I don’t post enough here for me to expect you or anyone else to get my posting style so I will explain my post.
I like what I see so far from smith but the sample size is extremely limited. I hope that we eventually get to see more of him so we can see what he is made of. I like the way he moves on his routes. I would describe him as a glider. He never looks like he is running that hard. His movements are very fluid. I think he has a high ceiling.
As far as Manny goes, I like the way he has shown willingness to make changes when necessary, Enos, Baker, etc. whether manny is capable as a head coach is yet to be determined but I don’t think anyone can debate his willingness to do whatever it takes to be in a better position to win.
one thing manny doesn’t seem willing to blow up is that receiver room. I know covid and injuries are factors. But the bottom line is that statistics show Pope and Wiggins are two of the 5 worst wrs in the ACC. Their drop rates are beyond unacceptable. Not once did either get benched. Harley picked up his game as the season went on and he is a nice component to a wr group. In minimal reps both Redding and Smith showed me a little. Yet they never saw the field. If they were not ready the coaches need to have some accountability there. To be honest, the way 6&8 performed I would have rather seen 3 TE sets with Mallory Jordan and Hodges. I’ve seen Hodges catch the ball. It doesn’t matter how fast you are or how open you get if you can’t catch.
I’m not confident we will see a deeper wr rotation than Harley, Rambo, 6&8. I hope I’m wrong but history says that is your rotation getting 90%+ of the reps and if so I’m not happy about it.
All of this is fine. But do we forget what transpired 2020 off szn? There was a pandemic. Only 4 spring practices before everything was shut down. 0 summer workout sessions as a group. Everyone mostly had to do their own thing. In the fall practices and workout sessions were broken up. During the season it was a mess between contact tracing, guys getting the virus practices being broken up and guys having to miss workouts etc etc...it was not a typical year for freshman that’s why very few played. No to mention your installing a new system..so not only are Freshman needing to adapt to college and the comp but your learning on the fly while going through a pandemic...I say all that to say this: it obviously was a challenging year for any freshman/ younger player who need live reps.
As far as the WR room never getting a shakeup under Diaz, I guess we just ignoring the addition of KJ in 19 leading to a few guys leaving. And now the Addition of Rambo another high quality transfer to add to the room
as fans we ignore the human element. Which is fine because it’s the coach Job to be rational and the fans nature to be irrational. This is not madden or NCAA. These kids do not have overall ratings besides their names. You can’t just swap guys in and out with no consequence. Their is a reason a position coach whose job and rep is on the line in the biz plays the guys he plays. The young kids might not be ready to play in the whole offense etc etc.
These are some the same posters who said Mike Harley shouldn’t be playing and needs to leave mid szn..then the cat has back to back 170 plus games and kills down the stretch. Just this time last year Payton was a All ACC player ready to breakout.
going into 21 everyone in that room has a clean slate. Lashlee has said it’s open szn, Likens said it last szn, Diaz has emphasized that point when asked about that room. So when/if Pope and Wiggins are still in the rotation it will be because their position coach feels they outperformed cats in that room not because he has a favoritism allegiance to kids he didn’t even recruit ..but the consensus on CIS will be its favoritism..again, rational and irrational...and I get it we are fanatics after all. But if we having a football discussion let’s leave the irrational part out of it.
Remember there are 3 different positions within the WR title..X,Y,Z
Redding probably has the most physically gifted upside of anyone in that room. Pope and Wiggins need to be more consistent. Payton needs to get and stay on the field.
Rambo/Harley just needs to be pros and have money szns. X and the young man from Bama need to continue working on their craft I don’t expect much from them this szn but u never know. Fan favorite Keyshawn needs to take over that X spot. Imo opinion that’s what this WR core has missed since AR82. Redding has the tools to do it also..it seems from all the early talk out of camp Key is gonna get every chance to become a mainstay in the rotation