WR SPEED - Observations, Issues and Solutions!!!

[jonesman]

Wide Receiver at ND may actually be a bigger need than anywhere on the team. I truelly believe we need to address the NEED FOR SPEED at WR. I feel strongly that we have a hard working group at WR who gives great effort. They just don't have that blazing speed that could really stretch a D. The loss of Arrelious Benn and Greg Little really hurt our prospects for WR this year. Parris and Kamara will be great WR's at going up for the jump ball and getting yard after catch. Grimes and West have proven they are capable at making some tough grabs. Hord is still a mystery as to whether he has regained his speed fully, although I do not think so.
RECRUITING---- CW should be spending every waking hour of his recruiting effort trying to close deals on any and all WR prospects. I do not have a good feeling at all about Floyd, although I hope I am completely wrong. We need Floyd and one other burner type guy.
SOLUTIONS--- On our current roster we have a couple guys that can stretch a field with real speed. Golden has shown his flashes of speed. The other guy has yet to see the field and is playing at the position we have more depth than anywhere on the field. Harrison Smith is a true burner and played offense in high school. He has been clocked at sub 4.4 plus he has size at 6'2". We have a plethora of guys at DB and will increase this with the 2008 recruiting class. Watch this kids highlight real and you can see how he can run, jump and make the difficult catch. Think of a combo of Kamara on one side, Tate in the slot and Smith on the other side. As a D, pick your posion. Two true speed guys and Kamara who can jump out of the gym. This forces teams to keep safeties and LB's in coverage not blitzing our suspect OL.

 

[piyachi]

I think it's too early to truly analyze our speed at WR.

When your oline can't give you more than 2 seconds of protection there isn't any real chance to get that seperation due to speed. Players like Ginn thrive when the QB gets some time (and space to step up in the pocket) to really fling ot downfield. That we have yet to really see yet, although JC does hold on to the rock too long sometimes (what a great complaint to be the number one for a true frosh QB).

Tate looks like he has the speed, and I think that Hord might be able to regain his, if he hasn't already. That being said if every receiver we get has sub 4.4 times, I will be FAR away from complaining (The Rocket is my avatar for a reason). Getting Floyd and Baldwin would make this guy a happy camper to cap off this fantastic recruiting class.

Plus the playcalling has been pure minimize-turnovers from the passing standpoint, so despite the frustration it might take a while to see those down the field shots. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, you're gonna have to be patient to see what they can really do.

GO IRISH

 

[piyachi]

Oh and Harrison Smith isn't going to switch positions - he is a talented safety, and we have plenty of talent at WR, both now and incoming.

 

[jonesman]

I question your statement around talent at WR. We have guys who give good effort, but as for true put fear in the Defense type receivers, we are very lacking. Tell me who the field stretcher is besides Tate and maybe Hord if he gets that 4th gear back in his game. Plus, name the talent that is incoming other than Goodman and he is more a possesion type receiver. Floyd is not on board yet and it looks iffy with him.

 

[IrishOrange]

You guys have some issues with the ability to make the field longer, but i don't think that there would be as much of a point made of it if not for the 'in your face' faults with the running game and pass protection.

I know the OL is young, but maybe the staff should look into what Mark Richt has done at UGA, where he has started 3 Frosh on the OL with general success. The fault with the ND line (other than youth, but that can be negated) is a lack of either understanding of the pickups and blocking schemes, or simply the inability to forge into a single unit.

Possibly moving a TE in as an H back until things can meld, will give the deep guys some time. Jimmy may or may not be great, he certainly seems to lack the poise and command in the huddle that brother Casey had as a freshman, but he needs time to look for the reciever too. He often seems that the first thing he looks for after recieving the snap is the guy he needs to outmanouver in order to get a pass off

 

[IrishOrange]

You guys have some issues with the ability to make the field longer, but i don't think that there would be as much of a point made of it if not for the 'in your face' faults with the running game and pass protection.

I know the OL is young, but maybe the staff should look into what Mark Richt has done at UGA, where he has started 3 Frosh on the OL with general success. The fault with the ND line (other than youth, but that can be negated) is a lack of either understanding of the pickups and blocking schemes, or simply the inability to forge into a single unit.

Possibly moving a TE in as an H back until things can meld, will give the deep guys some time. Jimmy may or may not be great, he certainly seems to lack the poise and command in the huddle that brother Casey had as a freshman, but he needs time to look for the reciever too. He often seems that the first thing he looks for after recieving the snap is the guy he needs to outmanouver in order to get a pass off

I am trying to turn a new leaf here, i enjoy the site, though i have a fault that makes it irresistable to poke fun sometimes. Heck, my coach is fatter than your coach, and we'll both be watching someone elses team in January

 

[Sureal]

Heck I wouldn't have poise either if I knew after the next snap I'd be checking to see if my ribs are still attached...

Good point though. The poise and confidence comes when the o-line learns how to block for a change. I also seen somewhere else where an H-back could be a good choice. I would like to get Ragone in their to help out.