Why are our WRs... underwhelming?

[OttoinGrotto]

So our WRs don't really jump out as a unit of strength. We don't throw the ball particularly well, so that doesn't help, but a play like we got from Pena yesterday is pretty rare.

Why is that? Why do we seem to be fairly limited at the WR position?

We have a coach for inside receivers and a coach for outside receivers, so it seems we maybe dedicate more coaching resources to the position than other programs.

They all had decent offers coming out of highschool. It's not like comparable programs weren't interested in them. Did we just miss on that many?

Is there something overly complicated we ask them to do that's holding back the talent? I wonder about this... but we've also seen guys like Amba walk right in and get it and Taj set the freshman reception record, so it's not like it's impossible for new players to figure out. Maybe there's something going on though.

I need someone smarter than me to tell me what's going on.

 

[721Comstock]

Amba & Taj had Dungey throwing them the ball those years.

I think that’s it, right there.

Spare change moves around more in the pocket than Tommy D, and Shrader’s passing makes Tebow look like Joe Montana.

 

[Trueblue25]

I just think team’s have caught up to our scheme and aren’t surprised anymore.

That and our wideouts haven’t developed the ability, aside form Courtney, to consistently catch the ball then make a move and not fall down.

 

[AngryOtto]

Seems like they fall down a lot. Also no real double moves or trying to get open when qb is scrambling. Alford had one nice catch crossing the field towards GS.
do you think not having a written playbook limits the wr?

 

[kcsu]

Coaching, lack of familiarity with Shrader,scheme, no use of TE...

 

[alphaorange]

I don't pretend to know anything but it seems to me Pena would make a great WR. He's strong, very fast, fearless, has very good hands, and is hell in the open field. I think he would be more physical against press defense. What am I missing?

 

[Trueblue25]

I feel like Abdhul Adams on the bench is an inexcusable waste of talent.

Maybe he’s already gotten a shot in the slot but he’s good with the ball.

 

[Tango32]

Very underwhelming, would like to see Cooper and Pena get some more burn at this point. Cooper seems like hes got some potential

 

[Trueblue25]

Very underwhelming, would like to see Cooper and Pena get some more burn at this point. Cooper seems like hes got some potential

That miss over the middle was absolutely brutal, shrader to cooper. That was an easy 7

 

[kcsu]

Very underwhelming, would like to see Cooper and Pena get some more burn at this point. Cooper seems like hes got some potential

He fumbles

 

[AZOrange]

That miss over the middle was absolutely brutal, shrader to cooper. That was an easy 7

Brutal. I haven’t had a chance to rewatch but it looked like a Clemson DL jumped and shredder had to throw it over him. A play or two later they batted one down

 

[Trueblue25]

Brutal. I haven’t had a chance to rewatch but it looked like a Clemson DL jumped and shredder had to throw it over him. A play or two later they batted one down

Yep, then just didn’t connect. I remember Eric missing similar throws but thats just tough. It’s plays like that though that have me keeping a few fingers clung to the Dino/Gilbert wagon. Could have been great if executed.

 

[Tango32]

He fumbles

Just working on making lemonade over here. Alford has had tons of drops. No ones getting much separation, no 50 / 50 ball victory fights...

 

[baggerbob]

Just working on making lemonade over here. Alford has had tons of drops. No ones getting much separation, no 50 / 50 ball victory fights...

Dino's first year Etta 94, Philips 90, Ishmael 48, and Estime 48. Put those 4 on this year's team we are 7-0 with a number of blowouts.

 

[P Vasiloff]

He fumbles

Think he means #25 not Lutz

 

[Sudano]

So our WRs don't really jump out as a unit of strength. We don't throw the ball particularly well, so that doesn't help, but a play like we got from Pena yesterday is pretty rare.

Why is that? Why do we seem to be fairly limited at the WR position?

We have a coach for inside receivers and a coach for outside receivers, so it seems we maybe dedicate more coaching resources to the position than other programs.

They all had decent offers coming out of highschool. It's not like comparable programs weren't interested in them. Did we just miss on that many?

Is there something overly complicated we ask them to do that's holding back the talent? I wonder about this... but we've also seen guys like Amba walk right in and get it and Taj set the freshman reception record, so it's not like it's impossible for new players to figure out. Maybe there's something going on though.

I need someone smarter than me to tell me what's going on.

We had our best WR just quit the team, we don't use our TEs and our QB was a WR for a mediocre program, and you are confused as to why we struggle to pass the ball?! This board in a nutshell.

