WR Room

Teddy

Teddy

Well-Known Member
It seems to be turned around. K. Brown probably has a higher ceiling than K. Johnson-and Kaleb B seems excited to play-not going to malinger a season away. Anderson might or not be as athletic as Bruce IV but it sounds like Seth can play receiver better than Bruce IV-who is now irrelevant anyway. Vines is back and uninjured, and he looked good by the end of the season-watch the bowl game. Nico is Nico. There are scholarship players on the bench. The entire situation has improved.

With a proven high percentage passer throwing the ball I think we will see a major turnaround from the last couple seasons.

If this scenario plays out Iowa is going to see many more normal fronts rather than overload the line of scrimmage with the knowledge that the Iowa QB was not going to burn them.
 
I hope you're correct, but I'm afraid McNamara's mobility is going to be compromised for much of this year, and if I'm an opposing coach, I'm bringin' the heat early and often. And if he gets knocked out for a game, or longer, there's no reason for teams to hold back -- especially if the statue that is the Wisconsin transfer is playing. I mean, wow.
I AM looking forward to next year, tho, after McNamara and these WRs have a full year together under their belts.
 
I am old and cynical. I saw what Iowa did with WR's like Charlie Jones or ISM and all their potential. I simply refuse to believe Iowa is any good at unlocking a WR's full potential. I hope I am proven wrong this year but nothing in Iowa's recent history suggests that any Iowa WR will have a stellar year this year. Again I hope I am wrong.
 
Grady said:
I hope you're correct, but I'm afraid McNamara's mobility is going to be compromised for much of this year, and if I'm an opposing coach, I'm bringin' the heat early and often. And if he gets knocked out for a game, or longer, there's no reason for teams to hold back -- especially if the statue that is the Wisconsin transfer is playing. I mean, wow.
I AM looking forward to next year, tho, after McNamara and these WRs have a full year together under their belts.
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That's really all we have seen for at least three years. The line will be better, although the degree of the improvement is unknown. The line cannot be as bad as last season.

Two superb (if All is healthy) TEs provide a safety valve and the receivers are targets that can get open behind the TEs.

McNamara's mobility will be enhanced because that's fairly new at Iowa. Cade is much more agile that Nate and especially the P & P show. Cade can roll out and step up into throws, and he's accurate. I think this offense is going to burn those 7 or 8 guys sprinting toward into the backfield. Think back to how many open receivers P & P either missed seeing or missed the throw; and the receivers this season are going to be better than last season. Barring injury, the top 4 are better than the top 4 guys who played. It wasn't easy to double team Sam, and for most of the season Petras was locked in on Sam like an F35 heat seeking missile and never looked anywhere else. So those teams that think they're playing Iowa 21-22 are really going to more like playing Iowa 2015 or 2019.

As for receivers, Copeland recruited better almost every year. Smith-Marsette and Brandon Smith were low graded 3* and Smith-Marsette is still on an NFL team in his second year, I think? He developed that rat Jones into an NFL caliber receiver. Charlie caught a lot more balls in the high-volume passing Purdue games but did he improve significantly as a receiver? Then we bring in three high quality recruits with Johnson, Brecht and Bruce IV. Got nothing out of Brecht-baseball money and injuries. Nothing out of Johnson-either a malingerer or as brittle as fine Dresden china. Bruce IV made a ton of mistakes and did not really develop as a wide receiver, although a QB with better field vision would have made more out of Bruce IV.

I think next season will be a 10-2 regular season, more likely 11-1 than 9-3. With the offense scoring at least twice as much as the offense scored last year (which would only be a 28.3 ppg average) Iowa is going to be a tough out. Win all the home games-that's 7 wins. Beat ISU-likely give their recent decapitation. That's 8. NW is going to be a blow out, that's 9. Split with Bucky and the Bugeaters and that's 10 wins. I think we take Bucky this year and Nebraska so 11-1 will not surprise me.

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Teddy said:
It seems to be turned around. K. Brown probably has a higher ceiling than K. Johnson-and Kaleb B seems excited to play-not going to malinger a season away. Anderson might or not be as athletic as Bruce IV but it sounds like Seth can play receiver better than Bruce IV-who is now irrelevant anyway. Vines is back and uninjured, and he looked good by the end of the season-watch the bowl game. Nico is Nico. There are scholarship players on the bench. The entire situation has improved.

With a proven high percentage passer throwing the ball I think we will see a major turnaround from the last couple seasons.

