Looking at Potential Playing Time for Hawkeye True Freshmen
- Thread starter RobHowe
- Start date
To me unless the players ahead of them are head and shoulders above them then there's little reason to NOT at least see what they got. Get their feet wet. I think the tap dancing coaches will do is how much do you play them early and then later in the year. Do you try and not have them play in more than that 3rd game so you can 'save' them for the bowl game and still have that extra year? Otherwise your just in same position as always with them now.
It's great that he is. Some other LB needs to besides Jones and Nieman. And being who he is having started full bore in January it probably shouldn't surprise us a ton. Needless to say he knows his way around the weight room and can't have the wide eyed look most incoming freshman have being around the day to day aspect of it all.
WinOneThisCentury
Well-Known Member
I'm hoping Tracy has a better chance. We need a guy who is a threat after they catch it too. Our WRs haven't shown an ability to get much after the catch...that's a missing piece right now. Think about it...who have you seen at WR that, after they caught it, put pressure on the secondary in trying to tackle them. I'm trying to think of one play right now from last year where a guy caught it and made significant yards after the catch.
ISM definitely has that potential. We didn't get to see it a ton last year because he did not have that many catches, but he has a lot of elusiveness to go with his speed.
Rewatch Easley highlights and you will see some RAC. Not ultra-elusive in the mold of Wadley or ISM, but he is quick and strong. Can make a cut and beat a DB around a corner or stiff-arm them for extra yards.
WinOneThisCentury
Well-Known Member
Like I said, not much action after the catch. Trust me, I'm ok with guys just catching what is thrown at them. That's a good thing. Wadley out of the backfield made play after play catching the ball. It would be nice to have a wide receiver bring that to the table.
It's not a knock on ISM and Easley at all. They are good receivers and I think Easley is underrated. He runs great routes and he doesn't drop anything...or almost anything.
Marvin McNutt comes to mind...he would catch a crossing pattern and he could house it. He was a handful after the catch. Ronnie Harmon as a freshman playing in the slot...fun to watch.
It's not a knock on ISM and Easley at all. They are good receivers and I think Easley is underrated. He runs great routes and he doesn't drop anything...or almost anything.
Marvin McNutt comes to mind...he would catch a crossing pattern and he could house it. He was a handful after the catch. Ronnie Harmon as a freshman playing in the slot...fun to watch.
#1DieHardHawk
Well-Known Member
I agree about Tracy.
I have a bit of a gut feeling that the coaches are slow-playing his situation a bit to keep him under the radar. I wouldn't be surprised to see him as a regular contributor this season, assuming he learns the playbook and keeps his grades in order.
RobHowe
Administrator
I really like Tracy and his chances to become a good player. I do wonder why folks think he's the missing piece right now at receiver.
TT played a hybrid RB position in high school and has never been a full-time receiver. He's not a super fast kid.
I watched him at the Opening Chicago in '17 and think he has excellent potential. I do think he's going to need some time getting used to being a full-time receiver.
TT played a hybrid RB position in high school and has never been a full-time receiver. He's not a super fast kid.
I watched him at the Opening Chicago in '17 and think he has excellent potential. I do think he's going to need some time getting used to being a full-time receiver.
I think you are really underselling ISM. He averaged 40 yds/rec as a senior in high school. He has a serious ability to stick his foot in the ground and change directions. I would characterize him as much more elusive than McNutt, though McNutt had many other attributes that made him awesome.
See Rob's profile of ISM when he committed:
https://www.hawkeyenation.com/recruiting/__trashed-2
#1DieHardHawk
Well-Known Member
He's not a burner, no, but he's a playmaker with the ball, and that's something we haven't had much of at the WR position the last 20 years.
Speaking for myself, I personally don't see him as a "missing piece" per se, more as someone who brings a little different skill set. I don't think he'll be a star breakout performer as a freshman, but I wouldn't be surprised if the coaches have specific packages designed to get him in space this season (again, just a gut feeling). If it happens, we'll see if he takes advantage of the opportunity, or goes the route of other promising athletes under Kirk that flashed then were off the team for whatever reason.
