A "separate" issue

[PonyFan]

Much has been made about the relative lack of size in the SMU wide receiver crew. With the exception of two freshmen (Reynaldo Pellerin is 6-3 and Jay'Mond Cleveland is 5-11), these guys aren't big. Trey Griffin looks shorter than his listed 5-10. I believe Chris Cunningham's listed height of 5-8 is accurate. If Matt Rushbrook is 5-10, as he's listed, then Coach Bennett is 6-foot-9.

I'll sidestep the obligatory "size doesn't matter" jokes. What does matter is that these guys don't seem to separate from defenders at the line of scrimmage or as they're coming out of cuts in their routes.

Comet broke his foot last year, and while he has worked like a madman to get back on the field, he doesn't seem to have the acceleration he once had, which previously allowed him to break away from a DB long enough to make a catch if he didn't have the pure speed to get away in a flat sprint.

Trey Griffin is harded to figure - here's a guy who can run with (or faster than) just about anyone on the field every week. He's ridiculously fast. If he could get a step inside or outside a guy, he could outrun many DBs. But from what I've seen, he doesn't fight past DBs at all. I'm not suggesting a headslap, but if he could master a quicker release at the line, he could be the deep threat this team so desperately needs.

Rushbrook is fun to watch - that dude looks like he's ready for a gangfight. But when he's going up for a soft pass in the middle of a gang, that ain't good, because until he shows Bryan Hopkins-like jumping ability, he's not going to get over too many DBs. He, I think, would be best-suited to playing in the slot, going over the middle and making tough catches on short quick passes over the middle (a route that has seemed glaringly absent from the offensive playbook this year).

Those are my thoughts. Am I close on this? Or are these the ramblings of someone who's crazy enough to be sitting up thinking about SMU football at 2:30 AM?

[buspen]

I have been interested in this size of receivers question for a while. I didn't see Cunningham play to put up the numbers he has, but I'll bet he hasn't shrunk, why the major difference? I would like to hear from someone who has followed him both before and after last year. I know size has it's advantages but it can't be the only answer. Just look at Clayton from OU, from a size standpoint he would mix in with our guys just fine. Yet he is pulling down over 100 yds a game.

[Hoop Fan]

why does everyone want to oversimplify everything? Its no one person or units fault. The oline has been below average in pass protection for years now, with some decent run blocking at times. The qb position has been a disaster with the early departures of Luker, Page and Bartel. The running back and full back positions are thin, we basically have no backups. The wide receivers are small. Add it all together and you have trouble moving the ball and making big plays.

[Ikus]

Originally posted by buspen:
.... I didn't see Cunningham play to put up the numbers he has, but I'll bet he hasn't shrunk, why the major difference?....

Comet was never a Freeman-like sprinter. But what he did always have were:
A. great hands
B. the ability to run very precise routes
C. the ability to locate a seam in a zone defense and drift into it
D. great acceleration - he hit his top speed in just a couple of steps.

In my opinion, it's D that is lack as he's come back from his injured foot. He still runs good routes, and he seems to still have very good hands. But it looks like it takes him longer to accelerate than before, so he's not able to get as much room when trying to evade defenders.