ChosenChildren
Well-Known Member
Wow, that kid looked great in the spring game. Big, tall, strong receiver who can run. I'm not sure we've had a weapon like this since McNutt or DJK.
Is Willies the X factor?
- Thread starter ChosenChildren
- Start date
HawkeyeMHA
Well-Known Member
I know he has zero production as of yet but body wise he reminds me of Ted Ginn jr for osu. Long legs, fast. Runs like a deer
ChosenChildren
Well-Known Member
Yes, he sure passes the eye test.
DP5555
Well-Known Member
Agreed. It's probably being a bit presumptuous, but I think he could actually have a higher ceiling than either of those guys. He appears to have McNutt's size and hands and DJK's ability to create separation. Plus he has a lot of football in front of him. Experience is only going to help him get better.
Like Kirk said in his post spring game interview... Willies is probably going to be the Spring Game sensation. He's created quite the hype for himself, but he still needs to go out and live up to it.
SheagleHawk
Well-Known Member
I'm really excited to see a lot of these younger guys get some PT this year. Sounds like we have some other weapons that we're not used to in Jonathan Parker and Akrum Wadley. Couple scat type backs with 4.4 speed. If the offense gels like it really could, Iowa will be a very dangerous team. Seems to be a huge upgrade in speed over just a few years ago.
I'm guessing Willies will be more like McNutt type player than a Ginn type player. I highly doubt Willies' speed is close to Ginn's. Willies looks like he has legit 6'3/6'4 size. Ginn was a burner. Ran 4.3 at the combine but isn't a big guy. Very skinny, listed at 5'11 or 6'0 depending on the media guide you're looking at. If Willies had that kind of speed there is no way he would have redshirted last year. He would have been running fly patterns and screens like Powell did.
Just hope we get our fastest guys on the field together. Weisman ok in certain situations (like goal line) but we really need more speed on the field consistently and find ways to get them the ball.
Knight78
Well-Known Member
According to Rivals, Willies had a 4.4 40 time coming out of high school.
http://sports.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Derrick-Willies-136088
Plus he ran a 54 second 400M hurdles and was a leg on the 4x100 and 4x200 teams that all finished well at Drake Relays when he was a senior in HS.
Willies reminded me of McNutt, but a bit quicker. Ginn was off the charts fast. What I like about Willies is his hands....that one seam pass he barely got his head turned, and CJ's pass was on top of him,and he still caught it. I thought that AJ Jones looked very similar, body-wise, sans 10lbs, to Willies. The pair of them would look like the Missouri WRs last year....long, and fast.
ArvadaHawk
Well-Known Member
From what I can put together, we are going to be more than solid at WR. Willies, T. Smith, Hilleyer, KMM, Vandeberg and others I can't recall names of right now. Hell, if KMM is your 3rd best receiver (which I believe he is behind Willies and T. Smith) and Hillayer is right there with KMM, that is pretty good. Let's just throw it when we can, run it when we can and not worry about 50-50 run/pass. I really, really, REALLY like how much they threw the ball on Saturday. Hopefully, we'll toss it around like that during the season, too.
WinOneThisCentury
Well-Known Member
You may want to put Powell in there too. Here's a guy that came to Iowa City on August 1st and contributed in the first game. He's now had a chance to learn the offense, get stronger, and really understand the game at this level. We have done a complete 180 on how we look at the skill positions from two years ago. Think about Smith, Willies, and Powell lining up in the same package with Kittle at the TE. Speed, speed, speed. Also, if you look at the secondary...there are three guys who can run, Fleming, Mabin, and Draper all fighting for the corner spot opposite King. Athletes boys, Athletes. There may be some growing pains in the secondary during the first four games, but just like last year...I expect it to be pretty tight by the 5th or 6th game. After watching Alston get out in the flat to flatten Bullock on a dump off pass in the spring game, well, I think we will be alright at middle linebacker with Morris gone.
I'm not saying the guy isn't fast. Judging by player and coach comments, he is. He very well could be the fastest player or at least one of the fastest guys on the team but Ted Ginn was one of the fastest players on the field in most games he played in, and that's saying something when you play at Ohio St.
I don't question his speed as much as the general comparison with Ted Ginn. Ginn = small, skinny, blazing fast. Willies looks well built, tall, and by accounts has good speed for Iowa.
Willies reminds me body frame wise more of a Clinton Solomon. But more athletic and faster. The kid is just plain fast. His arms look pretty skinny to me and another summer with Doyle should only help him. The DBs want to get their hands on him at the LOS and once he's stronger and better at getting off the jams look out. But to say he's the flavor of the week is an understatement. I love the idea of him Powell and Smith in there. With Canzeri coming out of the backfield in motion... If you want to spread the field there you go...
SpecialKHawk
Well-Known Member
+1
Could not agree more that the Willies to Ginn player comparison does not make sense.
Definitely excited about Willies and the skill positions in general.
