Keep in mind that our receiver core is still just hype. None of them other than RR has proved anything yet. There were a couple of passes that should have been caught. I think as the butterflies leave these guys the passing game will improve. Also BG has not really proved he is the real deal teaching these guys either. I would expect better routes and stronger hands on some of those defended passes. So I think it is a joint effort on Lee and his WR core.:thumb:
Lee will gain confidence as the season progresses. He did have some happy feet during the Oregon game. Once he settles in, he'll be fine. I believe in Lee!
I think this is the key. We need to believe in the guy, and realize that yes, he'll make a mistake or two. Granted, 7 pick 6s in 08 were not a mistake or two .. .but that was then, and this is now. Lee needs to feel that we support him, and that we believe he is the man for the job. The confidence that one feels from others is as big if not bigger than one's own self confidence.
He has trouble recognizing that a receiver is about to be open, which results in his throws being a little late. Several passes were broken up because the ball was getting to the receiver at the same time a defender was. Maybe that will improve with reps. Believe it or not, he has improved a great deal in this area, but it is still a problem. When he gets pressured, he gets happy feet and has a tendency to throw off his back foot. He is scared of taking a hit. I think he was doing a little better stepping up into the pocket, which is something he has always had trouble with. He's talented enough to make all the throws, he just doesn't quite know when to pull the trigger. Things develop more quickly on the field than they do in his brain. If he figures that out, he can be very good for us. Who knows, maybe he had some first game jitters, and we see a new an improved Jarrett Lee next week. So GDF, how good is Oregon's secondary, without Cliff Harris? We are going to see some damn good ones come SEC play. Big, strong, and fast.
You're right. I think we have to hope that he just learns how to avoid pressure and move around in the pocket. Maybe with that, he will gain confidence that he won't take a hit.
I love the guy but he shrinks in the pocket. Hope we can protect him and help him develop in that area as the season progresses. I'm a fan of his character. Don't think too many people question his moxie for staying and competing
He definitely was. That was one of the biggest improvements that I noticed. When the pocket began collapsing, he stepped up towards the LOS rather than away from it, which is what he used to do. Still has some work to do in the pocket, but he's come a long way. He actually admitted that he was nervous at the start of the game. And honestly, who can blame him? With all the hype about the game, the unfolding of recent events, his history, and the expectations of this team, who wouldn't have been nervous? We have to remember that he only had the reps with the first team for a couple of weeks before the game. So it's not surprising that there were some minor timing issues. This was also the very first game with a new OC and several receivers. But overall, he looked significantly more confident and more decisive than he's been in the past. I didn't expect him to come out and fling it all around the yard, so I was quite pleased with the progress he's made with the small things that I noted above.
As with anything, the more reps he gets, the better he will look. kRags will work out some of the small things. Lee will look at film, see what he needs to see, make the right checks. kRags and Studs hit Oregon where it hurt, they saw the weakness in the defense. D-Pete was open all night. They couldn't stay with him. The running game was open, as its been for the last few years.
