Discussion of Cobb

[UKFBFAN]

Randall Cobb is talented, quick and a difference maker, however I wonder about starting a 5'11" freshman who weighs only 176 pounds (recruiting chart last year's Rivals list).

If Randall plays quarterback, who catches the ball? If he gets hurt, then where will we be?

[BlueBalls]

Cobb's size doesn't bother me. I think the NFL mentality of a 6'5" QB has gone too far into the college FB thinking. Look at some of the top QB's in college, Daniels of Missouri 5" 10" for instance. College is different, it depends on your system.
Cobb is simply a fantastic football player. He is a playmaker we need. As for who to throw to, that is a problem. There is a thread going now that suggests using Cobb at QB, Locke at WR and Smith at RB........I like that idea.
But, a lot of the problems I see is the playcalling. The playcalling suggest a total lack of confidence in anybody's ability on offense and it looks like the players have responded accordingly.
The coaches do need to look at player postions, but they also need to look at being more aggressive in the playcalling. Joker is letting the defense dictate how we respond. We need to dictate to the defense.

[crice561]

To quote another poster from a different message board, " he throws to the same open players that Hartline was overthrowing by 5 yards."

Alot of the problem is that Hartline doesnt throw a very catchable ball with the way it wobbles. Cobb throws a ball that lools easier to catch.

Im not sure what the answer is, but I am disappointed in how this season is now looking, espcially when we lost Lyons yesterday in what I am calling a season ending injury. When I saw the injury, I got a little sick to my stomach because I knew that he probably wouldnt play another down for the Cats. I think this had an affect on the FG that was blocked as well.

[Blue Heaven]

Well, he could throw it to Laxster. Those two were High School teammates. I would like to see Cobb at QB. To me, Hartline throws a bad ball and stares down his receivers too much. Up until yeaterday, I defended Hartline saying our O line had to give him more time to throw it. He got some time yesterday, though not much, and didn't do much with it. Some will look back to the Bama game for proof he can wing it, but those two long throws against Bama were busted coverages. It's time for a change.

[jpay]

This is the way i see it. Hartline is a totally one dimensional QB. No threat to hurt you with his feet what so ever. That being the case, defenses drop off to help on the short routes(which is all we throw) sans to our TE. This makes the short routes more difficult as well. With Cobb being the duel threat that he is, the opposing teams LBs have to stay at home to defend the scramble and the dedicated Qb run. Probably to the point of having to put a spy on Cobb. That being the case it makes the short routes easier to spring for big YAC yards, and opens up the running game. I think you move Locke to WR(theres your deep threat) and start Smith at TB. I really think this is what this offense needs. JMHO Go Cats.....

[blueshock]

chase daniels at mizzu is 6', matt grothe at south florida is 6' and todd reesing at kansas is only 5'10"... the uk roster has cobb listed at 185 now and that is a little thin but he's only a freshman. i'm sure they will fatten him up:icon_mrgreen:

i'm not saying that rcobb is the answer to our prayers but i don't think his size is a reason to keep him out. we have lots of questions that need answering, that's for sure...

[misterbluecat]

Cobb brings the threat of a potential scramble or keeper, with decent wheels to boot. I think we should at least give him 2 series Saturday to see if he can do something. It would certainly be a different look and I doubt Arkansas will put much prep time in for Cobb at QB.

[jpay]

I doubt Arkansas will put much prep time in for Cobb at QB.
I have to disagree with this. I think Petrino will be looking for it. Still with that being the case I don't think it will matter. Cobb can make any of the throws that Hartline has shown this year....

[gerntz]

Not taking QB sides, but 5-11 176 sounds like a sturdier build than 6-6 201.

[misterbluecat]

I have to disagree with this. I think Petrino will be looking for it. Still with that being the case I don't think it will matter. Cobb can make any of the throws that Hartline has shown this year....

Petrino can look for it all he wants, but frankly I don't think Arkansas has the ability to effectively stop Cobb, regardless of how much they prep for him. We'll find everything out Saturday though.

