Is Vizza "too Afraid" Of Interceptions?

[JesseMartin]

Does anyone else find it odd that Vizza is performing better in the interceptions department, yet worse in ypg? He had a painful ratio of touchdowns to interceptions last year...is it possible that that statistic may be causing him to hesitate about throwing longer passes?

Discuss...but don't think I'm disappointed about ZERO interceptions!!!

[meangreendork]

Well, you'll see that in many cases, more yards also means more interceptions, especially in college ball. It's a positive relationship in risk/reward, basically.

[JesseMartin]

So would you then hypothesize that those who have many yards with few touchdowns are merely statistical outliers?

[emmitt01]

Does anyone else find it odd that Vizza is performing better in the interceptions department, yet worse in ypg? He had a painful ratio of touchdowns to interceptions last year...is it possible that that statistic may be causing him to hesitate about throwing longer passes?

Discuss...but don't think I'm disappointed about ZERO interceptions!!!

Actually I think it's been maturity that has led to what you're seeing. Last season he had the "gun slinger" mentality and threw downfield when something short might have been available. This season you're seeing more dump offs (both by play design and QB choice) which has led to zero interceptions. I think he is more content to take what is there this season. Not to mention that he did throw a deep ball Saturday (a pretty one at that) and his wideout failed to fight for what was a sure touchdown.

[LongJim]

Does anyone else find it odd that Vizza is performing better in the interceptions department, yet worse in ypg? He had a painful ratio of touchdowns to interceptions last year...is it possible that that statistic may be causing him to hesitate about throwing longer passes?

Discuss...but don't think I'm disappointed about ZERO interceptions!!!

No. I think he's checking down on his reads and taking what's there. That's exactly what you want him to do.

[Charlie NT 73]

The "short" passing game is very good. What the offense wants is for the

recievers to break away for the yards after catch. A 10 yd out pass can turn

into a 90 yd TD reception. Just ask Fitzgerald!

The size and speed of our receivers give the offense the ability to produce

tons of passing yards, which is exciting to see. Ask $mu or Navy.

Every one of our receivers are taught to block downfield, and open lanes

on the shot pass routes which can produce alot of yards after catch, which

is what the offense wants.

Vizza is not falling behind or not producing. Just keep dinking and dunking,

let the recievers do their thing. When the time is right, go for the home

run ball. Vizza just wants to complete all his passes, move the chains,

and score points. Looks to me Vizza and Dodge Ball take what is available,

from what the opponets defense is doing. Don't worry, passing yardage

will take care of itself this year.

[SHOSS]

The "short" passing game is very good. What the offense wants is for the

recievers to break away for the yards after catch. A 10 yd out pass can turn

into a 90 yd TD reception. Just ask Fitzgerald!

Don't sell Fitzy short. 99 yards... GMG

[filmerj]

I think that he is taking what he is given. He's doing a better job of throwing the ball away when he needs to. However, there's no evidence to support this, I think so many people are running the spread or a variation of it that d coordinators have figured out a way diffuse it, so it takes really good athletes to get beat the d's.

[Mean Green 93-98]

I think Vizza deserves kudos for great play, especially considering the way opposing defenses have had him on the run. This year he is showing us that he is not only a talented and gutsy quarterback, but also a smart quarterback.

[Green Crazy]

He threw at least two deep balls against Tulsa. You shouldn't take too many more shots than that.

[meangreendork]

He threw at least two deep balls against Tulsa. You shouldn't take too many more shots than that.

Not as fast as their DBs are, no. Any more and it becomes risky.

[MeanMag]

I think he has been placing his passes differently than last year as well, which has resulted in a little more dropped passes that our receivers need to handle. It seems like he is trying more to hit the receivers in their route, rather than the receiver adjusting his route to the ball. If he places a pass where the receiver must stop a route to catch, that gives the defense time to close and also time to stop/adjust. Our receivers just need to have some stickier hands when it comes to catching in stride.

[e-bone ver2.awesome]

Has he really had time in the first two games to sit back and wait for receivers to run downfield patterns? When the team starts playing against competition more at their level I'm sure there will be some longer passes thrown. Hopefully they won't be interceptions, though.

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

It's not a question of fear, it's a question of time. The line hasn't given him time in either game to do much.

By contrast, K-State and TU's QB's had enough time to stand back in the pocket, whip up a ham sandwich, choose a receiver, then throw to said chosen receiver.

Offensive lines.

Defensive lines.

Pass protection.

Pass rush.

Not having it on either side of the ball shows up in where the QB throws the ball.

[greenminer]

It's not a question of fear, it's a question of time. The line hasn't given him time in either game to do much.

By contrast, K-State and TU's QB's had enough time to stand back in the pocket, whip up a ham sandwich, choose a receiver, then throw to said chosen receiver.

Offensive lines.

Defensive lines.

Pass protection.

Pass rush.

Not having it on either side of the ball shows up in where the QB throws the ball.

Completely agree with opposing QBs, but just my humble opinion: the o-line has been a pleasant surprise so far. He's had some series against both opponents where he had plenty of time to make his reads.

/maybe I'm hallucinating?

[meangreendork]

So would you then hypothesize that those who have many yards with few touchdowns are merely statistical outliers?

In comparison to everyone that plays football between high school and professional football, then, yeah. But even within any sport, the best athletes are typically the ones that operate at the outer edge of the statistics.

[moffat]

It does not appear to me that Vissa is making that many reads. He just looks at one receiver and throws him a two yard pass. The result is fewer interseptions...and fewer yards.

[LongJim]

Completely agree with opposing QBs, but just my humble opinion: the o-line has been a pleasant surprise so far. He's had some series against both opponents where he had plenty of time to make his reads.

/maybe I'm hallucinating?

I don't know if I'd call them a pleasant surprise so far, but he has gotten some time on occasion. Fitz is being double-covered, second receiver is covered, and he's checking down, or out of time by then.

[Dodge2007]

Damned if you do, damned if you don't. Roberson catches the long one (right in his hands) against Tulsa and then what?

When a team loses, the first person to go and to take all the blame is the QB. The nice thing about our QB is that he takes all the responsibility and never tries to deflect it. Not last season and not now.