Why aren't receivers catching passes?

mizzoucoug wrote:

Jacobsen didn't have trouble catching John Beck's passes. Heaps does not have the mustard on his passes that Beck could put on them. I think that the drops are a combination of lack of concentration and bad timing on the throws. Heaps is not getting the ball out on time and it is making the catches harder then they would be if he were. I think this will get better with time. This offense is going to improve, it is just going to take time. Hopefully Bronco will get the defense playing the way it needs to to keep us in games and give this young offense a chance to win in the 4th.

No, the drops have nothing to do with bad timing on the throws. The drops everyone is referring to are the ones that are hitting 2 receiver hands and not being brought in. That is a terrible and errant excuse.

I am not making an excuse. I am just not laying the blame for the problems with this offense on everyone but Heaps. He does throw late at times, he also has thrown some hard throws early and didn't give his recievers a chance at the balls since it was in thier face before it was supposed to be. The recievers have also missed on some balls that were right in their hands (Ashworth anyone). There are a lot of problems with this offense and they are not all one player or coaches fault.

Here's a piece of new news:



I ran into Matt Allen's parents and they mentioned how matt's been watching the games. I suppose he's just a spectator like the rest of us at this point, but his comment was that it looked like the receivers weren't trying. It looks like they had given up. I thought it was interesting.

Like I said, they don't care. All that points toward locker room drama somewhere.

I don't buy that they don't care. Heaps has not been accurate. Mark Lyons commented how back in the day he had to learn more precisely where to place the ball and with what touch for each receiver or back. When the game slows down for Heaps he can focus more on these finer points and timing. That is why senior QBs are better than they were in Jr which was better than soph which was better than frosh season.



Also, defenses are ignoring tight ends and playing the receivers tighter.



I predicted USU would focus on stopping our run until Heaps proved he could throw it - but thought Heaps would step up better. He got decent yards - but no end zone.



Look for the same approach from SDSU.



AFA, FSU, and Nevada are all ranked. UW beat 4-0 USC yesterday after two weeks to prepare. USU is tougher to accept but it was in Logan and they played like the Oklahoma game. I think Okla just best Texas and killed FSU.



Tough schedule for our kids as newbies. SDSU had 2 weeks. Glad it is in Zorobo - but very worried.



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Sorry - my iPhone does not let me see the bottom of my post when typing or editing.



Glad the game is in Provo





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That would make a great screen name, "Zorobo"



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Cougarbib2 wrote:
I don't buy that they don't care. Heaps has not been accurate. Mark Lyons commented how back in the day he had to learn more precisely where to place the ball and with what touch for each receiver or back. When the game slows down for Heaps he can focus more on these finer points and timing. That is why senior QBs are better than they were in Jr which was better than soph which was better than frosh season.

I agree with you to a degree on the accuracy point. The more accurate the throw, the harder the QB can throw and expect the receivers to catch the ball. If a throw is less accurate, the receiver will have a harder time adjusting to the throw. Heaps's velocity is fine, he just needs to take the time and make an accurate throw. It's hard to imagine receivers coming back to the huddle and telling Elway or Favre to tone down their passes a bit. The QB takes what the defense gives--if the QB has to gun it in there because the WR isn't really open (familiar?), then it's hard to tell him to slow the ball down.



But Heaps isn't throwing so hard and so inaccurately that the receivers should be off the hook. There have been so many dropped passes this year, that its more than a QB issue. These receivers are missing easy balls. A Division I receiver that gets two hands on a ball which the defender can't make a play should make the catch 95% of the time.

CougarClaw wrote:
Here's a piece of new news:



I ran into Matt Allen's parents and they mentioned how matt's been watching the games. I suppose he's just a spectator like the rest of us at this point, but his comment was that it looked like the receivers weren't trying. It looks like they had given up. I thought it was interesting.

Anyone think the "Locker-Gate" incident actually has more to it than what is known publicly???



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BigCougsFan wrote:

Here's a piece of new news:



I ran into Matt Allen's parents and they mentioned how matt's been watching the games. I suppose he's just a spectator like the rest of us at this point, but his comment was that it looked like the receivers weren't trying. It looks like they had given up. I thought it was interesting.

Anyone think the "Locker-Gate" incident actually has more to it than what is known publicly???



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no

Mingjai wrote:

I don't buy that they don't care. Heaps has not been accurate. Mark Lyons commented how back in the day he had to learn more precisely where to place the ball and with what touch for each receiver or back. When the game slows down for Heaps he can focus more on these finer points and timing. That is why senior QBs are better than they were in Jr which was better than soph which was better than frosh season.

