TRUE or FALSE: Taylor Martinez will have a 60% or better completion rate this season.

We just have differing opinions in the cause of timing issues. I think it's because of poor footwork (and so does Coach Beck) resulting in poor drop backs. Honestly didn't see many people dogging routes last year, but that could be part of it. At any rate, if his mechanics don't improve I think he is around 60% at best. Honestly think he should be looking for around 65% if we do target easy, short passes.

 
False...

Find it pretty hilarious that people frequently blame the WR's. A good majority of receievers would tell you it's pretty hard not to drop a ball when it rarely hits you in the numbers or if it's thrown slightly too early.
Doesn't the ball have to be somewhat catch-able, for it to be dropped?

 
We're all on the same page. It's just that sometimes Taylor throws a high ball, then he'll come back and throw a liner -- you know, a different kind of ball.

"We just have to execute and make plays."
This is the sort of thing that also leads the more drops. Two way street, that.

 
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I hope TRUE.

If he hits 60%, our offense is wide open.

Not sure if he was joking about 70%, but I hope he meant it. That would mean a great QB coach on the offseason and tons of confidence.

If he hits 70% (and we throw more than four times a game), we need to add a Martinez Heisman website to the Rex version. If he hits 70% we will find ourselves in the MNC race. I do not think that will happen, but if he hits 60% I think we could be in a BCS bowl, and that would be a sign of improvement for our team.

No matter what, I only hope we abide by Tom's old creed. Win or lose, it does not matter, if the team played to its highest ability. To me, that is the measure, and it eclipses everything else. To do so would mean that no player did less than his best, and the team did ITS best. If we still lose in that game, we have lost to a better team, not to ourselves.

 
Find it pretty hilarious that people frequently blame the WR's. A good majority of receievers would tell you it's pretty hard not to drop a ball when it rarely hits you in the numbers or if it's thrown slightly too early. Not to say they didn't have drops, which they did, but Martinez played a huge part in that as well. You missed the biggest possible reason for the increase in percentage: improved footwork, which improves timing, and also improves mechanics. So better mechanics and better timing more than anything will increase his completion percentage.
I find it pretty hilarious that you think a ball has to hit a receiver in the chest for him to catch it. The rule has always been "If you get two hands on it, there is no excuse for dropping it". Do you think that every pass hits Calvin Johnson or Larry Fitzgerald in the numbers? Those guys still make the catch, don't they? Both parties are equally responsible. You can't demand near perfection from a quarterback, and then justify receiver mediocrity on the same hand...

But I do agree that any increase in his comp % won't be because of a lack of drops. More than anything, I'd say that being in Beck's system for another year will be the difference.

I don't know, I've never regarded comp % as that meaningful of a stat...Nick Foles completed 70% last year at Arizona, and look how well his team did. I'd rather see Nebraska utilize more mid/range downfield throws and have a lower percentage than incessantly throw dump offs and have a good percentage.

 
Find it pretty hilarious that people frequently blame the WR's. A good majority of receievers would tell you it's pretty hard not to drop a ball when it rarely hits you in the numbers or if it's thrown slightly too early. Not to say they didn't have drops, which they did, but Martinez played a huge part in that as well. You missed the biggest possible reason for the increase in percentage: improved footwork, which improves timing, and also improves mechanics. So better mechanics and better timing more than anything will increase his completion percentage.
I find it pretty hilarious that you think a ball has to hit a receiver in the chest for him to catch it. The rule has always been "If you get two hands on it, there is no excuse for dropping it". Do you think that every pass hits Calvin Johnson or Larry Fitzgerald in the numbers? Those guys still make the catch, don't they? Both parties are equally responsible. You can't demand near perfection from a quarterback, and then justify receiver mediocrity on the same hand...

But I do agree that any increase in his comp % won't be because of a lack of drops. More than anything, I'd say that being in Beck's system for another year will be the difference.

I don't know, I've never regarded comp % as that meaningful of a stat...Nick Foles completed 70% last year at Arizona, and look how well his team did. I'd rather see Nebraska utilize more mid/range downfield throws and have a lower percentage than incessantly throw dump offs and have a good percentage.
I knew someone would take it this way.

It's hard to catch a ball when it rarely hits you in the numbers or is timed improperly. - FACT . I didn't say it has to hit the receiver in the numbers, nor did I say it was only Taylor's fault. Fact is, Taylor hardly ever throws the ball even remotely close to a players chest/torso area. I believe Jamal Turner said something like this last year, how it's harder to catch Taylor's passes because you have no clue where to expect the ball, above your head, below your knees, to the left, to the right, on target, maybe not on time. - I believe later in the post I said Taylor Sprays it around a 6 foot radius so the receiver doesn't really know where to expect the ball.

 
False...

Find it pretty hilarious that people frequently blame the WR's. A good majority of receievers would tell you it's pretty hard not to drop a ball when it rarely hits you in the numbers or if it's thrown slightly too early.
Doesn't the ball have to be somewhat catch-able, for it to be dropped?
Find it pretty hilarious that people frequently blame the WR's. A good majority of receievers would tell you it's pretty hard not to drop a ball when it rarely hits you in the numbers or if it's thrown slightly too early. Not to say they didn't have drops, which they did, but Martinez played a huge part in that as well. You missed the biggest possible reason for the increase in percentage: improved footwork, which improves timing, and also improves mechanics. So better mechanics and better timing more than anything will increase his completion percentage.
I find it pretty hilarious that you think a ball has to hit a receiver in the chest for him to catch it. The rule has always been "If you get two hands on it, there is no excuse for dropping it". Do you think that every pass hits Calvin Johnson or Larry Fitzgerald in the numbers? Those guys still make the catch, don't they? Both parties are equally responsible. You can't demand near perfection from a quarterback, and then justify receiver mediocrity on the same hand...

But I do agree that any increase in his comp % won't be because of a lack of drops. More than anything, I'd say that being in Beck's system for another year will be the difference.

I don't know, I've never regarded comp % as that meaningful of a stat...Nick Foles completed 70% last year at Arizona, and look how well his team did. I'd rather see Nebraska utilize more mid/range downfield throws and have a lower percentage than incessantly throw dump offs and have a good percentage.
So if I launch the ball as hard as I can (what Taylor does - according to our WR corps last year) at your feet, and you make an effort to catch it, and it hits both of your hands, it's your fault for dropping a laser that is 3 feet too low? C'mon.

 
I don't know, I've never regarded comp % as that meaningful of a stat
In terms of coorelative statistics, it isn't that indicative of a stat. If you want a simple single rate equation, Adjusted Net Yards per Attempt is a far better stat. A team's ANY/A differential is a pretty good single indicator of their success.

 
Here's the thing. We very frequently talk about how Taylor can't be expected to be Peyton Manning and surely, nobody expects him to be throwing at the level of a highly proficient pocket passer.

But you know what is a direct consequence of that? More errant throws. More dropped passes, because of that. It's part of the deal. When the throw isn't perfect, you still want the catch to be made, true. But when the throw is a bit off target, the simple fact is that it's a lower percentage completion.

If we are really going to be OK with Taylor not being that veteran pocket passing QB -- and we are, right? -- then we have to be real about what we are going to see out of the passing game.

 
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