Wide Receiver is our biggest hole right now

[Buff_since76]

Right now the Buffs are getting by with what they have, and right now at WR it isn't much. I have hopes that next year will be leaps and bounds above this year as Richardson returns, and the young guys gain experience. For fun/missery I went back and looked at the WR's that have come here since 2008:

2008
Chance Blackmon – left team

2009
Jarrod Darden – on team, not on depth chart
Will Jefferson – medical retire
Andre Simmons – kicked off team, never much production
Terdema Ussery – left team

2010
Keenan Canty – on team, not much game time
Paul Richardson – red shirting, our best receiver

2011
Tyler McCulloch – Starting Receiver
Nelson Spruce – Starting Receiver
Austin Vincent – kicked off team

2012
Jeffery Thomas – grey shirting (hopefully)
Gerald Thomas – Currently our fastest receiver, need more touches
Peyton Williams – Grey Shirting

One thing that will help out the running game, is have some WR that defenses have to game plan around. Right now that isn't there. McCulloch and Spruce are doing a damn good job being thrown into the fire, but there isn't much support right now.

Is it too soon to start hoping for Dillion to be the second coming at QB, and a much improved WR line-up in 2013???

 

[GoBuffs08]

We could have Megatron, Larry Fitzgerald, and Andre Johnson on this team and we would not be able to throw the ball down field. Our O line sucks that bad.

 

[Highlander]

We could have Megatron, Larry Fitzgerald, and Andre Johnson on this team and we would not be able to throw the ball down field. Our O line sucks that bad.

Pretty much deadon. We lack talent at WR for sure, but the problems start with the OL.

 

[Rraalph 3000]

we could have megatron, larry fitzgerald, and andre johnson on this team and we would not be able to throw the ball down field. Our o line and qb suck that bad.

fify

 

[Rraalph 3000]

Pretty much deadon. We lack talent at WR for sure, but the problems start with the OL.

O-line actually played one of the best games all year yesterday....QB holds onto the ball too damn long....if our QB play wasn't the worst in the Pac or Big 12 over the past 6-7 years we'd be winning a lot more games

 

[slider]

The biggest hole we have is that gaping one in our a......

 

[Duff Man]

McCulloch is experienced enough now that he should be getting better. He's not.

 

[Highlander]

Looking at the stats, a blowout could have been avoided - those turnovers really did turn the tide. A couple of points from the stats:
1) We didn't lose the special teams battle as badly as we did against WSU. UCLA was 3 yards and 2 yards better on punt returns and kick returns respectively.
2) Running game on both sides of the ball really killed us - they had 211 yards for 4.8 yds/carry where as we had 83 yards for 2.8 yds/carry
3) Passing game wasn't as lopsided as I would have thought from the game. Webb was slighly more efficient (just slightly), but was 1.4 yds/attempt less in yards. The lone interception in the game was of course the momentum swinger/nail in the coffin one by Webb in the 3rd quarter.

I guess what I am trying to say is, with a better o-line, we could have been right in that game. Maybe not have won it without some breaks going our way, but we could have been right there.

I feel a heck of a lot better about what happened yesterday than I did the first 3 weeks of the year. I was ready to lynch mob JE at that point. Time will tell - I might be right back there in another few weeks

 

[MtnBuff]

McCulloch is experienced enough now that he should be getting better. He's not.

Disagree, I see some very positive things out of him. At the same time he and Spruce are not good enough and will not ever be good enough to be the kind of threats that teams have to game plan for. If we had a PRich out there or even if we were getting the ball to GT down the field in a way to force teams to worry about him and pay attention then McC and Spruce would be much more effective.

Also agree with the comments about deficiencies at QB and lousy OL play. Marshall should be embarrassed to cash his paycheck with the lack of performance and lack of improvement shown by that unit. When you don't have dynamic WRs who can force open plays you have to have time to develop plays. Hasn't worked so far.

 

[Duff Man]

Wide receiver is pretty bad, but RB and QB are not much better at the moment. The RB recruiting is really head-scratching and we are basically left with Tony Jones and Christian Powell as the only options. Not good.

 

[DenverBuff77]

Wide receiver is pretty bad, but RB and QB are not much better at the moment. The RB recruiting is really head-scratching and we are basically left with Tony Jones and Christian Powell as the only options. Not good.

