In addition to having one of the best names of all time, Aaron Ripkowski is just a tough dude. The second-year player out of Oklahoma and Dayton, Texas is a part of a Packers offense that’s been humming in recent weeks.
Photo by Zoe Norcross, thevindicator.com
The Pack’s offense has been good outside of a game against the Vikings, but the Vikings are also shutting down everyone recently. They absolutely ate up the Lions two weeks ago on offense, scoring 34 points in a victory. The Packers are used to close games by now, every single one of their games have come down to a score within seven points.
A big part of that offense is Dayton native Aaron Ripkowski. Mostly known for terrorizing Texas collegiate teams as a fullback for the Oklahoma Sooners, Ripkowski has found a good niche for himself as veteran John Kuhn’s replacement. The regime change became final when Kuhn was released by the Packers prior to this season.
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Ripkowski hasn’t recorded a carry yet, but he’s a big part of the Pack’s rushing attack featuring a streamlined Eddie Lacy and a powerful James Starks. Lacy, the starter, is averaging 5 yards per carry, and on the goal line where those carries matter is where “Rip” flourishes.
He made a name for himself at Oklahoma by being a devastating run blocker in the Sooner’s “Belldozer” formation with the brick wall on roller skates known as Blake Bell. The formation was a colossal success for the Sooners, who have had one of the most balanced, yet devastating offenses in the Big 12 in recent years.
The Packers won’t need Ripkowski to beat the Giants, mostly because we just expect the Giants to beat themselves at this point. If Green Bay gets into a goal line situation though, expect to see Ripkowski out there, clearing out defenders for an easy touchdown.
