Our leading WR has 18 catches

[leftytg]

Wait, I thought we all wanted to Lester to open up the playbook. Now we want to edit it down?

I'm talking about the players. We don't need Fredericks AND Morris AND McFarlane AND Erv AND Strickland AND Dungey to get rushing attempts. Do we all agree Fredericks is the best back? Then let him get most of the carries. If Lester wants to use the option, then Dungey will get carries. Fine. Incorporate the XB as a change of pace a couple times a game? Great, pick one.

The constant merry go round is hurting the offense. Identify your absolute best playmakers and focus on them. Syracuse is not deep enough in dynamic offensive playmaking to necessitate getting ELEVEN different players on offense touches.

 

[Millhouse]

I don't think it's THAT far from where it should be.

TCU's leading receiver has 60 catches, which equals 33% of his team's completions. Baylor's leading receiver is getting 32.5% of his team's completions. Let's keep it closer to home, and go to Artavis Scott from Clemson. He's got 39 catches, which is 29.5% of his team's catches. (Tyler Boyd, on the flip-side, has 45% of the receptions on Pitt's roster)

Do I want to see Ishmael targeted more frequently? Obviously, I think he's got an NFL future. But it feels like it'd be easy to get him up closer to what the top receivers around the country are getting in terms of what percentage of completions go to them.

ishmael would need 50% more catches to get to 33% of SU's catches.

this is ignoring that the total catches denominator is way too small

 

[leftytg]

Open up the play book for the ones who can make plays

And yes im talking about our punter

exactly

 

[jgeorge322]

They're all pretty much the same from game to game...

Losses:

UVA
WR: 8
XB: 7
RB: 1
TE: 0

USF
WR: 8
XB: 8
RB: 2
TE: 3

LSU
WR: 6
XB: 6
RB: 0
TE: 4


Wins:

CMU
WR: 5
XB: 4
RB: 1
TE: 1

Wake
WR: 3
XB: 1
RB: 1
TE: 3

URI
WR: 6
XB: 3
RB: 0
TE: 1

In wins, receivers have gotten 14 of 29 receptions (48.3%). In losses, receivers have gotten 22 of 53 receptions (41.5%).

I do appreciate the effort. I meant total completion per season v our record for that season. My point was that only comparing top receiver to wins v losses can be misleading.

 

[jekelish]

I do appreciate the effort. I meant total completion per season v our record for that season. My point was that only comparing top receiver to wins v losses can be misleading.

Well, dive on in, check out whatever you're looking for: http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/syracuse/

2001: 130 total completions
1992: 150 total completions
1991: 134 total completions

Those are the three 10 win seasons. We're on pace for 164 total completions this season. For the sake of comparison, McNabb's senior year we had 162 total completions. KJ had 60 of those, and the next closest receiver was Darryl Daniel with 22 catches.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

To our credit, the first play against UVA was a completion to Ish.

 

[jekelish]

To our credit, the first play against UVA was a completion to Ish.

Hey, so was our last successful offensive play, too, now that you mention it.

 

[Scooch]

Isn this the entire point of the thread? I don't think anyone is faulting Ishmael in this. If he played for Baylor he'd have 75 catches a season easy. We are bringing a knife to a gunfight and we aren't bringing the Crocodile Dundee knife either. This program tries so hard to be like the NFL and play conservative football when college is an entirely different game than the pros.

I give JB so much credit for the fact that he identified the problems in college and built a program optimized to take down college teams. He doesn't give two sh!ts that his zone doesn't work in the NBA. Based on that he's a HOF coach and Syracuse hoops is an elite program. Why can't we have an innovative football coach who says fcuk the pros, I'm going to build a system that is great for college. Instead we have this grind it out bull which doesn't work in college and a defense which 7 years in still can't even pretend to stop a spread offense even though college football is all spread offenses.

No one else sees anything wrong with this?

Winner, winner, chicken dinner.

 

[NineOneSeven]

To our credit, the first play against UVA was a completion to Ish.

Exactly why I was excited. We came out and got the ball to our best wideout. Seriously...give your best players the ball (again, Riley Dixon should just play every position).

This is an extreme example but, if You want an example of coaching limiting players, look no further than the Dolphins. They fired Philbin and finally gave the ball to Lamar Miller and he ran for over a hundred yards and a score.

Shocking stuff. Who would have thought...except everybody but the coach.

 

[jekelish]

Exactly why I was excited. We came out and got the ball to our best wideout. Seriously...give your best players the ball (again, Riley Dixon should just play every position).

This is an extreme example but, if You want an example of coaching limiting players, look no further than the Dolphins. They fired Philbin and finally gave the ball to Lamar Miller and he ran for over a hundred yards and a score.

