Decker Push Offs?

[cemba99]

The ESPN announcers over the weekend made a subtle statement that seemed to say that our opponents have been complaining that Decker is getting away with push offs. This is the first I have heard this - but it is also the first time I have had to watch a game on TV. Has this been brought up before?

 

[monk10]

Decker is excellent at this. He runs good routes, and people can see that. However when things are close he knows how to place a hand on the hip of the defender to disrupt the oppositions speed. The more blatant one I thought was ND's TE on the Purdue defender. Both standing there and #9 gets a hand on the purdue's lower body and nudges as he falls away from him.

 

[skiumah2]

The ESPN announcers over the weekend made a subtle statement that seemed to say that our opponents have been complaining that Decker is getting away with push offs. This is the first I have heard this - but it is also the first time I have had to watch a game on TV. Has this been brought up before?

He did get called for it against AF I believe. Also, I did think he made a subtle push off on his last TD against NW. I don't know if it was enough to draw a penalty, but I've seen similar offenses get penalized. I think all good receivers push off from time to time. If you get a reputation for it, you do sometimes get penalized more than others. The good receivers are good at doing it without looking obvious. Michael Irvin of the Cowboys constantly pushed off but didn't get called for it very often. Also, the highly touted receivers generally get the benefit of the doubt a lot too. Decker's reputation preceeds him. He can probably get away with it more often than Stoudamire, Green, etc.

 

[ChemEGopher]

All great recievers know how to execute a slight push off without getting penalized. Decker probably learned from watching the best while growing up: Randy Moss.

 

[grunkiejr]

He did not push off on the final TD. The announcer said he did (I think he just assumed because that would be typical of a WR on that play) but I replayed the play multiple times on my DVR and I didn't see his hands come in to contact with the DB. All that I saw was Decker step in to the DB and once the DB started moving inside Decker stepped outside and the ball was in the air. That is a totally legal play and the way that every basketball player is taught to get open for a pass on the wing--the theory translate well to football.

Where I have seen Decker get away with using his hands was against Syracuse when he was running downfield and he used a quick hand jab to the shoulder to slow the DB and create separation. He got away with it twice. I didn't see anything against Cal or Northwestern that was even questionable.

Keep in mind that the announcer for the game this past weekend is a former DB for Northwestern. It isn't uncommon for a player that played a position to whine a little bit or accuse the opposition (WR) of getting away with something. Not to mention it is hard to be completely neutral when announcing a game for your alma mater.

 

[inflectionpoint]

Clearly he's landed in Michael Jordan territory if this is true.

 

[Governor Sibley]

People who complain about this are idiots. The same "rule" applies here as it does to holding by offensive lineman.

You should do as much of it as you possibly can without getting caught.

A good offensive lineman holds as much as possible. A good receiver pushes off whenever he can.

What planet are these people living on? This ain't beanbag!

 

[denguegopher]

A part of it is that Decker has great strength and very good size. The same thing happens with great rebounders. They can go up for the ball and opponents peel back because of the guy's strength, not because the great rebounder has pushed off. I think that Decker's just damn good.