While we certainly have some problems with our defense, the performance of the offense has been poor in many ways that were not really predicted. While our injury problems on the OL are well known, the line play has actually been better than many here predicted. The area where I believe we have really fallen flat is wide receivers. Certainly, all the elements of the offense affect each other, but the basic problem we have is that our wide receivers don't get open.
It is true that both KJ and Mills have missed open receivers. KJ did so at least twice against NU. It is also probably true that Shawvita is not willing to run many slow developing pass plays because the OL may not be able to hold the blocks long enough. However, unlike 2018, we do have a running game that is good enough to take some pressure off the passing game. The problem I see is that there aren't many instances of a wide receiver running free in the opponents secondary. Against Oregon, we ran lots of short stuff that didn't work well. Oregon showed how to defeat our passing game. Double Parkinson and play everybody else straight up. They aren't good enough to beat you. KJ being unable to throw long didn't help, but there weren't any guys open most of the time. OSU had a very poor secondary, so we did get a few opportunities, but not as many as one would expect.
As I see it, in 2018 our receivers didn't get open much either. However JJ was athletic enough and big enough to box out the defender and catch the ball. Irwin ran such good patterns he could beat single coverage, although sometimes the patterns took a while to develop. Irwin also wasn't small, so he could also fight for the ball. Kaden Smith was able out-body lots of linebackers. OSB was a good "third receiver" last year. He didn't get open much, but when he did, it was usually for a big gain. The main point is that you couldn't double one guy and shut down the passing game. The other guys were good enough to beat you if you relied on that approach.
This year the receivers aren't as big, but were supposed to compensate by being fast. Haven't seen that happen. Yes, KJ hasn't been perfect, but he hasn't had much to work with. We may potentially have better YAK this year, but that matters only if you get open to begin with to receive the ball. We aren't. We can't run bubble screens every play. The question was asked on this board regarding why we were recruiting wide receivers like mad when we had so many. I think we may now know why.
There may be reasons, such as bad route selection by the play calling, that our receivers aren't getting open. However, sometimes your athlete just has to beat their athlete. I haven't seen that happening. I would like to be convinced otherwise, but I think our real downfall this year is that we have a #3 receiver (OSB) and not much else playing wide-out.
It is true that both KJ and Mills have missed open receivers. KJ did so at least twice against NU. It is also probably true that Shawvita is not willing to run many slow developing pass plays because the OL may not be able to hold the blocks long enough. However, unlike 2018, we do have a running game that is good enough to take some pressure off the passing game. The problem I see is that there aren't many instances of a wide receiver running free in the opponents secondary. Against Oregon, we ran lots of short stuff that didn't work well. Oregon showed how to defeat our passing game. Double Parkinson and play everybody else straight up. They aren't good enough to beat you. KJ being unable to throw long didn't help, but there weren't any guys open most of the time. OSU had a very poor secondary, so we did get a few opportunities, but not as many as one would expect.
As I see it, in 2018 our receivers didn't get open much either. However JJ was athletic enough and big enough to box out the defender and catch the ball. Irwin ran such good patterns he could beat single coverage, although sometimes the patterns took a while to develop. Irwin also wasn't small, so he could also fight for the ball. Kaden Smith was able out-body lots of linebackers. OSB was a good "third receiver" last year. He didn't get open much, but when he did, it was usually for a big gain. The main point is that you couldn't double one guy and shut down the passing game. The other guys were good enough to beat you if you relied on that approach.
This year the receivers aren't as big, but were supposed to compensate by being fast. Haven't seen that happen. Yes, KJ hasn't been perfect, but he hasn't had much to work with. We may potentially have better YAK this year, but that matters only if you get open to begin with to receive the ball. We aren't. We can't run bubble screens every play. The question was asked on this board regarding why we were recruiting wide receivers like mad when we had so many. I think we may now know why.
There may be reasons, such as bad route selection by the play calling, that our receivers aren't getting open. However, sometimes your athlete just has to beat their athlete. I haven't seen that happening. I would like to be convinced otherwise, but I think our real downfall this year is that we have a #3 receiver (OSB) and not much else playing wide-out.