Michigan receivers diving for catches
As much as I wanted to avoid it, I had to take a quick look at MGoArchive's torrent of yesterday's game. Rudock's interceptions have already been overanalyzed, but the missed deep balls stood out to me.
Both Chesson and Darboh had deep balls thrown to them that were within an arm's reach, but were deemed as overthown by Rudock. Sure they probably would've been on Sportscenter Top 10 Plays because of the difficulty, but neither receiver even attempted to dive/lay out for the ball. The ball would've at least hit their hands.
From a hyped up fan watching the game, that takes it from "Rudock you f*%#in idiot" to "Wow that would've been/was an incredible catch" and I have more confidence in Rudock. Considering the 20 mph winds, the altitude, and lack of practice they weren't bad deep balls.
**Pics &Video embed below**
I remember growing up watching Terrell, Edwards, Avant, etc making spectacular diving grabs, or at least attempting to.
I guess my question is this a lack of effort, fear of injury? And also when was the last time we saw a great diving catch. I can't seem to remember the last one (granted I've tried to block most of the last 7 years out)
EDIT: The point of the thread wasn't to debate whether it was catchable or not, but I was genuinely curious why I can't remember the last time a Mich receiver even attempted to make a diving catch.
September 4th, 2015 at 9:55 PM ^
Except after "c" or when sounding like "a".
I wouldn't do this but it seems to be part of the sport.
September 4th, 2015 at 10:22 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
September 5th, 2015 at 2:07 AM ^
I think I have an answer:
People admitted that this team was behind the eight ball but kept a notion in the back of their minds that Harbaugh would fix it all in one stroke, that the talent was all there and that a few weeks of good coaching and practice would reverse it all, and turn this team into the team that it is on paper, in terms of Rivals recruit rankings.
Ultimately, this is a team of talented but not great athletes who have been poorly developed. They will continue to get better, but will not be great this season.
I thought it was telling that MGoBlog's writers basically all predicted a victory Thursday. There was too much excitement not to. But ultimately, Harbaugh is stuck on the sidelines, and it's up to the players to perform well enough to win. As Brian said presciently on Thursday, it's going to take a while to wash the Hoke out.
September 4th, 2015 at 9:51 PM ^
September 4th, 2015 at 11:19 PM ^
September 4th, 2015 at 9:49 PM ^
September 4th, 2015 at 9:51 PM ^
Ten yards or more be worthy of an Olympic medal?
I don't know but I'm just sayin'.
September 4th, 2015 at 9:52 PM ^
September 4th, 2015 at 9:59 PM ^
On the first one, Rudock got face planted and had to get rid of it early.
On the second one, Chesson burned his guy and then he slowed slightly for some reason and then sped up once he saw the ball in the air. Had he not slowed he may have gotten to it.
These were not that far off from hitting for TDs. It is just a matter of timing.
September 4th, 2015 at 9:59 PM ^
September 4th, 2015 at 10:16 PM ^
They will have beaten no one worthy of a ranking. Now, if they beat MSU, they'll probably vault into the top 15 because the Utah game will be explained away as first game issues breaking in a new offense/defense.
September 4th, 2015 at 10:33 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
September 4th, 2015 at 10:53 PM ^
September 4th, 2015 at 10:06 PM ^
With how wide open those guys were - its the QB's job to put a little air under it. That shouldnt need to be coached to a 5th year senior. The pressure got to him - & that was that.
We need another option as QB. Hopefully Gentry will step up soon. He's big enough easy ... & can run like a mofo too.
September 4th, 2015 at 10:07 PM ^
He needs to give the recievers an opportunity to make a play on the ball lay it up in the air for a jump ball, Chesson and Darboh prove that they have ability to make plays. I agree that they have yet to prove however that they posess the abiltiy to make athletic plays in the air. That seems like a job for Drake Harris if he get the abiltiy to make such a play.
September 4th, 2015 at 10:17 PM ^
Man. Braden got straight up beaten on that long play to Darboh. If he blocked that guy even a little bit more that's a TD. Rudock stayed in there and took a shot.
September 4th, 2015 at 10:25 PM ^
September 5th, 2015 at 12:23 AM ^
September 5th, 2015 at 12:44 AM ^
Especially on the two QB sneaks. He was blown back 3 yards on each one! Granted, Utah's DTs are pretty strong, but everything I've ever read about Braden praised his strength and athleticism. Kind of surprised me to see that it happened on both of them.
