This spring, the offensive coaches have moved Keke Coutee inside, after being outside last year and it got me thinking about how the coaches have the receivers stacked.
As of right now, I think we’ve got the receivers set as follows (although I am almost sure that I’m not completely sure about the order or the or the third and fourth guys at the wide receiver spots):
X-Receiver: Derrick Willies, Tony Brown, Michael Coley, Jakari Dillard
H-Receiver: Cameron Batson, De’Quan Bowman and Keke Coutee
Y-Receiver: Ian Sadler, Jonathan Giles, Donta Thompson, Zach Austin
Z-Receiver: Dylan Cantrell, Reginald Davis, Quan Shorts, Ja’Deion High
- I don’t think that “surprise” is the correct word, but maybe raised an eyebrow at the idea of moving Coutee inside after spending last year outside. But I suppose this certainly aligns with how the staff has recruited the position recently in that they want bigger players on the outside. I thought that Coutee could eventually be a player like Devin Lauderdale on the outside, but maybe the coaching staff felt that they were getting beat down by opposing cornerbacks because they were simply small.
- And as to Lauderdale, who Chris Level has said that if and when he comes back, it will be at inside receiver. Take a look at those inside receivers and tell me where you think he moves ahead of or past someone else? I don’t think Lauderdale moves past Sadler and the more spring time that Giles has inside, the less I think Lauderdale leapfrogs him. On the other side, Batson, Bowman and Coutee seems about as set as you could get on the inside. Lauderdale is going to struggle to find a real spot here when he does come back. We’ll get to the outside guys in a second, but the competition inside is tough.
- With Coutee and Lauderdale having played on the outside, that does give the coaches some position flexibility. Or perhaps the coaches could go big on the inside, with Thompson and Bowman (or maybe even Giles, who plays the “Y” receiver position, but could maybe flip for a play or two at the “H” receiver spot) and then go small but speedy on the outside, with Lauderdale and Coutee. It would be nice to flip the script a bit on defenses every once in a while.
- Seems as if that given how the this is shaking out, that the general rule is that if you’re over 6’0″, then you can play on the outside and if you are under 6’0″ then you’re playing on the inside. It will be interesting to see if and how the coaches address getting beat so badly off of the line of scrimmage last year. The thought process was that these guys were getting pushed around heavily at the line of scrimmage and maybe it’s just a maturity thing. I do think that Willies and Cantrell have bigger bodies and won’t be so easily pushed around. It will be very interesting to see if that sticks.
- What about the coaching from receivers coach Emmett Jones? I wonder how and if that makes a difference this year over Darrin Chiaverini? This is Reginald Davis and Paul Banks, II:
Show a lil love to @RD3_TexasTech… Working hard with a brand new mindset! #Day6Work pic.twitter.com/arfexCMdDd
— Emmett Jones (@TTU_Jones) March 25, 2016
And then this is Michael Coley, someone that I haven’t given much of a thought, going up against D.J. Polite-Bray:
Keep grinding!!! pic.twitter.com/xHLHj3QtUE
— Emmett Jones (@TTU_Jones) March 25, 2016
I’m all for some guys surprising us. Texas Tech could certainly use some guys like Coley emerge as an option. It’s been some time since Texas Tech really developed a guy, a guy that doesn’t come on until his junior year. That’s what building a program is all about. Competition breeds excellence.