MOSO at NW

[IowaBearcat]

The commonality: ineffective QBs and poor play calling?

Among other things. Mike is better than Zach was, but we don't have WR's who can get open. I think Moya is slightly better back than anyone 2017, but him having double the receptions of any WR is a really bad stat for the rest of the offense.

[GoCatsGo5]

it's atrocious.

It’s like watching Shaq shoot free throws! Even when success happens, it looks ugly as sh!t.

[Predatory Primates]

Among other things. Mike is better than Zach was, but we don't have WR's who can get open. I think Moya is slightly better back than anyone 2017, but him having double the receptions of any WR is a really bad stat for the rest of the offense.

I mentioned this a few weeks ago. imo, They just don't have the athletes at WR that they used to.

The effectiveness of their pass game used to be more about what they did after the catch. That may just be my perception since the conf doesn't keep yac stats, though. I just remember too many times bitd where they would turn those 3 to 7 yard dink passes into first down yardage or even big plays. I haven't seen them do that this year with any kind of regularity.

[Sir Shanks Alot]

I mentioned this a few weeks ago. imo, They just don't have the athletes at WR that they used to.

The effectiveness of their pass game used to be more about what they did after the catch. That may just be my perception since the conf doesn't keep yac stats, though. I just remember too many times bitd where they would turn those 3 to 7 yard dink passes into first down yardage or even big plays. I haven't seen them do that this year with any kind of regularity.

I also believe that teams have changed how they play defense in general in our league.

Much more press coverage that makes things a bit more difficult, and more pressure packages designed to get to the qb's attention (under his feet) quicker, thus make him decide things rapidly. NW struggles to protect long enough to drive the ball downfield, but also refuses to take many shots even on 50/50 shots on the boundary.

So.......things just keep getting tighter and more congested along the line of scrimmage week by week, as our opponents have evidence of less and less to fear about a downfield threat.

I wish we would just chuck a couple deep ones in the first couple of series to try to loosen things up. What the heck would it hurt; we are not scoring any pts in the first half anyway!

[Predatory Primates]

I also believe that teams have changed how they play defense in general in our league.

Much more press coverage that makes things a bit more difficult, and more pressure packages designed to get to the qb's attention (under his feet) quicker, thus make him decide things rapidly. NW struggles to protect long enough to drive the ball downfield, but also refuses to take many shots even on 50/50 shots on the boundary.

So.......things just keep getting tighter and more congested along the line of scrimmage week by week, as our opponents have evidence of less and less to fear about a downfield threat.

I wish we would just chuck a couple deep ones in the first couple of series to try to loosen things up. What the heck would it hurt; we are not scoring any pts in the first half anyway!

That makes sense.

I agree about loosening up the D, especially for a team who wants to be run heavy. Heck, even old school option teams need that deep threat, or at least the old "shot-put to the TE, to keep from getting completely stoned by the D.

[CatFan88]

I mentioned this a few weeks ago. imo, They just don't have the athletes at WR that they used to.

The effectiveness of their pass game used to be more about what they did after the catch. That may just be my perception since the conf doesn't keep yac stats, though. I just remember too many times bitd where they would turn those 3 to 7 yard dink passes into first down yardage or even big plays. I haven't seen them do that this year with any kind of regularity.

I think this is more of a QB issue and play calling issue than WR issue. Giffin, Shelton and Alexander are all more than capable and have the speed to be downfield threats. Add Hembrough at TE and our passing game should be much better. Giffin had something like 20 catches for 400 yards at JUCO level and Shelton had 10 catches for something like 700 yards at JUCO level (granted I have no idea what the competition was like). This is Giffin's and Shelton's first year at NW so they probably deserve some leeway. Pass protection has been an issue this year but we've also had a revolving door at the OL position due to injuries. Sturdy gets no free pass as OC. Wright and Hohensee don't get a free pass either because of their experience. Both have dealt with injuries but are reasonably healthy and still having issues throwing the ball with any accuracy.

[BearcatDude]

I think this is more of a QB issue and play calling issue than WR issue. Giffin, Shelton and Alexander are all more than capable and have the speed to be downfield threats. Add Hembrough at TE and our passing game should be much better. Giffin had something like 20 catches for 400 yards at JUCO level and Shelton had 10 catches for something like 700 yards at JUCO level (granted I have no idea what the competition was like). This is Giffin's and Shelton's first year at NW so they probably deserve some leeway. Pass protection has been an issue this year but we've also had a revolving door at the OL position due to injuries. Sturdy gets no free pass as OC. Wright and Hohensee don't get a free pass either because of their experience. Both have dealt with injuries but are reasonably healthy and still having issues throwing the ball with any accuracy.

