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WR improvement this year

Da Boyz Mom

Da Boyz Mom

Well-known member
DONOR
After listening to some podcasts, especially Sammy's show with Keenan Curran, I started thinking about how much better our wide receivers are playing this year. I know some of it can be attributable to the improvement at QB but I think it's a lot more than that. Sammy and Keenan brought up the new wide receivers coach Bobby Kennedy and pointed to him as the difference. I think they're right. In '23 and '24 the griz had some incredible receivers but it seemed like maybe their technique was lacking as they often couldn't get separation and had trouble making contested catches. That seems to have flipped this year. Not only are they open more often but if a ball is catchable they're usually coming down with it. It seems like Coach Kennedy has really made improvements and I'm super happy to see it.

What's y'all's thoughts?
 
Da Boyz Mom said:
After listening to some podcasts, especially Sammy's show with Keenan Curran, I started thinking about how much better our wide receivers are playing this year. I know some of it can be attributable to the improvement at QB but I think it's a lot more than that. Sammy and Keenan brought up the new wide receivers coach Bobby Kennedy and pointed to him as the difference. I think they're right. In '23 and '24 the griz had some incredible receivers but it seemed like maybe their technique was lacking as they often couldn't get separation and had trouble making contested catches. That seems to have flipped this year. Not only are they open more often but if a ball is catchable they're usually coming down with it. It seems like Coach Kennedy has really made improvements and I'm super happy to see it.

What's y'all's thoughts?
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Hes a great coach, no doubt. I do think Brooks davis has exceptional talent, as good of top end speed / athleticism / hands combination as we've seen in quite some time. Drew deck is a total gamer, love the dude. And mike Wortham is special, too. (Shocking hes never been used as wide receiver before coming here).

So I think its a combination of coaching and great kids with top end talent, maybe even better overall collectively than we've had in a while? Certainly, having one of the best qbs in modern program history helps a ton too.
 
nicktaber58 said:
Hes a great coach, no doubt. I do think Brooks davis has exceptional talent, as good of top end speed / athleticism / hands combination as we've seen in quite some time. Drew deck is a total gamer, love the dude. And mike Wortham is special, too. (Shocking hes never been used as wide receiver before coming here).

So I think its a combination of coaching and great kids with top end talent, maybe even better overall collectively than we've had in a while? Certainly, having one of the best qbs in modern program history helps a ton too.
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Absolutely agree on Davis and Wortham. It just seems like maybe the coach is getting more out of players who've been around longer like Deck. I'm sure it's a combination of work ethic on the players part along with coaching etc but man it's just been so fun to watch these guys this year.
 
What is so interesting in all of this is 99% of our own fans and opposing fans figured we would go backwards after losing both Bergen and Fontes and Racanelli from last year. Not only did we not go backwards in the WR room, we are markedly better than last year. Wortham, Davis, Bohannan, Deck, Hendrix, Dever have definitely showed up.
 
Our receiver room definitely has more speed this year than last year's group. And the addition of Bobby Kennedy has been great both on and off the field. Obviously his resume speaks for itself and he's coached some amazing receiving groups over the years including the year Texas won the NC with Vince Young.. But the most impressive thing about Kennedy is how he connects with these kids. I've mentioned it before, but a lot of older coaches aka old school coaches hate social media but they know it's a big part of this younger generation of athletes. Instead of fighting it, Kennedy embraces it and is constantly promoting his receivers on social media after a game. He also makes it a point to take a picture after every game with all his receivers and posts it's on his IG. As a former player, I've always worked my ass off to get the attention and praise of my position coach, the same way a son is always looking for approval from his father. The old school method was very little praise if any and keep working harder. But Kennedy is making it a point to show his kids the love they aspire to and need by telling them on the field and again off the field on social media. I think that has played a major role in the positive development in the receivers this year. I also see him during the game on the sidelines constantly talking with the receivers during every possession. And believe me, not all coaches do this even though they should be. These receivers are playing inspired each week and are putting it on the line every week. And I have no doubt one major reason is because of Kennedy.
 