September 5th, 2015 at 11:27 AM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
September 4th, 2015 at 10:33 PM ^
September 4th, 2015 at 10:33 PM ^
September 4th, 2015 at 10:41 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
September 4th, 2015 at 10:56 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
September 4th, 2015 at 11:43 PM ^
...even if they could have been touched with two hands.
You throw a deep ball so the receiver can adjust to it not so he has to lay out for it.
Now maybe in a few more weeks, on a nice sunny day in the Big House, one of those receivers might make the Howardesque grab.........but thurday night under the lights Rudock needed to give them a moment to find it.
But it shows how far they have come in a couple months so those plays should be open especially against weaker defenses.
September 4th, 2015 at 11:51 PM ^
I can't wait until we just start lining up and running fuckers over left and right again --- on both sides of the ball. When does that happen? I'm ready for that debate: "Why'd we only run 300 yards and not 400!!!"
September 5th, 2015 at 7:54 AM ^
Nobody wanted to lose that game but I definitely felt like there were plenty of positives to take away from it.
4 bad plays turned that game around from us winning on the road. And on the road practically on the opposite coast.
Ruddock came back in the game with his head on straight after each bad throw and was a leader. Time and reps is what this team will need to improve, and it will happen.
The most exciting thing for me was all the formations on offense. 3 right ends......6 OL on the run side, those holes will be there and one of those RB's will start to hit them. Good days lie ahead for this team, and I know it will be this season too!
Go blue!
September 5th, 2015 at 12:56 AM ^
Holy shit I just spent 20 minutes typing out this awesome diatribe/it'snotso bad response and when I went to edit some grammar it went to shit. What I said is not everyone is #21 but making the effort would be appreciated, on the other hand this team(to me) showed a whole lot of more heart then what we have seen. The losses we will see wil be a whole lot more tougher and closely contested to what we have seen before. I also went on to hope that Jake Rudock looks at this game and thinks to himelf 'I can do better' if anyone can crawl into Jakes buttt and the O-lines butt and motivate with shear will I think it's Harbaugh. Charisma can be a hell of a thing, I had the honor of hearing Eddie Robinson speak and I will tell you what will, and charisma is a flat out amazing thing....yeah I am rambiling sorry but I am sure some of you can get what I am saying.
September 5th, 2015 at 12:58 AM ^
Holy sheet grammar/spelling..beat you to it you cant focus on that....please say something about the context and message of what I said and not the way I said it...
Fireballl/crownapple that is all.
September 5th, 2015 at 1:09 AM ^
Those plays sucked and were absolute game changers, but like Brian pointed out in his post earlier today, QB's miss those types of throws all the time... In perfect weather conditions. I've seen Tom Brady miss them in the playoffs and in the SB. The first miss was the main one I think we'd all like to have back. Chesson had his man beat by damn near 20 yards, if Rudock could've/would've just waited a beat, maybe he can see that and put a little more air under the ball. The 2nd one he definitely had the corner and safety beat, but it wasn't nearly as bad and Jake did the right thing by not risking an under throw. He threw it where his man would catch it, or no one would.
Things will get much better as the season wears on. It wasn't a fluke that the guy only threw 5 INTs last year, he just had much more time to establish his rapport with his WRs/TEs/RBs. He's capable of standing in there and making great throws, as witnessed by the absolute gem he threw to Butt for the TD following getting a Bledsoe like sideline tat just the play before... And even the near miss to Darboh when the DT came in like a blitzing DB untouched.
September 5th, 2015 at 1:31 AM ^
September 5th, 2015 at 2:04 AM ^
receivers LOVE to make diving catches. I have to believe if those guys thought they could have made diving catches, they would have done so.
September 5th, 2015 at 2:04 AM ^
Darboh seemed to stumble a bit on that play if not he probably scores, little bit unlucky. Chesson's play was just a classic overthrow.
September 5th, 2015 at 5:30 AM ^
September 5th, 2015 at 6:43 AM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
September 5th, 2015 at 7:00 AM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
September 5th, 2015 at 7:40 AM ^
He would say I would of had two touchdowns and we would of won.
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
September 5th, 2015 at 7:57 AM ^
Since Desmond is an articulate fellow who knows proper english, I bet he would have said, "I would have had two touchdowns and we would have won."
September 5th, 2015 at 9:09 AM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
September 5th, 2015 at 11:20 AM ^
September 5th, 2015 at 10:15 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad