How do you fix the passing game?

[Jason Svoboda]

The passing game is in dire straits right now.

The Sycamores are now ranked 109th of 121 teams in passing averaging a paltry 140.25 yards passing a game. Perish is ranked 78th in the country at passing efficiency and we don't have one receiver averaging more than 3 catches per game -- Mardis and Spencer lead the team averaging 2.62 catches per game. Michael Mardis leads the team in receiving averaging 35.5 yards per game.

Considering Spencer is out for the rest of the year with his broken foot and Riley's status is unknown after hurting his shoulder, the Sycamores are running out of experienced bodies at the receiver position. We've had 5 players catch 10 or more passes including Spencer and Riley with Mardis and Spencer both having caught 21 balls, Lawshe 18, Bell 15 and Riley 14.

If I were pegged to improve it, I'd like to see more slants, WR bubble screens and even that double TE screen we've used successfully against Indiana and others this year. Even just sitting Mardis down in the middle of the field for a 5-7 yard gain would do wonders towards keeping drives alive. So how do you fix the passing game?

 

[SycamoreStateofMind]

I say bring Myles Walker into the passing game. You already know he can block - I'd like to see someone try and tackle him.

Need to run more screen plays - WR bubble screens and little TE mis directon screens we ran a few times this season and some dump off passes to Bell and Cheese - how hard is that? Those are just like runs if you can execute.

 

[STATE Fan 95]

Agree. What good passing team does not use their TE. Cheese should be used more next week. Not that SD will be a walk in a park but Bell deserves a little bit of a break.

 

[bent20]

We've used Mardis, Wozniak and Gykos quite a bit, so I don't think it's a matter of using our TEs and short passes more. We didn't pass a lot yesterday, but I though we looked pretty good when we did. We had some nice conversions. Hurts to have Spencer and Riley down, but we still have some weapons. Short passes are still a must. We go deep on occasion to keep defenses honest, but we really haven't connected on many long balls all year. We need to keep doing what we're doing and build consistency.

 

[IndyTreeFan]

From what I've seen this year, our receivers need to catch the darned ball! I've seen innumerable times where Perish's pass was right on the money, and our receivers just didn't catch it. Sometimes it seems I as though our receivers have wood blocks for hands!!! :bigsmile:

 

[Jason Svoboda]

We've used Mardis, Wozniak and Gykos quite a bit, so I don't think it's a matter of using our TEs and short passes more. We didn't pass a lot yesterday, but I though we looked pretty good when we did. We had some nice conversions. Hurts to have Spencer and Riley down, but we still have some weapons. Short passes are still a must. We go deep on occasion to keep defenses honest, but we really haven't connected on many long balls all year. We need to keep doing what we're doing and build consistency.

Woz and Dikos have a combined 13 catches. Here are the receiving stats:

http://web1.ncaa.org/mfb/2012/Internet/ranking_summary/2012000000305recv.html

 

[Gotta Hav]

How about nothing but 10 yard passes or less.

Nothing but Button hooks, slants, down and outs, down and ins....dump passes to the the tight end over the middle.....and various types of passes to the backs on the left side and then right side out of the backfield..

once we are successful on those...then maybe just maybe, try some at 15 yards, and work up from there.

These are coaches decisions to make.....I don't believe changing quarterbacks is the answer.

 

[bent20]

Woz and Dikos have a combined 13 catches. Here are the receiving stats:

http://web1.ncaa.org/mfb/2012/Internet/ranking_summary/2012000000305recv.html

But our receiving leaders, Mardis and Spencer, each have 21, so it's not a terrible discrepancy. O'Leary looked good yesterday, too, and while Lawshe didn't have a bid day, he was close to connecting on some deep balls, which is good enough to keep a defense honest. Don't get me wrong, our passing game needs work and won't get us far if we make the playoffs if it doesn't improve, but we connect on some nice longer (10-15 yard) plays yesterday that give me hope. And I guess that's all I'm saying here, with a sophomore QB, I see room for improvement for sure, but I also see potential.

 

[Greene Co.]

From what I've seen this year, our receivers need to catch the darned ball! I've seen innumerable times where Perish's pass was right on the money, and our receivers just didn't catch it. Sometimes it seems I as though our receivers have wood blocks for hands!!! :bigsmile:

Going to agree with this one. Catch more passes! Not insulting anyone just saying the passes look good on the radio. The only live game I have seen is the opening game at IU.

 

[bent20]

I agree dropped passes have been an issue, but they weren't a big factor yesterday.

 

[SupportTheSyc's]

When I think about fixing something I think of something not working or broke and I don’t think our passing game is broke. Yes we can get better, but the fact is we are winning and that’s all that matters. Yes, we all love to see the long ball for big gainers, but realistically not many teams are doing that. As for dropped passes, we had a few early on but haven’t seen many in recent games. We have some good possession receivers that catch the shorter routes. We’ve been executing when the plays are called.

Mike is getting more comfortable back there and throws a great long out ball. As we get in to colder weather, it will be more and more important to stick with short “pitch and catch” type routes keeping linebackers honest and taking some load off of #22.

 

[Greene Co.]

When I think about fixing something I think of something not working or broke and I don’t think our passing game is broke. Yes we can get better, but the fact is we are winning and that’s all that matters. Yes, we all love to see the long ball for big gainers, but realistically not many teams are doing that. As for dropped passes, we had a few early on but haven’t seen many in recent games. We have some good possession receivers that catch the shorter routes. We’ve been executing when the plays are called.

