Usage of Ollie Matson

[Bryan]

Big, fast, skilled...a lot to like about Ollie Matson. I've been reading TJ Troup's book about the 1950's, and the chapter on the 1954 Cards was interesting. The Cardinals were terrible, Matson was great, but he wasn't really their #1 RB. He had 5 less carries than FB Johnny Olszewski, even though Matson averaged almost 2 yards more per carry (5.0 vs 3.3). Matson was used at HB, KR, PR, WR, DB...but did Matson's versatility hurt his production? In a highlighted game against the Redskins, Matson had three long TD runs in the second half, had the game-sealing turnover on defense, yet ended up with only 8 carries on the day (8-163-3). As a team, the Cards had 40 rushing attempts.

It seemed like Matson was shifted around a lot during his career...teams, positions, coaches...yet he always shared the rushing spotlight with lesser talented players. He was moved to FB with the Rams so they could have a 'dream backfield' of Matson and Jon Arnett. He was then moved to flanker. He was essentially a blocking back with the Lions. He was a 36-year old kick returner for the Eagles. The list of coaches Matson had to play under is remarkable...Kuharich, Stydahar, Waterfield, Svare, George Wilson, Kuharich again.

Would Matson have been even better if he were given more of the rushing workload? Would that have shortened his career? Despite finishing with 12,799 all-purpose yards and 73 TDs, could Ollie Matson have been used in a more productive manner?

[SixtiesFan]

Big, fast, skilled...a lot to like about Ollie Matson. I've been reading TJ Troup's book about the 1950's, and the chapter on the 1954 Cards was interesting. The Cardinals were terrible, Matson was great, but he wasn't really their #1 RB. He had 5 less carries than FB Johnny Olszewski, even though Matson averaged almost 2 yards more per carry (5.0 vs 3.3). Matson was used at HB, KR, PR, WR, DB...but did Matson's versatility hurt his production? In a highlighted game against the Redskins, Matson had three long TD runs in the second half, had the game-sealing turnover on defense, yet ended up with only 8 carries on the day (8-163-3). As a team, the Cards had 40 rushing attempts.

It seemed like Matson was shifted around a lot during his career...teams, positions, coaches...yet he always shared the rushing spotlight with lesser talented players. He was moved to FB with the Rams so they could have a 'dream backfield' of Matson and Jon Arnett. He was then moved to flanker. He was essentially a blocking back with the Lions. He was a 36-year old kick returner for the Eagles. The list of coaches Matson had to play under is remarkable...Kuharich, Stydahar, Waterfield, Svare, George Wilson, Kuharich again.

Would Matson have been even better if he were given more of the rushing workload? Would that have shortened his career? Despite finishing with 12,799 all-purpose yards and 73 TDs, could Ollie Matson have been used in a more productive manner?

I've studied Ollie Matson's career and saw him play on TV in his last years. His problem was being on losing teams, especially in his prime years. Matson's only season with a contender was 1956 with the Cardinals who were 7-5, second in the Eastern Conference behind the 8-3-1 Giants. That year he had his highest rushing total, 924 yards.

[Reaser]

Would Matson have been even better if he were given more of the rushing workload?

He would have been the same player, great. His stats would have been different (compiled more, others can say if that's 'better' or not since I don't think stats determine how good a player was) ...

[John Maxymuk]

I had the pleasure of watching that 1954 game today with Coach and it was as impressive a performance as I could ever hope to see. Matson didn't start the game; i think it wasn't until the second quarter that he appeared and then just as a flanker /wingback from where he caught 4 or 5 passes incuding one for a td. The game was in the third quarter before ollie got to carry the ball and his first carry went for a 62-yard td. His last carry was the 79-yard td run in which he split two defenders in the secondary and accelerated past them as if they were in mud. And yes the key defensive play, plus a couple punt returns and a kickoff return. Wow.

Yes, he had the giant numbers in this game, but I think Matt has it right in that stats can't truly describe what a great all around football player he was.

[NWebster]

He's one of literally only a handful of backs I can think of who, when he broke into the open, you absolutely knew he was gone. Really maybe only Bo Jackson was like that. He routinely outran defenders who had angles on him. There were a handful of similar guys - why weren't they used more - from that era. But it just wasn't a time where teams frequently had a bell cow back. ItcsIt seemseems like Jimmy Brown ushered in that era. If Galimore, Lenny Moore, or the lime carried it more often, the numbers would be fantastic . . . Though I do think each of them would have struggled between the tackles.

[Bryan]

He's one of literally only a handful of backs I can think of who, when he broke into the open, you absolutely knew he was gone. Really maybe only Bo Jackson was like that. He routinely outran defenders who had angles on him. There were a handful of similar guys - why weren't they used more - from that era. But it just wasn't a time where teams frequently had a bell cow back. ItcsIt seemseems like Jimmy Brown ushered in that era. If Galimore, Lenny Moore, or the lime carried it more often, the numbers would be fantastic . . . Though I do think each of them would have struggled between the tackles.

I probably didn't make my main question clear in my original post. I agree that the RBs of Matson's era weren't given the vast majority of the carries, but Matson didn't even lead his own team in carries. Galimore had Casares, Moore had Ameche....the RBs whom Matson lost carries to weren't even close to that caliber. My main question is why Matson didn't carry the ball more when he was significantly better than the other RBs on his own team? Was it bad coaching? Was he used as a FL more often than originally thought? Did Matson struggle between the tackles? Was he only used on certain running plays?

[Bryan]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9Z2M1TbuNw

Found this clip on youtube. I hadn't seen many of the Rams highlights for Matson.

[coachtj]

...thanks johnny m. as watching the '54 game of the cards vs. skins was a treat. film study of this former olympian's career shows us he did run between the tackles with power, break tackles when going outside, and then whooooosh.....gone. in '61 as a ram had a 96 yard score against the steelers on a pass reception. in '64 ....a decade after his truly remarkable performance against the skins he still ran with power for the eagles(still had speed, just not olympian speed). for the entire decade of the 50's the steelers allowed only 3 kor touchdowns ......all by ollie m.! in closing.....want to thank the distinguished mr. chris willis for allowing me to again visit and watch film with four men who also view this game of passion as a joy. chris did an interview with me on the draft of '65 & '75....and did an all-pro job. sure made it easy to answer.

[coachtj]

.....though rushing stats do not always tell the full story; in early '59 the 0-2 rams beat both the packers & bears for their only two wins of the year. ollie m. gained 320 yards on 51 carries in those games. no doubt he could carry a heavy load.