http://www.hokiesports.com/videos/?sport=football
Most of the highlights from the April 17th mini-scrimmage come from Logan working out of the shotgun. I'll leave O-Line play review to the experts, but they seemed like they did a good job in pass protection.
I will say that Logan has demonstrated why NFL scouts salivate over him the last few scrimmages, as he's thrown several perfect looking passes. We all knew he had the arm strength, but his footwork and overall mechanics are significantly improved. He's also progressing through reads and looking off safeties, and his velocity and accuracy looks great. I think the people who piped up about how Logan should go back to TE are going to eat crow this year and after he gets drafted as a QB in the first round. With that said, I think Logan's development is probably attributable to Loefller - looking like a good hire.
Few comments on Logan and the passing game:
1. Check out Logan's footwork. Chop chop chop. Look around. Chop chop chop. Get the ball out quick. He did not move his feet like that last year. Because of that, it looks like he's getting his feet, hips, and shoulders aligned and throwing the ball much more accurately and with a quicker release.
2. Passing game seems better designed. More intermediate work on skinny posts and outs. Tight ends are going to spend alot of time testing the seams.
3. Devin VanDyke (#44) laid out Ryan Malleck on one of said skinny posts (may have been a personal foul - came in very high). DVD looked big and mean. I think he'll be a good Mike.
4. WR screen to DJ Coles went for good yardage. Charley Meyer (I think) did a good job of blocking the edge. I'm routing for Charley Meyer / Willie Byrn to find a place on this team, as I think they are in the hard-working mold of Danny Coale. But, they might get buried underneath the more talented guys. There's something about the way DJ moves with the ball in his hands - - probably from his HS running back days - - but he's silky smooth in space. I think he has very flexible hips or something. With that said, at the end of the play, instead of going out of bounds, he lowers his shoulder and goes kaboom on #32 (unknown DB). I think his knee is doing alright..
5. Beatiful throw to Malleck in the seam. Logan looked left to move the safety over and delivered a 98 mph fastball down the seam. Feet were moving in rhythm the whole time. NFL throw.
6. Logan throws one of those balls that has just enough touch to get over the LBs and safties hands and drops perfectly into DJ's outstretched arms in the back of the endzone. Touchdown City. We've seen him make throws like this before in games.
Comments
Interesting to see Shuman working in at left guard and Taraschke continuing to rep with the 1's the shuffle continues. Thanks for posting.
...and the shuffle continues. We will have our 5 best linemen on the field for Bama no doubt in my mind
I don't doubt that its just interesting seeing all the different players being moved around
I was actually going to post that I saw this earlier in the offensive lineman meeting room. McLaughlin was still the LT with the 1s and Taraschke was LT and Shuman was LG with the 2s. They are serious about finding the perfect spot for all of these linemen and putting the best 5 out on the field.
The second to last play on the out pattern to Coles, Taraschke pancakes Nigel Williams like a rag doll
I'm excited to see Taraschke this weekend in person I think he has kinda been a sleeper with most of the focus being on the left tackle battle and Miller moving around.
FOR CRYING OUT LOUD CAN WE STOP THROWING BUBBLE SCREENS? At least there was good blocking. Ryan Malleck also is catching things (YAY).
Also, dat hit.
EDIT: It seems like the 1st team OLine was McLaughlin-Shuman-Farris-Taraschke-Gibson. I'm very surprised to see that Miller and Benedict weren't on the field.
Have you ever seen Oregon run a bubble screen? See how effective it is? Hint: It's not cause of the speed of the guy with the ball. Even as a "finesse" team (utter bs, IMHO), those receivers block, and they block, and they block some more. Then, they get the ball and their buddies block for them. That's how they're successful. The bubble screen is a good play, IF (and only if) the guy who doesn't have the ball is an effective blocker.
True, True. Any play can be effective if they execute.
And if you don't run it 7 times in a half. That's why I was sick of the bubble screen in January. Now that we see it once a scrimmage, I like it a lot more.
