I don't want this to come off the wrong way- but do some of you even think about what you're typing before you put it out here?
To answer the OP- yes, I agree that a lack of size at WR makes it slightly more difficult to run certain routes. It takes away a lot of the advantages in 1 on 1 situations as the QB can't simply put the ball up in the air and have the WR use his size/body to shield off the DB and go get the catch.
However:
DPE had probably his best play he's made as a receiver on the TD grab over Graham. That was a true Moss job. Went up and attacked the football. I've mentioned this more than once on the board here but its very impressive the way that our WR's have been attacking the ball this year. Much more so it seems than in years past.
Stanley played a great game. The first pass of the game that bounced off his hands and the ball that would've been a difficult catch in double coverage on the corner route obviously were 2 big plays in the game. But so was his fourth down conversion on the 4th and 10 and then ensuing TD. So was his other TD. And he really is our best WR in 1 on 1 situations. He had his man beat late in the 4th and it would've cut the Oregon lead to 7 but Lee missed him in the end zone.
The real issue is that there is not a lot of guys that can be "trusted to play in the games" to use Riley terms. Guys like Young and Reimers are fine to have on the team but it was very obvious even in limited action against Arkansas State that Reimers didn't need to be out there in either passing or blocking situations. Young apparently has the yips about catching any passes. Our WR core loses DPE next year but brings back Stanley, Tyjon, KJJ, McQuitty, Spielman to go along with guys like Moore and other incoming freshmen that we will add. We still haven't gotten to see Keyan Williams yet either as he is nursing his hamstring injury. We will be fine here.
The last thing I want to address is this "woe is me" attitude that is creeping more and more onto the board. Its still difficult to look at this program as a whole and think that it isn't progressing. The recruiting uptick has been fantastic to see and there are some seriously talented assistant coaches on this staff. Regardless of the results in 2 games, Nebraska is currently paying its Defensive Coordinator over $800,000 per year. That is the largest assistant contract in Nebraska history. Its nice to actually feel like the administration is willing to step up and help the staff as much as possible. The coaching staff and the administration being on the same page is huge. It allows for a coach to take risks like firing a 17 year DC and bringing in a guy he's never worked with before. Keeping the yes man culture out of the staff will benefit us moving forward.
And lastly, I really dislike this idea that because we lost a road game at a high level PAC12 opponent by 7 points, Nebraska is all of a sudden worthless and stuck in the mud.
One of the main reasons a team like Oregon is able to "turn it around" much quicker than Nebraska (and I'm not even sure you can use that term yet with Oregon, they beat a sub par FCS team and us by a TD at home) is due to
1. their average recruiting ranking the past 4 years and 2. the fact that they hired a coach who's scheme and style fit the current players much better than Nebraska did. Oregon's avg recruit ranking is almost a full point higher than Nebraska's. Oregon still has a lot to prove this year as well, they tried to hand the game to Nebraska numerous times and we were too inexperienced to be able to take it. But I see positive signs. The OL is playing the best it has in the Riley era. The WR's are growing and Bryant appears to be a very legitimate workhorse RB. Stoltenburg had his best game at Nebraska on Saturday and the D really did answer the bell in the second half of the game. I encourage everyone to try to take a high level view of the program and see where we are at currently. I think when you do that and you compare it to some of the other programs and teams in college football, you'll be pleasantly surprised as to how you feel about Nebraska moving forward.
