Worley and then some...

[Screaming Eagle Dad]

Worley took a beating the other night and never complained. I hope I dont see another negative thread about this man, he has guts and he is performing his best.
I am a litle miffed though. Looks to me like Lane is getting meaningless carries. Butch gave all the things for Pig to work on in order to be a part of this team and he feeds him the ball. Marlin Lane stayed all summer long to work on his attitude and conditioning. We were told by Butch that Marlon did all the right things to be a part of this team, yet he gets meaning less carries for the most part. The kid had a better than 5 yards per carry behind a veteran line last year. Why is he not being used more? He runs hard and is moves the pile forward. Nothing against Hurd, but I just think Marlon isn't being given a fair opportunity like Pig was.

[PirateVOL]

It could be that Hurd is doing the overall job better than Lane.  Things like pass blocking, which Hurd is better at than Lane (though Lane did have one good blitz pickup Sat night).  You'll note that Hurd is in most of the time in obvious passing situations.  Given the OL performance to date that as much as any other reason may be why Hurd is spending more time in the games.

In the first couple of games Lane was the designated flair receiver but not Sat night. 

The one thing that I see Lane better at this season is patience in the hole.  It has allowed him to gain extra yards but has also cost yards on occasion (worked twice and failed at least once Sat).

The thing I have noticed is that Hurd is much more capable in space than Lane.  IMO he was clearly the beter RB Saturday night. 

[Clockwork Orange]

Worley took a beating the other night and never complained. I hope I dont see another negative thread about this man, he has guts and he is performing his best.
I am a litle miffed though. Looks to me like Lane is getting meaningless carries. Butch gave all the things for Pig to work on in order to be a part of this team and he feeds him the ball. Marlin Lane stayed all summer long to work on his attitude and conditioning. We were told by Butch that Marlon did all the right things to be a part of this team, yet he gets meaning less carries for the most part. The kid had a better than 5 yards per carry behind a veteran line last year. Why is he not being used more? He runs hard and is moves the pile forward. Nothing against Hurd, but I just think Marlon isn't being given a fair opportunity like Pig was.

I don't have any problem with the RB touches. Hurd has all the upside AND, as Pirate said, is better on passing downs. He's a talented 3-down back and that's why he's getting snaps and touches.

I do have a problem with the Pig touches. I simply don't think he's talented enough to warrant going out of our way to feed him the ball. Last year, when your options were Neal, Lane, no TEs, and a brand new WR in North, sure . . . Pig was the guy who needed touches. But I don't think that's true anymore. I'm so tired of the jet sweeps with Pig that go nowhere, and the guy is as prone to dropping passes as anyone else on the team. North needs to be fed. Hurd needs to be fed. I think even Wolf and Pearson need to be fed once they're back. But Pig is just another WR on the roster, IMO, and I say that as someone who likes Pig and is proud of his hard work this offseason.

[Creek Walker]

Are we assuming that the staff is going out of their way to feed the Pig, or is there some sort of tangible evidence to back that up? I have a hard time believing Pig's involvement in the passing game is anything more than him being open, because I think this staff would be foolish to not be going to North. I admit, though, that I haven't watched the games closely enough to see whether Pig has been Worley's primary target on those plays. He did have a couple of BIG catches Saturday night, though.

We all agree on the jet sweeps, I think. If that's never called again, it'll be too soon.

[Clockwork Orange]

Are we assuming that the staff is going out of their way to feed the Pig, or is there some sort of tangible evidence to back that up? I have a hard time believing Pig's involvement in the passing game is anything more than him being open, because I think this staff would be foolish to not be going to North. I admit, though, that I haven't watched the games closely enough to see whether Pig has been Worley's primary target on those plays. He did have a couple of BIG catches Saturday night, though.

We all agree on the jet sweeps, I think. If that's never called again, it'll be too soon.

Pig also had a drive-killing drop in the 3rd Q. It seems to me like he's good for one or two of those every game.

