Yesterday at the stadium I had a familiar frustration watching the team not be able to dominate what we all consider to be a vastly inferior opponent. For me it was an eerily similar feeling to the UCF game, which was also the second game of the season. Just like this year's Florida game, we were all enamored with the team and thought the sky was the limit after the first game against Hawaii. Just like the Florida game, we had a ton of concerns with Speight after Hawaii. The big difference in comparing game two last year to game two this year, is that Speight was the bright spot against UCF---and it wasn't even close. Here were Speight's numbers:
UCF (2016)
25 for 37
312 yards
4 touchdowns
Compare that to yesterday:
Cinci (2017)
17/29
221 yards
2 touchdowns
Where I think this gets interesting is a level deeper. If you look at Speight's numbers against UCF, the vast majority of his completions, yards and TDs were to three receivers: Darborh, Chesson and Butt:
Darboh: 5 catches, 111 yards, 2 TDs
Butt: 7 catches, 86 yards, 2 TDs
Chesson: 4 catches, 84 yards
Not surprising, right? He had massive trust and familiarity with those three. I have to believe that a big part of the issue right now is he's holding onto the ball until he's sure the receiver is in the right spot and that they're open, rather than throwing to the spot. Further, our frustration with him is only amplified by the two fumbles---one which was really, really bizarre and not likely to happen again.
Further, look at the rushing totals between game two last year and game two this year:
Against UCF (2016):
41 carries for 119 yards
2.9 ypc
Against Cinci (2017):
37 carries for 193 yards
5.2 ypc
To me, you combine this with the Florida game and the run game is very obviously headed in the right direction. Oddly, the result in the UCF game was a much better cosmetically looking score, 41-14, but quite frankly, should have been more alarming that our veteran OL couldn't run it on them. It was a sign of things to come. Whereas now, our OL is actually doing things. This is very positive.
For the offense as a whole---tons of things to fix. The OL has to get better at picking up twists. We probably have to do away with a RB by committee and make Ty the full-time guy. But to me, the biggest thing going forward is Speight gaining trust in his WRs and delivering the ball on time, which will improve his accuracy because the window to throw it in is larger, just harder to trust often for quarterbacks.
As Harbaugh said yesterday in his presser, this team needs experience and you can only get that by playing. I think fundamentally familiarity and trust on offense is exactly what he's referencing.
Quarterbacks and wide receivers getting on the same page when live bullets are flying takes time. Remember how well Jake Rudock was playing by the end of 2015? Remember how frustrating it was watching him play at the start of 2015? Even in the middle of 2015? He couldn't hit Darboh or Chesson deep to save his life. But then it clicked. The timing was there. He knew where they'd be and when they'd get there. And they knew when to accelerate and when to expect the ball. But when they did get it it was awesome.
It. Takes. Time.
I fully expect that same "light goes on" moment for Speight and the WRs. In fact, I think yesterday showed that Perry will be one of the three targets Speight will lean on the most. We need two others to develop a similar rapport. My bet is on McKeown and Black. Time will tell.
Some of you are probably also thinking, "yeah, he had a good game against UCF in 2016 but look what happened against Iowa, OSU and FSU." Yes, he had a terrible game against Iowa. It was the kind of game you'd expect from a Sophomore QB on the road. It sucked it happened. But it's the kind of game you get from a first-year starter. He's not a first year starter anymore and how now seen every kind of environment that makes you nervous. He just needs to get back to the same level of trust and familiarity with those around him and combine that with his knowledge of the offense and game experience. It just takes time.
Just give it time.
UCF (2016)
25 for 37
312 yards
4 touchdowns
Compare that to yesterday:
Cinci (2017)
17/29
221 yards
2 touchdowns
Where I think this gets interesting is a level deeper. If you look at Speight's numbers against UCF, the vast majority of his completions, yards and TDs were to three receivers: Darborh, Chesson and Butt:
Darboh: 5 catches, 111 yards, 2 TDs
Butt: 7 catches, 86 yards, 2 TDs
Chesson: 4 catches, 84 yards
Not surprising, right? He had massive trust and familiarity with those three. I have to believe that a big part of the issue right now is he's holding onto the ball until he's sure the receiver is in the right spot and that they're open, rather than throwing to the spot. Further, our frustration with him is only amplified by the two fumbles---one which was really, really bizarre and not likely to happen again.
Further, look at the rushing totals between game two last year and game two this year:
Against UCF (2016):
41 carries for 119 yards
2.9 ypc
Against Cinci (2017):
37 carries for 193 yards
5.2 ypc
To me, you combine this with the Florida game and the run game is very obviously headed in the right direction. Oddly, the result in the UCF game was a much better cosmetically looking score, 41-14, but quite frankly, should have been more alarming that our veteran OL couldn't run it on them. It was a sign of things to come. Whereas now, our OL is actually doing things. This is very positive.
For the offense as a whole---tons of things to fix. The OL has to get better at picking up twists. We probably have to do away with a RB by committee and make Ty the full-time guy. But to me, the biggest thing going forward is Speight gaining trust in his WRs and delivering the ball on time, which will improve his accuracy because the window to throw it in is larger, just harder to trust often for quarterbacks.
As Harbaugh said yesterday in his presser, this team needs experience and you can only get that by playing. I think fundamentally familiarity and trust on offense is exactly what he's referencing.
Quarterbacks and wide receivers getting on the same page when live bullets are flying takes time. Remember how well Jake Rudock was playing by the end of 2015? Remember how frustrating it was watching him play at the start of 2015? Even in the middle of 2015? He couldn't hit Darboh or Chesson deep to save his life. But then it clicked. The timing was there. He knew where they'd be and when they'd get there. And they knew when to accelerate and when to expect the ball. But when they did get it it was awesome.
It. Takes. Time.
I fully expect that same "light goes on" moment for Speight and the WRs. In fact, I think yesterday showed that Perry will be one of the three targets Speight will lean on the most. We need two others to develop a similar rapport. My bet is on McKeown and Black. Time will tell.
Some of you are probably also thinking, "yeah, he had a good game against UCF in 2016 but look what happened against Iowa, OSU and FSU." Yes, he had a terrible game against Iowa. It was the kind of game you'd expect from a Sophomore QB on the road. It sucked it happened. But it's the kind of game you get from a first-year starter. He's not a first year starter anymore and how now seen every kind of environment that makes you nervous. He just needs to get back to the same level of trust and familiarity with those around him and combine that with his knowledge of the offense and game experience. It just takes time.
Just give it time.
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