Why are the New Orleans Saints fans down on Reggie Bush? Why is Reggie Bush such a bust as the franchise running back? What possessed the Saints to put so much money and faith into a running back that isn’t equipped to be the franchise running back? Those are just a few of the questions asked by Saints fans about Reggie Bush. The problem is with some of the answers, and why those answers don’t add up.

Many fans are down on Bush because he hasn’t lived up to all the hype garnered on him when drafted in 2006. Bush came out of the University of Southern California after a fantastic college career. He gained 1,740 yards with 8.7 yards an attempt, 37 receptions and 16 touchdowns rushing plus 2 touchdowns receiving. As the Heisman Trophy winner, everyone wanted another O.J. Simpson to appear in New Orleans to save the floundering Saints. Touted as the next best thing to happen to the Saints, Bush hasn’t performed up to expectations. His performance doesn’t add up to anything special so far. Having rushed for only 1,146 yards in two years with a 3.7 yards per attempt and 10 rushing touchdowns, Bush isn’t the hoped for league wining rush leader. After being placed in the roll of the premier running back after McAllister’s injury early in 2007 Bush showed that he wasn’t a premier back. In fact, all running backs during the Saints' 2007 season rushed for only 1,466 yards collectively. It isn’t much when looking at a healthy McAllister that he gained 1,641 yards, 8 touchdowns rushing and 69 receptions for another 2,157 yards in one season. So why are the fans down on Bush? It doesn’t take a genius to figure out why.

Why Bush is such a bust as a premier running back can be addressed by watching him. He is too small at 6 foot and 200 pounds to run inside and that is the Saints running style. Why didn’t the Saints modify their offensive strategy to compliment Bush? In pro football, the runners run inside as well as outside the tackles. Some smaller player have done well in the NFL and a few teams have opted to use an open offensive running strategy, but the Saints have always been a pound the ball style team. So why did the managing team decide to trade up to get Bush? I personally think the Saints wanted to use an open style of offense where the running back is as much a receiver as back. A true West Coast offense is more suited to Bush than the typical Saints style. The reason Bush is such a bust depends on how the Saints address the offense in the future. We will just have to wait until next season and see if the Saints are in transition or not.

Why were the Saints so high on Bush instead of other very good backs taken in 2006? The only way I can look at the hype is to think of the team as a whole. The Saints expended a lot to get Drew Brees to bolster the passing game and Bush does have the ability to perform in the open field. With a Reggie Bush, the Saints were able to pound inside with McAllister and then strike quick with Bush. The strong one two punch of McAllister and Bush, that made the Saints the top offensive team in 2006 and led them to their first NFC final. Then 2007 happened and McAllister is down and no longer the inside running threat many teams feared. Bush was pushed into the limelight as the premier back with Aaron Stecker as the backup. The results were a huge falloff of the productivity of the rushing offense and Brees being pushed into passing more. It made the Saints a more one-dimensional offense and easier to defend. So why was Bush so high in the opinion of the Saints managing team? Only next season and time will tell.

These questions are on a few I’ve asked about Reggie Bush. I know many fans have many more. What will become of Bush is another question not easily answered. Can the Saints survive with just Bush as the premier back? Well I’ll leave that question open to the fans to answer. Do you think he can be the premier back and if so why? Tell me what you think.