This was an interesting game. It wasn't particularly pretty. UM left a lot of points on the field for one reason or another. These aren't in any particular order.
First, whoever said the coaching staff doesn't have confidence in Cade should re-watch this game. Cade was asked to make throws in some big situations on third downs. In the 4th quarter, particularly, he was deadly accurate on these and engineered two consecutive scoring drives with a third using clock before Moody's go-ahead FG. Haskins first TD was an RPO where he gave it off despite two wide open receivers (and I mean WIDE OPEN). Giving it was the correct read based on the DE but looking at the coverage, he had every right to decide to pull and throw pre-snap. Talk about unselfish football.
Second, Haskins is a man. He doesn't have breakaway speed but his size and motor is a weapon at that position. He willed himself to some first downs that Corum wasn't able to. This isn't a dig on Corum, just a different skill set for a different player.
Speaking of Corum, I'd like to see some more swing passes to him in space. He's not likely to get tackled by the first guy and has the potential to break it every time he touches it with his speed. The delayed release for the TEs worked really well. They can build this concept in for Corum and Edwards, too.
Back to Cade, he has the tools. His consistency seems to be more of an issue than his talent. This was his worst game by far throwing the deep ball. He's thrown average to great ones up to now and limits his overthrows where he doesn't even give his WRs a chance. He missed one to Baldwin Saturday and Sainristil made a well above average effort on another. The deep out in the 3rd qtr to CJ was NFL caliber. That was great recognition of the coverage, an anticipatory throw and on target. Then he totally misreads a coverage on the pick (this gets an asterisk, NEB DE was heinously offsides and it wasn't called). Great job making the tackle and then coming back to lead a TD drive on his next series. Consistency (more on this later).
Baldwin...I'd love to see him compete a bit more for contested catches. The one at the back of the end zone wasn't the best throw as Cade could've led him more but that's a big time moment and left points on the field. Later, he let another DB knock a ball down on a corner route. The ball was slightly underthrown but he had more than enough time to adjust his route and at least go up and try to make a play. Not a good effort there. He also didn't give a good effort on a 50/50 ball where NEB was offsides and Cade tried his best Brett Favre impression to chuck it and see if his WR could make a play or draw a flag. He also made a couple plays making guys miss after the catch and picking up first downs. Then, he would drop a ball that hit him in the chest. Again, consistency.
OL was incredible. The only two TFL with two backup guards were a sack and JJ losing yards on his read option on UM's last series? That's insane. Speaking of JJ's read option, that play had no chance. JJ is reading the end who crashes inside and JJ keeps. This is a correct read. Why did the DE crash inside? NEB was blitzing the OLB from that side who was lined up wide and he had contain responsibility. Good play call from NEB to counter what UM was doing that play. Gattis is going to have to sprinkle in playaction or RPO when JJ comes in for his package or this should be an auto-check for a defense playing UM with what they've put on film the last couple games.
Defense. Big difference a half can make. NEB did a great job scheming in the second half, to include an illegal formation to get a TD. After getting punched in the mouth a few times, making two huge stops on consecutive series late in the 4th takes guts. They did a great job stepping up when they had to after facing some serious adversity.
The consistency piece...
I'm beginning to wonder whether or not the coaching staff made a mistake sitting Cade as much as they did early in the season. He didn't have much experience to begin with. He played a solid second half vs Rutgers last year. He gets hurt on his second series of his first start, tries to tough it out but can't. In the Western game, it's only his second real start and third time with real experience. He sits most of the second half. Then, he throws 5 times in the second half of the WA game (the hit may have had something to do with this). Then, he sits the second half of NIU. These kids haven't been playing the game for eons. They aren't 10 year pros who don't need a training camp to get into game shape or catch up to the speed of the game. These are kids still learning the intricacies of the game. Every rep matters as an experience moment, coaching moment and learning moment. That's one more coverage diagnosis, one more read, one more throw. If an offense averages 70 offensive plays a game then lets talk roughly 35 snaps a half (I get that this is a simplification and doesn't always work out this way). Over several games, this is potentially 100+ live reps now deprived of your starting quarterback in his first season of starting at the college level. Whether or not you buy into the 10,000 hour rule, these 18-22 year old kids have a long way to go to even approach that. The point I'm trying to make is consistency comes with repetition. This is because you eventually gain enough experience you begin to think ahead of the game as you know what's about to happen. You know when a receiver is going to break open. You know when you are going to catch a defender flat footed. You know when a receiver needs to be "thrown open." This, in turn, lets you play faster and be decisive. You don't get this by studying football or sitting the bench. You only get this by playing, in games, where the speed of the game is different. If you don't get your starting QB the requisite reps, you shouldn't expect the consistency that comes with the reps you voluntarily removed from his experience. I get the opposing argument, have your backup ready or develop a package for him if he has a unique skill set separate from your starter and he's too good to keep on the sidelines. This shouldn't come at the expense of your starting QB when both guys lack experience. If Cade is going to be your starter and the guy you rely on to make a play when you really need it, he needs as many looks as he can get.
