As somebody who thought Terry Godwin was woefully underutilized last season, I’m glad to hear he’s back in Kirby’s good graces. This is profuse praise:
“As far as depth of routes, running the routes, catching the ball, making plays, blocking people,” Smart said. “And a lot of that was from outside. It wasn’t just inside. He can play inside. He does great with it. But he’s become more valuable to us outside. And I mean value as far as vertical threat. Just catching the ball.
“He’s very consistent in what he does. He made a couple plays out there today, where you start seeing the guy is really becoming the guy that we expect him to become.”
Chaney is right there, too.
“I think Terry’s done a wonderful job,” offensive coordinator Jim Chaney said recently. “He’s put a few pounds on. He’s gotten stronger. He looks a little faster to me. Terry, once again, is familiar with the offense, and he’s doing a wonderful job out there.
“I think he’s got exceptional hands. I think his mind’s in a great spot. I think his attitude’s fantastic, and I love how he’s working right now.”
The guy has the best hands on the team. He needs to be deeply involved in the offense. It sounds like his coaches are down with that.
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I think the most exciting comment in that quote is “he’s become more valuable to us outside”. If we can utilize Terry on the outside, instead of the options with a tendency to drop balls, it will allow for another playmaker or second TE in the slot. The key is using our playmakers wisely as far as getting them the ball but also having multiple threats all over the field. Nothing against those “other guys” but defenses do not fear them and that allows for keying on a singular threat in the passing game.
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I really think we, quietly, have assembled a very strong group of receivers this year and will see substantial improvement from them. We may not have the marquis, AJ Green type threat but we have a lot speed and talent for opposing defenses to be concerned about. We just have to get the ball to them and get the extra defensive guys out of the box. And that is on Chaney primarily, and Eason second.
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With Nauta and Blazevich being two stellar TEs, Chubb and Michel being a one-two punch in the backfield, Mecole or Crumpton or whomever in the slot, an outside WR threat is all that is missing. If Godwin and Ridley can be that, oooh boy. If only we had an OL…
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Terry was weird last year. Clearly the best hands on the team, I believe you posted some data around that, but they seemed to really not want to get him the ball.
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Just rewatched the Liberty Bowl game and Terry wasn’t the problem. Eason overthrew him 3 times in the first half alone. Unless Eason can throw a catchable ball are screwed. He had no touch and over 10 yards no accuracy. This was after 12 games and yes the Oline was bad but damn he had open receivers open down field and just way overthrew them. I still don’t know how we won that game.
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