One of the common knocks against successful running backs is that they benefit from a talented offensive line. That’s a questionable argument at best. Of course great play from any position benefits all other team members. But it’s an unfair point to rate a running back on that. For example Emmitt Smith’s accomplishments are frequently minimized based on the team he played on and more specifically the great offensive line he ran behind. But that’s just the starting point of a run. His toughness, quickness and vision is what made him the all time NFL rushing leader. He also seldom turned the ball over. Could any other good back have achieved the same on that team? Irrelevant because he was the back on that team and the motor behind a great running attack. No one should add an asterisk to his accomplishments
As good as the PN-G offensive line has been, they are still high school players and often make mistakes and miss blocks. They didn’t open a clean lane on every play. Nguyen gained a lot of his yards after contact and never fumbled. He ran bigger than his physical size. He was the driving force behind that line for 2 seasons. Especially in 2023. Without him it’s likely that the Indians might have faltered on the way to the state finals games. He put the team on his back in the championship win. No other SE Texas player accomplished as much as Nguyen. Consistent, winning results speak for themselves. Offensive player of the year if there ever was one.
As good as the PN-G offensive line has been, they are still high school players and often make mistakes and miss blocks. They didn’t open a clean lane on every play. Nguyen gained a lot of his yards after contact and never fumbled. He ran bigger than his physical size. He was the driving force behind that line for 2 seasons. Especially in 2023. Without him it’s likely that the Indians might have faltered on the way to the state finals games. He put the team on his back in the championship win. No other SE Texas player accomplished as much as Nguyen. Consistent, winning results speak for themselves. Offensive player of the year if there ever was one.
