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Takeaway from the coach’s roundtable on ESPNU

DMoney

DMoney

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ESPNU replayed the CFP title game with Mike Gundy, Gary Patterson, Derek Mason and Jeff Hadley (BC coach and former OSU DC) on commentary. They were watching the game live and the conversation had a ton of insight into how big-time coaches see the game.

As a Canes fan, one aspect jumped out to me: they were infatuated with LSU’s receivers. They all kept coming back to that advantage and why it made LSU impossible to defend. At the same time, Alabama has shifted from a traditional power team to a team built around its elite WRs. It is a new era.

Lashlee’s system should help maximize what we have at WR. But it is becoming clear we won’t be Miami until we have true #1 WRs.
 
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I spoke about this all season.. it was pretty obvious. I do however think we are on the right trajectory now with the new class. The san Diego kid is special, and the other three may very well be as well. I already have higher hopes for these 4 than everyone else on the roster. (with maybe Pope being the exception- but that is only if he improves greatly)
 
LSU's receivers and QB were elite and that placed a ton of pressure on opposing defenses. Conversely, I didn't think LSU's OL and RBs were that strong. Teams schemed against their passing offense so it left gaps in the run game. Regardless of where their RB gets drafted, he is not elite at all to me. He's just a guy, nothing special.
 
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millertime26 said:
Not buying this. Wide receivers come a dime a dozen. When our line play is dominate we’ll be good again.
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Nah, WRs do not come a dime a dozen. Not the elite guys. However I do think OL should be top priority because it can be the hardest to maintain, and unfortunately our coaches over the last several years have failed to find a way to get this straight.
 
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A #1WR will emerge if the system is what it’s suppose to be. LSU always had elite WRs and they never lived up to the hype until Joe Brady came along. Same can be said about Alabama that only knew how to use Julio Jones as an extra blocker when he was playing for them.
 
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LSU had odell and landry. And they were nothing special. The system will allow the dudes to emerge. Wiggins is physically able but he needs to master the details of being a receiver. Not just being bigger and faster than most guy. But remember his TD against louisville? He went up and snatched the ball. Hes got serious potential if he can do stuff like that on the reg. Harley is who he is maybe he will get slightly better. Popes. a speedster.

But lets be real here for a second. LSU had receivers (jefferson, chase, marshall) who were big, fast, ran routes, had hands, and were tough. We don't have a guy like that at all. Michael Redding has that potential but he got hurt. Everyone else is a niche guy. Speedsters, slot guys, possession guys and so on. The 3 guys LSU had were the full package. Especially Chase, dude is a freak
 
millertime26 said:
Not buying this. Wide receivers come a dime a dozen. When our line play is dominate we’ll be good again.
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They are not. Not the type we’re discussing. Think Andre Johnson, Reggie Wayne, and Santana Moss.

But I do agree that the offensuve line is also killing us. But our wide receivers are nothing special.
 
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DMoney said:
ESPNU replayed the CFP title game with Mike Gundy, Gary Patterson, Derek Mason and Jeff Hadley (BC coach and former OSU DC) on commentary. They were watching the game live and the conversation had a ton of insight into how big-time coaches see the game.

As a Canes fan, one aspect jumped out to me: they were infatuated with LSU’s receivers. They all kept coming back to that advantage and why it made LSU impossible to defend. At the same time, Alabama has shifted from a traditional power team to a team built around its elite WRs. It is a new era.

Lashlee’s system should help maximize what we have at WR. But it is becoming clear we won’t be Miami until we have true #1 WRs.
Click to expand...

Again, sadly what is so often overlooked when assessing WR's by these coaches or anyone else is that TINY TINY little consideration that LSU and Alabama have all world OL that give their QBs time to get the ball to their all-world WRs. We don't. Here's to hoping (yet again) that a new OL coach might be able to change that..
 
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WR talent has been hurting us for a while

Allen Hurns, Travis Benjamin, Phillip Dorsett, Leonard Hankerson - those are our best WR's since Andre Johnson graduated. All are NFL players, so not to take anything away from them - but all are more #3 NFL WR type talents. You can blame our QB's, offense, OL, etc. - but it's not like any of our WR's are crushing it in the NFL.

UNC returns 2 1,000 yd WR's in 2020 so I wouldn't even say we have the best WR's in the Coastal.

Our WR's should put up better numbers under Lashlee - but we definitely still need more talent.
 
DMoney said:
ESPNU replayed the CFP title game with Mike Gundy, Gary Patterson, Derek Mason and Jeff Hadley (BC coach and former OSU DC) on commentary. They were watching the game live and the conversation had a ton of insight into how big-time coaches see the game.

As a Canes fan, one aspect jumped out to me: they were infatuated with LSU’s receivers. They all kept coming back to that advantage and why it made LSU impossible to defend. At the same time, Alabama has shifted from a traditional power team to a team built around its elite WRs. It is a new era.

Lashlee’s system should help maximize what we have at WR, which is tops in the Coastal. But it is becoming clear we won’t be Miami until we have true #1 WRs.
Click to expand...
What I think was missed in their emphasis is how the WRs won so often. LSU had great WRs and yet they were still schemed to further advantage.

It wasn't enough that Justin Jefferson was likely better than 90+% of the CBs he faced. He was intentionally and consistently placed inside to match up against LBs, Safeties and backup Corners. And, when defenses adjusted, the effect rippled across the formation and provided a plus matchup for another LSU WR outside or a TE intentionally placed outside and gaining leverage via a specific route.

So, yes, LSU had great WRs and that obviously helps. But their offense was built around adaptability. It then helped tremendously they had a trigger man who could process it all and accurately deliver the ball. Sound familiar? It's what Drew Brees and his gang have been doing for over a decade. You then add pace and it accentuates matchups. It's what made Patrick Mahomes go from looking ineffective to looking like a master late in this year's super bowl.
 
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