Hohensee is completing 68.6% of his passes - second best in the conference. Guess that’s not accurate enough for you. Granted it’s not as good as last year when he was the most accurate QB in the nation - but I’m guessing that having injured ribs might affect that. But regardless- never let facts get in the way of a good argument. :)

[GreenwoodBearcat]

Hohensee is completing 68.6% of his passes - second best in the conference. Guess that’s not accurate enough for you. Granted it’s not as good as last year when he was the most accurate QB in the nation - but I’m guessing that having injured ribs might affect that. But regardless- never let facts get in the way of a good argument. :)

Maybe so, but anybody can be accurate given the time. The problem that I see, is that with some pressure, he and BW simply yellow their pants. Why is it that BW will throw more downfield than Hohensee. I have yet to see anything resembling a deep downfield pass this year. Most of our crap is the dink and dunk stuff.

[Sir Shanks Alot]

Hohensee is completing 68.6% of his passes - second best in the conference. Guess that’s not accurate enough for you. Granted it’s not as good as last year when he was the most accurate QB in the nation - but I’m guessing that having injured ribs might affect that. But regardless- never let facts get in the way of a good argument. :)

Great point....I just wish that percentage was a bit lower and some of the attempts were Down the Field to attempt to create some space around the LOS for the ones that are complete to be a bit more productive. Mike reminds me of a D2 version of (Put your favorite Marty Schottenheimer QB Here). Sometimes/many times frustrating but boy they won a lot of games with that formula. Defense/Special teams, time of possession.....
These are all good points made by many great fans that have very good perspective of many seasons watched VERY closely!

[CatFan88]

Hohensee is completing 68.6% of his passes - second best in the conference. Guess that’s not accurate enough for you. Granted it’s not as good as last year when he was the most accurate QB in the nation - but I’m guessing that having injured ribs might affect that. But regardless- never let facts get in the way of a good argument. :)

What that stat doesn't tell us is where those completions are coming from. 0-10 yrds? 11-20 yrds? 20+ yrds? The leading receiver on the team is a RB with 51 receptions for 407 yrds at 8 yrds/catch. Guessing most of those yrds are YAC. Point is, that NW isn't throwing the ball downfield. It's dink and dunk.

[GoCatsGo5]

Good point. And why cite the completion % stat now as an indication of accuracy. I remember a certain someone claiming Trevor Adams wasn’t a good / accurate QB and he completed 72.5% in 2013.

[Predatory Primates]

What that stat doesn't tell us is where those completions are coming from. 0-10 yrds? 11-20 yrds? 20+ yrds? The leading receiver on the team is a RB with 51 receptions for 407 yrds at 8 yrds/catch. Guessing most of those yrds are YAC. Point is, that NW isn't throwing the ball downfield. It's dink and dunk.

Yac yards are a big part of what is missing for nw WR'S. In the past, a lot of their big plays came from WR'S catching those dink and dunk passes and doing something with them (similar to what the bods do). They just don't have WR'S who can do that this year, imo. Not sure if that's more because they lack the skills or if those throws are just a little off giving defenses that fraction of a second to close?

As far as the deep ball goes, it takes more than speed.

As an example, Lots of DBs can outrun Bryce Murphy, but they couldn't cover him. He was a deep threat until injuries got him because he was a great route runner, positioned his body well, and would go after the ball to make the catch happen. Lutman was the same way for Pitt bitd. (I don't remember many NW player names, but the rectors were deep threats who were complete WR'S, as was Bane his last year or 2.)

[BearcatDude]

Good point. And why cite the completion % stat now as an indication of accuracy. I remember a certain someone claiming Trevor Adams wasn’t a good / accurate QB and he completed 72.5% in 2013.

TA definitely had a great senior year. It was a complete turnaround from what he had been in the past. It was similar to Zac Dickie at Pitt St senior year turnaround. Both were mediocre at best and ended up National Champs their senior year.

[lleachieshusband]

TA definitely had a great senior year. It was a complete turnaround from what he had been in the past. It was similar to Zac Dickie at Pitt St senior year turnaround. Both were mediocre at best and ended up National Champs their senior year.

That was AD taking advantage of each QB’s strengths: TA was more suited to being a drop-back, throw the deep ball QB, and Brady was (at the time) more suited to powering QB runs and short to medium passes - switching them up definitely gave opposing DC’s fits.

[IowaBearcat]

I think this is more of a QB issue and play calling issue than WR issue. Giffin, Shelton and Alexander are all more than capable and have the speed to be downfield threats. Add Hembrough at TE and our passing game should be much better. Giffin had something like 20 catches for 400 yards at JUCO level and Shelton had 10 catches for something like 700 yards at JUCO level (granted I have no idea what the competition was like). This is Giffin's and Shelton's first year at NW so they probably deserve some leeway. Pass protection has been an issue this year but we've also had a revolving door at the OL position due to injuries. Sturdy gets no free pass as OC. Wright and Hohensee don't get a free pass either because of their experience. Both have dealt with injuries but are reasonably healthy and still having issues throwing the ball with any accuracy.

Wright somehow declined since his freshman year, even with a covid year off. Just a bad passer.