Brevyn Spann-Ford

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He has been good in the past. Just not playing very well this year. I have high hopes he will come up big for us over the next two months.
 


Just keep playing finding ways to win and he will have a big contribution before the year is over.

Jackson was about the only competent receiver yesterday when the ball was catchable.
 


Maybe as simple as he and AK just don't connect QB-TE wise. Hard to imagine but as good an explanation as any.

There's still time for both he and AK to be heroes together for one or more plays...in more than one game. But the sands of the football hourglass of play are falling...
 

Former OC KC did not use the TE position as a receiver when Fleck 1st arrived. Not saying the position deserves to get passes thrown their way because they have played terrible, but this almost seems like scheme also. AK is throwing to his WR's (Yuck) and RB's (Hurt). It would be nice if BSF decided to play better - before he shoots himself in the foot for any potential NFL tryout he might get. Not a lot of effort there....
 

FredCoxRocks said:
...can't catch.
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It's painful to watch. The ball hits his hands and goes straight to the turf. I'm sure that they are told to concentrate and watch the ball all the way into their hands. He might be over thinking.
 






Wonder if gopherhole still thinks he’ll play on Sundays.
 

(I’ve posted something similar before):
BSF looks bigger this year. Sometimes when players add too much weight (muscle or fat), they can lose quickness and/or flexibility. He certainly looks like he’s lost a bit of both this year.
 



Crooms even more than BSF seems to have stone hands. When a passing game can’t get traction, the QB is often identified as the culprit. And AK has some real issues, no doubt. But when your TE and the second most targeted WR can’t catch balls that hit their hands, the QB problems look worse. Jackson catches almost everything possible to catch. But he is alone. Crooms gets open but doesn’t make the catch. Elijah Spencer? Brockingston can catch but is out for the season. We recruited several WRs in this year’s class. Maybe one or two could step up in the second half of the season. 🤷🏼‍♂️
 

denguegopher said:
It's painful to watch. The ball hits his hands and goes straight to the turf. I'm sure that they are told to concentrate and watch the ball all the way into their hands. He might be over thinking.
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His drop late in the Iowa game was massive. If he catches the perfectly thrown ball that hits him right in the hands we have it first and goal from like the 3.

Don't know what it is going on with him but he is having a horrible season, especially catching (or attempting) the ball. Guy should be a difference maker and massive safety blanket for AK but he has been anything but that to this point in the season.

He either needs to start catching the ball or they need to identify another pass catching TE on the roster who will because he has had way too many drops this season. Hopefully he can get it figured out and start making plays again.
 

gopherbadgerman said:
He just not that good. He’s big and that’s about it.
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Well, not exactly. He profiles very well athletically - runs fast, jumps high, has prototype size, and so on. The fact that he is so athletic is why he is often in position to positively impact the game. The problem is that he doesn't execute when called upon to do so and that's because he is lacking technically. He has poor hands, can't block well, runs poor routes, etc. I would not be surprised to see him drafted because pro coaches in every sport always think they can take great athletes and mold them into players. It might even actually happen for him (that is, turning into a quality football player) but based on his performance this year and trajectory over his Gophers career, I doubt it.
 

dpodoll68 said:
Well, not exactly. He profiles very well athletically - runs fast, jumps high, has prototype size, and so on. The fact that he is so athletic is why he is often in position to positively impact the game. The problem is that he doesn't execute when called upon to do so and that's because he is lacking technically. He has poor hands, can't block well, runs poor routes, etc. I would not be surprised to see him drafted because pro coaches in every sport always think they can take great athletes and mold them into players. It might even actually happen for him (that is, turning into a quality football player) but based on his performance this year and trajectory over his Gophers career, I doubt it.
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Yeah, he is definitely one who may get drafted on potential far more than production. Mid round project guy.
 