Every team that has plays out of the shot-gun MUST use bubble screens. It's a necessity vs modern defenses.
WR's just need to block is all.
French pointed this out in his scrimmage review, but it looks like Logan has two reads on both sides of the field on most passing plays - - a deep option, and a short / intermediate option. Just as importantly, each read is designed to be available sequentially. This passing attack would make O'Cainspringsomes head explode.
I know they're highlights, and the bad plays were probably cut, but the offense looked really crisp. I think both Mark Shuman and Jonathan McLaughlin need to be starters this season for us to be successful. Although, I predicted McLaughlin to be the one to move to guard not Shuman. I still don't think anything is permanent, and this is more shuffling by Grimes.
Loved the two throws down the field to tight ends. It looked like the first was McCray and the second one was Malleck. I would love to see a lot of patterns with the tight ends attacking the seams and getting involved in the vertical passing game. We have the athletes to do it.
Mmmmmm look at that weight going forward. No more throwing off the back foot.
Also, person who got laid out looked to be Charley Meyer. Malleck was in pass protecting.
Interesting to see the walk-on Meyer getting so many reps with what looks to be first team.
haha if it was Meyer than he must have a target on his back cause he got decked by greene and now vandyke
Logan's footwork is the key to him being an effective passer in the pocket. I remember a lot of Logan and O'Cain comments in Bitter's articles was all related to his shoulder, but never once did they mention footwork. It is pretty clear to me that O'Cain lost his touch while Loeffler have already basically restored Thomas. That was the one thing I noticed right away about Thomas from the first highlight that was shown on this site.
Terrific analysis so far. Some quick thoughts.
1) On the play where Meyer gets laid out, that may have not been the best decision by Logan, but he was rushed because Kris Harley went by Caleb Farris like Farris was a wall of wet tissue paper. What an outstanding swim move technique by Harley. I am not sure what Harley has done to find a bed in Chateau Bow Wow, but I am not seeing it on the field. He is clearly much more talented than the players he is getting reps with.
2. Taraschke looked very comfortable and seemed to be in on all the reps shown on video with Logan Thomas taking reps. On the pancake, Williams gets a bit of an interior angle on Taraschke, but Taraschke demonstrated superior pop and upper body strength to get under Williams pads and get him off balance. Williams went down because he tripped a bit over the heels of another blocker, but he wasn't getting to the QB after that shot.
3) Logans throws up the seams to Malleck and McCray were very sharp. Tight ends and hBacks were heavily utilized and not just on underneath routes at Auburn. They have to contribute more than last year.
4) Can we stop with the carping over the bubble screens? If they are blocked well, it is a great play (and sets up tons of action downfield.) Last season, we had four receivers that blocked like wet farts. That is why it didn't work.
5) DJ Coles looks like he is getting back up to speed (and looks lighter now than he did in fall camp.) I didn't like the hitch in his stride after catching the beautiful TD pass. STAY HEALTHY DJ.
4) Can we stop with the carping over the bubble screens? If they are blocked well, it is a great play (and sets up tons of action downfield.) Last season, we had four receivers that blocked like wet farts. That is why it didn't work.
I second this. I know the screen passes didn't work because of piss poor blocking last year, but Moorehead appeared to have this issue fixed. Plus, Loeffler would have raised hell about it.
I guess the Cap Gun offense left a bad taste in my mouth...I have learned my lesson
blocked like wet farts....lol
Some stats from Bitter. Sounds like Edmunds had an amazing day. And the highlights I guess were LT3's highlights, but we don't know how many drops were happening.
Logan seems to be making a point of throwing the ball nose-down to catch the receiver in the gut, putting it away from DBs. VanDyke looks mean, would be excellent to have some actual MLB depth. And Edmunds still runs with a weird-looking gait to me, but 80 yards and two TDs does not suck at all.
dj still looks a little heavy, i know hes being used a little different this year and it doesn't look like his speed is really suffering at all, i think hes going to play a major roll this fall. id love to see him layout another uva defender this year blocking for lt3