Against Utah State I thought he was the target of way too many plays. Since then I'm not sure I'd say that in the passing game, but we're still doing those awful sweeps.

I'm actually really confused when I look at the stats . . . the box score shows Howard with NO rushing attempts vs. OU, but I could swear we ran the sweep with him twice, including the game's first play. In fact, the UT stats show only two rushes for him all season but there's no way that's right. I think those sweeps may be technically passes, which makes figuring out his impact in the passing game difficult too.

[Volznut]

Pig also had a drive-killing drop in the 3rd Q. It seems to me like he's good for one or two of those every game.

Against Utah State I thought he was the target of way too many plays. Since then I'm not sure I'd say that in the passing game, but we're still doing those awful sweeps.

I'm actually really confused when I look at the stats . . . the box score shows Howard with NO rushing attempts vs. OU, but I could swear we ran the sweep with him twice, including the game's first play. In fact, the UT stats show only two rushes for him all season but there's no way that's right. I think those sweeps may be technically passes, which makes figuring out his impact in the passing game difficult too.

They are forward handoffs, are they considered a run or pass? It is a handoff, he does not flip it, but it is forward. see video.

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

[Clockwork Orange]

They are forward handoffs, are they considered a run or pass? It is a handoff, he does not flip it, but it is forward. see video.

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

It's odd. That one was scored a rush, but now it seems clear that the two we ran against OU were scored as passes (per the play-by-play . . . one pass for a 7 yard loss and another for a 6 yard loss). I'm not sure why.

[Volznut]

I hope we throw those fades to North instead of Croom from now on

[Volznut]

It's odd. That one was scored a rush, but now it seems clear that the two we ran against OU were scored as passes (per the play-by-play . . . one pass for a 7 yard loss and another for a 6 yard loss). I'm not sure why.

Did we flip them to him instead of hand it off?

[PirateVOL]

Are we assuming that the staff is going out of their way to feed the Pig, or is there some sort of tangible evidence to back that up? I have a hard time believing Pig's involvement in the passing game is anything more than him being open, because I think this staff would be foolish to not be going to North, though North is much better in traffic. I admit, though, that I haven't watched the games closely enough to see whether Pig has been Worley's primary target on those plays. He did have a couple of BIG catches Saturday night, though.

We all agree on the jet sweeps, I think. If that's never called again, it'll be too soon.

Pig and Smith are the two receivers who seem to have the abilty to get open.  North is nowhere near them in that ability.  Now Smith is out with a high ankle issue and I doubt that Pearson will be back for the puppies.  We should have Wolf back for the puppies.  

To a great extent though, we need a lot of receivers against the chickens as they have great difficulty defending against the pass.  We3 will rarely play against a pair of corners that cover as well as the pair Saturday night.  All the talk going into the game was Sanchez but #2 could flat cover.

[Clockwork Orange]

Did we flip them to him instead of hand it off?

We've done both. I suppose that could be the scoring difference. It would be interesting to catalog them all-- 6 or 8 of them in total so far, I think-- to look at the yardage. I think the scoring play against USU was the only positive play among them.

[PirateVOL]

We've done both. I suppose that could be the scoring difference. It would be interesting to catalog them all-- 6 or 8 of them in total so far, I think-- to look at the yardage. I think the scoring play against USU was the only positive play among them.

The 2nd Sat was a forwad flip, don't recall if the first was (far end of the field from where I was sitting).

[Volznut]

We've done both. I suppose that could be the scoring difference. It would be interesting to catalog them all-- 6 or 8 of them in total so far, I think-- to look at the yardage. I think the scoring play against USU was the only positive play among them.

I don't really like the play much. To me it's a play run by lower level teams, but I think in the SEC it will work about 1 out of 10 times. Takes too long to develop, and runs lateral to the line too much. A speedy defense would have caught Pig. Nice block by #1 though.