If this scenario plays out Iowa is going to see many more normal fronts rather than overload the line of scrimmage with the knowledge that the Iowa QB was not going to burn them.
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I always had the impression that Bruce was overrated. Did he really show anything during his time at Iowa?
 
We don't need the WR room to all of sudden start producing all conference guys and NFL draft picks. That is not what Iowa does and probably never will under KF.

We just need competence in blocking, route running and catching balls that hit their hands. Finally, we need a couple guys that can at least make a DC somewhat concerned that they can run an aggressive 9 route a few times a game and make the catch when they do. I think we have the guys that can do all that. I agree with the OP that the room is clearly more talented and stable than the last couple of seasons. Now, that is what it appears before the season starts. Let's see where it goes. Whether Copeland's fault or not, the coaches clearly lost that room last year through attrition, injuries and head cases. But, sometimes you have to sheer the rose bush to make it bloom.....
 
MelroseHawkins said:
I always had the impression that Bruce was overrated. Did he really show anything during his time at Iowa?
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He flashed a couple times is all. Our O and everything just makes it so damn tough to evaluate WRs honestly. I mean we had no clue Charlie Jones had that in him. I'd have lost the farm if you'd have bet me he'd catch 100 balls with 1300 plus yards and 12 Tds at Purdue. What could ISM or Brandon Smith had done in Purdues system? Or Tevaun Smith. I felt like we under used all those guys big time.

We'll never find out the answer on Bruce though he's toast he can't play college ball anymore. I wonder if he was compromising games with us or not. He was betting a lot it looked like.
 
Hawkfnntn said:
He flashed a couple times is all. Our O and everything just makes it so damn tough to evaluate WRs honestly. I mean we had no clue Charlie Jones had that in him. I'd have lost the farm if you'd have bet me he'd catch 100 balls with 1300 plus yards and 12 Tds at Purdue. What could ISM or Brandon Smith had done in Purdues system? Or Tevaun Smith. I felt like we under used all those guys big time.

We'll never find out the answer on Bruce though he's toast he can't play college ball anymore. I wonder if he was compromising games with us or not. He was betting a lot it looked like.
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Legit point. it's just been a hot mess. I think all knew Jones was going to be impactful at Purdue, but as you point out, not on that level. I just can't understand why the QB play to the WR is so difficult at Iowa, especially for the length of time. It's to the point of odd actually. As someone else pointed above, one would think you'd fall into a player or receiver at some point, someone who goes on to have a decent NFL career.

We hare years out from f'ing Danan Hughes for gawds sake. They have to figure that chit out.
 
MelroseHawkins said:
Legit point. it's just been a hot mess. I think all knew Jones was going to be impactful at Purdue, but as you point out, not on that level. I just can't understand why the QB play to the WR is so difficult at Iowa, especially for the length of time. It's to the point of odd actually. As someone else pointed above, one would think you'd fall into a player or receiver at some point, someone who goes on to have a decent NFL career.

We hare years out from f'ing Danan Hughes for gawds sake. They have to figure that chit out.
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For sure. If you'd have told me he'd go for 60 catches 700 yards and 6 Tds I'd have said maybe to that and not been as surprised. But even still that woulda surprised me to an extent. And that's one hell of a good season for a WR to have. Yet he doubled all that pretty much. Unreal hats off to him impressive as hell. Purdues system and roster lent itself to him having the opportunity to do it but he still had to go do it.

I kinda thought Keenan Davis and McNutt both woulda had more of a cup of coffee in the NFL then they did. Bigger guys good hands. McNutt was plenty fast enough and knew how to use his body. Just didn't work out for them either.
 
Hawkfnntn said:
For sure. If you'd have told me he'd go for 60 catches 700 yards and 6 Tds I'd have said maybe to that and not been as surprised. But even still that woulda surprised me to an extent. And that's one hell of a good season for a WR to have. Yet he doubled all that pretty much. Unreal hats off to him impressive as hell. Purdues system and roster lent itself to him having the opportunity to do it but he still had to go do it.

I kinda thought Keenan Davis and McNutt both woulda had more of a cup of coffee in the NFL then they did. Bigger guys good hands. McNutt was plenty fast enough and knew how to use his body. Just didn't work out for them either.
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I'm not sure he was fast or nifty enough for NFL d-backs though. The d-backs in the NFL are all on such a different level. Think that every damn one of them was a superstar D-back on a college team. Think of an entire leagues loaded with the Cooper Dejeans of the world.
 
