Michigan receivers diving for catches

Submitted by Blueblood2991 on

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.

 

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SHub'68

September 4th, 2015 at 11:31 PM ^

The 1st base illustration is correct in that the objective is to get ANY part of your body to a point as fast as possible. Diving doesn't help there because it does nothing to increase your speed. However, when catching something, the objective is to get a specific body part there in time with the descent of the ball. Your hands. Diving doesn't magically get you there sooner or cover more ground than running full out - it (hopefully) places your hands between the ball and the ground. As opposed to your feet or leg or something. Diving would not have helped here because, as several posters have pointed out, there wasn't enough air under those passes to allow any part of the receivers' bodies to get under them. To carry the baseball analogy further, because they were line-drives into the corner.

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reshp1

September 4th, 2015 at 10:11 PM ^

It's not contradictory at all. Diving doesn't get you there faster. Diving lets you catch the ball later since you can catch it lower. Ergo, diving is helpful in cases where you are closing the ball and just need a little more time. It is not helpful if the ball is still going away from you as it's zipping past you. Imo the two overthrows are in the latter category.

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Oscar

September 4th, 2015 at 10:21 PM ^

"Diving doesn't get you there faster." I never disputed that... I disputed that diving for first base is like diving for a ball. "Ergo, diving is helpful in cases where you are closing the ball and just need a little more time. It is not helpful if the ball is still going away from you as it's zipping past you." Yeah, I got that, it is called trajectory, which is why I said the OP conditionally objected to the statement I was disputing.

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reshp1

September 4th, 2015 at 10:00 PM ^

95 percent of the time, they dive as they're running in for the ball going toward them. As I said, in that case it's more to be able to catch the ball at a lower point, and therefore later. It doesnt get them there faster. Most spectacular catches that are hit over their head, which would be analogous to this situation, are caught over the shoulder in full stride.

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Willis

September 4th, 2015 at 8:34 PM ^

I thought the same thing watching the game. I got more angry with the replays. I have to believe this will be addressed in the film room. If these guys aren't willing to sell out to make a play, the coaches will find some players who are.



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MGoDillon

September 4th, 2015 at 8:35 PM ^

Plus... They shouldn't have had to dive or do anything like that. They were wide open. It should've have been an easy pitch and catch, that's the problem.



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MichiganMan_24_

September 4th, 2015 at 8:38 PM ^

Jake Butt made a "great catch" i would say...I would also say i have a hunch you dont play football but do play Madden...you cant expect a guy going full speed to adjust to a ball that far from his zone..They were simply bad throws

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cGOBLUEm

September 4th, 2015 at 8:40 PM ^

I thought the same thing for both overthrows. After watching the replays, I think the throw to Chesson still would have fallen incomplete; I think Darboh would have had a chance had he dived. The bottom line, however, is that Rudock overthrew two open recievers. 

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wolverinebutt

September 4th, 2015 at 8:47 PM ^

These are the first replays I've viewed since last night.  Thanks for posting them. 

The first throw is really tough with a pass rusher coming free.  Ruddock stands in there and takes the hit.  The OL gets an assist for that bad throw, but its on Ruddock.

The second throw is all Ruddock and he just missed it.  

Darboh could have given it a shot.   

  

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Magnum P.I.

September 4th, 2015 at 9:12 PM ^

I had the exact same initial reaction to both plays. Was shocked they didn't dive. You watch enough football, and your eye just recognizes a ball that the receiver should make a diving attempt for (even if they won't catch it). These surprised. In both cases, it looked at first viewing that there was an ever-so-slight slow down at the very end of the route, too.

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ford_428cj

September 4th, 2015 at 9:16 PM ^

I thought that too last night & rewatched the plays. Like somebody above said - there wasnt any air under the ball for a diving catch.

 

Desmond yep. Anthony Carter made some awesome diving catches as well.

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UMForLife

September 4th, 2015 at 9:20 PM ^

first one is hard. Second would have been an incredible miracle catch. I don't know. The one good thing that came out of this is that Rudock can throw long. I am happy to see that. Can he throw accurately at the Big Stadium? We will know the answer next week. I am eager to find out.

 

If he makes a couple of throws next week, I give the benefit of the doubt to Rudock and call the wind, altitude, not insync with receivers being the issue.

There is time for Rudock to put an end the debate. It sucks that we lost the game. Those plays remind why we could have won the game. I am encouraged and disappointed at the same time.

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We'll be Champions

September 4th, 2015 at 9:48 PM ^

A. I think both recievers would have looked foolish if they dove because those balls were nowhere near catchable. B. I agree. I thought we played a very good game on the road in a hostile environment against a good team. I think the big mistakes by Rudock did us in, but those are coach able and I thought that overall from what I saw, I think that while the road games against Minnesota and Penn St are going to be tough, we have more than a real shot of winning.

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