Luke McCaffrey

So we're basically back to one-pass RPOs from 2018, only this time it's a redshirt freshman QB instead of a true freshman. 

What you'll see is these last four teams stacking the box about as hard as they possibly can on defense. Hopefully Frost anticipates this and draws up some plays to loosen up the field instead of just smashing Luke in the run game over and over. Because I don't think that will work forever.

Clearly the fan base loves it, though. The majority of Husker Nation loves seeing a smashmouth QB picking up yards on the ground.

 
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MasterPulverizer said:
Does anyone have any concerns about arm strength and the quality of the balls when they're in the air?  There was one play down in the red zone where he was throwing to an open TE and barely got the ball to the goal line.  Granted, he was rolling out, but it was to his right and I don't recall there being any pressure.  Also, the one that Warner dropped in the end zone was a poorly thrown ball.  He should have caught it, but it was really wobbly, as was the pass to Allen on the 2nd or 3rd play of the game.

Not complaining about the win, or how the team played, just curious as to what everyone else thinks about these two areas.
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Yes.  I commented on him throwing almost no spirals during the game saturday.  I'm also not sure he has the arm for the deep pass at this point but I do think that's fixable with some strength training.  Part of me wonders if that's where the talk of MC's struggles with passing mechanics came from and the coaches hesitation to play him more last year (and have him throw when he did).

 
MasterPulverizer said:
Does anyone have any concerns about arm strength and the quality of the balls when they're in the air?  There was one play down in the red zone where he was throwing to an open TE and barely got the ball to the goal line.  Granted, he was rolling out, but it was to his right and I don't recall there being any pressure.  Also, the one that Warner dropped in the end zone was a poorly thrown ball.  He should have caught it, but it was really wobbly, as was the pass to Allen on the 2nd or 3rd play of the game.

Not complaining about the win, or how the team played, just curious as to what everyone else thinks about these two areas.
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I'm not saying his arm strength is great but I think on the pass to the TE you are referring to he was throwing it away.  I thought the TE was covered and he just threw it way short where nobody was.  If not, he has like Mickey Joseph passing skills.

 
RedSavage said:
Yes.  I commented on him throwing almost no spirals during the game saturday.  I'm also not sure he has the arm for the deep pass at this point but I do think that's fixable with some strength training.  Part of me wonders if that's where the talk of MC's struggles with passing mechanics came from and the coaches hesitation to play him more last year (and have him throw when he did).
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Agreed.

So although the good part about Luke is that he's still learning the QB position, is a freshman, and therefore has potentially much room to grow before he hits his ceiling in the passing game...I still feel like we're potentially trading Adrian's slower decision making for Luke's lack of accuracy/arm strength.

If that is actually the case, then Luke is still a small net gain because his running game is better. But it feels like it's going to be the Taylor Martinez game plan all over again.

 
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MasterPulverizer said:
Does anyone have any concerns about arm strength and the quality of the balls when they're in the air?  There was one play down in the red zone where he was throwing to an open TE and barely got the ball to the goal line.  Granted, he was rolling out, but it was to his right and I don't recall there being any pressure.  Also, the one that Warner dropped in the end zone was a poorly thrown ball.  He should have caught it, but it was really wobbly, as was the pass to Allen on the 2nd or 3rd play of the game.

Not complaining about the win, or how the team played, just curious as to what everyone else thinks about these two areas.
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One of my fears are the low passes he throws over the middle of the field. He had the one pick against NW and had a couple close calls Saturday. I don't know whether it is really an issue or the play call or what, but his throws over the middle scared me every time on Saturday.

 
Undone said:
Yep. He had one or two passes that should have been picked off but PSU didn't have the hands. So, accuracy/decision making on where to throw and placement.
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I mentioned this elsewhere, but LM completion percentage was 62%. There's things to critique like decision making, throwing into coverage, etc. but this idea he's inaccurate is bizarre to me.

 
RedDenver said:
I mentioned this elsewhere, but LM completion percentage was 62%. There's things to critique like decision making, throwing into coverage, etc. but this idea he's inaccurate is bizarre to me.
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You're right that 62% is workable. I think it's more of the accuracy on passes that sail 10 yards or more and the decision making on those passes.

He did at least hit Warner in the back of the end zone...and Warner dropped it. That sucked.

 
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Undone said:
You're right that 62% is workable. I think it's more of the accuracy on passes that sail 10 yards or more and the decision making on those passes.

He did at least hit Warner in the back of the end zone...and Warner dropped it. That sucked.
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Has LM thrown downfield enough to make a determination? An honest question as I don't remember him throwing over 10 yards or so.

 
RedDenver said:
Has LM thrown downfield enough to make a determination? An honest question as I don't remember him throwing over 10 yards or so.
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I feel like this is the chicken or the egg convo we've had the last two weeks. Can our QBs not push the football downfield, is our OLine not providing enough time for the routes to develop or are the WRs not getting open? 

I haven't gone back and watched any games, nor do I have a press box game film - but it wouldn't surprise me if Warner, Falck and our TEs have trouble getting separation against B1G DBs. 

 
Just to pull it back to a high level, I think this is where I'm at. As far as being a dual-threat QB, Luke's strengths lie heavily as a runner and probably not as much as a passer. I don't think that's even debatable but maybe some here will try.

I believe Frost's modified Chip Kelly offense is better served with a guy who is the other way around; a QB that's dual-threat but whose strengths lie more in his throwing ability.

Three years in and we don't really have that guy, and that's just kind of disappointing. But like I've said in other posts today, Luke is just a freshman, and hopefully Frost can develop his throwing ability into that guy that can light up the field like Milton did.

And yes, the question of WR talent definitely factors in.

 
Undone said:
Just to pull it back to a high level, I think this is where I'm at. As far as being a dual-threat QB, Luke's strengths lie heavily as a runner and probably not as much as a passer. I don't think that's even debatable but maybe some here will try.

I believe Frost's modified Chip Kelly offense is better served with a guy who is the other way around; a QB that's dual-threat but whose strengths lie more in his throwing ability.

Three years in and we don't really have that guy, and that's just kind of disappointing. But like I've said in other posts today, Luke is just a freshman, and hopefully Frost can develop his throwing ability into that guy that can light up the field like Milton did.

And yes, the question of WR talent definitely factors in.
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I mostly agree. I think LM is a dynamic runner and a decent passer so far, but I haven't seen enough of him passing to really know if he's just decent or better than that. He looked good trying to comeback against NW until the redzone, so that gives me hope he's going to improve.

 
RedDenver said:
I mostly agree. I think LM is a dynamic runner and a decent passer so far, but I haven't seen enough of him passing to really know if he's just decent or better than that. He looked good trying to comeback against NW until the redzone, so that gives me hope he's going to improve.
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Sure, I hear ya.

 
Undone said:
Yep. He had one or two passes that should have been picked off but PSU didn't have the hands. So, accuracy/decision making on where to throw and placement.
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And, I see this in just about every game with every QB.  

Yes, he needs to improve.  He has a lot of areas where he can improve to make the offense click and be more productive.  But, picking out one or two passes in a game that could/should have been more accurate, is nitpicking in my opinion.  

I was watching an NFL game the other day with Tom Brady.  He threw a pass in the end zone exactly like the one that Warner dropped in the OSU game.  Brady's WR caught it.  But, it was way behind and high for him to reach up and grab.

Burrow lived off of throwing to WRs that were smothered with coverage and his WRs went up and made a play.  

This will happen from time to time with whomever is the QB at Nebraska.

 
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