MelroseHawkins said:
I'm not sure he was fast or nifty enough for NFL d-backs though. The d-backs in the NFL are all on such a different level. Think that every damn one of them was a superstar D-back on a college team. Think of an entire leagues loaded with the Cooper Dejeans of the world.
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That's where his body came into play. He and Davis both were like 6'3 215 which is significantly bigger then the corners they went up against. Yeah he wasn't out running anyone but by me saying he was fast enough I just mean in the sense that he could run NFL routes with NFL Qbs and use his body to make himself open enough.
 
Hawkfnntn said:
That's where his body came into play. He and Davis both were like 6'3 215 which is significantly bigger then the corners they went up against. Yeah he wasn't out running anyone but by me saying he was fast enough I just mean in the sense that he could run NFL routes with NFL Qbs and use his body to make himself open enough.
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That's the point I guess, they were much bigger but the speed and quickness wasn't there secondary to that. Most likely they had difficulty creating separation to be effective enough for the NFL.

Side note. Keenan is actually a current position coach for our HS football team. He also coached basketball as well and will prob again this year, I presume. Heck of a guy, it seems.
 
The game has evolved at the WR position in college and pros. Guys like Chris Carter and Jerry Rice were not burners. Carter was actually quite slow. But, they ran great routes, and used their body, hands and size to dominate small corners. Corners and safeties have gotten bigger the last 10-15 years. With the rise of the pass catching TEs like Kelcey and Gronk, a lot of the inside body positioning type catches go there. WR anymore is all about speed. Whether its a smaller guy like Hill or a long strider like Chase.

McNutt was a great college baller, but he came along about 10 years too late for what the NFL wants. ISM has a shot because he can fly.
 
NorthKCHawk said:
The game has evolved at the WR position in college and pros. Guys like Chris Carter and Jerry Rice were not burners. Carter was actually quite slow. But, they ran great routes, and used their body, hands and size to dominate small corners. Corners and safeties have gotten bigger the last 10-15 years. With the rise of the pass catching TEs like Kelcey and Gronk, a lot of the inside body positioning type catches go there. WR anymore is all about speed. Whether its a smaller guy like Hill or a long strider like Chase.

McNutt was a great college baller, but he came along about 10 years too late for what the NFL wants. ISM has a shot because he can fly.
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Agree. Also as most recall, McNutt really came in as a QB and transitioned, which he actually was very successful at doing.

Wondering what is happening to that big receiver that IA State had the last few years. Is he still trying to land in the NFL? Can't remember his name. He may have the same issues.
 
MelroseHawkins said:
I always had the impression that Bruce was overrated. Did he really show anything during his time at Iowa?
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Not nearly as much as expected, part of which is the QBs fault. Bruce IV had yet to develop good separation from DBs. Unfortunately, the QBs failure to see him when he was out loose with LBs cost Iowa quite a few yards and 1st downs. Bruce IV never had very good hands. I guess we'll never know the extent of Bruce IV's skills 'cuz he is not playing again.
 
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Seth Anderson

He is the guy under the radar that everyone is raving about. I'm putting my eggs in his basket. A small guy that can make plays in space, sign me up everytime. Ragini will lead the receiver group statistically, I think Seth will be the guy that has 20 catches and gives you 15 yards per catch.
 
MelroseHawkins said:
Wondering what is happening to that big receiver that IA State had the last few years. Is he still trying to land in the NFL? Can't remember his name. He may have the same issues.
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Lazard? I'm sure Rodgers will find him a couple times this season when he isn't looking for Wilson or that rookie that's getting some hype on the "Aaron Rodgers Show"...er...I mean, "Hard Knocks".
 
dagdaj said:
Lazard? I'm sure Rodgers will find him a couple times this season when he isn't looking for Wilson or that rookie that's getting some hype on the "Aaron Rodgers Show"...er...I mean, "Hard Knocks".
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No not him. The player that was just there the last couple years. Campbell was really recruiting tall WR's.
 
haydensly said:
Hakeem Butler?
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Dude did well for the Battlehawks. I must admit, it was tough cheering for a Cyclone. But, cheer I did. He showed flashes of brilliance. Also, seemed like there were balls he could've caught. But, it's the XFL. It's all timey wimey wibbly wobbly. You're just never sure what you're looking at, so hard to judge. Pretty sure he got a shot with someone like Pittsburgh or Baltimore this year, but got released.
 
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