So much is said about the need for a deep threat and though the vertical game is a necessity for many offenses, I’m not sure if it is for this particular offense. While vertical passing attacks try to spread the field lengthwise with a strong armed QB, the Horm’s are intent on spreading the field horizonally in a box that starts at the line of scrimmage and extends between 5 and 15 yards. This is designed to take advantage of Colt’s accuracy and his ability to move and find the open receivers in space. Once the defense is spread across the field, Colt has open lanes to run in and he has time to find open receivers who break off of their route or drag across the field.

I don’t think we’ll see Colt take too many shotslonger than 25 yards because its just not necessary with this offense. GD loves to send speedy RBs on wheel route to pull DBs or LBs off of the line and as much as fans hate the screens they have the ability to gain big yards in the best case while still providing some positive yards in the worst case.

Mack’s definition of explosive plays is 12 yards or more, which hardly qualifies as a deep threat WR. Instead, the big play ability probably going to come from the running game (Fozzy, McGee, Johnson and McCoy) slicing up defenses once they become overly concerned with Colt’s passing ability. However, once defenses cheat up we’ll see some passing over the top to keep them honest.

several of you pointed out the idiocy of the quoted 40-yard dash speeds. If McGee is a 4.3, I can do 4.7 at an AARP age. Likewise, McCoy is no 4.5. The Fonz we don’t know about. Anyway, there’s 40 speed and football speed and they’re not the same thing.

My concern with McCoy running is the injury factor. Good defenses are gonna figure out how to cover the WRs and force the QB to run, as they did in the option days when the defense’s best chance of success was to force the QB to keep the ball and then head-hunt him.

If there is no other choice, the QB needs to keep it. VY showed that when USC stuffed the RBs, did a solid job on the WRs and finally — in the fourth quarter — started denying the TE (David Thomas) the ball. Vince had to run. There was nothing else open. But that was Superman, and that was late in the national championship game.

I have a real concern about McCoy’s ability to throw even a reasonably deep ball. I love him as a runner but I’d prefer he spend off hours in study hall, not the training room.

He’s not a 4.5 guy, but he’s very shifty as a runner and he’s faster than people think. I think Mack said he was a roughly a 4.7 guy as a redshirt freshmen, which isn’t bad at all for a QB.

Colt throws a better deep ball than people give him credit for. He doesn’t have a rocket arm, but really, how many times does the QB need to chunk the ball 50 yards through the air. Colt can throw a thirty yard ball just fine and I think he can hit 40 yards reasonably well. If I recall, Colt threw the deep ball to Sweed fairly well his freshmen season.

Personally, it seems we have more of a quick team than a fast team. As much as we may hate it, it may be better this season for us to hit quick, high percentage routes and let our receivers, TE’s, and runningbacks gain a few more yards after the catch, and obviously this would include much more than the oft-talked about bubble screen. I’m not saying we’re slow by any means; we certainly have players capable of breaking free if given space, but we simply don’t have anyone like Sweed or Charles that can simply run past defenses (at least, good ones) on a whim. If I’m wrong on this, I won’t mind one bit, but that’s just what I see at the moment. Our big plays will most likely come because we consistently gain 5-6 yards per play and the defense cheats up and gives us an opportunity. Sudden explosions when the offense is stagnant like JC against Nebraska and OK-state is not likely.

I think we can all agree that there remains a lot to see from this bunch, and the jury’s still out on a regular home run hitter emerging. But of all the years, I think the lack of a field stretcher may actually be a good thing this season. With TT and Mizzou’s ability to put points up quickly well documented, and OU touting a new no-huddle offense this year, we are going to have to control the clock and use our offense to keep their offenses off the field. I’ll be interested to see the T.O.P. stat in those 3 games and if/how it affects the outcome.

Colt McCoy runs a 4.5 forty.

i’m not sure where in the 4.5 range he runs (high or low) - but it’s a 4.5 something. he ran a 4.5 four years ago and he’s only gotten stronger since then.

point taken — either way, Colt is faster than most people realize. he is such and athlete. forget how good he is at QB — you should have seen him play basketball at Jim Ned. Scary good. He could’ve played D1 basketball, but his heart has always been with football.

p.s. I would love to get an “official” time now to check colt’s 40 yard speed and take bets on the outcome. I think I could win some $…

Dallas Alley, if you can get Colt to agree to it, I can probably scrounge some electronic timing equipment. When it comes to standardization, would you prefer he have a self-start or signaled start?

I’ll bet up to $1000, plus the loser pays the winner’s travel expenses. I’d be flying in from Maryland.

burntorangehorn, what are we betting on? that colt can clock somewhere between a 4.50 and a 4.59? I would take that bet.

The problem is colt can’t sneeze without half the University of Texas’ facutly’s approval. I know Mack would never go for this. But I’ll check with Colt’s dad and see if we could do this after the season.