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'26 Spring Practice Thread: 26 March Coach Rhule available briefly (5-10 min), followed by OL Coach Geep Wade and 3-4 players.
- Thread starter Red Reign
- Start date
I realize this is about Barney, but I found this interesting:
It seemed to me during the season that, whether by design or circumstance, Raiola's attempts where largely short range passes. This may have been due to no one getting open downfield, but I had a sense that Raiola's accuracy suffered on long range attempts. I'd like to see completion % rates by zone-short, mid, and long range. My guess is that his long range completion rate was relatively low, not because Barney et. al. weren't open, but because coaches and/or Raiola weren't confident in his long range accuracy and opted for safer, shorter passes. There's also a chance, and this is subjective, as you said, that Raiola opted for shorter range passes to pad his stats.
Among WRs, Barney led in Receptions with 45, was 2nd in total yards with 484. While he was 6th Y/C, there were only 3 WRs that had more than 9 receptions: Barney (45,) Hunter (43,) Key (39.) (If you don't want to limit the number of receptions to greater than 9, our best WR, Hunter, was 4th in Y/C.) Barney was actually last in Y/C in that group, but that's not a major knock against him, IMO.
[Edit: my source for stats is SportsReference.]
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I liken it to several factors. We cant ignore DRs clock in his head wasnt good, and our O line wasnt stellar. By design or preference a quick passing game was in order, and if the majority of the calls were for quick passes, while he did make them at a high rate, hurries and sacks were stacking up even so.
DR having a year to sit is the best thing thats happened to him, even with a potential great line in Oregon.
Unashamedly, I cheered the Bluffs on for this very reason. Vivid memory
Very interesting facts and comments ...my first reaction was the downfield passing game lacked WRs who could win 1-on-1 battles and create separation. I agree the O-Line did not help in regard to creating time to pass downfield.
Its hard to debate whether the team went away from deep passes because of (1) QB inaccuracy or because there was (2) a lack of time or because (3) the WRs couldn't gain separation. I sincerely doubt QBDR was simply trying to pad stats.
I would also argue the clock in QBDR's head is due to the amount of time he felt he had from a protection perspective.
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I am a huge proponent that WR footwork is imperative ... being efficient and explosive.
- Go watch Jeremiah Smith or Makai Lemon ... their footwork is 1-2-3, plant foot, explosive and sharp cut. Emphasis on efficiency and explosiveness. When they cut their cuts are sharp. When they cut their first step is explosive (cover large distances quickly).
- Then go watch Barney. His footwork is 1-2-3-4---maybe 5, plant foot is often the wrong foot (inside vs outside), his cuts are banana cuts (not sharp, not straight-line). He relies on his natural speed to try and create separation rather than using his leg strength and core to fuel that separation.
All i know is Barney is one tough dude! Took monster hits and always popped right back up!
Agree with you about his toughness.
Another reason to stop throwing so many screens and running so man jet sweeps ... propensity to get hit is higher!
He seems to relish it lol!
THIS … is why I think our run game will be fine.
There is no EJ walking through that door but what we get is going to be good enough IMO.
This year will likely be the classic RB by committee year. With the new offensive line, a QB that makes defenses stay honest and can spread the ball around, and good development and coaching from what looks to be a really good RB coach, I am warming up to the possibility of a respectable room.
