After a promising start, Reggie Bush has fallen back to Earth
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| (AP Photo) |
By Michael Quagliana
It’s hard to
believe that Reggie Bush has been in the NFL for seven years now. It seems like
it was just yesterday that Bush was suiting up for the USC Trojans, hoisting the
Heisman trophy, leading his team to the national championship game, and generating
more buzz than any college running back in the last decade.
Well, Bush is now
six years removed from his days in SoCal, and more importantly, six years
removed from consistent production at the running back position.
Bush was selected
second overall in the 2006 NFL Draft. In his five-year stint with New Orleans,
Bush averaged fewer than four yards a rush, never surpassed more than 600
rushing yards in one season, and perhaps most shockingly, only posted two runs
of over 30 yards. The former star slowly went from bust to afterthought.
In 2011, the
Dolphins acquired Bush from the Saints. In his first season with the team, Bush
rushed for over 1,000 yards for the first time in his career. He did the most
of his damage in December, ending the season with four straight games of over
100 rushing yards.
In early 2012, Bush
picked up right where he left off. In Week 2 he had his best game as a pro,
rushing for 172 yards and two scores at home against Oakland. Through the first
three weeks of the season Bush was averaging over six yards a rush.
Just when it
appeared safe to say Bush had finally found his knack in the NFL, he took
another step back. In the last seven weeks Bush has averaged just 3.2 yards a
rush, and hasn’t recorded more than 70 yards on the ground in any game. Games
like his 12 rushes, 17 yards output in Week 6 against St. Louis won’t cut it as
a starter.
Even as a Saint,
Bush has provided glimpses of his old self. Once or twice a season he would
make the highlight reel with a play on special teams or a screen pass, using
his elusiveness to sneak past impending tacklers and exerting his lightning
fast speed to break out into the open field. He can still cut back, stop on a
dime, and accelerate faster than most backs in the league. The jukes and the
flashy moves certainly are fun to watch, but don’t always pay dividends.
The good news for
Bush is that his talent isn’t going anywhere. The bad news is that after seven
years in the NFL there is still a cloud of doubt on whether he can get it done.
He is in the final year of his contract with the Dolphins. In all likelihood
the Dolphins will attempt to resign Bush, but that doesn’t mean his starting
spot is secure. Second year back Daniel Thomas out of Kansas State has already
been pirating touches from Bush this season. If Bush keeps up his dwindling
production, Miami will grow impatient.
It’s been seven years.
Seven long years. The time is running out for Bush to make his mark.
