stuckincincy Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 Good write-up. Spread widens evaluation gaps NFL DRAFT By Joe Reedy, Cincinnati Enquirer, March 29, 2009 "Evaluating players for the NFL Draft is always tricky for pro teams as offensive schemes come and go in the college game. In the 1970s and '80s, the option and the wishbone were in vogue; in the '90s, it was the run-and-shoot. Now the spread offense - a high-powered attack used by teams such as the UC Bearcats - is the latest style to cause fits for NFL personnel directors. This year's draft class features the greatest number of players who have spent their college careers in the spread."... Full article... http://news.cincinnati.com/article/2009032...0376/1066/SPT02 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 Thanks, Cincy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Jose Bills Fan Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 Thanks Cincy. Simon needs to read this article. He is very skeptical that the spread offense creates difficulties for talent evaluators...especially when evaluating wide receivers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 Thanks Cincy. Simon needs to read this article. He is very skeptical that the spread offense creates difficulties for talent evaluators...especially when evaluating wide receivers. I think you continue to mis-understand what Simon has said regarding route running...but that's just IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Jose Bills Fan Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 I think you continue to mis-understand what Simon has said regarding route running...but that's just IMO. Perhaps. I'll read his post again. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Jose Bills Fan Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 I'd be really interested to hear about these new routes in the NFL that aren't used in college and nobody runs until they become a pro. I don't see how this has anything to do with the bizarre notion (at least imo) that they have to learn new routes when they reach the NFL. It's not like they come into the league and suddenly learn of the existence of the Z-out and the skinny post. Their route trees are no different in the NFL than they were in college, or HS for that matter.If it's more difficult to evaluate them in spread offenses (which I don't necessarily dispute) it's more likely due to the fact that they're rarely pressed, their competition is inferior and they're usually working in the kind space they won't see in the NFL. Insinuating somebody is struggling because they're just learning to run post-corners and chair routes that they've never run before strikes me as extremely silly. The article states: While receivers have seen their stock rise due to the spread, there are some questions about whether they can overcome the learning curves associated with NFL playbooks. Because spread routes are mainly about running to a spot and getting open, most receivers in the spread have not truly mastered their position. So coaches don't know if a player can do a curl or an out route. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 Because spread routes are mainly about running to a spot and getting open, most receivers in the spread have not truly mastered their position. IMO, the difficulty of playing WR in the NFL is that many (if not the majority) of the routes rely on sight adjustments and/or recognition of DB responsibilities AND being on the same page with the QB. That's a mental thing that takes time to master, unless the WR has some God given raw talent advantage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 The article states: While receivers have seen their stock rise due to the spread, there are some questions about whether they can overcome the learning curves associated with NFL playbooks. Because spread routes are mainly about running to a spot and getting open, most receivers in the spread have not truly mastered their position. So coaches don't know if a player can do a curl or an out route. I think Simon is right on this one. The routes are the same (for the most part), it's adjustments, reads, the ability to deal with faster/stronger/better defensive backs, the ability to block on running plays, etc, that makes the evaluation so tough. NFL playbooks are different than those in college, especially the spread, even though the routes are, for the most part, similar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LynchMob23 Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 A lot of the spread routes are just drags or a Smash concept to one side - because of that, the receivers don't learn what a lot of teams (Cal for instance) teach their receivers in terms of pro route running. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fingon Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 I think Simon is right on this one. The routes are the same (for the most part), it's adjustments, reads, the ability to deal with faster/stronger/better defensive backs, the ability to block on running plays, etc, that makes the evaluation so tough. NFL playbooks are different than those in college, especially the spread, even though the routes are, for the most part, similar. You both are terribly wrong. The spread offense does NOT use routes similar to the ones used in the NFL.\ Usually, he runs to spots. He'll run only a couple of routes on the traditional NFL route tree. And he won't run many long-developing routes. Routinely, wide receivers that play in a spread offense aren't going to be polished in terms of separating from tight coverage. http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=524792 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fingon Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 INDIANAPOLIS … The rise of the spread offense in college football is adding variables to the already dicey job of scouting in the NFL. The spread attack was a big topic of conversation this week at the NFL Scouting Combine because NFL teams don't run the spread the way colleges run it. Scouting college players today is difficult because of where the college game has gone,‘ said Bills offensive coordinator Turk Schonert. You can see this guy is athletic, this guy is fast, this guy has good hands. But as far as technique goes, it's not the same. Sometimes receivers are very limited in the routes they run,‘ Schonert said. You look a couple years ago, Calvin Johnson [the No.‚1 overall pick in 2007] ran basically about three routes. He didn't do a lot. There's a lot of uncertainty when you take guys. You're taking guys for their speed and athleticism. You think they can do it and sometimes you're wrong. I think it's gotten harder and harder for scouts and coaches to judge.‘ It's a view with which every NFL executive agreed. http://www.buffalonews.com/452/story/588382.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 On a side note, this morning on Sirius NFL radio, they were discussing the possibility that we will see more and more of the spread in the NFL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerball Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 On a side note, this morning on Sirius NFL radio, they were discussing the possibility that we will see more and more of the spread in the NFL. Yeah, why not? One of the main deterrents has been teams not wanting to get thier QB killed, but, when you can only touch a QB between the neck and lower thigh and you can't finish off a tackle on him what's to lose? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts