Williams Blog: Future at wide receiver

[ChrisMWilliams]

A quick hitter on Iowa State's wide receivers, looking way ahead to the 2012 season.

Chris Williams' Blog on Iowa State Football: Future at wide receiver | Cyclone Fanatic

[FootballinTexas]

A quick hitter on Iowa State's wide receivers, looking way ahead to the 2012 season.

Chris Williams' Blog on Iowa State Football: Future at wide receiver | Cyclone Fanatic

Chris, I understand your point about Texas having 6 or more receivers that are 6' 2" or better. But since Texas has been in the spread offense (at least the past 5-6 seasons) their leading receivers have been 6'0" or less. Quan Cosby 5'9", Jordan Shipley 6'0", James Kirkendoll 5'11", and Marquis Goodwin 5'7". Every now and then they get big plays from their taller receivers but it's the smaller quicker guys that make the spread offenses go.

[ChrisMWilliams]

Chris, I understand your point about Texas having 6 or more receivers that are 6' 2" or better. But since Texas has been in the spread offense (at least the past 5-6 seasons) their leading receivers have been 6'0" or less. Quan Cosby 5'9", Jordan Shipley 6'0", James Kirkendoll 5'11", and Marquis Goodwin 5'7". Every now and then they get big plays from their taller receivers but it's the smaller quicker guys that make the spread offenses go.

I'm not saying that the smaller guys are worthless. They'll hopefully turn out to be very valuable for Iowa State in the future. My point is that it is nice to have some big options you know?

[isufan]

Those smaller guys are most successful when they have a big outside receiver that requires double teams or that the safety has to pay extra attention to

[FootballinTexas]

I'm not saying that the smaller guys are worthless. They'll hopefully turn out to be very valuable for Iowa State in the future. My point is that it is nice to have some big options you know?

I agree with you that it's nice to have the big options. I'm just saying that the smaller quicker guys provide the most production in spread offenses because of their big play ability in the quick game, screens passes, receiver sweeps (which BTW are great to incorporate on the play-action passes).

[FootballinTexas]

Those smaller guys are most successful when they have a big outside receiver that requires double teams or that the safety has to pay extra attention to

Really??? See Percy Harvin's stats at UF. Who was his big outside receiver that "required double teams or that the safety had to pay special attention to"?

[CycloneGB]

Really??? See Percy Harvin's stats at UF. Who was his big outside receiver that "required double teams or that the safety had to pay special attention to"?

Louis Murphy and Riley Cooper

[isufan]

Even in a spread offense, we need a little variety at the receiver position. Having 6 guys in the two deeps that are 5'6'' to 6'0'' that do the same thing isn't condusive to success. We need a guy that we can throw jump balls to and can get off jams at the line of scrimmage. Speed is great, but if you dont have a guy that can always get off the line and win a jump ball, it limits your offense.

[tazclone]

It is nce to have bigger wr on the outside to block. The little guys don't get yards by themselves. Not that smaller WR can't block but a bigger receiver with longer arms has an advantage. They can out muscle a EH and be more physical with a LB.

Mosr people don't think about a WR blocking but in a spread, it is crucial

[FootballinTexas]

Louis Murphy and Riley Cooper

FYI, in 2006 PH caught 34 passes and avg 12.6 per catch. LM caught 2 passes, RC was mainly a special teams player and he caught 4 passes. 2007 PH caught 59 and avg 14.5 per catch. LM 37 and RC caught 8. You have to remember that PH was also carrying the ball from the backfield more in 2007. He added 83 rushes along with his 59 catches. In 2008 PH had 40 catches and 70 rushes. LM had 38 catches and RC had 18. Both of PH's went down as the other two increased. That's just more balance in the offense. I get your point but, my point was, neither one really opened up the receiving zones for him. He was a big play guy well before they were contributing in receptions.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying we don't need 6'2"> receivers. I'm just saying, in the spread, they don't necessarily open downfield zones for the smaller guys by commanding attention....unless they have Michael Crabtree like talent. I do agree with Tazclone that theoretically bigger wideouts should block better than the smaller guys. However, most of the time they are blocking 6'0" or <corners and safeties, not LB's. The spread game is designed to block the smaller/quicker guys (CB's and S's) on edge and run away from the typically bigger/slower guys (DE's and LB's). So the 6'0" guys "should" be able to block efficiently on the edge but having a bigger guy out there "should" make it better.

[ribsnwhiskey]

I think we should be counting the TEs here too. Not all of them are going to be catch 1st TEs, but I think Brun, the juco coming in this fall will be more of a pass catching TE in the Franklin mold. He's 6'4. I think/hope the staff targets another bigger juco WR for this class too. Sure hope Jennert has improved enough to see the field on offense this season too.

[Tre4ISU]

FYI, in 2006 PH caught 34 passes and avg 12.6 per catch. LM caught 2 passes, RC was mainly a special teams player and he caught 4 passes. 2007 PH caught 59 and avg 14.5 per catch. LM 37 and RC caught 8. You have to remember that PH was also carrying the ball from the backfield more in 2007. He added 83 rushes along with his 59 catches. In 2008 PH had 40 catches and 70 rushes. LM had 38 catches and RC had 18. Both of PH's went down as the other two increased. That's just more balance in the offense. I get your point but, my point was, neither one really opened up the receiving zones for him. He was a big play guy well before they were contributing in receptions.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying we don't need 6'2"> receivers. I'm just saying, in the spread, they don't necessarily open downfield zones for the smaller guys by commanding attention....unless they have Michael Crabtree like talent. I do agree with Tazclone that theoretically bigger wideouts should block better than the smaller guys. However, most of the time they are blocking 6'0" or <corners and safeties, not LB's. The spread game is designed to block the smaller/quicker guys (CB's and S's) on edge and run away from the typically bigger/slower guys (DE's and LB's). So the 6'0" guys "should" be able to block efficiently on the edge but having a bigger guy out there "should" make it better.

Micheal Crabtree, Justin Blackmon, Danario Alexander, Darvin Adams, Alshon Jeffrey. That's off the top of my head. THose guys are game changers. So are Percy Harvin and guys like Jok Sanders, but give me any of the above over them on out team right now.

[Hawkeye11en1]

Micheal Crabtree, Justin Blackmon, Danario Alexander, Darvin Adams, Alshon Jeffrey. That's off the top of my head. THose guys are game changers. So are Percy Harvin and guys like Jok Sanders, but give me any of the above over them on out team right now.

That dude from Georgia, too.

[rholtgraves]

I don't care what size the receivers are as long as they are producing. We also need a qb who can deliver the ball to them. We will continue to struggle as long as we have an inaccurate qb and subpar receivers.

[bpmcclain]

Really??? See Percy Harvin's stats at UF. Who was his big outside receiver that "required double teams or that the safety had to pay special attention to"?

Percy Harvin was also surrounded with a bunch of 4 and 5 star guys. ISU doesnt have that luxury