The next McCarron, Vandeberg, or Easley?

[uihawk82]

Say what you want about these guys but they have been very productive. I have read a lot of bashing on them over the years even before they had a chance to prove themselves. My son will tell you I was high on Vandeberg after the last few games of 2014 and the taxslayer blowout. The guy ran great routes, got open, and had great hands (we missed him, CJ missed him after his 2016 injury).

McCarron had really good speed. I really like seeing B Smith getting his 3 or so catches a game, an occasional deep ball, etc. ISM I hope can develop better skills to get open with his small frame but very good speed.

But we need another slot possession receiver like a Hinkle, some of our great TEs, etc. So who is our new slot possession receiver next year?

 

[Stanzi]

Cooper for obvious reasons

 

[uihawk82]

Cooper for obvious reasons

Is Tracy more of a split end wideout speedster or a slot possession type receiver?

And what are the obvious reasons you mention about Cooper?

 

[LGEND24]

Is Tracy more of a split end wideout speedster or a slot possession type receiver?

And what are the obvious reasons you mention about Cooper?

Tracy seems more like a possession receiver with speed to me.

 

[deanvogs]

I think that Tracy will be replacing Easley in the slot. I am actually cautiously optimistic that Iowa will actually have some playmakers at WR on the field with Smith, ISM, and Tracy.

 

[uihawk82]

I think that Tracy will be replacing Easley in the slot. I am actually cautiously optimistic that Iowa will actually have some playmakers at WR on the field with Smith, ISM, and Tracy.

And I hope if we have a solid 2 or 3 WRs that are definitely better than the 2nd string that we dont have our 2nd team WRs on the field a lot next year. You dont see a lot of pro receivers going to the sideline to get a breath. they want the ball.

 

[BVHawk95]

Seconded on Tracy. Guy's HS tape was electric. Though if we are able to flex him out wide that would open the door for Cooper, who has legit speed, or Ragaini, who's impressed the coaches.

 

[uihawk82]

Seconded on Tracy. Guy's HS tape was electric. Though if we are able to flex him out wide that would open the door for Cooper, who has legit speed, or Ragaini, who's impressed the coaches.

This is good stuff from several people. Hope to hear more in this thread and it makes me feel like we might have some good options on pass routes next year. I hope Nate and other QBs are throwing a lot of passes to all these WRs in Iowa City this summer

 

[uihawk82]

I also hope Nate sends a lot of his passing tape to a guru and spends some time with said guru because Nate may have just a few mechanical flaws that can be fixed. I am no guru but I have noticed his windup is different sometimes, maybe a little loopy rather than just ball high and straight back past his earhole then throw it.

 

[BVHawk95]

I think we're seeing WR play and recruiting return to the levels of KOK's tenure. It was never outstanding, minus guys like DJK, McNutt, Hinkel, Mo Brown, and some others I'm sure I forgot, but it was solid enough when they weren't getting themseles kicked out of school. Especially compared to the GD era where we squandered guys like Tevaun Smith and KMM with a horrible route tree and a WR recruiting philosophy that tried to fit square pegs into round holes.

 

[MikeyLikesIowa]

I think ISM needs to start carrying a football around with him around campus. If he can fix his fumblitis he'll be a star.

 

[David79]

Tracy will take Easley's place with Ragaini as his back up. Cooper will back up ISM. And Lockett will back up Smith.
Tracy, Smith and Smith-Marsette have a chance to be a really good WR corp next year.

 

[pythagoras]

I think ISM needs to start carrying a football around with him around campus. If he can fix his fumblitis he'll be a star.

What are you talking about? He lost 1 fumble all season as a WR.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

Tracy will take Easley's place with Ragaini as his back up. Cooper will back up ISM. And Lockett will back up Smith.
Tracy, Smith and Smith-Marsette have a chance to be a really good WR corp next year.

If I had any money I'd bet on this being what goes down. Tracy got a lot of reps in bowl game. His HS tape was pretty impressive with all the things he could do. I expect him to get a lot of touches next yr.