[Volznut]

The 2nd Sat was a forwad flip, don't recall if the first was (far end of the field from where I was sitting).

if you're going to run that ball, I always flip it. Makes it an incomplete pass if fumbled on the exchange.

[PirateVOL]

Also Saturday, if the WR (I think Pig) gets even a half good block down field Hurd scores on the sreen pass.  Hurd even made a jog to set up the block to no avail.
Pig also whiffed on 1-2 bubble screen blocks Sat.
I would have rated the receivers no higher than a C Sat due to the poor blocking

[PirateVOL]

I don't really like the play much. To me it's a play run by lower level teams, but I think in the SEC it will work about 1 out of 10 times. Takes too long to develop, and runs lateral to the line too much. A speedy defense would have caught Pig. Nice block by #1 though.

The big reason the first play blew up is that the RT didn't block anybody, including the defender he was supposed to block, who made the play on Pig.

[Volznut]

Also Saturday, if the WR (I think Pig) gets even a half good block down field Hurd scores on the sreen pass.  Hurd even made a jog to set up the block to no avail.
Pig also whiffed on 1-2 bubble screen blocks Sat.
I would have rated the receivers no higher than a C Sat due to the poor blocking

It was #3 malone that missed the block

[Creek Walker]

Both of them Saturday were flipped forward, so they were pass plays. I don't recall the first two games.

I agree on Croom as well. What a disappointment.

[Creek Walker]

Also Saturday, if the WR (I think Pig) gets even a half good block down field Hurd scores on the sreen pass.  Hurd even made a jog to set up the block to no avail.
Pig also whiffed on 1-2 bubble screen blocks Sat.
I would have rated the receivers no higher than a C Sat due to the poor blocking

Absolutely. One of the guys I was watching the game with, who thinks I'm too high on Hurd, said, "See?? If he had good speed, he wouldn't have been caught!!" I was like, for real, dude? He slowed down to give Malone time to block the DB, and Malone just completely screwed up.

[PirateVOL]

It was #3 malone that missed the block

OK, on the right, I think early 2nd/4th (We were going North)?

On the bright side Malone got some quality reps Saturday and made a couple of receptions.  Will only help going forward.

[Volznut]

Both of them Saturday were flipped forward, so they were pass plays. I don't recall the first two games.

I agree on Croom as well. What a disappointment.

Croom has had a hand injury, which is a little bit of an excuse, but no reason for him to not body up Sanchez on that int. He's 6'5 240, Sanchez is 5'11 190. No way Sanchez should have been able to do that if Croom plays physical there.

[Volznut]

OK, on the right, I think early 2nd/4th (We were going North)?

On the bright side Malone got some quality reps Saturday and made a couple of receptions.  Will only help going forward.

Go to the 0:40 mark, you will spot it.

http://www.utsports.com/sports/m-footbl/recaps/091314aaa.html

[PirateVOL]

Go to the 2:26 mark, you will spot it.

http://www.utsports.com/sports/m-footbl/recaps/091314aaa.html

Thanks, wil look at it when I get home (we are flash restricted here ...)

[Volznut]

The :40 mark, not 2:26...

[Clockwork Orange]

So I decided to do a quick film study . . . here's the work Pig has done so far:

Utah State: 9 targets, 6 catches, 37 yards on actual passes. 2 jet sweeps (rushes) for 9 yards and a TD. Also threw one incomplete pass.

Arkansas State: 6 targets, 3 catches, 30 yards. No jet sweeps.

Oklahoma: 4 targets, 2 catches, 35 yards on actual passes. 2 jet sweeps (passes) for -13 yards.

So on the season that's 19 targets, 11 catches for 102 yards on real passes, one incomplete pass of his own, and 4 jet sweeps for -4 yards and a TD. We did try to get him the ball against USU, a little less so against ASU and OU. The jet sweeps by and large have failed. He also has two drops in there.