2016 WR Thoughts

[SDbison]

Why is it NDSU struggles so much to find a good core of receivers?.......there are 14 of them on the roster right now. Sure NDSU does not pass a lot, and requires receivers to be good blockers, but this is not an uncommon situation. NDSU is 5 time national champs! Why are most of the WR recruits and guys on roster right about 6'0" plus or minus an inch tall? We had Vraa forever, but nobody else stepped up until Urzendowski. Now Engel at least has height, but he is a Freshman.

[mtoutfitter]

Why is it NDSU struggles so much to find a good core of receivers?.......there are 14 of them on the roster right now. Sure NDSU does not pass a lot, and requires receivers to be good blockers, but this is not an uncommon situation. NDSU is 5 time national champs! Why are most of the WR recruits and guys on roster right about 6'0" plus or minus an inch tall? We had Vraa forever, but nobody else stepped up until Urzendowski. Now Engel at least has height, but he is a Freshman.

I'm guessing what you just said is part of it. I'd imagine some of the better receivers know that the Bison don't pass that much and they're gonna have to spend more time blocking than catching.....I'm guessing a player that looks at himself as a big time receiver is gonna look at that and say "I'm gonna go where they pass the ball more"....just spitballing here.

[MAKBison]

Yep, I heard that too. Was it a quad injury maybe? I can't remember specifically. One of the more recent practice update videos showed him out there running around and making a pretty sweet one handed grab over our best CB. Maybe this is why Coach responded to the redshirt pulling question with "We'll know more in a week" because Sean missed time with an injury. Just spitballin' there.

That was my impression from the presser, but then on the coach 's show I got the impression they wanted to sit him for the year. Seems to me they are hoping someone steps up. I am not worried at all Anderson and RJ are studs.

[17>1]

Part of the reason I am asking is they all seem like slot guys to me, other than SE who will likely shirt.......

If I'm following you, because they're all a certain height or size, they seem like slot guys to you? Shepherd is 5'11 and plays on the outside, and he's the same size as a couple of other guys I mentioned. To me, height doesn't always tell the whole story. How good are a kids hands, or how well does he run a route and pick up the playbook, how well does he block, and how well can he create separation and space? To me, those are far more important than his measurables.

[MAKBison]

If I'm following you, because they're all a certain height or size, they seem like slot guys to you? Shepherd is 5'11 and plays on the outside, and he's the same size as a couple of other guys I mentioned. To me, height doesn't always tell the whole story. How good are a kids hands, or how well does he run a route and pick up the playbook, how well does he block, and how well can he create separation and space? To me, those are far more important than his measurables.

Agree with you. I'll take a H. Ward over a R. Moss. And those two are some of the best at what they did.

[BlueBisonRock]

I'm only following what I've heard from the staff and read on here. Every year it seems as if the staff knows what they have in certain returning guys. Then you have the group of kids that are supposed to step up and improve from year 1 into 2, or 2 into 3. Then you have a walk on like Freeman that to me just came out of no where and surprises (Moody type of guy). As far as specific spots, the X's and the Z's tend to go over my head a bit as far as terminology. I can tell you where a slot guy lines up, but after that I kind of just nod my head when smarter people are talking football. So maybe someone else with a little more offensive football knowledge can answer your question.

Yet you had an extended argument with CAS about the role of the safety... Oh I see it now.

[BISONBRI53]

Whatever happened to JC's brother?

[17>1]

Yet you had an extended argument with CAS about the role of the safety... Oh I see it now.

Haha, you know what, I almost added that to my post. Something to the effect "And here I was arguing with a former Bison LB about safeties in a defense".

[tcbison]

Personally, it seems every fan or media type wants that tall 6'5" receiver but I would take a WR like Ryan Smith or Trevor Gebhart every day and twice on Sunday. They fit the NDSU system better and catch the ball when it is thrown to them. I'm interested in seeing how Dimitri Williams does this year.

[17>1]

Personally, it seems every fan or media type wants that tall 6'5" receiver but I would take a WR like Ryan Smith or Trevor Gebhart every day and twice on Sunday. They fit the NDSU system better and catch the ball when it is thrown to them. I'm interested in seeing how Dimitri Williams does this year.

This ^

In this championship run we've had some great ones. Holloway is another guy that comes to mind that was a difference maker at WR.