Time for Indianapolis Colts to Admit Trent Richardson Mistake
By Erik Lambert
Aug 16, 2014; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts running back Trent Richardson (34) runs with the ball against the New York Giants at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Nobody should fault the Indianapolis Colts for taking a gamble on Trent Richardson, but the time has come for them to admit their mistake.
Richardson just not built for Pep Hamilton and Colts scheme
Yes, people still have visions of Trent Richardson stampeding the competition for Alabama back in 2011 en route to a national championship. Sadly, his transition to the NFL has brought nothing but frustration for three seasons. Not only is he struggling to put up any sort of meaningful number, but he’s also dealing with injury problems as well. It was hoped a fresh start in Indianapolis would be just the boost he needed to show doubters his status as the #3 overall pick was worth it. Two games into his latest preseason, it’s clear nothing has changed. Despite reports from Pep Hamilton and coaches that Richardson has looked good in camp, he still can’t take it into games. Thus far he has averaged well under three yards per carry in the preseason, setting an even worse pace from last season.
One has to wonder if the running back just doesn’t have the versatility to play in the Colts’ West Coast system. At Alabama, Richardson was in a power-based offense with a fullback and everything. The West Coast system typically involves zone blocking from the offensive line. It’s a completely different style of rushing that not every runner can adjust to. Darren McFadden out in Oakland is another example. The point for the Indianapolis Colts is that while they were right about Richardson’s talent, they were wrong about his fit with their scheme. He belongs in a hard-nosed system built to run the ball like Baltimore, Seattle or San Francisco. Indy has historically been a pass-first team as evidenced by their gearing the offense around Andrew Luck.
Trent Richardson belongs in an old school system that will feed him the ball regularly. In other words, not with the Colts.