First, whoever said the coaching staff doesn't have confidence in Cade should re-watch this game. Cade was asked to make throws in some big situations on third downs. In the 4th quarter, particularly, he was deadly accurate on these and engineered two consecutive scoring drives with a third using clock before Moody's go-ahead FG. Haskins first TD was an RPO where he gave it off despite two wide open receivers (and I mean WIDE OPEN). Giving it was the correct read based on the DE but looking at the coverage, he had every right to decide to pull and throw pre-snap. Talk about unselfish football.
Second, Haskins is a man. He doesn't have breakaway speed but his size and motor is a weapon at that position. He willed himself to some first downs that Corum wasn't able to. This isn't a dig on Corum, just a different skill set for a different player.
Speaking of Corum, I'd like to see some more swing passes to him in space. He's not likely to get tackled by the first guy and has the potential to break it every time he touches it with his speed. The delayed release for the TEs worked really well. They can build this concept in for Corum and Edwards, too.
Back to Cade, he has the tools. His consistency seems to be more of an issue than his talent. This was his worst game by far throwing the deep ball. He's thrown average to great ones up to now and limits his overthrows where he doesn't even give his WRs a chance. He missed one to Baldwin Saturday and Sainristil made a well above average effort on another. The deep out in the 3rd qtr to CJ was NFL caliber. That was great recognition of the coverage, an anticipatory throw and on target. Then he totally misreads a coverage on the pick (this gets an asterisk, NEB DE was heinously offsides and it wasn't called). Great job making the tackle and then coming back to lead a TD drive on his next series. Consistency (more on this later).
Baldwin...I'd love to see him compete a bit more for contested catches. The one at the back of the end zone wasn't the best throw as Cade could've led him more but that's a big time moment and left points on the field. Later, he let another DB knock a ball down on a corner route. The ball was slightly underthrown but he had more than enough time to adjust his route and at least go up and try to make a play. Not a good effort there. He also didn't give a good effort on a 50/50 ball where NEB was offsides and Cade tried his best Brett Favre impression to chuck it and see if his WR could make a play or draw a flag. He also made a couple plays making guys miss after the catch and picking up first downs. Then, he would drop a ball that hit him in the chest. Again, consistency.
OL was incredible. The only two TFL with two backup guards were a sack and JJ losing yards on his read option on UM's last series? That's insane. Speaking of JJ's read option, that play had no chance. JJ is reading the end who crashes inside and JJ keeps. This is a correct read. Why did the DE crash inside? NEB was blitzing the OLB from that side who was lined up wide and he had contain responsibility. Good play call from NEB to counter what UM was doing that play. Gattis is going to have to sprinkle in playaction or RPO when JJ comes in for his package or this should be an auto-check for a defense playing UM with what they've put on film the last couple games.
Defense. Big difference a half can make. NEB did a great job scheming in the second half, to include an illegal formation to get a TD. After getting punched in the mouth a few times, making two huge stops on consecutive series late in the 4th takes guts. They did a great job stepping up when they had to after facing some serious adversity.
The consistency piece...
I'm beginning to wonder whether or not the coaching staff made a mistake sitting Cade as much as they did early in the season. He didn't have much experience to begin with. He played a solid second half vs Rutgers last year. He gets hurt on his second series of his first start, tries to tough it out but can't. In the Western game, it's only his second real start and third time with real experience. He sits most of the second half. Then, he throws 5 times in the second half of the WA game (the hit may have had something to do with this). Then, he sits the second half of NIU. These kids haven't been playing the game for eons. They aren't 10 year pros who don't need a training camp to get into game shape or catch up to the speed of the game. These are kids still learning the intricacies of the game. Every rep matters as an experience moment, coaching moment and learning moment. That's one more coverage diagnosis, one more read, one more throw. If an offense averages 70 offensive plays a game then lets talk roughly 35 snaps a half (I get that this is a simplification and doesn't always work out this way). Over several games, this is potentially 100+ live reps now deprived of your starting quarterback in his first season of starting at the college level. Whether or not you buy into the 10,000 hour rule, these 18-22 year old kids have a long way to go to even approach that. The point I'm trying to make is consistency comes with repetition. This is because you eventually gain enough experience you begin to think ahead of the game as you know what's about to happen. You know when a receiver is going to break open. You know when you are going to catch a defender flat footed. You know when a receiver needs to be "thrown open." This, in turn, lets you play faster and be decisive. You don't get this by studying football or sitting the bench. You only get this by playing, in games, where the speed of the game is different. If you don't get your starting QB the requisite reps, you shouldn't expect the consistency that comes with the reps you voluntarily removed from his experience. I get the opposing argument, have your backup ready or develop a package for him if he has a unique skill set separate from your starter and he's too good to keep on the sidelines. This shouldn't come at the expense of your starting QB when both guys lack experience. If Cade is going to be your starter and the guy you rely on to make a play when you really need it, he needs as many looks as he can get.
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