It was very strange. We lost Speedy and we had no plan to replace him. We got lucky with Powell, but he isn't exactly our savior. IMO this sums up the lack of experience on the staff. We went after a gazillion CB's, but ignored the other less glaring holes in the team to try and plug the most obvious ones. Is there any more evidence we need to say this staff is over it's head?

 

[Dark Bohner]

It was very strange. We lost Speedy and we had no plan to replace him. We got lucky with Powell, but he isn't exactly our savior. IMO this sums up the lack of experience on the staff. We went after a gazillion CB's, but ignored the other less glaring holes in the team to try and plug the most obvious ones. Is there any more evidence we need to say this staff is over it's head?

I think Ford is another solid option, but the damn coaches won't play him.

 

[buffaholic]

I think Ford is another solid option, but the damn coaches won't play him.

I continue to be puzzled by this. He has produced every time he's touched the ball.

WR was the biggest concern going into the season and a major reason I told anyone who would listen that we will struggle. If you can't get open and quickly against 8 guys in the box, you are toast.

We are that.

 

[buffsyko]

Thomas needs more touches. Looks like waiting til next year is our only option.

If p-rich can stay healthy this spring and if J.Thomas returns that would be a big help. But is kennedy bringing in the type of wr's we need to get this area turned around?

As for RB, what's the future look like for payne and crowder? Is EB bringing in the type of rb's we need in this area?

 

[bigskybuff]

WR is the most glaring problem CU has right now. With zero speed and no playmakers, the online is continuously getting bombarded by stunts and blitzes. Marshall seems to be having a hard time preparing them for these. If we only had some speed, and a QB who wouldn't overthrow every deep pass we try, the running game starts to work.

i have wanted abron to play more all season based on what I've seen in his return game. Get Powell in front, like HS, and see what happens. Again with slow receivers, the D is going to keep loading the box up front. Disappointed in EB, and his non ability to call plays that don't slow down the rush. Misdirections, cut backs, anything to keep them guessing rather than having them pin their ears back and crush Webb. The online, especially nembot and dannewitz got beat on inside moves all game by their d end.

Until we have the receivers to stretch the field and keep defenses honest, we're going to struggle mightily.

Go Buffs.

 

[Burrito]

I thought GT and Canty were speedsters? All streak x2?

 

[MtnBuff]

Wide receiver is pretty bad, but RB and QB are not much better at the moment. The RB recruiting is really head-scratching and we are basically left with Tony Jones and Christian Powell as the only options. Not good.

I would have thought that EB would have recruited at least one star quality RB by now. Powell is interesting and we have some guys who would be okay with solid O-line blocking but none of them are guys who make the whole team better. With EBs record as a former AA and pro RB, his history with NFL RB coaching, and his reputation as a recruiter you would think he would be able to bring in a top end kid to a team that has stated that it wants to be a solid running team playing a pro style offense.

 

[BuffLuke80]

Im old school in a way I guess, starts up front all the time, both sides. WV has a very good O but D was crap. U might wanna run something besides cover 2 man. Blitz A gap and backside, they take the first read in that O, A gap and backside safety or backer, wont have time to think. Put him on his ass all day.

 

[jahbrahakala]

mcculloch needs to sit, just not a playmaker, poor hands, no speed, no separation, just against the chest catches

spruce is very good possession player imo, no complaints

getting someone in there instead of mccolloch will make a difference, even if there are learning pains

do it

 

[MtnBuff]

mcculloch needs to sit, just not a playmaker, poor hands, no speed, no separation, just against the chest catches

spruce is very good possession player imo, no complaints

getting someone in there instead of mccolloch will make a difference, even if there are learning pains

do it

Makes lots of sense, let's sit the reciever who is making the most plays for us and who also happens to be our best blocking guy on the outside as well.

I don't know what kind of drinking the McColloch haters are doing but it makes no sense. No he isn't a burner, no he doesn't dance in the endzone and look like a star. All he does is get things done. He makes catches for first downs, he makes catches in traffic. He is the second leading reciever on the team and averaging 14.1 ypc with 2 TDs. He has also been our most consistent reciever.

