This should not really shock us.....

[swinesation]

Haha, best kept secret. Good one Coach!

[moses_007]

When is the unveiling of this super duper passing game going to be? 

[snoblind]

A "tweet" means we have a passing game??  Let's remember...Petrino also made Casey Dick a serviceable Q. 

Oh, really?

His rating was over 4 pts. in lower 2008 than 2007.  While % was the same he had more TD's in 2007 and more INT's in 2008.  Only real improvement was in yards since he threw more.

http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/casey-dick-1.html

[Cure]

They haven't had any issues getting open all season, even against Auburn. The receivers route running and positioning was great, they just didn't catch the ball.

Brandon has been making good reads and I see that he decided to keep the safeties honest a bit more vs Tech by going vertical.

If he keeps up his improvement, they'll only have issues with overall depth and zone pass coverage.

[Rzbakfromwaybak]

We score 21, 73, & 49... for a total of.... 143 points in the first 3 games, & people are complaining about the offense.   Only on Hogville. 

Sure, our offense can improve some things.... but it's certainly looking good.  We should be more concerned about our defense, & the ability to consistently tackle better.  Believe this will be the key to the season & a bowl game.  Just as our offense needs to click a little better on all phases as we play better opponents.....even more so for the defense.

[Dominicanhog]

One of his very 1st passes in 2012 was a long go route to McKay.  And I can think of at least three that he hit receivers right in the hands, in stride, and they dropped it. Hatcher against Aub being the latest.

I do remember the Auburn pass, as well as one to HH last year, but don't really consider those "bombs".  I agree he has had his share of drops, but he seems to hurry the deep passes or just desn't have the accuracy deep down the field.

[bell2629]

First off, where did CBB say this? I thought the quote was that our passing o was the best kept secret in Fayetteville, not in football. I could be wrong.

Secondly, and most importantly, did BA miss a couple throws? Maybe. I'm not ready to call the one to Morgan a total miss, but the flea flicker to Hatcher was def on BA. But, he missed where he was supposed to miss, i.e. where only his guy had a chance of catching it. Not one time against Tech was I worried about a ball getting picked while it was in the air, which has not been the case in the past with Brandon. This is huge with respect to possession and ball/clock (clock and balls?) control, which are pillars of CBBs offense.

Do I wish he would have hit Hatcher in stride for the early TD? Of course. But as any decent golfer knows, you're gonna miss sometimes, and missing in the right spot can be the difference between getting rich and going broke.

[three hog night]

They haven't had any issues getting open all season, even against Auburn. The receivers route running and positioning was great, they just didn't catch the ball.

Brandon has been making good reads and I see that he decided to keep the safeties honest a bit more vs Tech by going vertical.

If he keeps up his improvement, they'll only have issues with overall depth and zone pass coverage.

BINGO

[PoormansRobbyHampton]

I am not doubting what you are selling here....

However I would like to reming you that BA overthrew multiple passes which could have/should have been TDs last Saturday. He got a few chances to show off his arm, and blew them.

My thoughts too. There were a few drops against Auburn, but guys were running free against Auburn and BA couldn't convert.

I'm pretty worried about it, honestly.

[PoormansRobbyHampton]

To be fair to BA, the throw to Morgan in the EZ was on the money.  Morgan should have had it, but it went right through his hands. As for the overthrow, I think he was a victim of the west Texas wind.  That pass was in the same direction as all the kickoffs that went through the EZ, and it just carried more than he thought it would.  I don't think he'll ever be an elite QB, but I thought he did a nice job Saturday.

I'm not sure I agree with this. Morgan laid out in the end zone, full extension, and still couldn't haul the ball in.

Was it catchable? Sure. It hit his hands. But Morgan was already parallel to the ground and stretched all the way out and couldn't quite make it. It was far from a routine catch, but he was wide open.

[PorkSoda]

My thoughts too. There were a few drops against Auburn, but guys were running free against Auburn and BA couldn't convert.

I'm pretty worried about it, honestly.

You can't deny that is has improved over last year.  I think he is starting to settle in, and will be playing like an SEC vet by the end of the season. 

[ricepig]

First off, where did CBB say this? I thought the quote was that our passing o was the best kept secret in Fayetteville, not in football. I could be wrong.

Secondly, and most importantly, did BA miss a couple throws? Maybe. I'm not ready to call the one to Morgan a total miss, but the flea flicker to Hatcher was def on BA. But, he missed where he was supposed to miss, i.e. where only his guy had a chance of catching it. Not one time against Tech was I worried about a ball getting picked while it was in the air, which has not been the case in the past with Brandon. This is huge with respect to possession and ball/clock (clock and balls?) control, which are pillars of CBBs offense.

Do I wish he would have hit Hatcher in stride for the early TD? Of course. But as any decent golfer knows, you're gonna miss sometimes, and missing in the right spot can be the difference between getting rich and going broke.

http://www.wholehogsports.com/news/2014/sep/15/bret-bielema-interview/

[jgphillips3]

My concern with the passing game is not BA, it is the receivers. Can they get open, and can they hold onto the football when it is thrown to them.

Exactly.

[PoormansRobbyHampton]

You can't deny that is has improved over last year.  I think he is starting to settle in, and will be playing like an SEC vet by the end of the season.

Oh he's absolutely better. But is he good enough? That's the real question.

He didn't look sharp against Tech at all.

[PorkRinds]

And I believe it to be true. Let's not forget that Petrino recruited Brandon Allen heavily and I know for fact he would not have offered if Brandon's arm was not up to level in the SEC....this could get fun real quick like.

I believe the quote was "best kept secret in Fayetteville".

[hogsanity]

I do remember the Auburn pass, as well as one to HH last year, but don't really consider those "bombs".  I agree he has had his share of drops, but he seems to hurry the deep passes or just desn't have the accuracy deep down the field.

well, I don't know what you consider a "bomb", but the drop against Auburn traveled over 50 yards in the air.

[shotgun7]

Sure could have used a passing game @ Auburn.

We tried, never could get it going...

[Dominicanhog]

well, I don't know what you consider a "bomb", but the drop against Auburn traveled over 50 yards in the air.

If so then he has hit one ane the receiver dropped it.. I don't have the tape but I have a hard time beleiving he threw it 50 yards in the air, got that clip?

[Mike Irwin]

I'm pretty sure we don't even air the football's up for practice, just hand off and block......NIU will have a defense, Bielema said that today in the PC, we'll have to throw it, probably 20-25 times on Saturday, just wait.

Pretty sure you're wrong. I'm told they throw it more than they run it in practice.

[Wildhog]

Pretty sure you're wrong. I'm told they throw it more than they run it in practice.

Pretty sure he was being facetious. 

[lefty08]

When is the unveiling of this super duper passing game going to be?

When its needed

[hawgtime]

The only bad overthrow was the flea-flicker to Hatcher. The Morgan pass was just a tad off...a little faster WR would have had that. Wilson and Hatcher both tripped on the balls he overthrew to them.

my point in another thread. BA and his receivers have got to get on the same page. the receivers have got to get better and start grabbing everything.  THEY need practice in game situations.  I hope we start doing that.

[hawgtime]

My thoughts too. There were a few drops against Auburn, but guys were running free against Auburn and BA couldn't convert.

I'm pretty worried about it, honestly.

me TOO!!!

[onebadrubi]

I am not doubting what you are selling here....

However I would like to reming you that BA overthrew multiple passes which could have/should have been TDs last Saturday. He got a few chances to show off his arm, and blew them.

You are a continuing individual to knock him.  I'm going to call your bluff/BS.  Please name these "Multiple" opportunities.  I bet you can't come up with more than 2, possibly a third.  Also the hatcher one he was rubbed early to knock off his timing (a good play by the DB).  While thats football, it's no excuse, but I do believe you can not knock BA at all for overthrowing a couple of receivers in that game. 

[TNRazorbacker]

He said nothing about our catching/receiving game....just our passing game.   

Well its kind of futile to be confident about half of a passing game.

[SamBuckhart]

The WRs have been open. The WRs have caught balls. BA has hit them with pinpoint precision.

The confluence of all three has not happened as often as everyone would like, including CBB. Give it time to grow. I wouldn't be surprised if we air it out a lot vs NIU to build the passing game.

Looks like their defense weak point. So I read. Why does it take so long for Saturday to get here?

[bigbadhog]

I guess I'm glass half empty.  I suspect he's hiding a weakness rather than a strength.

+1 that makes much more sense.  A good passing game doesn't need to be hidden.  BP showed it all and dared the other team to stop him...

[Fayettechill14]

+1 that makes much more sense.  A good passing game doesn't need to be hidden.  BP showed it all and dared the other team to stop him...

And Virginia did. What's your point?