Shocking stuff. Who would have thought...except everybody but the coach.

It's easier said than done with WRs though, in fairness. You need the OL to provide enough time for routes to develop, and you need the WR to be able to get enough separation, and you need the ball to be delivered on the money.

 

[orangecuse]

Isn this the entire point of the thread? I don't think anyone is faulting Ishmael in this. If he played for Baylor he'd have 75 catches a season easy. We are bringing a knife to a gunfight and we aren't bringing the Crocodile Dundee knife either. This program tries so hard to be like the NFL and play conservative football when college is an entirely different game than the pros.

I give JB so much credit for the fact that he identified the problems in college and built a program optimized to take down college teams. He doesn't give two sh!ts that his zone doesn't work in the NBA. Based on that he's a HOF coach and Syracuse hoops is an elite program. Why can't we have an innovative football coach who says fcuk the pros, I'm going to build a system that is great for college. Instead we have this grind it out bull which doesn't work in college and a defense which 7 years in still can't even pretend to stop a spread offense even though college football is all spread offenses.

No one else sees anything wrong with this?

1k likes! I would add -for us- after work...

We don't get - and probably never will get - the caliber of recruits that affords us to just go toe to toe and outmuscle, etc. opponents. We need to out scheme, outwit, etc. the opponents with the talent we do get and get them to play to their highest potential, overachieve in a sense. Additionally, we are unique in that we play all of our games in a dome and should use that to our fullest advantage. Give me some style, finesse & pizazz now and, with success, the substance will likely come down the road. A few years ago Baylor was nothing in football, but played a style of ball that was unique and exciting. Now they're getting substance recruits on a regular basis and are a top 5 program. I realize that the state of Texas has a plethora of high school talent which contributes tremendously and that our in state talent is no comparison, however, it doesn't have to be at the top 5 level, but could be top 25. Certainly couldn't hurt, especially with the past decade and half plus being so subpar.

 

[jgeorge322]

Well, dive on in, check out whatever you're looking for: http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/syracuse/

2001: 130 total completions
1992: 150 total completions
1991: 134 total completions

Those are the three 10 win seasons. We're on pace for 164 total completions this season. For the sake of comparison, McNabb's senior year we had 162 total completions. KJ had 60 of those, and the next closest receiver was Darryl Daniel with 22 catches.

pretty remarkable info. thanks for digging up.

 

[BlackKnight76]

We shouldn't be comparing our stats now to 1992 Syracuse or whatever. The sport has changed so much. Modernity is important.

Before every game, Urban Meyer writes down the names of his important playmakers as a way to make sure he's getting his best guys the ball. I love Ben Lewis and Morris and MacFarlane, but Lester needs to start making that list, and it is Ishmael and Phillips 1A and 1B, Fredericks, and then go down the list from there. Three catches per game for Ishmael is ridiculous. Some of it is probably OL struggles and Dungey having to improvise more than the coaches would like, but you need to scheme your guys open.

 

[jgeorge322]

To our credit, the first play against UVA was a completion to Ish.

I think we opened w pass to ish v lsu too. it seems our favorite routes are a 10 yard hitch and erv out of the backfield in the flats.

 

[Scooch]

We shouldn't be comparing our stats now to 1992 Syracuse or whatever. The sport has changed so much. Modernity is important. Before every game, Urban Meyer writes down the names of his important playmakers as a way to make sure he's getting his best guys the ball. I love Ben Lewis and Morris and MacFarlane, but Lester needs to start making that list, and it is Ishmael and Phillips 1A and 1B, Fredericks, and then go down the list from there. Three catches per game for Ishmael is ridiculous. Some of it is probably OL struggles and Dungey having to improvise more than the coaches would like, but you need to scheme your guys open.

Say what you will about James Arthur Boeheim, but for decades the man has identified his 2-3 best scorers and makes sure they're on the floor the longest and takes the most shots.

It's worked out pretty well.

And getting the ball to our best WRs does not necessitate holding blocks for 7 seconds. Every week I see offenses fire the ball to guys 2 seconds after a snap. We seem to think that running misdirection 7 yards behind the LOS is more effective.

 

[im4cuse]

Isn this the entire point of the thread? I don't think anyone is faulting Ishmael in this. If he played for Baylor he'd have 75 catches a season easy. We are bringing a knife to a gunfight and we aren't bringing the Crocodile Dundee knife either. This program tries so hard to be like the NFL and play conservative football when college is an entirely different game than the pros.

I give JB so much credit for the fact that he identified the problems in college and built a program optimized to take down college teams. He doesn't give two sh!ts that his zone doesn't work in the NBA. Based on that he's a HOF coach and Syracuse hoops is an elite program. Why can't we have an innovative football coach who says fcuk the pros, I'm going to build a system that is great for college. Instead we have this grind it out bull which doesn't work in college and a defense which 7 years in still can't even pretend to stop a spread offense even though college football is all spread offenses.