He's not a #1 guy like PRich but nobody else we have is either right now. GT has shown flashes but we have to go with what we have and the idea of benching McColloch is flat out stupid with the rest of who we have available.

 

[jahbrahakala]

So what he does well, makes up for what he doesn't. Yes 14.1 ypc is good, but we have left a lot of yards and points on the field due to his inability to go up and get the ball, separate or even run the correct deep route.

I hope he improves here. But would still like to see maybe Thomas get his reps, while Tyler moves over alternates with Spruce.

Looking for that deep threat, which Tyler clearly is not, but is playing the position.

Yes stupid, mostly frustrated.

 

[MtnBuff]

He's had a number of deep routes when he has been wide open and Webb just couldn't get the ball to him.

That stated he isn't a deep threat and nobody pretends he is. He has some drops but so do every one of our recievers, he also has more tough catches than any of our recievers having made some tough grabs in traffic and so catches using his body to screen off the defender. He does a good job of getting open in the short to middle seams and takes solid shots after the catch without losing the ball. He has also be a very effective blocker in the run game and downfield for other recievers.

I do see improvement in his game. He is never going to be a burner and scare people, neither is anyone else we have unless GT steps up into that role.

It amazes me how Buffs fans always seem to find a scapegoat to heap our frustration on, deserved or more often not. How McColloch got picked I don't know but to me it is completely ridiculous.

Maybe it has to do with him not being recruited by any other major schools and coming in late so it was assumed from the start that he wasn't worthy but he has put out better effort and more importantly better production than a host of other guys who don't get 1% of the **** he seems to catch.

Don't mean to pick on you in particular, I have heard this same thing from other posters and it is simply ignorant and ridiculous. We don't suck because of McColloch, we would suck worse without him.

 

[Ozbuff]

McCulloch and Spruce are fine, but you're in trouble in the Pac-12 if they're your top two WRs. We need to involve G Thomas in the offense. I know it's been said by many others on here, but come on, get him the ball! Also, what's up with Canty? He had one drop in the CSU game and I can't remember him on the field for any plays since. Seems unfair to bench the guy for one drop.

 

[fervorfactor]

I realize this means crap as far as the thread, but I was driving through my local retail outlet parking lot and saw Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Thomas' parents in the lot. I knew this because they had custom t-shirts, I am Gerald Thomas' mom, I am Gerald Thomas' dad. They had a crew with them. I didn't get a chance to chat with them but offered a Go BUFFS and got a smile. Too bad we crapped the bed yesterday. They had boat loads of snacks though. Texans!

 

[Duff Man]

Mtn channeling his inner Dan Hawkins with that defense of McCulloch.

 

[MtnBuff]

Mtn channeling his inner Dan Hawkins with that defense of McCulloch.

Pretty easy to make an arguement that he has been our most effective reciever and people want to bench him. LMAO. Not much logic going on there.

 

[Buffnik]

McCulloch is maximizing his ability and being productive for us. It's not fair to direct any slams at him. What he should be is a receiving TE who works out of the slot, not a starting WR. Blame the recruiting and blame the other WRs for not beating him out, but we should be pretty happy with what McCulloch has brought. If everyone on the team was getting as much out of his talent as McCulloch, we'd be a solid football team right now.

 

[MtnBuff]

McCulloch is maximizing his ability and being productive for us. It's not fair to direct any slams at him. What he should be is a receiving TE who works out of the slot, not a starting WR. Blame the recruiting and blame the other WRs for not beating him out, but we should be pretty happy with what McCulloch has brought. If everyone on the team was getting as much out of his talent as McCulloch, we'd be a solid football team right now.

Agree with all of this.

I would love to see us in a position were we had effective players who would be more effective to start on the outside.

In the right situation McColloch could be a DCs nightmare. Is he going to line up as a third WR or as a TE, do you have to worry about covering a guy who can get open and catch the ball in traffic or is he going to be blocking to create holes for a RB.

Kind of representative of a lot of the guys we have right now. They would be very effective in a program with lots of talent but aren't good enough to put us over the top on their own.

 

[FlatironsBuff]

Yeah, the fans wanted to bench Scotty too. But was still the go to guy...the best guy in the clutch we had.

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk 2

 

[CVilleBuff]

I'd argue that, at least looking towards the future, I see relief at WR for next year. I don't see that with the OL.