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Comments
@BubbaBill:
WRs can be late bloomers just like any other position, especially for pro-style programs like UGA where they will need to learn playbooks, route running and to read defenses and make adjustments, plus the need to play in a very physical SEC where nearly every conference opponent has future NFL draft picks in their secondary. The learning curve may be lower for spread offense programs who play in the ACC or Big 12.
The issue is because Kirby Smart de-emphasized (to use a kind term) the WR position at UGA, lower profile recruits like Ladd McConkey, AD Mitchell and Dillon Bell as well as "athletes" like Mecole Hardman were far more likely to develop into contributors than higher rated WR recruits like Tuggle. The reason is that a highly rated WR recruit who goes to a program where he is going to do more downfield blocking than generally does so because of a lack of real interest elsewhere despite his recruiting rating.
We wish Nitro the best. I kind of liked him. Thought he had promise but such is football and the portal.
@Benzone,
What matters is that Coach Smart offered and signed him, not other schools. If you're making the case that Tuggle is not very good, that looks worse on Coach Smart than it does on Tuggle.
Already making complicated choices as freshmen 1 year into a program. I would ask him why do there in the first place if you going to leave. I mean what is happening in practice if guys like Arian Smith can keep his place dropping so many balls. Every game this year with slow starts, you directly related to receivers dropping drive killing passes. I have rewatched the ending of the Bama game over and over. How is it that the DB located the ball before the receiver does on a 50/50 jumpball? You can say Beck should not have thrown it, but Young never made a play for the ball. He did not even recognize that the ball was in the air. Beck has made bad throws but I would say at least 5 of the 12 were not on Beck and that is without being in on the post game film session. It could be more. Bowers use to high point balls, but this year the balls go off the hands of these guys. Even at the next level Bowers and McConkey are seperating from pros and these guys this year get no seperation at all.
If I were a head coach at any college I would pass on any player that enters the portal this early. They have already shown that they have no loyalty to their current school and will in all likelihood be just as disloyal to the team that takes them out of the portal. They could have waited until the playoffs were over but they have potentially cost the team that they originally signed with a national championship. They should also have to forfeit any NIL money they received from their original team.
@benzone Been reading your comments and speaking only for Me they seem pretty reasonable. So question, will we see maybe a little Less emphasis on blocking and More emphasis on running routes, getting separation which Might lead to more long passes ?
It’s not that I’m Against blocking skills but like you seem to be saying I think it’s been Over emphasized at UGA when speaking of WRs. And maybe even the TEs. I trust Kirby, but I Would Like to see the Offense opened up more. Even a miss on long throws if thrown enough keeps the rival defense honest, makes them have less tendency to crowd the box against the run.
I was sort of disappointed to see Tuggle go, but there are Allot of things that happen behind the scene that we as fans are not privy to. It Might end up good that Tuggle left. As fans I guess it ends up being we trust the HC or we don’t. He’s got a pretty dawg gone impressive record thus far !! Go Dawgs !!
P.S. Agreeing with you Again that Head Coaches can and do change philosophies. It Might be that Kirby is about to De-emphasize blocking to some extent by the WRs and TEs. Get the majority of defenders away from and off the box you won’t Need as many blockers, throwing deep balls more often should accomplish that.
According to Rivals, Nitro had 33 offers. His offers included 10 from the BIG10, 5 from the SEC and 3 from the ACC including 5 of the 12 teams in the playoffs. This kid has all the measurables and has shown can play. Very doubtful he was judged a poor candidate for development by CKS and asked to leave.
There could be a million other reasons for leaving. One thing we are seeing is that CFB players are "wising up" to the fact that they are free agents every year and can test the market every year. Seems to me he would know he will be in demand. That there are already teams ready to add him before he entered the TP. That alone shows the level of interest in his skillset..
Your assessment sounds a lot like the old narrative that "UGA doesn't throw to the TE". And UGA didn't as much until UGA had the talent there to make throwing to the TE a focal point of the O. When UGA got someone to plug into the offense that could execute at a high level he played as much as he could and was very productive. Productive to the point that his production impacted the production of other players/positions (i.e. WR).
How many yards would ASmith have if he didn't drop 20 passes this year? That is not on the UGA offense. CBeck threw for 4K yards in '23 and leads the SEC in TD passes in '24. It is antiquated thinking that UGA can't or doesn't have a prolific passing offense. What we have seen this year is that the UGA wr's have not been high draft choice worthy. They have let a lot of "stat's" slip through their fingers.
UGA does play a lot of players at all positions including WR. That keeps more players happy and motivated to developing in practice. Keeping players hungry and working on development is the best way to get them to the NFL. Smart players (people) get that. IF UGA had a WR (or any position) that was demonstrably better than the other players on team at his position AND could stay healthy everyone would expect him to be on the field as much as possible (i.e. Bowers). They would get every opportunity to show their skill. And put up the "stat's" you/they desire.
Players like Bowers, McConkey, Pickens even ADMitchell were not hurt (draft position) by their participation in the UGA offense. The only thing that held these players back were injuries. A player's skills are the only thing that determines how much success they have at UGA.
"National WR factory" schools? FL, FSU, Mia, OK, USC?
Freshmen WR's are usually not ready to be major contributors, trusted enough or have enough talent to surpass older more experienced players at a place like UGA to be significant contributors in yr 1. The UGA offense didn't make Nitro leave. His impatience with the process made Nitro leave.
Tuggle looked good in the Tennessee game. He has good size and he caught the ball when it was thrown to him. IMO, he should have played more. Easy to understand him entering TP even if simply out of frustration. I hate seeing him go.
I originally asked this question of @benzone but it’s open to Anyone. Next season will we see a little less emphasis. ( not dropped entirely) on blocking from WRs and possibly TEs as well ?? And perhaps More emphasis on route running, getting separation, good hands etc. ?
I think of D. Rob that came from UCal to UGA, he “seemed” to be pretty polished as a WR but for a time lacked in blocking and thus didn’t see the field nearly as much as he might have.
Many of Yall know FAR more about football than I do. But I’ve always heard and been told that if you throw the ball deep enough times it draws the rival defense away from crowding the box to defend the run. YES there is a danger of an INT, but there’s also an opportunity that a PI will be called on the rival defense.
IF you have a WR that can run a smooth route, get separation and has good hands you’re probably looking at a TD or deep into enemy territory at the least. No Im not saying that blocking practice/skills should be done away with, but let’s face it there’s not many Heisman Moments in WRs blocking. Most of them have dreams of making great TD catches in front of a wildly applauding home audience !! Thoughts ??
I can only imagine what goes on in practice because the games don’t reflect that production at WR. I know there is an article about Arian Smith doing well in the SECCG but he is a receiver, not a running back. Yes, he caught a pass but he dropped two big ones that were perfectly thrown. This is a regular occurrence.
Bell has great plays that we all remember but also A LOT of drops.
What are you doing in practice that isn’t getting you the playing time? I can’t imagine our coaches just don’t like him so why?
I think the kid had great potential so I am sorry to see this but playing time is earned. Also, why isn’t the QB throwing to you? No trust or not getting open?
Did we offer Singleton out of High School? We need to pursue him—he's a good one.
I believe uga new rb coach was singletons primary recruiter at tech.