Why isn't Jamaal getting more touches?

Just curious as to why Jamaal isn't getting more touches? Especially in the passing game? I think he is being under utilized. Did any of you notice against Virginia he didn't start the first series of both the 1st and 3rd qtrs. Has anyone heard why?



I really think he could be used more in the passing game. I saw many times he curled out of the backfield and was wide open. In fact there was one series, I think it was their second series in the 1st, where Williams ran a pass route out towards the west side line and curled in behind Leslie and he cut to the middle, Taysom threw it to Leslie but Williams was wide open and if Taysom hit him Williams would have waltzed into the end zone.

I had the same thought, because it seems like the best way to stop Hill is to have 8 in the box, man up, and play the run/scramble. Having Jamaal as a hot read in the flat might go a long way to relieving the pressure we've been getting in the last two games.



In 2006, we played a lot of I formation, and on passing downs the backs would usually flare out into opposite flats. If Beck felt pressure, he'd turn and dump it off, and he'd do it fast. Curtis Brown subsequently led the team in receptions, because Beck had ankle injuries that made him even more immobile than normal and he needed to protect his health.

redneckjedi wrote:
I had the same thought, because it seems like the best way to stop Hill is to have 8 in the box, man up, and play the run/scramble. Having Jamaal as a hot read in the flat might go a long way to relieving the pressure we've been getting in the last two games.



In 2006, we played a lot of I formation, and on passing downs the backs would usually flare out into opposite flats. If Beck felt pressure, he'd turn and dump it off, and he'd do it fast. Curtis Brown subsequently led the team in receptions, because Beck had ankle injuries that made him even more immobile than normal and he needed to protect his health.

Did this a lot on the UConn (not to Jamaal obviously) game and was really hoping that meant we'd see more of it.



Need to re-instill it. There were a couple times against Virginia where Jamaal was literally waving his arms with a wide open field in front of him but Hill was either running or looking down field elsewhere.

Is this because Taysom is starting to fall into old habits, by looking at his first two reads and then takes off running? It seems to me he has been going through his reads pretty good and also I have been impressed this season so far, he isn't locking on one reciever, he seems to actually looks off the safety and gets more one on one situations for the recievers because of it.



I have also noticed the last two games, I wasn't able to watch the Texas game, but a lot of times Taysom has been throwing off his back foot. I saw it quite a bit during both the Houston and Virginia games, I don't remember him doing that last year, hopefully he isn't developing new bad habits.

Jamaal isn't a great pass catcher. It's the one thing he needs to improve on to be not just really, really good but great.



Our best pass catching RB has been out the last two games.



Having said that, Jamaal needs to start the halves on offense.

If he wants to improve catching he needs opportunities to catch it.

RBs in the passing game:



vs UConn: 11 catches on 14 targets for 92 yards 1 TD 0 INT 157.34 RER.

vs Texas: 5 catches on 7 targets for 52 yards 0 TD 0 INT 133.83 RER.

vs Houston: 4 catches on 4 targets for 22 yards 0 TD 0 INT 146.20 RER.

vs Virginia: 0 catches on 0 targets of 0 yards 0 TD 0 INT 0.00 RER.



If you're facing a fierce pass rush, shouldn't you be able to dump it off in the flats to RBs and on screens? This trend is going the wrong way.

SpiffCoug wrote:
RBs in the passing game:



vs UConn: 11 catches on 14 targets for 92 yards 1 TD 0 INT 157.34 RER.

vs Texas: 5 catches on 7 targets for 52 yards 0 TD 0 INT 133.83 RER.

vs Houston: 4 catches on 4 targets for 22 yards 0 TD 0 INT 146.20 RER.

vs Virginia: 0 catches on 0 targets of 0 yards 0 TD 0 INT 0.00 RER.



If you're facing a fierce pass rush, shouldn't you be able to dump it off in the flats to RBs and on screens? This trend is going the wrong way.

