Why Mike Leach doesn't send receivers to the NFL...

[Dawgzilla]

Sorry if this article was discussed back when it was fresh, but Makai Polk's undrafted status made it relevant again. Whether you agree with this take or not, in 20 years Leach has developed exactly 1 successful NFL drafted wide receiver, Michael Crabtree. He also produced Wes Welker, who went undrafted.

Production in Leach's offense comes with an asterisk.

https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/m...cant-mike-leach-recruit-elite-receivers-2022/

 

[jethreauxdawg]

Bless your heart

Pumpkin

 

[Cooterpoot]

You realize that's an OM alum publication right? You're a sucker.

 

[msstate7]

Hard to argue with the actual numbers in the OP. For a coach that throws as much as leach, those wr numbers in the nfl are disconcerting.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

You can’t really argue with the facts though, he doesn’t put receivers in the NFL.

 

[047Dog]

What some of our fans don’t get is that there are numbers and then there are inflated numbers.

Sure Rogers “numbers” are gaudy but he also had nearly 100 completions and 250 more attempts than most of his peers.

Same goes for Polk. Sure he had 100 receptions. But he only averaged a shade better than 10 yards per catch and only 9 TDs. When you are throwing it 650 times somebody had to make those catches. We can applaud him for being a Bulldog but you have to be realistic. For him to even have gotten a look from the NFL, he needed to be around 1500 yards with those reception numbers.

 

[onewoof]

Looks like the intent of that article is blatant. One school takes much pride in sending 2-3 receivers to the NFL and is concerned State will soon equal that number and surpass it.

 

[Cooterpoot]

Hard to argue with the actual numbers in the OP. For a coach that throws as much as leach, those wr numbers in the nfl are disconcerting.

Is it? Look at his recruiting rankings. He's never coached at a top flight school as HC. But he's put some guys in the NFL. They're comparing him to coaching at AL? Come on. Then casually mention guys that didn't even make in college and one that transferred to OM. It's not much more blatant BS than that.

 

[jethreauxdawg]

Double check my math

You can’t really argue with the facts though, he doesn’t put receivers in the NFL.

But if you multiply the number of pro bowl receivers our last three coaches combined put into the league while at State by 1,000,000, it would be less than Leach produced in his last two stops. I don’t think our receivers will be worse off than prior to Leach getting here.

 

[patdog]

I don’t care much how many players he puts in the NFL. I care about his players production at Mississippi State.

 

[msstate7]

Is it? Look at his recruiting rankings. He's never coached at a top flight school as HC. But he's put some guys in the NFL. They're comparing him to coaching at AL? Come on. Then casually mention guys that didn't even make in college and one that transferred to OM. It's not much more blatant BS than that.

I didn't read the article. I read the OP, and there's not much to dispute there

 

[Go Budaw]

You can’t really argue with the facts though, he doesn’t put receivers in the NFL.

Nobody “puts” receivers in the NFL. You have to recruit elite talent at the position. Guys are predetermined to be NFL players or not at WR long before they ever set foot on a college campus.

Texas Tech, Washington State, and especially Mississippi State have not historically attracted the level of talent needed at WR. We especially suck hard at it, and have sucked at it for going on 3 decades and 5 coaching staffs now. We’ve also sucked at the other offensive skill positions, too, but we’ve been especially bad at WR.

None of that is ever changing until our powers that be figure out how to come up with the small fortune that is required to sign the difference makers. And even then, that only guarantees getting the kid for a year. Welcome to modern college football.

Until then, I’m happy to have a coach who has proven he can do more with less.

 

[57stratdawg]

Neither does MSU. We should be a good fit.

 

[Ralph Cramden]

We got 2 guys playing pro football right now. Give him a couple more years here. We will put some in the NFL. If Polk ran a 4.4 he woulda been drafted.

 

[coachnorm]

The NFL wants play makers, not scheme participants. IF a receiver can work a defensive back by doing rocker steps and cross facing, there is an attention getter. Scheme participants count steps and run geometry to comply with the scheme. Why do you think some NFL receivers cut of the wrong foot occasionally? The receiver flips the defenders hips using match-up technique and has to cut quickly to deny the defender recovery? The extra step equals recovery time for the defender. Counting steps with precision breaks is taught in Pop Warner ball and will only take a receiver so far. The NFL wants receivers that win position and then the catch, not scheme participants in an offensive coordinator's mental map?