WinOneThisCentury
Well-Known Member
Explosive plays, we need them. I'm not knocking our current receivers. ISM has potential and I hope he adds that kick return mentality after he catches a pass. I'm just saying there wasn't much YAC last year in our WR corp. There didn't appear to be alot of concern with defenses about ISM getting the ball in the flat and breaking something down the field. I'm not saying he can't do it. I'm saying he hasn't done it...yet. I also think Easley has the potential to do more after the catch too.
The reason for singling out Tracy was that he's going to have a much different mindset if he gets the ball with some space around him...since he was a RB too. The fun begins after the catch for him.
I wasn't selling anyone short. I'm saying we need guys to make plays after they catch the ball...we just didn't see much of it last year other than the usual magic from Wadley.
The reason for singling out Tracy was that he's going to have a much different mindset if he gets the ball with some space around him...since he was a RB too. The fun begins after the catch for him.
I wasn't selling anyone short. I'm saying we need guys to make plays after they catch the ball...we just didn't see much of it last year other than the usual magic from Wadley.
HawkeyeWalker
Well-Known Member
A huge part of YAC is route scheme, ball placement, increasing the number of chaces, and of course actually catching the ball first. I actually believe we have, and have had wrs with YAC ability... in my humble opinion we have lacked more in the four things mentioned above. Look no further than R McCarron...4.3 speed...finally caught a ball..in space...in stride...and ran away from 4 defenders that had an angle.
I'm not saying we don't need more wr talent, we absolutely do, I simply believe we underutilize or misutilize the receiver talent we have...and have had.
We haven't had that elite guy that can create yac(Wadley could) at wr. But teams everywhere have success with wr talent equal or less than Iowa.
Scheme, ball placement, more attempts. A guy can dream.
GesterHawk
Well-Known Member
Step 1: Throw ball
Step 2: Catch ball
Let's not worry about the rest until they have mastered this.
Step 2: Catch ball
Let's not worry about the rest until they have mastered this.
Was that Smith blocking downfield throwing his arms up signaling TD? That'll be worth it's weight in gold if he and others are able to do that in both the running and passing game.
As far as the looking for a playmaker type goes. We haven't really had that type of guy since DJK have we? Those years we had both he and McNutt had to be the most scariest for other teams. To have a guy that can be effective running every route of the route tree like DJK could and be a big play threat is pretty much what every team is looking for. Along with receivers that compliment them. I kinda thought Tevaun Smith coulda been that guy but for whatever reasons be it the QBs he had or playcalling he was a really hit or miss home run threat and that was about it. Which at this point is kinda what ISMs career is shaping up as early on...
As far as the looking for a playmaker type goes. We haven't really had that type of guy since DJK have we? Those years we had both he and McNutt had to be the most scariest for other teams. To have a guy that can be effective running every route of the route tree like DJK could and be a big play threat is pretty much what every team is looking for. Along with receivers that compliment them. I kinda thought Tevaun Smith coulda been that guy but for whatever reasons be it the QBs he had or playcalling he was a really hit or miss home run threat and that was about it. Which at this point is kinda what ISMs career is shaping up as early on...
This may be nit picking but I'd kinda like to see the unnecessary diving into the endzone get curtailed. Be it flags or chance at getting hurt or fumbling prior to crossing I think I'd like if the coaches could maybe emphasize them to not do that in those situations..
I'm with you on this one, but fall practices are brutal as it is. I remember living for these moments when you get the chance to celebrate because no one is going to flag you. The worst you'll have is extra sprints at the end of practice. I love the energy and I love the camaraderie.
The only things I don't love are the defense losing contain and that he could have hurt himself with the flip. But it appeared to be well in control landing on his bum instead of with his legs in a dangerously unpredictable position.