 

[MikeyLikesIowa]

What are you talking about? He lost 1 fumble all season as a WR.

This is true, but he clearly needs to carry the ball more securely - especially with his will to be airborne. His kickoff return fumble in the Outback Bowl is a great example of how not to carry the ball.

 

[BVHawk95]

This is true, but he clearly needs to carry the ball more securely - especially with his will to be airborne. His kickoff return fumble in the Outback Bowl is a great example of how not to carry the ball.

Eh I think it was more the decision to hurdle in the first place than it was his carrying. Fortunately I think he's got a short memory as his next returns were solid again.

 

[4thngoal]

I think we're seeing WR play and recruiting return to the levels of KOK's tenure. It was never outstanding, minus guys like DJK, McNutt, Hinkel, Mo Brown, and some others I'm sure I forgot, but it was solid enough when they weren't getting themseles kicked out of school. Especially compared to the GD era where we squandered guys like Tevaun Smith and KMM with a horrible route tree and a WR recruiting philosophy that tried to fit square pegs into round holes.

Agreed. I think we are finally starting to see progress in the wr room. That says a lot, as it was in shambles. They have work to do, but you have to admit players and coaches are starting to get it done.

A bigger question might be, now that we have some wr's starting to look like wr's, does #2 qb start getting some snaps with the #1's? We are going to have a Sr qb and this fall I expect be it in practice or mop up time, we will get a glimpse at our future behind center.
Pretty exciting really. We get to see what the future center and qb look like and how they play together.
I'll say it again. 2019 is full of opportunity with this program. Let's hope everyone makes the best of it.

 

[RobHowe]

Tracy received about a dozen reps in the slot in the Outback.

I think it's his spot to lose. Cooper and Ragaini are the other contenders.

 

[IowaLawWasRight]

First off, Cooper saw a heck of a lot more snaps this year than Tracy (he was even in there often times INSTEAD of 1st team all Big 10 Noah Fant, for reasons unknown). Cooper was in street clothes at the Outback Bowl, so I would imagine that is why we saw more of Tracy.

Just as I hated to see Smith get so much pre-season hype before his freshmen & sophomore years only to see him disappoint, I hate to see Tracy get so much hype now. The guy has a grand total of 1 catch in his career, and that was in mop up time. Tracy's next best scholarship offers last year were Bowling Green and Ball State.

Until the Hawks can improve upon their embarrassing recruiting at the WR position, we cannot expect any better than Easely type players who are serviceable but will never be top 1/2 of the Big 10 caliber players.

Tracy received about a dozen reps in the slot in the Outback.

I think it's his spot to lose. Cooper and Ragaini are the other contenders.

 

[RobHowe]

First off, Cooper saw a heck of a lot more snaps this year than Tracy (he was even in there often times INSTEAD of 1st team all Big 10 Noah Fant, for reasons unknown). Cooper was in street clothes at the Outback Bowl, so I would imagine that is why we saw more of Tracy.

Just as I hated to see Smith get so much pre-season hype before his freshmen & sophomore years only to see him disappoint, I hate to see Tracy get so much hype now. The guy has a grand total of 1 catch in his career, and that was in mop up time. Tracy's next best scholarship offers last year were Bowling Green and Ball State.

Until the Hawks can improve upon their embarrassing recruiting at the WR position, we cannot expect any better than Easely type players who are serviceable but will never be top 1/2 of the Big 10 caliber players.

"Often"?

First, you might want to go back and watch the season again. Cooper was hurt for most of it. I think he played in five games.

Second, Iowa wasn't going to burn Tracy's redshirt with Easley, Smith and ISM being healthy and taking the majority of the reps at WR. He played more than anybody else in the slot besides Easley in the Outback because it was just his fourth game.

Thirdly, Tracy had offers from Illinois, Indiana, Louisville, Northwestern and Syracuse.

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