Spring Break
The Daily OrangeSchonbrun: Brinkley joins pack of running backs going airborne for yardage
By Zach Schonbrun
Posted: 11/11/08, 5:23 AM EST Section: Sports
Brinkley might also know that it can be almost impossible to stop. At 5-foot-9, he often gives up more than six inches to defensive linemen, but he can clear them without hesitation. And in the open field, if a defender tries to cut his legs, leaping becomes the instinctive option.
And when Brinkley leaps, his teammates watch.
"We can't even figure out how to hit him, cause he's like diving over us," SU defensive lineman Anthony Perkins said. "I mean, I stand at 6-foot-4, he jumped one time, literally cleared right over me. Kid has hops.
"I remember one day in camp we had a goal-line drill. He jumped straight over the whole pile. We were like 'Oh, there he goes.'"
The coaches, meanwhile, hold their breath until Brinkley comes down. Running backs coach Randy Trivers said he's spoken with Brinkley about the risks of hurdling defenders, mostly because of the exposure of themselves and the ball. Jumping is never something they'll train in practice.
"I think it's more of a knack thing - a timing and a feel when you have to go over the top," Trivers said. "He has a good instinct for being able to do that."
So does Georgia's Moreno. Down in Athens, Ga., he's the modern-day grasshopper with hydraulics in his socks. He's the contemporary college back who made hurdling chic and bucked the trend of ground-bound runners, even if ESPN didn't notice his best example.
It's in his arsenal, though, just like for Brinkley. Against Louisville on Nov. 1, Brinkley awed spectators with his Superman sprawl from the 2-yard line for a first-quarter score. Other times, he's hurdled defensive backs trying to take out his legs.
For a player with a history of knee and leg injuries, he doesn't falter to fly.
Why not, when it's fun? Spin moves are so yesterday, stutter steps are overdone. Why stiff arm when the power's in your legs? Why not show versatility by breaking dimensions?
"You definitely see it all the time when he's making a move," SU sophomore Da'Mon Merkerson said. "Just the power and explosion he has."
Leaping is in (shocks optional). For Brinkley, and others, making the highlight-reel run isn't about keeping feet on the ground anymore.
Zach Schonbrun is The Daily Orange's sports columnist, where his columns appear every Tuesday. He can be reached at zsschonb@syr.edu.
And when Brinkley leaps, his teammates watch.
"We can't even figure out how to hit him, cause he's like diving over us," SU defensive lineman Anthony Perkins said. "I mean, I stand at 6-foot-4, he jumped one time, literally cleared right over me. Kid has hops.
"I remember one day in camp we had a goal-line drill. He jumped straight over the whole pile. We were like 'Oh, there he goes.'"
The coaches, meanwhile, hold their breath until Brinkley comes down. Running backs coach Randy Trivers said he's spoken with Brinkley about the risks of hurdling defenders, mostly because of the exposure of themselves and the ball. Jumping is never something they'll train in practice.
"I think it's more of a knack thing - a timing and a feel when you have to go over the top," Trivers said. "He has a good instinct for being able to do that."
So does Georgia's Moreno. Down in Athens, Ga., he's the modern-day grasshopper with hydraulics in his socks. He's the contemporary college back who made hurdling chic and bucked the trend of ground-bound runners, even if ESPN didn't notice his best example.
It's in his arsenal, though, just like for Brinkley. Against Louisville on Nov. 1, Brinkley awed spectators with his Superman sprawl from the 2-yard line for a first-quarter score. Other times, he's hurdled defensive backs trying to take out his legs.
For a player with a history of knee and leg injuries, he doesn't falter to fly.
Why not, when it's fun? Spin moves are so yesterday, stutter steps are overdone. Why stiff arm when the power's in your legs? Why not show versatility by breaking dimensions?
"You definitely see it all the time when he's making a move," SU sophomore Da'Mon Merkerson said. "Just the power and explosion he has."
Leaping is in (shocks optional). For Brinkley, and others, making the highlight-reel run isn't about keeping feet on the ground anymore.
Zach Schonbrun is The Daily Orange's sports columnist, where his columns appear every Tuesday. He can be reached at zsschonb@syr.edu.
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