Interesting that Butch and Dabo are WR coaches

[ThreatLevelOrange]

Butch has a few WR in the NFL, most notably Antonio Brown and Kenbrell Thompkins. But Dabo is churning out high draft picks at Clemson. The guaranteed money in the FIRST contract is a great selling point.

 

[KBVol]

Butch has a few WR in the NFL, most notably Antonio Brown and Kenbrell Thompkins. But Dabo is churning out high draft picks at Clemson. The guaranteed money in the FIRST contract is a great selling point.

Agree.

Doubt very many prospects will connect Antonio Brown with Tennessee football since he played at Central Michigan, despite Azzani's incessant name dropping any chance he gets. Conversely, Dabo can point directly to Clemson WRs Watkins, Bryant and Hopkins as examples of players who have come up through his system and gone on to very good NFL success to date. Then throw in the current passing games at both schools and Clemson's appearance in the national title game this past season....Dabo has much more to sell at the moment.

 

[MustafaRasta]

It's gonna be a hard sell getting top WR's as long as we stay a run first option team. The throw game has to evolve to throwing it to a regular group of wide outs getting 60 snaps each and running more than quick screens.

I think it's why T. Byrd was named a WR early after NSD. He has dynamic ability and great hands and I think the staff knows that T. Higgins and other top flight guys may pass on the vols for an offense more tailored to passing.

That said if we're going to miss on the WR'S that means Butch needs to dominate the trail in recruiting running backs, O-line, TE and solid athletes that can be groomed in to WR's.

Could also be time for a change at WR coach.

 

[Vfl2407]

It's gonna be a hard sell getting top WR's for some of the reasons as long as we stay a run first option team. The throw game has to evolve to throwing it to a regular group of wide outs getting 60 snaps each and running more than quick screens.

I think it's why T. Byrd was named a WR early after NSD. He has dynamic ability and great hands and I think the staff knows that T. Higgins and other top flight guys may pass on the vols for an offense more tailored to passing.

That said if we're going to miss on the WR'S that means Butch needs to dominate the trail in recruiting running backs, O-line, TE and solid athletes that can be groomed in to WR's.

Could also be time for a change at WR coach.

It "could" also be time for a change at WR coach.
That's like saying a man with rotted out teeth might start to think about going to the dentist. lol:

 

[chargervol]

I truly hope we work on getting the receivers the ball in stride this year also. I doubt many of our receivers want to catch the ball when they have to turn around and reach back for it. And end up getting absolutely drilled unprotected.

 

[VolBricks]

I truly hope we work on getting the receivers the ball in stride this year also. I doubt many of our receivers want to catch the ball when they have to turn around and reach back for it. And end up getting absolutely drilled unprotected.

I agree. Since Dobbs has not to this point been good at the long passes, I wondered why we did not run more quick slants and shorter "come back" routes and let the WR run more after the catch.

 

[SaintLouisVol]

I don't think we really fully know what CBJ and the coaches think of the passing game. They haven't had the chance to show us. Early, he a QB that could throw it a little bit, but they couldn't protect him at all. Once Dobbs took over, they shaped the offense to his strengths, which aren't throwing the ball down the field. (At least not yet. He may be much better this year.)

Give him a developed line and some arm talent and see what he does before you draw too many conclusions.

 

[Pump Guy]

I watched the 1998 Auburn and Georgia games this weekend. To put it bluntly, Tee was less than mediocre throwing the football. He made bad decision after bad decision. However, there were several receivers on that team that made plays. I don't know how much of that is coaching, but I would tend to think that it is not a lot. You either have it or you don't.

Most of us played pickup football. How many times did you draw a play in the dirt and then end up just getting open? I can't count how many times I saw our receivers quit after their routes last year. Is that coaching? I gotta think that is more about a player and his instincts.

