Will Fitz Throw the Ball Effectively Tomorrow?

[BeastMan]

Looked at some stats today and noticed a few alarming passing efficiency stats.

-Vs SEC opponents, Fitz is 2nd to last in the conference in passer rating only ahead of Dormandy (UT)

-Vs P5 opponents with a winning record, Fitz is 99th nationally in passer rating (and they only rate to 100).

-Fitz is 5th in the league in passing attempts and 13th in the league in yards

BYU is 37th nationally is passing defense allowing 200 ypg but what I think is a better indicator is passer rating against which is 104th nationally mainly due to a 8 to 3 TD to INT ratio and a 66.3% completion percentage (which is 118th nationally).

In short, Fitz has been awful throwing the ball but this BYU defense is bad against the pass. To be fair, some of Fitz's numbers are skewed having played 2 elite defenses in UGA and Auburn. This is a 4 game stretch where he can rise back toward the middle of the pack. I'm really hoping we see some growth in the passing game the next 4 games.

[BeastMan]

One more thing to ponder. In 2010, jr Chris Relf finished with 1776 passing yards, 12 TDs, 6 INTs, 59% completion percentage, and a 140.46 passer rating. Right now Fitz is at 783 yards, 8 TDs, 5 INTs, 53% completion percentage, and a 115.28 passer rating.

[Jack Lambert]

BYU is not Georgia or Auburn.

[TimberBeast]

Looked at some stats today and noticed a few alarming passing efficiency stats.

-Vs SEC opponents, Fitz is 2nd to last in the conference in passer rating only ahead of Dormandy (UT)

-Vs P5 opponents with a winning record, Fitz is 99th nationally in passer rating (and they only rate to 100).

-Fitz is 5th in the league in passing attempts and 13th in the league in yards

BYU is 37th nationally is passing defense allowing 200 ypg but what I think is a better indicator is passer rating against which is 104th nationally mainly due to a 8 to 3 TD to INT ratio and a 66.3% completion percentage (which is 118th nationally).

In short, Fitz has been awful throwing the ball but this BYU defense is bad against the pass. To be fair, some of Fitz's numbers are skewed having played 2 elite defenses in UGA and Auburn. This is a 4 game stretch where he can rise back toward the middle of the pack. I'm really hoping we see some growth in the passing game the next 4 games.

If we're not first in all of college football (every division) in dropped passes I would be shocked. He needs to improve somewhat but his numbers are badly skewed by receivers getting hit in the hands over and over again and dropping passes.

[HoopsDawg]

so BYU is 0-5 and they suck, but they only lost by 6 to Utah. I'm just not sure if we cover the 24. We don't have enough explosive players on offense.

[Cooterpoot]

We just played two of the best defenses and teams in the country. Fitz is throwing the ball better than the stats show.

[Gutter Cobreh]

BYU is not Georgia or Auburn.

Fitz wasn't able to hit the broad side of a barn during the spring game, but don't mention that to anyone as you'll get chastised and run off the board since those types of games are meaningless....We've seen our secondary get roasted the last two games, yet when he went up against them he threw 3 picks in one half.

Is he progressing or regressing?

[BeastMan]

If we're not first in all of college football (every division) in dropped passes I would be shocked. He needs to improve somewhat but his numbers are badly skewed by receivers getting hit in the hands over and over again and dropping passes.

That’s a fallacy. Everybody drops balls. I’ve searched for drop stats and cannot find them. Bama, OM, and every other team in the country drops balls every week

[MadDawg]

I think Fitz will finish somewhere around 15 of 21 for 200 yards, with another 75 yards rushing. Add another 200 yards rushing from the backs for total offense around 500.

We win convincingly. 42-7

[Cooterpoot]

By the way, is BYU a power 5 team with a winning record or an SEC team?

[Leeshouldveflanked]

Considering we have only 2 WR's playing that would break the Two Deep at a SWAC School, I would focus on the run game....

[Todd4State]

I think it's more the WR than it is Fitz. I'll be interested to see how Couch and Todd do. It sounds like they're going to play a lot.

[chef dixon]

Our fans continue to give him a pass. He's not a good passer and is not really any better than the end of last year which is the most concerning part. It's not just against UGA and Auburn, he looked lost throwing in portions of every game. We are just going to have to just get used to it for the next 1.5 seasons.

[BeastMan]

By the way, is BYU a power 5 team with a winning record or an SEC team?

They are not. Which is why I said I hope to see growth and rise back to the middle of the pack the next 4 weeks. And to boot, I gave some numbers to show that BYU is bad against the pass. This game has to be the launch point to seeing some improved passing offense for the remainder of the season.

[Jack Lambert]

Fitz wasn't able to hit the broad side of a barn during the spring game, but don't mention that to anyone as you'll get chastised and run off the board since those types of games are meaningless....We've seen our secondary get roasted the last two games, yet when he went up against them he threw 3 picks in one half.

Is he progressing or regressing?

Again we are playing 1-5 BYU. The run will open up the passing lanes for Fitz. Have you not watched BYU play?

[confucius say]

That’s a fallacy. Everybody drops balls. I’ve searched for drop stats and cannot find them. Bama, OM, and every other team in the country drops balls every week

Do they drop 7 in a game? Ours have. Go watch the film. That doesn't even count the 50/50 back shoulder throws that we havent come down with all year.

Also, our receivers minus Mixon are never open. No separation.

Nobody is saying fitz is great.

[BeastMan]

Do they drop 7 in a game? Ours have. Go watch the film. That doesn't even count the 50/50 back shoulder throws that we havent come down with all year.

Also, our receivers minus Mixon are never open. No separation.

Nobody is saying fitz is great.

First off, we don't drop 7 balls a game. Not even close. Maybe one game a year that will happen and that's for every team in football. I watch NFL games where they drop multiple passes a game every week. Good QBs throw WRs open. Dak did it all the damn time. Fitz cannot do it. He just doesn't see it. And that's what makes a good QB good. Any average QB can hit a guy streaking down the field wide open. That's usually indicative of a coverage bust more than some great route being ran anyway.

[BulldogBear]

Again we are playing 1-5 BYU. The run will open up the passing lanes for Fitz. Have you not watched BYU play?

This. It's bayad. Turrible.

[Dawgology]

A lot of that is on the receivers. We are playing 5-foot-nothing guys on the outside. It’s a tragedy our receiving corps was allowed to get to this point. We had better see Couch and Todd a lot going forward. Plus...we drop a lot of catcheable balls.

[Gutter Cobreh]

Again we are playing 1-5 BYU. The run will open up the passing lanes for Fitz. Have you not watched BYU play?

I don't doubt what you're saying. What I'm countering with is as the pass opens up, can Fitz control his throws to be accurate?

We'll all see tomorrow how it goes.