 

[Leeshouldveflanked]

Polks measureables made him a borderline draft pick no matter what system he played in If you are not drafted in first 4-5 rounds it is almost better that he didn’t get drafted and could sign with a team that would be a better fit. Leach’s system as we have seen isn’t known for stretching the field, but he hasn’t had a QB at MSU capable of being a downfield threat. If Leach would make a few tweaks on the run game and have a QB-WR duo that could stretch the field, it would make it more appealing to more NFL potential WR’s.

 

[aTotal360]

You can replace “Mike Leach” with “Mississippi State” and it will be equally as factual.

 

[was21]

That's interesting...reviewing resumes of the writers on that pub, looked hard for any mention of OM alumni, couldn't find any

 

[Rezdog]

You can replace “Mike Leach” with “Mississippi State” and it will be equally as factual.

This is the correct take. But most of these message board fans seem to hate Leach and blame him and the staff no matter what. "It's Leach's fault Polk didn't get drafted." "It's Spurrier's fault for publicly telling Polk it was a bad decision and now we'll never get a good croot." Can't wait for Leach to get fired so we can hate the next coach.

 

[philduckworth]

Recruits do though.

 

[aTotal360]

I’ll say it again…in the past 20 years, we’ve had more long snappers drafted than wide receivers.

 

[Dawgzilla]

You can replace “Mike Leach” with “Mississippi State” and it will be equally as factual.

My only point was that Leach is not known for attracting or developing NFL wide receivers. Some people have been claiming the receivers will be attracted to the system, but I'm not so sure.

I would take a constant stream of Makai Polk clones and be happy with their production here. Just don't count on much NFL interest.

I was also sort of responding to some of the posters who thought Polk's numbers should have been sufficient to garner more interest from the NFL.

 

[Cooterpoot]

Polk was never regarded as a NFL WR. He wasn't before he came here. You can't make chicken salad out of chicken **** and coaching at TT, WSU, & State isn't going to make it easier to get high end talent. And I hate his offense, but common sense tells you it's as much the circumstances as anything.
Give me 10+ wins and don't care who plays in the league. Just win games.

 

[aTotal360]

You tell me what's better, and you only have 2 options, having the opportunity to catch 100 balls a year or playing for any other coach in our entire history and only catching 100 balls in your college career?

Being an MSU fan while gaslighting about Leach not developing WRs seems ironic.

 

[Hot Rock]

My only point was that Leach is not known for attracting or developing NFL wide receivers. Some people have been claiming the receivers will be attracted to the system, but I'm not so sure.

I would take a constant stream of Makai Polk clones and be happy with their production here. Just don't count on much NFL interest.

I was also sort of responding to some of the posters who thought Polk's numbers should have been sufficient to garner more interest from the NFL.

If you can’t see the talent level of the WR improvement then I can’t help you see it because it’s obvious to me. You are not getting many 5 star NFL types here no matter who the coach is without NIL monies.

Both can be true

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

It’s not a dig at Leach because it’s clear that he doesn’t need an NFL receiver to get it done. I was simply pointing out that he doesn’t have many receivers that go to the NFL. They don’t get much attention because it’s a numbers thing because of the system and the same goes for his QBs. They put up insane numbers yet just a few had a cup of coffee in the NFL.

 

[PartTimeGenius]

My thoughts exactly. If the guys produce for us and have us winning, I couldn't care less if they make it to the NFL or not. What are we trying to do, produce NFL players or win football games? Leach recruits guys that best fit his system because that's how he will be successful. I'd rather have a team full of Polks than a 1st rd draft pick that is drafted on his "measurables and projectability" rather than his on field production in college after having a 20 catch season.

 

[IBleedMaroonDawg]

Well he definitely can now! You guys just need pony up some money for some NIL deals. Get DS to buy fewer flat screens and Fishwater give us some of his walking money.