Community Projection: Limas Sweed

by Peter Bean on Jul 30, 2007 11:20 AM CDT in Football Comment 13 comments

You could argue that Limas Sweed was the best receiver in the Big 12 last season, and by all accounts, he's playing even better now than he was then. Reports from 7-on-7 drills include such hyperbole as "uncoverable," "a beast," and "the best player on the field."

Maybe most importantly, Limas has grown into a leader. He's leading by example. He's leading vocally. He's grown into the type of dominant senior player that we all dreamed about when he was a true freshman, but worried he might not become. Remember those days? When we moaned about how easily he got pushed around by smaller defenders? How he wasn't physical enough?

Those days are long gone. By the end of his sophomore season, he was a force in the Rose Bowl. Last year, he was one of college football's top ten deep threats in the game. And this year? Well, I'm not the only one who's bullish - the venerable Phil Steele has Sweed ranked as his top receiver in the country.

The only real question is how opposing defenses plan to handle him. Opponents spent a lot of defensive capital last season trying to contain the Texas run game, one of several reasons why the run game never exploded and - more relevantly - the passing game flourished. Sweed proved time and again that single coverage on the sidelines was a punishable offense.

What will teams do this year? If Sweed were on a lesser team, the answer would be obvious - lots and lots of safety help. Texas' offense is so loaded in so diverse a manner, though, that safety help is not the easy answer it would seem. There's Jermichael Finley to worry about (and worrying about him with a linebacker isn't gonna cut it). There's Billy Pittman and Jordan Shipley. And there's Quan Cosby, who's become deadly effective at chain-moving catches underneath in the soft spots of zones.

Seriously, what do you do? McCoy's proven he can make the right reads, so it's a pick-your-poison situation for opposing defensive coordinators. The best bet, I'd guess, is to push all your chips in on quarterback pressure. Give McCoy time, and it's over. Get to him quickly and you can force some mistakes.

All told, there's no question what kind of season Sweed is capable of. The two big questions are:

Will Texas' offensive line protect McCoy adequately?

How much secondary help will opposing DC's commit to stopping the Sweed deep ball?

Tough questions, but my projection's still rosy:

Limas Sweed 2007 Projection: 60 catches, 1050 yards, 13 TDs

Your turn.

--PB--

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Comments

65 catches, 950 yards, 9 TDs

I see Limas' production going down this year for the reasons you mentioned, PB. If I'm an opposing DC, the only shot I have of stopping the Texas offense is intense pressure on McCoy. This means shorter throws to Limas and fewer opportunities for him to score TDs. He'll break some long ones, but I'm afraid not as many.

On the other hand, it should open up the game for JC and the other running backs. Cosby and Shipley should also benefit. But through no fault of his own, Sweed's numbers suffer.

by beast in bama on Jul 30, 2007 1:06 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Straight Burnt

And I just saw the graphic you did for Orson at EDSBS. VERY funny - nice job!

by beast in bama on Jul 30, 2007 1:11 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I'll ask Limas ...

and post his projections tomorrow.

by wtfitzhomie on Jul 30, 2007 3:14 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

quick decisions by colt

If defenses do indeed pressure Colt a lot, I see many a quick fade and some slants for Limas, plus the deep ball whenever the D focuses on stopping the run.

At least 1 TD per game (maybe 15-16 total), around 1200 yards, and receptions slightly increase, to say 75.

...til Gabriel blows his horn

by BigTexBD on Jul 30, 2007 3:20 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Red Zone special......

Though I do think his production may be down yardage wise, I do believe that he will have more TD's this year b/c of our recent lack of red-zone or running in the red zone efficency. We gotta take advantage of his strength, height and leaping ability. Jermichael Finley for that matter as well!

60 catches 900/950 yds 16TD's

I'm sort of a big deal, people know me

by slimmy on Jul 30, 2007 3:37 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

56 catches, 1100(+?) yards, 16 TDs

Pittman is definitely going to step in and make his contributions felt, but I see Sweed getting after it this season and doing big things.

When does football start again?

by bendj on Jul 30, 2007 4:48 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

limas sweed predictions...

limas will again be one of the best deep threats we will see in college football. to answer some of PB's questions the line will protect enough to give colt some time for the deep balls. the line will indeed be inexperience but the play of the line is never anything less than solid. to answer the second question, yes the opposing db's will concentrate on the deep ball and not letting sweed go deep. then again i remember some of limas' quick slants going to the house as well.

final predictions
rec. 65
yards. 1000
td's 11

more UT, less cowbell

by kcc28 on Jul 30, 2007 8:23 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

It all depends on...

the play of Jamaal Charles. If J-Mall proves that he can run the ball effectively and efficiently this year, it will dictate the amount of looks (and DB's) that Limas will get.

by mvplonghorns on Jul 30, 2007 11:41 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

1200 yds, 15 TDs

Also, I see in a few '08 mock drafts that Limas is a top 15 pick. Does anybody have a guess as to his 40 time? WRs being drafted more on clock speed than anything else, if he is in the 4.4s rather than the 4.5s then he's gotta be top 10.

by DogTown on Jul 31, 2007 7:51 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I think Limas

will have fewer catches because Colt will spread the ball around. I do think his yards per reception will be high though.

45 catches, 990 yards and 15 TD's

"Nobody leaves this field until we beat the hell out of them".................... L.J."Louis"Jordan in 1913 before kickoff of the Texas/ou game.

by ouALWAYSsux on Jul 31, 2007 10:12 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Big year for Limas

65 catches 1150yds 15TD

by LonghorninRaiderland on Jul 31, 2007 11:30 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I love this guy

So I'll go all out here with 70 catches, 1400 yards, 14 TDs

by Caradoc on Jul 31, 2007 3:22 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Regardless...

...of actual statistical production, Sweed will give us yards galore this year. Stop Sweed, and the Cos-Bomb will light you up underneath, while Pittman basket catches on the fly, and the fastest man on the planet is one turned corner around a huffing linebacker from the endzone. I don't know if it might be better to just let Sweed have his numbers and try to stop the bleeding elsewhere.

Basically, I'm with the highest numbers predicted on this thread if they try to stop the rest of the offense, and I'm about on par with this year's production if they try to stop him, but with a lot of beatings from the other guys in orange!

Hook 'em!

"So, the A and the M are just there so you aren't TU?"

by Horn Brain on Jul 31, 2007 7:59 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs