Utah WRs – system vs talent

I would agree with that sentiment, historically, save for a few near 900+ yard receiving seasons here and there. I think the Bumphis hire was made with the intention to change that specifically, so I’m very intrigued to see what this new WR group does. Along with Rising and future QBs like Nate Johnson, I think they begin to shift that narrative pretty dramatically.

Covey would know.  I think it’s the scheme.  Run first, heavy TE sets.  Large rotation of WR, high rotation frequency.  All of this equals low WR targets and production. We’ve had some talented playmakers recently (Covey, BT, JD), so I don’t think it’s a talent issue.

I’m perfectly happy running 3 TE sets with one WR in the Covey mold if that is what our personnel strengths are, and it seems to be much easier for us to recruit TEs than top level outside WR types. I knew going into the season that a combination of Covey and Kuithe would be almost impossible to stop, and that proved correct. Kuithe types are a matchup problem (too big for a DB to cover, too fast for most LBs), as are Covey types (too fast for just about anyone to react quickly enough to prevent a completion and YAC).

As long as one of our TE types is able to stretch the field like Kincaid did this year, I think TEs fit our system far more than WRs. What we do on offense is completely unique, and it is essentially the opposite of what everyone else is doing, so defenses are not built to handle it. Most teams these days, Utah included, run a 5 DB defense. 5 defensive back defenses are going to have a helluva time stopping an attack that includes a bruising RB, 3 stud TEs, and a lightning quick WR. You’ve essentially got a LB for the RB, a LB for one of the TEs, and that leaves the other two TEs and the slot guy to be covered by DBs. If they switch out a DB for an extra linebacker you pretty much have a guaranteed completion if you can pass block long enough. If they don’t switch out then you either have a huge mismatch in the passing game, or you run the ball down their throats and there isn’t a damned thing they can do about it… Don’t forget that they need someone to keep an eye on the QB, who is a threat to break off a 20 yard run if he isn’t kept under wraps.

Now… Imagine this offense being run by a kid who ran a sub 10.50 100m sprint in high school. You have to assign someone quick enough to account for that home run threat without putting your pass defense at a major disadvantage.

Now… Imagine a guy like Tavion works on his receiving out of the backfield, can you imagine what he’d do to a DB if he had a full head of steam on a pass out to the flat with two tight ends in front of him blocking?

As long as our athletes on offense are equal to their athletes on defense we will have a huge advantage schematically. It’ll be interesting to see how the scheme works against a team with elite level athletes all over their defense.

Personally, I love this scheme, and I think we should 100% go all in on it. Obviously, if that Covey type athlete were also above 6 feet tall, and an elite level WR prospect that would be awesome, but this works just fine.

All season I thought about it being kind of equal between the system and receivers. I noticed that for the most part the receivers didn’t get great separation, but at the same time, Vele seemed to show that if you could get open you’d get balls thrown your way. He seemed to be the guy that could get separation.

But there is definitely something to the system we play as well. It’s run focused. That said, I think the coaches have shown that they will adapt the offense to where the strengths are (as we saw with TE’s this season). If the receivers are able to get open and catch the ball, I suspect there will be more use of them.

50% system, 35% QB, 15% receivers. It would be easier to show with all 22 tape but Ludwig’s scheme, by design, brings as many defenders into the box as possible while mainly utilizing single receiver routes or quick concepts on early downs. Then on 3rd and long, the design depends on keeping the QB clean so that he can throw into the teeth of 6 and 7 man coverages.

Huntley in 2019 thrived on 3rd down when he could make the first defender miss and was willing to take shots downfield, even when the receiver was covered. Brewer didn’t have the same escapability, didn’t seem willing to take the shots unless the receiver was already open, and certainly didn’t get much help from the O Line. The system hadn’t changed, the execution had. But if we are all being honest, Huntley leading the country in 3rd and Long situations made the scheme look much better than it probably deserved while conversely Brewer highlighted many of the weaknesses.

Rising was able to provide the ability / willingness to make defenders miss again and was able to convert with his feet which loosened things up for the receivers. He was also able to throw accurately for the first few games (with the exception of WSU). The last few weeks, Rising wasn’t as accurate but by then, the rest of the team was now operating at a high efficiency so those weren’t back breakers. So in effect, the quality Rising was providing was what allowed Ludwig to break his own tendencies, especially in the first Oregon game where he felt comfortable calling runs on 3rd and long which the team was able to execute at a high level.

The receivers get the least credit in my mind. They can only run the routes assigned and they certainly can’t throw themselves the ball. And what we may decide is a sloppy route can just as easily be an attempt to disguise. What is frustrating when we watch is that the other team seems to throw to open receivers while Utah only seems to throw into tight coverage. But I would still rank it as 1) fan perception, 2) play design, 3) the ability of the QB to identify the best option and 4) the receiver.