My point is, we have been rebuilding and have had a couple of years of bad luck. Butch's first year, everyone thought that Maquez North would be a superstar; not because of stats, because he was a playmaker. Unfortunately, he could not stay healthy. We will have a playmaker come out coaches and will want to take credit, but I just don't believe it.

I am as disappointed as anyone that we lost Higgins, but we lost Leroy Thompson a few years back and did fine with a guy named Reggie Cobb. I wish Tee the best and I look forward to a day when he might meet Nigel Warrior over the middle.

 

[peyton4heisman]

Before you start thinking great things about all WR coaches I have one word:

Dooley

 

[CA_Vol]

Azzani. Soon.

 

[08Vol]

I watched the 1998 Auburn and Georgia games this weekend. To put it bluntly, Tee was less than mediocre throwing the football. He made bad decision after bad decision. However, there were several receivers on that team that made plays. I don't know how much of that is coaching, but I would tend to think that it is not a lot. You either have it or you don't.

Most of us played pickup football. How many times did you draw a play in the dirt and then end up just getting open? I can't count how many times I saw our receivers quit after their routes last year. Is that coaching? I gotta think that is more about a player and his instincts.

My point is, we have been rebuilding and have had a couple of years of bad luck. Butch's first year, everyone thought that Maquez North would be a superstar; not because of stats, because he was a playmaker. Unfortunately, he could not stay healthy. We will have a playmaker come out coaches and will want to take credit, but I just don't believe it.

I am as disappointed as anyone that we lost Higgins, but we lost Leroy Thompson a few years back and did fine with a guy named Reggie Cobb. I wish Tee the best and I look forward to a day when he might meet Nigel Warrior over the middle.

Coaching plays a huge part in a WR's game. Everyone loves to point to Meachem's junior year explosion in 06 as proof Malone will explode his junior year. What many of them ignore is Cutcliff was rehired that year and worked extensively with the WRs.

At this level of football you have to know where the WR is going to be and when he is going to be there since balls are thrown to points, normally before the receiver even turns around or is open. For some reason that doesn't happen much in our offense. Watch when Dobbs hits WRs for big plays, almost every time they are just standing there wide open looking back at him due to busted coverage. Dobbs doesn't throw receivers open or into tight windows and I'm not sure if it's bc he doesn't trust the receivers or his ability.

 

[majorvol]

Dools had CP and DR...... Kill thread

 

[08Vol]

I agree. Since Dobbs has not to this point been good at the long passes, I wondered why we did not run more quick slants and shorter "come back" routes and let the WR run more after the catch.

Not throwing slants makes perfect sense. Slants happen across the middle where it is normally crowded. The best defense against them is to play tight on the receiver which is easy since he hasn't had enough time to really juke or burn you. Play tight on the receiver and you force the QB to make a perfect throw in traffic. Dobbs was way too inconsistent with his accuracy to trust him throwing slants. QBs also needed to stay in the pocket to throw a good slant and our line, while good at run blocking, was hot garbage at keeping a clean pocket

 

[dcm3w]

I watched the 1998 Auburn and Georgia games this weekend. To put it bluntly, Tee was less than mediocre throwing the football. He made bad decision after bad decision. However, there were several receivers on that team that made plays. I don't know how much of that is coaching, but I would tend to think that it is not a lot. You either have it or you don't.

Most of us played pickup football. How many times did you draw a play in the dirt and then end up just getting open? I can't count how many times I saw our receivers quit after their routes last year. Is that coaching? I gotta think that is more about a player and his instincts.

My point is, we have been rebuilding and have had a couple of years of bad luck. Butch's first year, everyone thought that Maquez North would be a superstar; not because of stats, because he was a playmaker. Unfortunately, he could not stay healthy. We will have a playmaker come out coaches and will want to take credit, but I just don't believe it.

I am as disappointed as anyone that we lost Higgins, but we lost Leroy Thompson a few years back and did fine with a guy named Reggie Cobb. I wish Tee the best and I look forward to a day when he might meet Nigel Warrior over the middle.

Solid post!