A lot of BYU fans are wavering on their support for a QB this week. That is not what I'm waffling though. The thing that I am considering the most this week for BYU is the utilization of McKay Jacobson on the field.
This season, he has lined up almost exclusively as the inside, slot, or H receiver. After watching the complete ineffectiveness over two games of O'Neill Chambers and Luke Ashworth, it is clear that Jacobson is the best, and perhaps only good, WR on the team. O'Neill Chambers is the big, tall, strong receiver, but he can't get separation from a defensive back. Luke Ashworth is the precise route-runner with the hands, but those are stone hands right now. Jacobson is the leading returning WR in yards, yards/catch, YAC, and tied for TDs. He has been thrown to a grand total of 7 times this season, only 4 of them catchable balls, and he caught 3 of them. I would have to go re-count, but I think 5 of them were from Heaps and only 2 from Nelson.
Why is it that Nelson seems to avoid his best receiver? Well, the slot receiver in BYU's offense runs a lot of crossing routes, slants, digs, with the occasional wheel or seam route. The only route of those that Riley Nelson is ever going to throw is the seam route. He won't throw a crossing or slant route over the middle in a 3-step drop because you usually have to rifle it between LBs and he doesn't have/trust the arm. He won't throw a dig, deep hitch, or wheel route in a 5-step drop because he takes 5 steps, looks at his primary receiver (who should always be Jacobson anyway, but is usually an outside receiver) and takes off running if that guy is not open.
Why can't Heaps seem to find Jacobson? Well, he did hit him in the hands on his wheel route against Washington. However, Heaps struggles, as a lot of young QBs do, with the short passing game. He really loads up to throw that short ball and doesn't want to miss high. As a result, he usually short-hops him. He hasn't had a lot of 5-step drops yet this season to hit him on the dig, deep out, etc.
On the other hand, the outside receivers run a lot more "safe" routes for Nelson. They run outs, hitches, fades, and post patterns. They are less likely to get intercepted and require more touch or finesse and less cannon. The outside receivers also tend to be primary targets on 5-step drops, so Nelson looks at one of them and checks down to a RB before becoming a RB.
I like the POSSIBILITIES with Jacobson as the slot receiver. He gets matched up with LBs and safeties, and he owns those matchups. He has a chance in space and can break big plays, as he did on a couple of plays last season (see his 80-yard TD against Florida State and his 79-yarder against Wyoming). But if you don't have a QB that will or can get him the ball, you have to put him in the spot where he CAN get the ball. He should be getting 3 catches every two quarters, not 3 catches every two games. If I were an offensive coordinator, I wouldn't focus as much on who the QB is so much as I would on how the QB can get his biggest potential playmaker on offense the ball. If that means moving him outside, MOVE HIM OUTSIDE!
Amen!! McKay is our best skill player. He is also the only one to consistently get seperation from DBs. He is a mismatch wherever he lines up, so put him on the outside. Him having 0 touches is unacceptable.
ReplyDeleteKevin