Suck for Bush?

By Joe Schackman

Can the Colts learn anything about Andrew Luck by looking at the career of former college standout Reggie Bush?

Saying that Andrew Luck is good at quarterbacking a football team is not a particularly bold statement. Even so, it’s just about impossible to get columnists and pundits to stop gushing over the neck-bearded 22-year old. His college career has brought back memories of Peyton Manning, Troy Aikman and, of course, John Elway. But as the Indianapolis Colts, the owners of the number one pick, deliberate what exactly to do with the potentially complicated problem of having two franchise quarterbacks on the roster, it helps to remember the last time a college player seemed this destined for stardom. And then you’ll remember that, all of a sudden, he wasn’t.

Before “Suck for Luck,” there was the Reggie Bush Sweepstakes. The prize was the USC Heisman Trophy running back who made real life football look like a video game. He was the most explosive, exciting college football player of the last 20 years and it is not a cliché to say that every time he touched the ball he could take it the distance.

Bush’s play making ability came from his unbelievable speed and ankle-breaking moves. But it came at a price. Standing just 6 feet and packing 200 pounds, there were concerns about his undersized frame, durability and potential to play every down in the NFL. For the most part, however, these concerns took a back seat as the draft inched closer and closer. Teams salivated at the chance to get an offensive weapon like Bush: the kind of player who, with one touch of the ball, can change the entire complexion of game.

But the Houston Texans, who possessed the first overall pick, did not end up taking Bush despite declaring well before the draft that this was their intention. The running back’s agent used this information to drive Bush’s contract price beyond the Texans comfort zone, so they instead took Mario Williams, a defensive end from NC State, first overall.#

Thus the Saints, who had just signed quarterback Drew Brees, took Bush second despite having another strong back in Pierre Thomas. With the commitment to Brees and the passing game, along with Thomas’s presence, Bush did not gain a full workload when he first arrived in New Orleans. His first two seasons were his most productive with the Saints as he got 155 and 157 carries for 565 and 581 yards, respectively.

However, as his time as a Saint progressed, his work load diminished to the point where he averaged just 70 carries over his final three years with the team. This was partly due to injury and partly due to Drew Brees’ emergence as a perennial MVP candidate. When your QB is playing at a hall-of-fame level, you don’t hand the ball off to your undersized running back.

Bush’s time in New Orleans ended this past off season when the Saints drafted Mark Ingram in the first round and proceeded to cut the former college star.

The Miami Dolphins, looking for a quick strike player and someone who could create some highlights, brought in Bush. And through the first few games the Dolphins looked inept and Bush the same old player. But in Week 5 Bush broke out against the Jets. On just 10 carries he gained 71 yards. He continued to run the ball well and two weeks later put up 103 yards on the Giants defense on just 15 carries.

Bush truly established himself as an every down back for next season over the final weeks of the season. Starting in week 12 Bush ran for 100, 103, 203 and 113.# He finished the 2011 season with 1086 yards with an average of 5.14 yards per carry.

Every draft is littered with guys who never pan out. Hell, Vince Young was picked immediately after Bush and, by most measurements, the guy has been a bust. Predicting NFL success requires a lot of research and a healthy portion of guesswork.

The Colts need to remember this as they navigate the next few months and years with both of their quarterbacks. These things take time, no matter how highly touted the prospect is coming out of college. The rumors have already started that Peyton Manning will be hitting the trade block this off-season. But no matter how many columnists and twitter experts tell us Andrew Luck will be a star, that is far from a guarantee. Peyton himself had a rocky first year in which he threw 28 interceptions en route to a 3-13 season.

If Manning is healthy, which is a big if, the Colts need to do everything in their power to keep him under center as long as possible. When he is healthy he is the most valuable player in the league and the Colts are a playoff caliber team with him at the helm. But they need to start figuring out what life will be like post-Peyton because Curtis Painter is obviously not the answer.

In order to contend for Super Bowl year in and year out you need a franchise quarterback. Outside of the 2001 Super Bowl, the last 19 championships have been won by teams with MVP quality quarterbacks. It is a no-brainer that the Colts need to draft Luck: he is a once every 15 year quarterback prospect.

The Colts have the rare opportunity to draft their next superstar quarterback while still having a future hall-of-famer under center. It is important they find a way to sell this to both players and get each to buy into the idea of having the other around. No matter how much the scouts love Luck they need to develop the young QB. He is best holding a clipboard during his first few seasons and learning from one of the greatest players in the history of the game. Although he wasn’t the first overall pick this strategy has worked out pretty well for Aaron Rodgers and the Packers.

No one could have predicted it would take Reggie Bush, once the most promising offensive prospect in years, six season to emerge as a solid NFL starter and no one sure as hell can predict the future for Andrew Luck. The Colts can’t waste this opportunity by buying into the hype machine.



Joe Schackman is an editor and co-founder of Began in '96.