WR Situation, Passing More, Recruiting and More
This week Sam Webb has been banging the drum about how little we're using the WRs. Perhaps that's because we're planning on passing all over Piscataway and he knows it, and he wants to look like a genius :) Perhaps it's because he has legitimate concerns about our ability to recruit and keep on the roster top WRs and QBs, as he's indicated, because of our run heavy offense. He's indicated it's a factor in the Jaydn Davis's recruitment and has mentioned it enough times to make me think there's some concern internally about keeping WRs on the roster.
Coming into the season we thought the offense would carry us, Corum would be good, and the deep and talented WR room would show out if McCarthy won the starting job.
So far this year, our main WRs are at:
- Ronnie Bell > 482 yards > 39 catches > 1 TD
- Roman Wilson > 250 yards > 17 catches > 2 TD
- Cornelius Johnson > 232 yards > 16 catches > 3 TD
- Andrel Anthony > 73 yards > 6 catches > 0 TD
- AJ Henning > 60 yards >. 6 catches > 0TD
Our trio of freshman look to be headed for redshirts? Or if not aren't getting any run, combining for 3 catches.
At this point in the season, we've thrown for 1,790 yards vs running for 1968 yards.
About 60% of our offensive plays have been runs, vs 40 % of our plays are passes.
A lot of these WR stats came in the first three games as well (except for Ronnie Bell).
Looking around the top teams, Ohio State has thrown for 2,542 yards (+752 yards), Tennessee is at 2827 yards (+1037), Georgia has thrown for 2625 yards (+835 yards). OSU has two WRs with nearly 50 catches each, Tennessee has one nearing 50 catches and their top 5 pass catchers are all WRs, and Georgia's top receiver is TE Brock Bowers, and they have two other non-WRs in their top 5 with another TE and RB getting many catches.
Overall is looks like top teams give the ball to their best players - Bowers for UGA, the WR duo at OSU, Blake Corum at UM,
So - is this a real problem? Are we just maturing into a "Wisconsin But Talented" offense? Will we see WRs show out the last few games of the season? Will we just keep taking what the defense is giving us? How would feel if we settle into this identity and end up with game manager QBs and above average but not elite WRs? What's your prediction for this week in Piscataway - any WRs have a 100 yard game?
November 4th, 2022 at 5:55 PM ^
As I’ve said ad nauseum If you look at the teams in the post-BCS era, the ones that win championships have several things in common offensively. They can all run the ball well. That’s table stakes. But they also have an extra gear in the pass game that allows them to either fight their way back when down by a lot or completely overwhelm their opponents. Moreover, it is not something they just do when the run isn’t working or to mix things up. It is integral to their gameplan and identity and they are happy to pass to set up the run. Michigan doesn’t do that and so far does not show the ability to do so consistently. That and supperior d-line play was the big difference between us and Georgia last year and us and OSU most recent years. If we are smart we will learn something and try to emulate some of their better traits.
And yes, this offensive philosophy and the winning it engenders is why Bama, Georgia, and OSU have a higher recruiting ceiling on QBs and WRs.
November 4th, 2022 at 7:48 PM ^
Top athletes from the south will come play for Michigan to play QB in a run heavy offense. Denard was going to go to Florida to play CB but Michigan recruited him to play QB. Lots of players would come if given a real shot play QB. Recruit one or two every year. Play them in a rotation similar to RBs. This is Tony Annese QB philosophy. Michigan doesn't need an exotic passing attack. Go all in on what we do well. Compliment it more with athletes at QB.
November 4th, 2022 at 8:13 PM ^
Clemons had already played in at least 5 games.
November 4th, 2022 at 8:28 PM ^
I wonder if OSU is making this same observation about their lack of rushing this year and that their recruiting could suffer because of it. The answer is no. I am pretty sure recruits know who Harbaugh is and his WR recruiting has not suffered yet.
November 5th, 2022 at 12:32 AM ^
There are other schools using this sentiment to negatively "recruit" against us as we speak. Use your imagination as to what the quotation marks mean. FerGodSakes!
November 5th, 2022 at 9:22 AM ^
A wise man once said the only stat that matters is points at the end of the game.