Gophergrandpa said:
Crooms even more than BSF seems to have stone hands. When a passing game can’t get traction, the QB is often identified as the culprit. And AK has some real issues, no doubt. But when your TE and the second most targeted WR can’t catch balls that hit their hands, the QB problems look worse. Jackson catches almost everything possible to catch. But he is alone. Crooms gets open but doesn’t make the catch. Elijah Spencer? Brockingston can catch but is out for the season. We recruited several WRs in this year’s class. Maybe one or two could step up in the second half of the season. 🤷🏼‍♂️
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Crooms drops came out of the blue this game. I don't think he had a single bad drop until yesterday. In fact, until yesterday, I thought he had the best hands on the team.
 

dpodoll68 said:
Well, not exactly. He profiles very well athletically - runs fast, jumps high, has prototype size, and so on. The fact that he is so athletic is why he is often in position to positively impact the game. The problem is that he doesn't execute when called upon to do so and that's because he is lacking technically. He has poor hands, can't block well, runs poor routes, etc. I would not be surprised to see him drafted because pro coaches in every sport always think they can take great athletes and mold them into players. It might even actually happen for him (that is, turning into a quality football player) but based on his performance this year and trajectory over his Gophers career, I doubt it.
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BSF has had his issues at times with blocking this year, but he had at least a couple great hard-hitting trap blocks yesterday.
 

Panthadad2 said:
Crooms drops came out of the blue this game. I don't think he had a single bad drop until yesterday. In fact, until yesterday, I thought he had the best hands on the team.
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agreed. Crooms displayed good hands this season excepting yesterday. I presume it was just an off day. BSF‘s drops are becoming habit.
 

BilldGopher said:
Maybe as simple as he and AK just don't connect QB-TE wise. Hard to imagine but as good an explanation as any.

There's still time for both he and AK to be heroes together for one or more plays...in more than one game. But the sands of the football hourglass of play are falling...
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I think there's some truth to this. BSF's numbers were better in the 1st half of last year with Morgan at QB. With AK at QB, he had good games at Penn St and Wisconsin last year, and was decent vs Nebraska this year, and now 10 other games where he's done very little.
 


gopherdudepart2 said:
It's gotta be mental, and focus issues. He has the physical tools to be an asset and be a pass catcher. He does block and do what he is asked so he seems to be a good teamate.
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I was a little heartbroken when he patted his chest to signal it was on him after his drop. I’m sure he feels it way more than us.
 



A pet peeve of mine with coaches/fans/scouts/analysts is with the over-emphasis on “measurables” with quarterbacks and wide receivers. What I mean by are the following: Size, speed, strength, quickness, vertical jump, (arm/passing strength for QBs).

There are two other things that matter most, by far. For QBs, passing accuracy. For WR’s, catching ability. I don’t give a rip about any of the other things if they aren’t GREAT at those two. Period. By the time a kid is finished with high school, you either have it or you don’t. I don’t believe those two things can be easily taught. Did Fran Tarkenton have many of those measurable? Not so much. How about Adam Thielen? Nope.
 


He has always been overrated. Not his fault that some built him up to be great player and he is not a great player.
 


Bordergopher said:
A pet peeve of mine with coaches/fans/scouts/analysts is with the over-emphasis on “measurables” with quarterbacks and wide receivers. What I mean by are the following: Size, speed, strength, quickness, vertical jump, (arm/passing strength for QBs).

There are two other things that matter most, by far. For QBs, passing accuracy. For WR’s, catching ability. I don’t give a rip about any of the other things if they aren’t GREAT at those two. Period. By the time a kid is finished with high school, you either have it or you don’t. I don’t believe those two things can be easily taught. Did Fran Tarkenton have many of those measurable? Not so much. How about Adam Thielen? Nope.
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As an aside Fran Tarkenton went to HS at Athens High School and then went on to be QB at Georgia. When my Dad was at the start of his college career at UGA folks in Athens had much more interest in watching the Friday night high school games because Georgia was not good on Saturdays. That changed when Fran the Man joined the Dogs and Georgia won the SEC in 1959.

So yes, in his case the "it" was already set in HS and transferred directly to college and of course the NFL. Tarkenton is a very good example of the point being made.
 

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