Our passing game this year....and beyond

SilverEagle · January 17, 2016

I thought this might be as good a time as any to bring this bit of perspective into the discussion about QB recruiting here at good'ol UNT. After watching a lot of outstanding college and pro QB's in the last three years or so, it is my opinion that their receivers are as much about their success as anything else. I've mentioned this before when I assessed "Johnny Football". While watching one of his games I came away with the strong belief that had it not been for his favorite target #25, he would have been a "pretty good" QB, rather than the star that he ended up being. The same goes for many of the other QB's out there.....especially Trevone Boykin. No doubt in my mind that his feet and his outstanding receivers made him who he was.......not his great pin point passing that was the hallmark of past star QB's.

SO, we can salivate over Mr. Morris all we want, and any other 3-4 Star QB's that might end up on our roster, but we better get/develop a significant number of Josh Doctsons and whoever #25 was at A$M who can go up after the ball and win the battle with DB's who are climbing all over them as the ball gets there. Because that is what made a lot of the recent great QB's so......well.....great.

I didn't see that happen very many times last year with our receivers. In fact, I saw too many receivers getting hit in the hands and bread basket and just dropping the ball.

Our new QB guru is very important to our program, but whoever coaches/develops the receivers is just as important IMHO.

Edited January 17, 2016 by SilverEagle

Quoner · January 17, 2016

Wait...you watched Manziel play college football, watched his WRs, and weren't drawn to #13? Crazy.

Your point is solid, though.

UNT86 · January 17, 2016

My biggest problem the last two years was the change from a zone blocking scheme and away from the power blocking that won us the bowl game. Other than that, I agree that our WR play was not good. I've agreed that our QB's were not good, but the biggest part of the problem was that we were missing a game breaker to throw to. Often, when we would take a sack, you could look and see that we didn't have ANYBODY open. And, we don't make people miss very often either.

I remember Mac stating before the bowl season that our QB's had to play better but that our WR's had to start making plays. They did and a bowl championship was the result. That part won't change with a new QB. Somebody has to be reliable on the other end.

MeanGreen_MBA · January 18, 2016

quicker pass routes. Our receivers took way too long to make their breaks...quick route early will open longer routes later

MeanGreenTexan · January 18, 2016

Marcus Smith, Darvin Kidsey, Turner Smiley, heck, even Carlos Harris all dropped some balls that hit them in the #s... quite often. You're absolutely right @SilverEagle, we're going to need some WRs to step up... especially now that it appears our best returning WR (at least, stats-wise) will no longer be playing.

Thankfully, the Air Raid system is all about repetition and QB reads. I expect Goree to breakout this year. Morris will find him often. I also hope to see some Ivery in the slot and Dillman busting zones. And, when all else fails, a dump-off to Wilson in space, and lets face it, any time Wilson gets the ball, our best player has the ball.

GMG24 · January 18, 2016

25 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

Marcus Smith, Darvin Kidsey, Turner Smiley, heck, even Carlos Harris all dropped some balls that hit them in the #s... quite often. You're absolutely right @SilverEagle, we're going to need some WRs to step up... especially now that it appears our best returning WR (at least, stats-wise) will no longer be playing.

Thankfully, the Air Raid system is all about repetition and QB reads. I expect Goree to breakout this year. Morris will find him often. I also hope to see some Ivery in the slot and Dillman busting zones. And, when all else fails, a dump-off to Wilson in space, and lets face it, any time Wilson gets the ball, our best player has the ball.

Wait until you see us use The weapons we have appropriately. I think there are plenty of weapons at Littrell and Harrell's disposal. Yes even at QB I think they could make what Smith does good work. He'll Auburn did it with Killa Cam. Oh you aren't real comfortable throwing short stuff?? Ok PA and launch it 50 yards down field on a deep post or fade route. No problem. I am not saying Smith is perfect but he has tools to be an affective QB at this level

MeanGreenTexan · January 18, 2016

6 minutes ago, GMG24 said:

Wait until you see us use The weapons we have appropriately. I think there are plenty of weapons at Littrell and Harrell's disposal. Yes even at QB I think they could make what Smith does good work. He'll Auburn did it with Killa Cam. Oh you aren't real comfortable throwing short stuff?? Ok PA and launch it 50 yards down field on a deep post or fade route. No problem. I am not saying Smith is perfect but he has tools to be an affective QB at this level

I'm definitely with you on not writing-off Smith.

BillySee58 · January 18, 2016

44 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

Marcus Smith, Darvin Kidsey, Turner Smiley, heck, even Carlos Harris all dropped some balls that hit them in the #s... quite often. You're absolutely right @SilverEagle, we're going to need some WRs to step up... especially now that it appears our best returning WR (at least, stats-wise) will no longer be playing.

Thankfully, the Air Raid system is all about repetition and QB reads. I expect Goree to breakout this year. Morris will find him often. I also hope to see some Ivery in the slot and Dillman busting zones. And, when all else fails, a dump-off to Wilson in space, and lets face it, any time Wilson gets the ball, our best player has the ball.

I'm interested to see what this staff does with the tight ends. At tight end we have two redshirt freshman who really weren't that highly recruited tight ends out of high school and a redshirt junior who hasn't played a meaningful snap. I thought for sure we'd go after a juco tight end. We've gone after other JUCOs, and Mccarney was able to get Andrew Power in 2011 shortly after being hired.

The fact that they haven't says they probably don't place too much importance on that position.

Edited January 18, 2016 by BillySee58

LongJim · January 18, 2016

If it's anyone the coaches trot out there at QB, then we have crummy QB's who can't get the ball to their receivers. If it's who GMG folks *think* should be out there at QB, then we have crummy receivers who drop the ball.

Edited January 18, 2016 by LongJim

MeanGreenTexan · January 18, 2016

4 minutes ago, LongJim said:

If it's anyone the coaches trot out there at QB, then we have crummy QB's who can't get the ball to their receivers. If it's who GMG folks *think* should be out there at QB, then we have crummy receivers who drop the ball.

Except those dudes were dropping balls thrown to them mostly by McNulty in the early stages of the season. Certainly a 2-way street... not either/or.

LongJim · January 18, 2016

16 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

Except those dudes were dropping balls thrown to them mostly by McNulty in the early stages of the season. Certainly a 2-way street... not either/or.

Hahahah...whatever makes you sleep better at night. I should have used a sarcasm emoticon. Levity, my friend. Levity.

Wag Tag · January 18, 2016

59 minutes ago, BillySee58 said:

I'm interested to see what this staff does with the tight ends. At tight end we have two redshirt freshman who really weren't that highly recruited tight ends out of high school and a redshirt junior who hasn't played a meaningful snap. I thought for sure we'd go after a juco tight end. We've gone after other JUCOs, and Mccarney was able to get Andrew Power in 2011 shortly after being hired.

The fact that they haven't says they probably don't place too much importance on that position.

Maybe Chumbly or Dillman? I believe Seth will get the ball to his play makers no matter what there position. These two have potential and size to be that play maker!