 

[Trueblue25]

We had our best WR just quit the team, we don't use our TEs and our QB was a WR for a mediocre program, and you are confused as to why we struggle to pass the ball?! This board in a nutshell.

Well you’d think the wideouts would get some separation from the defense having to compensate for covering the best running back in the ACC and A QB who can run for over 150 yards in a game.

I think OP’s confusion is warranted. Its not like these were lightly recruited guys we’re putting out there.

 

[orangenauburn]

The best may not be playing enough

Pena showed he can get open and make a play.

Alford has been criminally underused (a la Johnnie Morant frosh year)

 

[OttoinGrotto]

We had our best WR just quit the team, we don't use our TEs and our QB was a WR for a mediocre program, and you are confused as to why we struggle to pass the ball?! This board in a nutshell.

That wasn't my question.

 

[Killdozer]

I'm watching the Georgia/Kentucky game and the use of the TE is so special to watch on both sides. Just great play calling especially for Kentucky. If SU had their staff different results for sure. Just watching Kentucky show how bad SU coaches really are.

 

[orangeinohio]

Is Terrence Samuel a good WR coach?

He was WR coach at Michigan State for seven years (which is good) and then he was moved to MSU’s defensive backs coach. A year later he’s coaching WRs at UNLV.
That’s a strange career arc.

 

[CIL]

So our WRs don't really jump out as a unit of strength. We don't throw the ball particularly well, so that doesn't help, but a play like we got from Pena yesterday is pretty rare.

Why is that? Why do we seem to be fairly limited at the WR position?

We have a coach for inside receivers and a coach for outside receivers, so it seems we maybe dedicate more coaching resources to the position than other programs.

They all had decent offers coming out of highschool. It's not like comparable programs weren't interested in them. Did we just miss on that many?

Is there something overly complicated we ask them to do that's holding back the talent? I wonder about this... but we've also seen guys like Amba walk right in and get it and Taj set the freshman reception record, so it's not like it's impossible for new players to figure out. Maybe there's something going on though.

I need someone smarter than me to tell me what's going on.

I think there are a few factors at play here…

1.) Speed / suddenness - I don’t see a lot of it with the guys on the field. Sharod Johnson plays because he knows the offense very well, including the option routes we frequently use.

Alford is a big, physical kid, but he doesn’t have the natural gifts of Morant. I think he will eventually be very good once he learns the nuances of route running and coverages.

Queeley is fine, but he doesn’t do anything that jumps off the page.

Jackson has some ability, and I think he could eventually turn into an Erv type over the next few years.

Losing Harris from the slot, and the injury to Hendrix hurt what this corps could have been.

2.) Offensive Complexity - as simple as this offense is, it is probably most difficult for receivers to come in and make an immediate impact. The playbook is littered with option routes, which ask WR’s to not only know multiple routes, but understand how to read coverages and run the correct one.

A lot of these younger kids have not seen anything but basic coverages coming into college. It gets much, much harder at this level.

 

[David321]

Not sure but way too many dropped passes, and those miscues seem to get put on Shrader unjustly.

 

[CuseFan]

Watching on TV it is hard to see if the receivers downfield are getting open or not, or if they are all running long routes. I don't see many crossing over the middle, and rarely running slants. (And as so many others noted, we don't use the TE at all for some reason.) Do they get open consistently?

 

[007]

So our WRs don't really jump out as a unit of strength. We don't throw the ball particularly well, so that doesn't help, but a play like we got from Pena yesterday is pretty rare.

Why is that? Why do we seem to be fairly limited at the WR position?

We have a coach for inside receivers and a coach for outside receivers, so it seems we maybe dedicate more coaching resources to the position than other programs.

They all had decent offers coming out of highschool. It's not like comparable programs weren't interested in them. Did we just miss on that many?

Is there something overly complicated we ask them to do that's holding back the talent? I wonder about this... but we've also seen guys like Amba walk right in and get it and Taj set the freshman reception record, so it's not like it's impossible for new players to figure out. Maybe there's something going on though.

I need someone smarter than me to tell me what's going on.

Kind of similar to the situation at QB prior to Shrader. We simply don't have any playmakers at the WR position without Taj, which makes them way too easy to defend. Overgeneralization for sure, but they are not good route runners, rarely create separation, most lack size and strength, and, almost to a man, they drop passes every single game. This is a recruiting and player development issue, IMO.