[jpay]

Not taking QB sides, but 5-11 176 sounds like a sturdier build than 6-6 201.I have to agree.. I think Cobb is probably closer to the 185 to 190 range. I think one of Hartlines biggest problems is he plays scared. To many times this season there have been openings were he could have pulled off some serious yardage by tucking the ball and running and he just didn't. The kid ran track in high school so he has the wheels, I just think he is scared of the contact. JMHO

[LUUKFAN]

This is the way i see it. Hartline is a totally one dimensional QB. No threat to hurt you with his feet what so ever. That being the case, defenses drop off to help on the short routes(which is all we throw) sans to our TE. This makes the short routes more difficult as well. With Cobb being the duel threat that he is, the opposing teams LBs have to stay at home to defend the scramble and the dedicated Qb run. Probably to the point of having to put a spy on Cobb. That being the case it makes the short routes easier to spring for big YAC yards, and opens up the running game. I think you move Locke to WR(theres your deep threat) and start Smith at TB. I really think this is what this offense needs. JMHO Go Cats.....

I agree completly. It could not possibly be any worse with Cobb at QB. Moving Locke to WR and playing Smith at RB puts our 3 fastest players on the field at the same time.

[scathendo]

i keep seeing people saying....if cobb is the QB who does he throw to? anybody remember all the praise Joker had preseason for this WR class?

i've seen good hands from both our TE's - Locke - Conner - that's of lot of opportunities in this short game we've been running.

then you've got lanxster who does not seem to have a problem catching cobb's passes either in high school or the game where cobb actually got to run the offense.

we might get lyons/ford back.

and then of course there's BOYD. when he's in the game he's a big target who gets open and catches the ball. he's just not been out there much yet.

With all of our young recievers, i don't think the problem is they can't catch. i think the problem is there not being thrown (for the most part) catchable balls.

i think we've seen that the entire team responds with cobb at the helm.

i wonder if the coaches are worried about losing the two huge fish they got on the hook but have not yet reeled in.:shrug1: outside of that i can't think of why we don't see a change.

[scathendo]

[quote=UKFBFAN;518900]Randall Cobb is talented, quick and a difference maker, however I wonder about starting a 5'11" freshman who weighs only 176 pounds (recruiting chart last year's Rivals list).
quote]

i think you said it best when you said 'talented, quick and a difference maker' the line has to open lanes up regardless and cobb is quick enough to move around in order to see the field. i think his size is not an issue until it becomes an issue and it can't become an issue until he's given a chance.

[UKFBFAN]

[quote=UKFBFAN;518900]Randall Cobb is talented, quick and a difference maker, however I wonder about starting a 5'11" freshman who weighs only 176 pounds (recruiting chart last year's Rivals list).
quote]

i think you said it best when you said 'talented, quick and a difference maker' the line has to open lanes up regardless and cobb is quick enough to move around in order to see the field. i think his size is not an issue until it becomes an issue and it can't become an issue until he's given a chance.

You're right Scathendo. He hasn't been out there much. My concerns with his size are largely for his durability. That was one reason Derrick Locke didn't play more last year.

[UKBOO]

Not taking QB sides, but 5-11 176 sounds like a sturdier build than 6-6 201.

???
-201
176
25

-6-6
5-11
7

That is 25 more pound to take a hit and 7 inches taller to see over the line. Needless to say, I disagree with this statement.

[scathendo]

the college game is full of 'undersized' guys that perform.

the issue may be with cobb being young and not yet conditioned to take the pounding of an SEC season. that i could very easily see.

but i don't think being 5'11 and 176# should automatically mean you can't play QB at the college level because of durability questions. particularly if your going to say the they play receiver instead.

the receivers take at least as many hits as the QB's and they are required to block (which is where cobb was hurt btw). where is cobb most likely to take a pounding? standing at quarterback? hartline took one sack and was hurried 0 times per the stat sheet at UK athletics against one of the best defenses in the country. or at receiver where every play he plays involves, at best, contact at the line and blocking downfield, and at worst having to reach several feet over his head for a poorly thrown ball over the middle and getting blasted by a DB or LB. cobb tied for a team high 8 grabs last week and said it was the most sore he's been in his entire life. i would wonder if he'd been that sore if he'd played QB all day.

just for reference - walter peyton played his entire NFL career right at 5'11"; 202#. taking and delivering hits is not always about size.