Brooks Davis is such a good football player. He’s great on hands team. He makes big time plays. He makes the common routes/plays look easy.
Mike Wortham is a phenomenal playmaker unlike anyone we’ve ever had before.
These two guys stand out.
The rest of our guys all have their place within the offense and they follow the golden rule of team sports….Do your job! Rocker has been a pleasant surprise in the passing game.
The Griz play great complimentary football mixing in the run with an absolute stud Gilman toting the rock.

All things considered offensively, it’s no surprise we’re 12-1 and wouldn’t be surprising if we ended up 15-1.

Go Griz and great post!!!
 
Brooks Davis runs incredible routes. They are precise, he has a high football IQ and great hands. Combine that with speed agility and elite body control and you have a freshman that is tearing it up right now. IT will be amazing to watch him get better with Ah Yat and company.

He obviously has a great grasp of what the defense is doing and can adjust to that on the fly such as finding space in zones. He also understands how to get separation using hip drops and changing the angle of his route slightly while accelerating. Dude has it all. Playing as much as he does proves Hauck agrees and has the utmost confidence in his ability
 
Dont Kick 2 Bergen said:
Brooks Davis runs incredible routes. They are precise, he has a high football IQ and great hands. Combine that with speed agility and elite body control and you have a freshman that is tearing it up right now. IT will be amazing to watch him get better with Ah Yat and company.

He obviously has a great grasp of what the defense is doing and can adjust to that on the fly such as finding space in zones. He also understands how to get separation using hip drops and changing the angle of his route slightly while accelerating. Dude has it all. Playing as much as he does proves Hauck agrees and has the utmost confidence in his ability
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Dude has "wiggle"...love watching him run after the catch!
 
I think more remarkable is that there are so many receivers new to the first team who are doing great. I'm framing it that way because Davis was on the team in '24. These guys improve in big steps every week. That takes a lot of work.

Wortham and Bohannon in particular weren't even with the Griz last season and look like veterans. That's a big difference for a Hauck team that used to aquire a guy like Eric Allen and not see major production until the second season. Allen, transfer from Ok State, was a great receiver, but year one wasn't close to his second season in terms of production. In that same context, Hendrix looks like he's ready for a big step up.
 
Da Boyz Mom said:
Absolutely agree on Davis and Wortham. It just seems like maybe the coach is getting more out of players who've been around longer like Deck. I'm sure it's a combination of work ethic on the players part along with coaching etc but man it's just been so fun to watch these guys this year.
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Seems to me there is an upgrade in overall unit speed. These guys can play on the edge in ways teams of recent past could not.

In my view, this speed is certainly a big part of the differences this season.
 
SoldierGriz said:
Seems to me there is an upgrade in overall unit speed. These guys can play on the edge in ways teams of recent past could not.

In my view, this speed is certainly a big part of the differences this season.
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I don't disagree that we have better speed this year overall. (And we haven't even talked about shiftiness which is where Wortham comes in. That guy can outjuke almost anybody.) I think it's a both and situation rather than one or the other. Better talent for sure and I think some better coaching.
 
HookedonGriz said:
What is so interesting in all of this is 99% of our own fans and opposing fans figured we would go backwards after losing both Bergen and Fontes and Racanelli from last year. Not only did we not go backwards in the WR room, we are markedly better than last year. Wortham, Davis, Bohannan, Deck, Hendrix, Dever have definitely showed up.
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I know people will disagree, but Junior was very overrated as a WR. The entire WR corp from last season was just OK.
 
HelenaHandBasket said:
I know people will disagree, but Junior was very overrated as a WR. The entire WR corp from last season was just OK.
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I think you’re right on the money. That’s not to take anything away from Junior. He was an all-timer and a phenomenal return guy…especially on punt returns.

Brooks Davis and Mike Wortham are just different in the passing game. Wortham is so dynamic with the ball in his hands and he knows how to get open. Which is crazy!!! Defenses are locked in on him. He just needs a tiny bit of space and it’s all over but the crying.

Brooks doesn’t mess around with wasted movements. He makes a 7 yard out look like a walk in the park. He sets that up and takes advantage when the corner creeps up and takes the lid off.
Brooks is so good…..he’s gonna break some Griz receiving records if he sticks around.

With what we have coming back and who we’ll bring in….next year’s receiving core might even be better.

Love this post. Go Griz.
 
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