Reconsidering our WR issues

[BanditVol]

Here is a list of WRs for this season.

NAME                 REC   YDS   AVG   LONG   TD
Ethan Wolf          12   157   13.1   31   2
Preston Williams   5   117   23.4   49   2
Josh Malone   12   109   9.1   19   1
Josh Smith   9   104   11.6   20   0
Jauan Jennings   9   87   9.7   30   0
Von Pearson   6   87   14.5   45   0
Alvin Kamara   10   77   7.7   19   0
Jalen Hurd   6   70   11.7   31   1
Joshua Dobbs   1   58   58.0   58 (TD)   1
Johnathon Johnson   4   45   11.3   16   0
Marquez North   4   38   9.5   16   0
Pig Howard   1   8   8.0   8   0
Alex Ellis   2   7   3.5   5   0
Totals   81   964   11.9   58   7

The RBs are green because they are not part of the discussion, and while i consider TEs to be basically WRs, they are not part of this discussion other than to note that at the moment a TE is our leading reciever, which probably does say something. 

 And of course Dobbs is excluded.   


Now, although it seems 50 WRs because they play so many of them, the reality is we have 7 pure WRs on that list . 

Of those, Pig has now been dismissed after barely playing, and North is finally benched after having to deal with a nagging injury.

Opinions may vary, but if you asked me at the start of the season who our starting WRs would be, I would have said North and Howard.  Both have had issues.  I do question why North continued to play if he was (supposedly) so "dinged up", but it appears that at the moment at least, he is a non-factor. I don't know if it's been announced if he is playing Saturday but at this point I'd be surprised to see him in the game.

That's for the two main receivers, for a possession or slot type receiver I would say Smith is a perfect fit.

My main point is this, if those three were the clear starters and had developed a rhythm with Dobbs, I suspect our passing game would be much better.  However, it hasn't happened.  But...and here is the crux of it...no one else has really stepped up. 

So I want to say that (a) we are not as deep at WR as I thought, and (b) we need to identify two prime receivers, and the sooner the better!  This I think is perhaps the biggest part of the problem, just a failure of anyone else to emerge.

I think what the staff should or should have done, is identify two clear starters as primary receivers, and keep Smith as the third receiver. That clearly has not happened, and it should have long ago.

But a corollary point is that we are not as deep as I thought, certainly not in experience.  Right now, not counting North who I believe is out, Malone is probably our most experienced WR counting prior seasons.  That's a problem!

So here is what I would do, if I were coach for a day. 

Based on a combination of experience and talent, Von Pearson and Malone are the starters with Smith in the slot/third WR.    Let me say that I would be okay swapping Smith with Von Pearson also.  Then backing up Von Pearson and Malone are Jennings and Williams, who both seem very talented but lack experience.  Finally Johnson can back up Smith.

So there you have it...for a 3-receiver set we have a two deep.  The expectation is that if Von Pearson and Malone are not getting it done, Williams and Jennings press them. 

What I see instead is a circus of guys coming in all over the place, without any seeming logic to it.  A guy will make a nice catch and come out of the game, etc.

Pick a dam lineup and stick with it for awhile, and if the starters aren't getting it done bench them!  Geez almighty, how hard can it be?   

[BanditVol]

Reader's Digest version...

Coming in, our top two WRs in my opinion were Pig Howard and Marquez North. 

Knowing that there were issues with both of them, why hasn't the staff been able to find adquate replacements to fill their shoes?  We are less deep at WR than I thought, but there is enough for what looks on paper like a pretty good two deep.

Get your heads out of your collective arses staff!   

With Pig finally gone and Marquez seemingly out indefinitely, maybe some new stars can emerge this weekend...FINALLY! 

[PirateVOL]

I tend to disagree to a point.  The reality is we essentially played last week with 5 WR, of which #3, #7, #25 played the majority with #15 and #9 playing a significant, but fewer snaps (#81 was in for a handful or less plays due to injury).  I think 5-6 is a good number of WRs to play and in reality, except for a few years that is what we have played.

Come Saturday I expect those 5 plus North to play most, if not all the snaps.

I'm ok with that,.

[BanditVol]

I tend to disagree to a point.  The reality is we essentially played last week with 5 WR, of which #3, #7, #25 played the majority with #15 and #9 playing a significant, but fewer snaps (#81 was in for a handful or less plays due to injury).  I think 5-6 is a good number of WRs to play and in reality, except for a few years that is what we have played.

Come Saturday I expect those 5 plus North to play most, if not all the snaps.

I'm ok with that,.

Is North injured or not?  Were the coaches and or players just waiting on Pig to come back?