No one else sees anything wrong with this?

Bingo. But we're hard nosed.
Except when we're not.
We have Ben Schwartzwalder's offense without the talent (def not his defense); everyone else is using Star Wars
And BTW we play in a Dome with PERFECT conditions to spread and throw and blow the roof off
But no, this works for Elmhurst Illinois high so it must work here too. Oh wait ...

 

[OrangeFoo]

Bingo. But we're hard nosed.
Except when we're not.
We have Ben Schwartzwalder's offense without the talent (def not his defense); everyone else is using Star Wars
And BTW we play in a Dome with PERFECT conditions to spread and throw and blow the roof off
But no, this works for Elmhurst Illinois high so it must work here too. Oh wait ...

I pray that our new AD gets this given that he came from Boise who were one of the first teams to realize that they need to try something different to overcome the talent gap between them and the big boys and then became one of the most successful programs in America while doing so. If he doesn't get it then no one will.

 

[woody44]

We just need to get the ball to Estime, who for some odd reason only had 2 touches against UVA, Phillips, Ishmael, Strickland and Fredericksburg. Those 5 guys are our main offensive threats and are more than capable of carrying the offensive load. Virginia for example got the ball to their playmaker time after time, "Smoke" Mizzel by contrast had 22 touches, 10 catches and 12 rushes, he didn't have a ton of yards, but when they were in third and short in the second half he got the ball every time and converted. We need to start getting the ball to our playmakers more than 2 times a game, I feel we are letting talent rot up there on the hill. Rant over.

 

[Millhouse]

reposting a stat from july

elmworst 2011 and 2012 had 1 WR in their top 4 in receptions.

good offenses involve WR more than this

 

[Finwad32]

Whatever, score 30+ a game, don't care how it's done.

 

[Millhouse]

Whatever, score 30+ a game, don't care how it's done.

won't last without more yards

no one last year had this kind of gap between ypg rank and ppg rank

this is all wrong did this too fast - need to fix

ok, our offense has 22.2ppg in regulation vs p5 teams. That would be 100th in the country (caveat, we're not the only team with defensive or OT scores, but 5 in 5 games is a lot.)

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Whatever, score 30+ a game, don't care how it's done.

I get that sentiment, I do. But we're the only P5 that plays in a Dome.

 

[SoBeCuse]

We just need to get the ball to Estime, who for some odd reason only had 2 touches against UVA, Phillips, Ishmael, Strickland and Fredericksburg. Those 5 guys are our main offensive threats and are more than capable of carrying the offensive load. Virginia for example got the ball to their playmaker time after time, "Smoke" Mizzel by contrast had 22 touches, 10 catches and 12 rushes, he didn't have a ton of yards, but when they were in third and short in the second half he got the ball every time and converted. We need to start getting the ball to our playmakers more than 2 times a game, I feel we are letting talent rot up there on the hill. Rant over.

I agree with this. I wonder how Estime is in terms of X's and O's and knowing what he's supposed to do out there with running routes and where to lineup. Frankly, only Erv and Estime look like real playmakers out there. IMO, once we started playing ACC teams Ishmael and even Fredericks look just ok, but certainly don't pop out via the eye test like a "Smoke."

 

[OttosDad]

have to get Ish the ball more there is no doubt about it. It starts with the OL blocking for Dungey then goes down to Dungey not pulling too quick and running.

 

[anomander]

Just because I was curious, here are the numbers for the most catches per season for the last 25 years:

2014: 49 (3-9)
2013: 52 (7-6)
2012: 72 (8-5)
2011: 68 (5-7)
2010: 41 (8-5)
2009: 49 (4-8)
2008: 29 (3-9)
2007: 60 (2-10)
2006: 30 (4-8)
2005: 27 (1-10)
2004: 43 (6-6)
2003: 46 (6-6)
2002: 41 (4-8)
2001: 19 (10-3)
2000: 29 (6-5)
1999: 32 (7-5)
1998: 60 (8-4)
1997: 41 (9-4)
1996: 23 (9-3)
1995: 56 (9-3)
1994: 36 (7-4)
1993: 56 (6-4-1)
1992: 36 (10-2)
1991: 37 (10-2)
1990: 52 (7-4-2)

Interesting that in our three 10 win seasons over the past 25 years, our leading receiver has averaged about 31 catches. Just for fun - 1987 and 1988, when we won 11 and 10, respectively, our leading receiver was 44 catches both years.

All that shows me is that we haven't adapted with the rest of CFB. Could be a reason why we are considered the bottom tier of P5 programs.