Mike is getting more comfortable back there and throws a great long out ball. As we get in to colder weather, it will be more and more important to stick with short “pitch and catch” type routes keeping linebackers honest and taking some load off of #22.

Heck, I'll agree with this one too! I personally like the short routs. First downs and long clock eating drives with a score at the end.

 

[Jason Svoboda]

We've had some very fortunate situations allow us to win ball games. Our offense, if Bell doesn't put up significant numbers, struggles. The team relies an awful lot on our defense and special teams to create turnovers or create short fields. Luckily, it has worked out this year but there are some alarming numbers if this team is going to be a legit conference champion or playoff contender.

One number I always like looking at is 3rd down conversions. Our third down conversion percentage is among the worst in the nation. We've had 107 third downs and only converted on 28 -- 26.2%. So nearly 75% of the time, we're going 3 and out. That is a sign that we're finding ourselves in 3rd and long or can't get tough yards when we need to.

 

[new sycamore fan]

All of this has much more to do with the play calling than the QB play. The insistence on the 25-30 carries per game is on the coaches, not the execution of the players. The thing I look the most at? Turnovers (and the lack of from the QB, and from Bell this year). We had some huge turnovers last year, a couple of which cost us games, and a couple that could have. Now we are the ones with the plus turnover ratio, and it shows in the record. Perish has a higher completion percentage, and less turnovers than Fouch last year. And he is a Sophmore, not a Senior. He could do more if the coaches allowed him to. I don't know why people this year are lamenting the absence of downfield plays, when last year we attempted far too many downfield plays. The fact of the matter is that we do not have a downfield threat at WR, but we do have some good possession receivers--use them more that way, and use Wozniak more. Yes, I do think the passing game could be better, but is it it bad shape--no!

 

[IndyTreeFan]

All of this has much more to do with the play calling than the QB play. The insistence on the 25-30 carries per game is on the coaches, not the execution of the players. The thing I look the most at? Turnovers (and the lack of from the QB, and from Bell this year). We had some huge turnovers last year, a couple of which cost us games, and a couple that could have. Now we are the ones with the plus turnover ratio, and it shows in the record. Perish has a higher completion percentage, and less turnovers than Fouch last year. And he is a Sophmore, not a Senior. He could do more if the coaches allowed him to. I don't know why people this year are lamenting the absence of downfield plays, when last year we attempted far too many downfield plays. The fact of the matter is that we do not have a downfield threat at WR, but we do have some good possession receivers--use them more that way, and use Wozniak more. Yes, I do think the passing game could be better, but is it it bad shape--no!

I think you'll find a lot of people on this board who will agree with your assertion that our play calling leaves a lot to be desired. I was very optimistic after the IU game that we'd found out how to be more diverse, or as a certain gentleman I sit next to at the ball games says, "Hey! They looked at the bottom of page 1 of the playbook!!!" That certainly hasn't proven to be the case very much this season. We are very predictable...

 

[bent20]

I think it can also be argued though that one of the reasons we're turning the ball over less is because we're not throwing that much. Not only does that mean fewer interceptions, but fewer opportunities to be sacked and to fumble the ball. I agree we have to improve the passing game if we want to contend for conference titles and a national title, but it's hard to do when your pass protection has been shakey at times and you're missing two of your best receivers.

Another point to consider is that we're not that much different than anyone else. For the most part, the MVC is an old school football conference. There are several good defenses and most teams prefer to run.

 

[TreeTop]

One number I always like looking at is 3rd down conversions. Our third down conversion percentage is among the worst in the nation. We've had 107 third downs and only converted on 28 -- 26.2%. So nearly 75% of the time, we're going 3 and out. That is a sign that we're finding ourselves in 3rd and long or can't get tough yards when we need to.

Careful on saying that 75% of the time we're going 3 and out, not true, because those 3rd down conversions that we don't make could be after we'd already gotten a few first downs and drove the ball 30 yards before blowing the 3rd down conversion.

With that said, 26% success rate is horrendous. Maybe some dump off passes on 1st down and 2nd down could help us avoid those 3rd and long situations.

And not to jinx Perish (who I'm a pretty big fan of at this point), but throwing only 5 interceptions through 8 games is pretty fantastic.

 

[Jason Svoboda]

Careful on saying that 75% of the time we're going 3 and out, not true, because those 3rd down conversions that we don't make could be after we'd already gotten a few first downs and drove the ball 30 yards before blowing the 3rd down conversion.

That's what I get for posting at 1am. Definitely not what I meant but you're right about it being terrible. It ranks us 116th out of 121 teams. The FCS average for 3rd down conversions is 38.5%.

http://web1.ncaa.org/mfb/natlRank.jsp?year=2012&rpt=IAA_team3down&site=org&div=IAA&dest=O

 

[TreeTop]

That's what I get for posting at 1am. Definitely not what I meant but you're right about it being terrible. It ranks us 116th out of 121 teams. The FCS average for 3rd down conversions is 38.5%.

http://web1.ncaa.org/mfb/natlRank.jsp?year=2012&rpt=IAA_team3down&site=org&div=IAA&dest=O

I know better, to know that you know we're not 3 and out 75% of the time

But yeah, if I only saw the stat of 26% 3rd down conversion rate, and nothing else, I would guess it's a team that's only won 2 or 3 games at best.

 

[mohoops247]

Interesting stat that I just pulled from the Gameday Notes for this week: ISU is 0-2 this year when passing for 200 yards or more in a game. Maybe we don't need to fix the passing game.....haha.

Honestly I think that is just a fluke and I think it would definitely help our overall offense if we can get a little more of a passing attack going, but it is something to think about.