If North is not 100%, why continue to play him when he has only 4 catches?

And another reality is that often on good teams there are, as I note above, two primary receivers who get the bulk of the catches. Nash and Kent for instance.  Other times it's one dominant receiver like (gag) Julio Jones or Jerry Rice.

We clearly don't have either situation.  We have a bunch of guys running around with no clear leader or go to guy.  That needs to change.  I would prefer a situation where we stick with the starters most of the game, unless they are not getting it done.  That allows for better rhythm, timing and chemistry.

[PirateVOL]

The problem is that our offense is geared to the point you need to play 6+ WRs.  This isn't Cut's offense.

What we are doing is subbing more as packages. 

North has been hurt, but even when healthy has difficulty getting separation, of any type, though his speed makes him valuable for back shoulder, if Dobbs threw one in the right location (see OU game down East sideline, going South).

IMO Smith is our best receiver, followed by Jennings & Johnson (when healthy, he just gets open) and then the group of Pearson, Williams and Malone, then North.

Last week the majority of the time it was Smith, Malone and Jennings/Williams with Pearson spelling Smith and Malone.

The other thing we do is really move the WRs around in different sets.  Often Malone had difficulty picking up the formation/play from the sidelines when he was on the East side of the field.

[73Volgrad]

It does not matter how many or how good the WRs are, if the QB cannot get the ball consistently to them where they can run after catch, it is not the WRs fault. The passing attack is ineffective because the QB is inaccurate. Period.

[BanditVol]

It does not matter how many or how good the WRs are, if the QB cannot get the ball consistently to them where they can run after catch, it is not the WRs fault. The passing attack is ineffective because the QB is inaccurate. Period.

True, but we have no consistency at WR.  Part of a QB being accurate is developing rythm and timing with WRs.  This is why Peyton had his famous "volunteer" (hey, no pun intended  ) timing workouts with WRs in the summer, and it paid off.

I just think that 2-3 of the WRs should get the majority of the reps for timing and chemistry.

[LouisVOL]

'Nuff said!

It does not matter how many or how good the WRs are, if the QB cannot get the ball consistently to them where they can run after catch, it is not the WRs fault. The passing attack is ineffective because the QB is inaccurate. Period.

[Volznut]

We are a running team. Embrace it and stop trying to be a downfield passing team.

[BanditVol]

We are a running team. Embrace it and stop trying to be a downfield passing team.

Agree.  But we need some passing to complement it.

[PirateVOL]

We are a running team. Embrace it and stop trying to be a downfield passing team.

We need to have the threat of a passing game to reduce the packing the box, which will enhance the running game

[VOLMAN]

It does not matter how many or how good the WRs are, if the QB cannot get the ball consistently to them where they can run after catch, it is not the WRs fault. The passing attack is ineffective because the QB is inaccurate. Period.

the ball where the WR can continue to run instead of leaping, diving or stopping has very little to do with timing, he couldn't do it last year and doesn't do it in practice...he simply isn't a good passing QB....he's a warrior and gives his all but he simply doesn't possess the talent required.         

[volsboy]

If I was an opposing coach, I would stack the box and dare Dobbs to beat me with his arm. It is a pretty good bet that he can't, until he proves otherwise.

[BanditVol]

If I was an opposing coach, I would stack the box and dare Dobbs to beat me with his arm. It is a pretty good bet that he can't, until he proves otherwise.

that's pretty much what they are doing.  I just hope part of it is Dobbs being out of synch with the WRs.  A little more timing and chemistry might go a long way

[JDBVOL]

one of the top points is the substitutions are based on packages.

the players need to get a rhythm and lather up so to speak they can't get a good feel for the game.  Remember a solid RB wants to get the rock 20-22 times a game and get into the flow.  The rate we sub it is very difficult to get into that rhythm. 

I would like to see 4 or 5 plays prior to the substitution,  I would like to see JH and AK in the backfield together for 4 or 5 plays-AK and JH on flares to each side will loosen up the rush, the middle and maybe we can get some flares and some downfield passing game. and finally I want the Read Option with a Slant pass put in that is killing all the defenses because it happens and the line blocks as the read options.  Key is the linebackers-they come up to stop run you throw behind to the slant(S) they slow play you give ball or you keep either way I am fine with it.

let them get some rhythm imo

[BanditVol]

one of the top points is the substitutions are based on packages.

the players need to get a rhythm and lather up so to speak they can't get a good feel for the game.  Remember a solid RB wants to get the rock 20-22 times a game and get into the flow.  The rate we sub it is very difficult to get into that rhythm. 

I would like to see 4 or 5 plays prior to the substitution, 

let them get some rhythm imo

agree completely