I agree with you Spiff and this is what I have been seeing. Although the last two games they did hold the RB in more to help block, but I saw Williams multiple time against Virginia out in the flat and most of the time open.



I know this has been said many times but this has been absent the last 5 years and I was glad to see BYU start to use it again.

This is actually an excellent question. Ultimately if falls on hill to discover that Jamaal was WIDE open in the flats a few times. I'm sure that will not go unnoticed on film by BYU or USU defense for the next game.



Speaking of RB receptions, what happend to that sweet option pass that Hill completed about 5-6 times vs UConn? know what I'm talking about? He would roll out and if the opportunity would basically throw a backwards pass to the RB who was 10-15 yards lateral to Hill. Hill was getting so much attention that usually the RB (usually brown) was wide open and got a good chunk of yards out of the deal.

BroncoBot wrote:
This is actually an excellent question. Ultimately if falls on hill to discover that Jamaal was WIDE open in the flats a few times. I'm sure that will not go unnoticed on film by BYU or USU defense for the next game.



Speaking of RB receptions, what happend to that sweet option pass that Hill completed about 5-6 times vs UConn? know what I'm talking about? He would roll out and if the opportunity would basically throw a backwards pass to the RB who was 10-15 yards lateral to Hill. Hill was getting so much attention that usually the RB (usually brown) was wide open and got a good chunk of yards out of the deal.

They completely stopped doing it. Haven't seen it the last three games.



So, that's either because they don't like running it with Jamaal, Hill is resorting to old habits, or Anae has forgotten all about it. Probably a mixture of the 3. But those that think the play calling is just fine need to go back and look at the plays that we're called in that Uconn game and the plays that have been called since. As Spiff points out, BYU has all but abandoned its RBs as pass options.



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I suspect we'll see more passes to the RB when Brown is back from injury. He seems to be Hill's favorite RB passing target.

scott715 wrote:
If he wants to improve catching he needs opportunities to catch it.

That is what practice is for. Also, JW has been nursing a sore knee. And who knows what consequences Bronco may be quietly meting out re the suspension regarding not starting.



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SpiffCoug wrote:
RBs in the passing game:



vs UConn: 11 catches on 14 targets for 92 yards 1 TD 0 INT 157.34 RER.

vs Texas: 5 catches on 7 targets for 52 yards 0 TD 0 INT 133.83 RER.

vs Houston: 4 catches on 4 targets for 22 yards 0 TD 0 INT 146.20 RER.

vs Virginia: 0 catches on 0 targets of 0 yards 0 TD 0 INT 0.00 RER.



If you're facing a fierce pass rush, shouldn't you be able to dump it off in the flats to RBs and on screens? This trend is going the wrong way.

It depends on whether you are keeping the backs in the backfield to help block. That reason was given as to why you did not see more of that last year. Comment was made after the UCONN game.



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Gunk wrote:

This is actually an excellent question. Ultimately if falls on hill to discover that Jamaal was WIDE open in the flats a few times. I'm sure that will not go unnoticed on film by BYU or USU defense for the next game.



Speaking of RB receptions, what happened to that sweet option pass that Hill completed about 5-6 times vs UConn? know what I'm talking about? He would roll out and if the opportunity would basically throw a backwards pass to the RB who was 10-15 yards lateral to Hill. Hill was getting so much attention that usually the RB (usually brown) was wide open and got a good chunk of yards out of the deal.

They completely stopped doing it. Haven't seen it the last three games.



So, that's either because they don't like running it with Jamaal, Hill is resorting to old habits, or Anae has forgotten all about it. Probably a mixture of the 3. But those that think the play calling is just fine need to go back and look at the plays that we're called in that Uconn game and the plays that have been called since. As Spiff points out, BYU has all but abandoned its RBs as pass options.



