Oakland Raiders: Return To Familiar Will Spark Richardson Resurgence
By Kevin Saito
When the Oakland Raiders announced that they were picking up Cleveland Browns and Indianapolis Colts castoff, Trent Richardson, the reactions were decidedly mixed. And given the less than stellar start to Richardson’s career – along with Oakland’s desperate need for an upgraded running attack – it’s understandable that some might have been less than thrilled to see him in Silver and Black.
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But perhaps what Richardson needed to succeed all along was not just a change of scenery, but also a return to the familiar – something that new Raider star Amari Cooper recently validated.
Shortly after being jettisoned by the Colts, Richardson declared that his style along with the Colts’ offensive schemes were just a “bad marriage.” And while many scoff at that idea and think it’s little more than an excuse for a player – a former third overall pick at that – who has looked more like a bust than a star, there might actually be something to it.
We’ve seen players all through the history of the NFL who have failed to really bloom with one team, go to another organization and completely blow up. It’s certainly nothing new. More times than not, it’s finding a team whose schemes and philosophy is a better match for a player’s own skill set that allows a player who struggled early on, to really flourish.
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That very well may be the case for Richardson. Upon signing a two year deal with the Raiders, Richardson expressed his excitement for a fresh start with Oakland, but also expressed his excitement about returning to something very familiar to him.
In an interview with CSNBayArea.com, Richardson said:
"“We went over the offense and saw a lot of stuff that I saw in college. I know this playbook already, especially when it comes to the run. I know what they expect and how they’re going to spread the field, putting me in a position to be successful.”"
While Richardson’s detractors will undoubtedly argue that as a professional football player, he should be able to adapt to any offensive scheme an NFL team wants him to run. And while that sounds good in theory, it’s not always to the case. Just imagine being a burger flipper in your local McDonald’s and having somebody come in and ask you to make them a Beef Wellington. You might just have a bit of a tough go of it.
“In talking to Coach, he just said there is just a lot of opportunity out here. He said he isn’t going to promise me anything, but if I come in and work, I can be that bell cow.”
The point is, if a team is trying to use a player in ways that don’t line up with his skill set, he’s likely going to struggle. Just as Richardson has.
But given Richardson’s comments upon signing with Oakland, as well as remarks Cooper made during his brief presser after his debut practice with the Raiders, it looks like the Raiders will indeed be putting Richardson in a position to succeed by returning him to the familiar.
During his presser, Cooper was asked about the transition from college to the pros, and his answer was interesting. In response to a question, Cooper said that the plays they’re running in Oakland are, “…similar to Alabama’s playbook,” and that there are many, “similar concepts.”
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While Cooper may appreciate that smooth transition from college to the pro game by being immersed in familiar territory, it without a doubt, means more to Richardson. Running an offensive scheme so similar to the one he had a tremendous amount of success in bodes well for Richardson to not just salvage his career, but to finally flourish as a pro back. And if there is one thing Oakland needs right now, it’s live and productive legs in the backfield.
At Alabama, Richardson was absolutely electric on the field. Having to split time with Mark Ingram and Eddie Lacy in his freshman and sophomore years, Richardson ran for 751 (5.2 ypc) and 700 (6.3 ypc) yards respectively. As a junior though, Richardson blew up, running for 1,679 yards (5.9 ypc) and 21 touchdowns. He was a home run threat every time he touched the ball – which is why the Browns made him the third overall pick in the 2012 draft.
He obviously has failed to live up to the expectations of being such a high pick to this point in his career. But Reggie McKenzie and Jack Del Rio are rolling the dice on Richardson, gambling that putting him back into a familiar scheme, letting him run plays he’s comfortable with again, will pay huge dividends and resurrect not just his career, but a ground attack that completely flatlined for the Raiders a season ago.
If second year QB Derek Carr is going to develop and take that important next step in his evolution, as well as lead a revival of the Raiders’ passing attack, he’s going to need a reliable and dynamic running game to help him.
Richardson needs the Raiders every bit as much as the Raiders need Richardson. Richardson needs Oakland to prove that he’s not a bust, and can still be a very productive NFL running back. And Oakland needs Richardson to finally fulfill his potential and breathe some much needed life into their running attack.
Putting him in positions where he’s comfortable and can have some success will only benefit both Richardson and the Raiders.
If Latavius Murray can prove that last year was not simply a flash in the pan, and that he can be every bit as dynamic as he was in such limited time, and Richardson can regain that electricity he had in college, they could be a very lethal one-two punch out of Oakland’s backfield. They can help lead a revival of the Raiders’ offense — one of the NFL’s worst in 2014.
If they play well, Murray and Richardson can lead balanced offensive attack that can potentially be among the more potent in the NFL in 2015 and beyond.