasons in the NFL as a fullback.