I agree with you to a degree on the accuracy point. The more accurate the throw, the harder the QB can throw and expect the receivers to catch the ball. If a throw is less accurate, the receiver will have a harder time adjusting to the throw. Heaps's velocity is fine, he just needs to take the time and make an accurate throw. It's hard to imagine receivers coming back to the huddle and telling Elway or Favre to tone down their passes a bit. The QB takes what the defense gives--if the QB has to gun it in there because the WR isn't really open (familiar?), then it's hard to tell him to slow the ball down.



But Heaps isn't throwing so hard and so inaccurately that the receivers should be off the hook. There have been so many dropped passes this year, that its more than a QB issue. These receivers are missing easy balls. A Division I receiver that gets two hands on a ball which the defender can't make a play should make the catch 95% of the time.

except if you play for BYU. :~( :~(

Well, as far as I see the effort doesn't look good from the d or from the O. How many sacks and short yardage failures? O-Line is our strength? But the WR's are really struggling. But it is interesting to note that even the USU DB's dropped 2 or 3 that should have been caught - but then again that usually why they are on D.

I think Bronco has a good handle on the reason for the receivers dropping passes, the defense not tackling and the offensive line underachieving. Greg Wrubell quotes Bronco:

Mendenhall says he has "learned a lot over the last five weeks. Adversity and challenges bring out not only the best but the worst in people, and it also forces you to look hard at everything you're doing and how you're doing it, but maybe more importantly, why you're doing it."



"In terms of re-defing (sic), I've got to be able to continue to inspire and motivate and get to our team's heart, and have them play from a place where our previous teams have played from, and maybe exhibit more soul. I haven't been able to connect at a deep enough level yet with this team, and that's what I'm more committed to do."

(emphasis added)



Bronco has taken a step back to try to delegate and administrate as a head coach, and none of his coordinators or assistants has had the fire in his belly that Bronco does. Typically I am not in favor of micromanaging, but if Bronco's fire is the difference maker in motivating these players then I'm all for it. I think we will see Bronco continue coordinating the defense next year until he has moulded one of the guys who played under him (e.g. Kelly Poppinga) and understands the culture and concept of fanatical effort, into a competent coordinator.

I think Bronco values a mature team and walk-ons because they learn first hand that effort is what gets you on the field. I think he expected that culture and expectation to continue, but it has not. And that is about to change. I expect practices to be more intense, even if not longer. I expect guys to have to bring it in practice now and for bronco to be chewing on some back sides. And i am glad. The culture of effort Bronco established in 2004-2008 seems to have been diminished.



The offense needs to step up as well. The O-line has been a disappointment this year so far. They have been pedestrian and seen to lack a killer instinct.

Totally agree about Jacobsen, Mars. That boy needs to move back the outside where he's not playing so scared.

Mars wrote:


You know what was almost as disappointing to me as the dropped balls? How twice McKay Jacobsen caught the ball across the middle in space and immediately fell down. I really do think he is terrified of getting hit.

What was worse when he basically jsut stepped aside to let that guy intercept the pass to him. it just seems like he doesn't care. what is going on there.

Yeah that pissed me off big time

Mars wrote:


You know what was almost as disappointing to me as the dropped balls? How twice McKay Jacobsen caught the ball across the middle in space and immediately fell down. I really do think he is terrified of getting hit.

I noticed the same thing. Also, Heaps' first INT was in large part because MJ slowed up/gave up on the play and then he also slowed down on a sideline pass when he saw the safetfy coming over and the ball was nearly picked off. Had he went for the ball, he likely would have gotten a PI call against the defender.

DiLuigi dropped one in the endzone that went right through his hands. Okay, I'll give that a pass because he is, afterall, a running back.



Jacobsen giving up on routes and causing an interception? Inexcusable.



Ashworth dropping balls that hit him right in the hands? Inexcusable.



How would I like to see this resolved? I just wish Jake would grab them by the facemask a la Jim McMahon and tell them "if you ever drop another one of my freaking passes I am going to beat the ever living crap out of you." Or some such motivating talk. I don't think Jimmy Mac would have let the receivers get away with it and claim it was his bad if the receivers dropped the ball or gave up on the routes. If Heaps wants to be the BYU QB and the leader, he needs to assert his leadership and start holding the receivers responsible. You let one or two drops slide because crap happens, but you never let giving up on the route slide.

Cougarfan87 wrote:
DiLuigi dropped one in the endzone that went right through his hands. Okay, I'll give that a pass because he is, afterall, a running back.

I agree with you on everything except that I don't give passes to running backs, because at BYU running backs are also receivers. Some of BYU's most prolific receivers were running backs, Matt Bellini the leader among them.