[UKBOO]

There is a big difference between being hit by a DB when you know its coming versus being hit by a DE when you don't.

I can still see the hit Cobb took on the sack in my head. I was never so glad to see a kid get up because he was nailed and he had no idea it was coming. One of the reasons he was nailed is because he didn't recognize how the D was lined up and didn't change the blocking (per Brooks and Cobb).
If he were a Jr it would be different. Its an unbelievable huge load some here want to put on a freshman just because others aren't stepping up who SHOULD be stepping up.

[scathendo]

sorry. i'm not buying that getting hit by a LB or DB running as fast as they can while your running and jumping as fast and far as you can and are completely opened up because the person at the QB spot is throwing everything over the middle high - hurts less than a DE hitting the QB.

Cobb's two duties right now are
a. being the #1 option at WR - how many hits will he take there?
b. PUNT RETURNS - you don't think he's gonna' get a good lick returning punts. if keeping cobb from getting hit too much was the idea then i don't think he'd be returning punts. obviously the coaching staff is not concerned with him being able to take a hit.

here's another point. if hartline cannot improve his accuracy and show some arm strength over the middle and quit opening up our guys to big hits then how many more WR's are we going to lose this season. if we've got an option at QB who can throw with some accuracy and zip over the middle then are we not statistically improving our chances of keeping our receivers healthy by having that guy at QB?

[UKBOO]

You are welcome to put it back on the shelf then. LOL

I'm not a fan of Cobb returning kicks if he is also doubling at QB. And to be fair, the last game was the only one where Hartline has thrown badly. Other than missing down field, he's been very accurate.

[scathendo]

Randall Cobb is talented, quick and a difference maker, however I wonder about starting a 5'11" freshman who weighs only 176 pounds (recruiting chart last year's Rivals list).

If Randall plays quarterback, who catches the ball? If he gets hurt, then where will we be?

here's the OP again. so on topic - if he's playing WR/PR he's obviously shown the coaches he can take a hit.

injuries happen and you cannot ever rule out the fluke injury but i don't think cobb is at any less danger of getting hurt by playing WR/PR than he would be playing QB. in fact i'd say we stand a much higher risk of him being injured at WR/PR, particularly if the QB is throwing high downfield, which he has done all season.

if he gets hurt - we are losing
our strongest arm (per joker);
maybe best QB - we don't know right now;
certainly a QB that poses a running threat.
our #1 WR on the depth chart.

how many touches will he get at WR? at QB he'll touch the ball everytime.

at this point we've got Cobb and Locke that have shown big play ability. we've got a good fullback. we've got two TE's that have shown they can catch. we've got lanxster who played HS with Cobb and has shown an ability to hook up with Cobb already this year down the field.

i'd like to look at a double tight end set with both FB and HB and QB in the backfield and lanxster at WR. if ford is healthy look at him also and i've seen good things from Boyd when he's actually on the field.

with that set you can have max protect - lot's of options for running out of the backfield and passing out of the backfeild. locke could option out to WR. we would also be trying to stretch the field with two players who, while being freshman and sophmores, have actually had alot of reps together to get the timing down. then your looking at still having lots of young WR's getting a shot to make a play when the primary needs a breather and still being able to shuffle in the HB's all day long.

[UKBOO]

lanxster is out with a sprained knee. UK does get Ford back.

[scathendo]

ok. hadn't seen that yet. hopefully we will have lanxster. he's listed as doubtful as far as i can tell. so we may have ford and lanxster or ford and boyd. all the more reason to not use multiple WR sets more than we have to.

[scathendo]

by the way. i'm looking at how we can be better 2 and three weeks from now as well as next week. if lanxster is doubtful this week then the knee may not be that bad and he could be back next week.