Kevin Koger Article
Nice kid with a great future. Check out the Toledo Blade article. http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091020/SPORTS17…
October 20th, 2009 at 8:15 AM ^
I really wish there was a way to get Koger the ball more. That guy is an amazing receiving talent and in the UM offenses of old would have had a huge career. I think RR will start finding more ways to get him involved soon enough.
October 20th, 2009 at 8:32 AM ^
I think so too. Right now it seems like when we pass it's usually a 100% designed pass play. As a tight end, I would think eventually there would be some reads available where Tate or Denard could roll out and decide whether to pitch it to a back, keep it, or possibly throw it to him. If the D commits to the run, toss a short pass and let him rumble.
October 20th, 2009 at 8:48 AM ^
This might sound ridiculous, but I would almost just use him as a big wide receiver; he's a match-up nightmare, too tall and big for CB's to cover, but too fast for LB's to cover.
October 20th, 2009 at 7:01 PM ^
Match up problems are what makes college football so beautiful.
October 20th, 2009 at 10:21 AM ^
reminds me of Tuman.
October 20th, 2009 at 8:38 AM ^
I agree 100%. The kid has shown some fantastic talent thus far throughout the season and I see no reason why he can't expand upon it.
He will become a threat, bank it.
October 20th, 2009 at 9:02 AM ^
has already passed to the TE more than any other year in his coaching career. He will get better at using this new wrinkle to his offense, and Tate should be looking for Koger on 3rd down all day. I really like how the staff went to Oklahoma to learn more about using the TE downfield. The first couple games, they ran a play action out of ace that had Koger all kinds of wide open every time they ran it. I haven't seen that called since...
I hope that the head injury isn't bad, and that Tate can finish the remaining games in the schedule. Penn State will hopefully turn the ball over like they did against Iowa this weekend. I think they win this one in a close game due to the home field advantage. Go Blue!!!
October 20th, 2009 at 9:20 AM ^
I think they need to run more bootleg plays. Roll Tate out in space and have koger run a out route, if it is covered tate has a 2nd option or he can run. I loved this play against Western.
October 20th, 2009 at 9:47 AM ^
all Ds were as slow and inexperienced as Westerns...........
With defenses using a scrape exchange to counter our run game, you have a DE/OLB or safety sitting outside waiting for Tate to roll around the corner. I can foresee a lot of frustrating sacks if they used a lot more bootleg action. We already see 2-3 waggle plays a game.
October 20th, 2009 at 4:11 PM ^
You are right on with respect to rolling Tate out in the gun, especially if he uses play action there is a good chance he'll run into an unblocked man charging off the edge. From under center, like that play against Western, I think the bootleg could be really effective, though. I'd actually like to see a little more of the under-center, conventional look to keep defenses off balance (I feel like we've used it more against the lesser teams on our schedule, to great effect, than against the good ones).
October 20th, 2009 at 9:24 AM ^
Slot or H-back would be a great place to put him in formations that don't require a TE. I have a feeling, though, that he is going to have to improve his blocking before he is given more time. It is becoming evident that RR takes downfield blocking by recievers very seriously, and rightfully so. That creates some of the longer plays we all love to watch.
October 20th, 2009 at 12:04 PM ^
Love to see my hometown kid doign well, representing Toledo and the 419!!
Hey, he already has more than double his catches from a year ago.
He will put up sick numbers by the time he is a senior. We'll have fun watching him
October 20th, 2009 at 12:19 PM ^
As to whether Rodriguez will utilize Koger's talents. I jut don't know if this staff believes in the tight end as much as we all fantasize they might.
We have two tight ends that Maizeman has been raving about since spring practice--from last year.
Now, the funny thing is, we don't seem to be recruiting many tight ends (WAIT! I KNOW about Alex Smith so don't have a coronary--but he's the onliest one and a LONG shot)--I think that is a bit eerie, odd, and perhaps an omen (not a Damien omen, as in Son of Satan who will kill you if you beat him in checkers). I think Webb is in the latter stages of eligibility and Koger is a sophomore--so we should be trying to bring in some TE's. But Noooooooo.
We all have such fantastical hopes for Koger and a more varied passing attack under RR than he showed at WVU--but will they come to fruition?
October 20th, 2009 at 4:49 PM ^
Also, these things are constantly being developed.
October 20th, 2009 at 6:07 PM ^
Webb is a junior, Koger and Moore are sophomores. I don't think the fact that there may not be a TE in this class means that the staff is not going to continue looking for ways to get them involved in the passing game
October 20th, 2009 at 8:24 PM ^
Moore is a redshirt freshman.
October 20th, 2009 at 8:23 PM ^
Last year was a good year for tight ends. This year...not so much. We offered a couple, and they immediately committed elsewhere.
But we've already offered two for 2011 (Jay Rome and Brian Miller).
October 20th, 2009 at 1:34 PM ^
for Tampa Bay Bucs for a few years. He understands the value of TEs and probably conveys that to RR. Koger will continue to get the ball and hopefully get it in clutch situations.