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Gunk. You started out on the right path. They do not have great confidence in JW as a receiver. Look at UVA last year. Not just the play that lost the game, but throughout that game. That is why I was surprised when they threw that pass to him last season in that situation. You also left out one possibility that someone above reminded and coaches have talked about. When your OL is over matched, you keep backs in to block. UCONN DL was way weaker than any since and Virginia had the best one of all.



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Keeping the backs in to block is one only option, and usually only helps if you're running plays that require more time in the pocket. You can also run a screen, or have hot routes like a swing pass to a back in the flat. Keeping the backs in buys you more time; having the hot routes makes it unnecessary to have more time. Different solutions to the same problem, and the effectiveness depends on your backs' blitz pickup vs. receiving skills.

Remember when: Anae said Jswagg would break Harvey Ungas rushing record this year?

Something isn't working. Maybe Anae is reserving JW for easier defenses. Maybe he hasn't been 100%. I really doubt the doled out discipline, theory.

But, BIB, what is your plausible explanation for why Anae went away from the screens with all the Stack in the box over the last few games. The UVA OC (Craig Fairchild) made BYU defense look silly with all the screens that kept working and working. I have to say that Gunks pessimism isn't unfounded. Where all those plays that worked well. I get Brown has been down, but Anae's colors have been and they ain't likely changin, to hell with all y'all, I'm running what i want. And please don't resort to the 4-0 non-sequitur non-sense.

Maybe Anae's preseason predictions of Go long and JW will break the record were just strategic sound bites dumped to the media to dupe not only the media but also upcoming opponents, bc we haven't seen much of either. What's up with that?

JSwag is nursing a sore knee and thus they try to manage the number of carries. JSwag is not a good receive thus they do not throw to him often. Finally, the only explanation as to why he would not be starting, would be some hand slap disciplinary action - not that it really matters who starts. It was announced way back in the beginning that the players suspended had weekly goals to meet and thus it would be a week to week situation with each of them.



When Alge Brown is back, the passes to him will return. He will not be on the field as much as he was at UCONN, with JW getting his reps, but that is why you saw it a ton week 1 when he was the featured back, less week 2 when JW started taking some of the reps, then nearly none since Brown went down.







Breaking the record this year went right out the window wwhen JSwag got suspended week 1.



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Cougs_Rule wrote:
Maybe Anae's preseason predictions of Go long and JW will break the record were just strategic sound bites dumped to the media to dupe not only the media but also upcoming opponents, bc we haven't seen much of either. What's up with that?

This is off topic, but I saw some go long Vs Virginia. Not sure if Anae said this before Kurtz went down and Blackmon got suspended, but defenses do have to cover the guys, even if Hill has to check down due to them being covered. Prior to the Virginia game, Bronco predicted that opponents would start having DBs inch up, and then BAM. And thus, Juergens - behind everyone - TD.



The reality is this. We have faster receivers than we usually have. However, they are not all that fast. They get caught from behind. They cannot just outrun good DBs. Fear not, we will be playing against less athletic DBs before the season is over. Our receivers have been covered deep. That makes the running game work better and short passes work better. BTW, Hill is less accurate when throwing deep. Juergens had to wait for that TD pass.



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stuckinbig10country wrote:
Jamaal isn't a great pass catcher. It's the one thing he needs to improve on to be not just really, really good but great.



Our best pass catching RB has been out the last two games.



Having said that, Jamaal needs to start the halves on offense.

Okay I see this comment made all the team on Cougar Corner, and I feel like I'm taking crazy pills or something. I know Jamaal had that infamous tipped pass in the Va game last year, but honestly I feel like Jamaal has great hands. I'm just basing this on all of the games I've watched and seeing him catch a lot of difficult throws, hard thrown balls, or even a combination of the two. I can hardly remember any instances of him not catching a ball he should have, but I can think of lots of spectacular catches that he has made.



Does everyone else know something I don't, or am I really just that oblivious! I love Jamaal's catching ability. Am I the only one? ***awaiting crickets***