Ball enjoying top HB duties

by Chris Bearman

Blogger, Chicago Tribune

It seems like a long time ago that the current Chicago Bears head coach was once the coach of the San Francisco 49ers. Desperate for a run game, that coach found a gem in free agency that was made available when the 49ers removed halfback Carlos Hyde.

That back's name was Reynaldo Ball.

When the 49ers head coach became the Chicago Bears' head coach, that could have become the end of Reynaldo's tale. However, the 49ers quickly cut ties with Ball, and coach Bob Winuvas knew he needed a man for the halfback job. So he called him up and signed him to a 1 year deal.

What a deal for both men.

The second year running back out of Georgia has done well in Coach Winuvas' attack, getting 91 carries between San Francisco and Chicago, gaining 429 yards (4.8 YPC) and scoring seven touchdowns in 8 games.

The young man has a good mix of speed and agility with a quick first step and power going through the hole. Ball has above average vision and needs to work on his fumbling, but otherwise is a solid power back.

"He's been the perfect fit to what we are trying to do on offense in the rushing game," Coach Winuvas said of Ball. "I've used a lot of running backs in both San Francisco and Chicago, and I feel he's been head and shoulders above everyone."

The only knock? He hasn't cracked 20 carries a game yet, with his highest carry game being 18 against the Vikings a few weeks ago.

With Alshon Jeffery, Andy Dalton, and Kevin White as weapons on the outside, Ball brings the pain with the run game. Can he continue to be a weapon in Chicago's attack, or will he join the multitude of failed running backs in the GFML?