Blocking Backs

[TanksAndSpartans]

I saw an old post on another board recently showing Dr. Z’s all decade teams. He combined the 20s and 30s and included BB as a specific position. Neither contemporary All-Pro teams nor retrospective All-Decade teams that I recall typically call it out as a specific position. With so many good runners, passers and kickers (this was also the era of the triple threat tailback), there usually isn’t room for a blocking back.

I haven't followed football that closely since the 80s ended, but I think there was a push (10 or 15 years ago?) to recognize the modern equivalent - the blocking fullback. A quick check of Mack Strong’s record showed he did have a couple Pro Bowl selections.

What do people think about having a blocking back in the HOVG? I’ve nominated Dr. Z.’s first two selections in the past, but I don’t believe either has ever made it to the finalist list (I think Lumpkin is in caps because the OP wanted to indicate first team).

BB- FATHER LUMPKIN, Bo Molenda, Riley Smith

[JohnTurney]

I saw an old post on another board recently showing Dr. Z’s all decade teams. He combined the 20s and 30s and included BB as a specific position. Neither contemporary All-Pro teams nor retrospective All-Decade teams that I recall typically call it out as a specific position. With so many good runners, passers and kickers (this was also the era of the triple threat tailback), there usually isn’t room for a blocking back.

I haven't followed football that closely since the 80s ended, but I think there was a push (10 or 15 years ago?) to recognize the modern equivalent - the blocking fullback. A quick check of Mack Strong’s record showed he did have a couple Pro Bowl selections.

What do people think about having a blocking back in the HOVG? I’ve nominated Dr. Z.’s first two selections in the past, but I don’t believe either has ever made it to the finalist list (I think Lumpkin is in caps because the OP wanted to indicate first team).

BB- FATHER LUMPKIN, Bo Molenda, Riley Smith

There are some good ones.
Tom Rathman
Moose Johnston
Lorenzo Neal
Sam Gash
John Kuhn
Cory Schlesinger
Zack Crockett
Howard Griffith
among others.
When I did my All-Franchise series, I made sure to pick the "modern fullback" the "guard in the backfield" as it were...

[TanksAndSpartans]

When I did my All-Franchise series, I made sure to pick the "modern fullback" the "guard in the backfield" as it were...

Is that this series: http://nflfootballjournal.blogspot.com/ ... -team.html? I remembered you had Lumpkin and some of my other favorite players on this one.

I think the single-wing era was the heyday of the "guard in the backfield" and even then it was overshadowed - Lumpkin did get an All-Pro in '32, but that was it. To be fair though, not every team was playing the same style - Red Dunn was the Packers blocking back, but I don't think he was crashing into the line as a lead blocker every play.

Here's a good PFRA article that includes the older names: http://www.profootballresearchers.org/a ... 02-512.pdf

[Bob Gill]

I think the single-wing era was the heyday of the "guard in the backfield" and even then it was overshadowed - Lumpkin did get an All-Pro in '32, but that was it.

I think another blocking back, Mike Mikulak of the Cardinals, was a second-team all-pro in about 1935. Mikulak, like Lumpkin, was quite an effective runner in his rookie season, but then became almost exclusively a blocker.

From the names cited earlier, I don't think Bo Molenda qualifies as a blocking back, at least not during his heyday with the Packers' three-time champs. As I recall, he led the team in rushing at least two of those years.

[Elkman8102]

I saw an old post on another board recently showing Dr. Z’s all decade teams. He combined the 20s and 30s and included BB as a specific position. Neither contemporary All-Pro teams nor retrospective All-Decade teams that I recall typically call it out as a specific position. With so many good runners, passers and kickers (this was also the era of the triple threat tailback), there usually isn’t room for a blocking back.

I haven't followed football that closely since the 80s ended, but I think there was a push (10 or 15 years ago?) to recognize the modern equivalent - the blocking fullback. A quick check of Mack Strong’s record showed he did have a couple Pro Bowl selections.

What do people think about having a blocking back in the HOVG? I’ve nominated Dr. Z.’s first two selections in the past, but I don’t believe either has ever made it to the finalist list (I think Lumpkin is in caps because the OP wanted to indicate first team).

BB- FATHER LUMPKIN, Bo Molenda, Riley Smith

There are some good ones.
Tom Rathman
Moose Johnston
Lorenzo Neal
Sam Gash
John Kuhn
Cory Schlesinger
Zack Crockett
Howard Griffith
among others.
When I did my All-Franchise series, I made sure to pick the "modern fullback" the "guard in the backfield" as it were...

William Henderson
Timmy Lester
Mack Strong (as others have said)

Interesting era of FB as you had pure blockers like Gash & Neal, runners like Alstott, and pass catchers like Richie Anderson & Larry Centers. I recall the Chiefs using a combination of Donnell Bennett/Kimble Anders at RB in 1998 due to injuries.

Nowadays teams don’t even carry a FB on the roster.

[TanksAndSpartans]

I think another blocking back, Mike Mikulak of the Cardinals, was a second-team all-pro in about 1935. Mikulak, like Lumpkin, was quite an effective runner in his rookie season, but then became almost exclusively a blocker.

From the names cited earlier, I don't think Bo Molenda qualifies as a blocking back, at least not during his heyday with the Packers' three-time champs. As I recall, he led the team in rushing at least two of those years.

I never thought much about Mikulak - I actually have his football card though. I'll take a closer look at him - thanks.

Good point on Molenda - your article has him among the rushing leaders those 3 seasons. I think Dr. Z was trying to sneak a second fullback onto the team. Maybe Ralph will chime in because it could be he still had heavy lead blocking responsibilities when Blood/others were carrying the ball. I know I saw the Spartans move Lumpkin to fullback to get a few carries and then he'd be back at BB leading the way for Clark or Presnell or whoever sometimes in the same series (Of course I've only ever seen one video with Lumpkin who was gone by the '35 title game, so its a pretty small sample size). Back to Molenda, I think he's an underrated player - check out his Wikipedia page - it looks really well researched: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bo_Molenda

[Bryan]

Charles "Buckets" Goldenberg

[sluggermatt15]

Good list above. I'd also add Dan Krieder from Pittsburgh. He was a guy who quietly played well for the Steelers prior to and after the 2005 Super Bowl win.

[sheajets]

Mike Tolbert.

[74_75_78_79_]

John L Williams?

Rob Carpenter?