Wide Receivers In The Wco - According To Bill Walsh

[SJ_Browns]

I saw this on another board and thought it was a good read.

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Back in the Walsh era, the team looked for different types of players. The west coast offense wanted small, quick, intelligent offensive linemen, big wide receivers, dual-threat tight ends, and fullbacks who could catch.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/ninerinsider/detail?entry_id=38095#ixzz1HS2Xtccw

 

 

 

Wide Receivers in the WCO

The wide receiver position is probably the second most important position in this offense only because of the passing. The ideal size of a wide receiver should be at least 6 foot 3 inches, and weigh about 210 pounds. To play effectively, a wide receiver must posses several traits and characteristics. For example, a wide receiver should have a high level of agility. The agility to change his body position is essential if a wide receiver is to be able to get his hips turned and his hands in position to catch a ball that is not perfectly thrown. Body control is particularly critical for a wide receiver who wants to get to the highest tier of play.....

 

.......Walsh has had the luxury to coach a number of great wide receivers, including Chip Myers, Charlie Joiner, James Lofton, Ken Margerum, Isaac Curtis, Dwight Clark, John Taylor and the incomparable Jerry Rice. At one time or another, all of them were either Pro Bowl players or All-Americans in college.

Each, however, was uniquely qualified and different from the others.

 

For example, Chip Myers was 6'5, while Charlie Joiner was only 5'10; Isaac Curtis was an NCAA sprint champion; Dwight Clark ran a 4.6 40-yard dash, etc . The one thing that they had in common, however, was that they were all brilliant performers.

[SJ_Browns]

How I Evaluate Each Position:

 

Wide Receiver

 

By Bill Walsh

 

PSX Draft Insider Special

 

WIDE RECEIVER

 

Ideal size: 6-3, 210

 

The critical factor at wide receiver in my mind is agility and body control, the ability to change your body position often off the g round in order to get your hands in position to make the catch, ala Cris Carter of Minnesota. He would be the ideal in that respect.

 

That particular characteristic must be there for the receiver to be considered a Pro Bowl or a Hall of Fame player. You must have that to get to the highest tier of play.

 

.........

 

(Feel free to read more BLL)

http://www.sportsxchange.com/DS97/walsh/walsh2wr.html

[nickers]

YAC is the biggest factor in the WCO and of course timing...I dont think Walsh ever coached James Lofton because I remember weatching a game of wich he was a color analyst and I remember him passionately stating during a game in wich Lofton was playing for the Bills. "I wouldve loved to coach him" He sighed as he was talking about Lofton.

[SJ_Browns]

I dont think Walsh ever coached James Lofton because I remember weatching a game of wich he was a color analyst and I remember him passionately stating during a game in wich Lofton was playing for the Bills. "I wouldve loved to coach him" He sighed as he was talking about Lofton.

 

i looked it up to make sure the info i posted was correct and walsh coached lofton at stanford. i was pretty sure it was correct, but it doesn't hurt to double check.

 

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1126200/4/index.htm

Bill Walsh told Lofton back at Stanford that success demands a certain display of confidence and class, that when he made it big he should buy himself a Porsche.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Walsh_(American_football_coach)

In 1977, Walsh was hired as the head coach at Stanford where he stayed for two seasons. His two Stanford teams went 9–3 in 1977 with a win in the Sun Bowl, and 8–4 in 1978 with a win in the Bluebonnet Bowl; his notable players at Stanford included quarterbacks Guy Benjamin and Steve Dils, wide receivers James Lofton and Ken Margerum, and running back Darrin Nelson. Walsh was the Pac-8 Conference Coach of the Year in 1977.

[SJ_Browns]

YAC is the biggest factor in the WCO and of course timing.

 

yes. don't forget good hands to. as someone stated in a previous thread (was it you or someone else?), deflected passes are deadly in the wco. since the wco is a short to mid-range passing game (for the most part) that area would be congested by defenders. a deflected pass could easily end up in the wrong hands.

[hoorta]

If you want agility and hands in this draft, there's one guy who stands out. Hint: it ain't Jones or Baldwin.

[SJ_Browns]

If you want agility and hands in this draft, there's one guy who stands out. Hint: it ain't Jones or Baldwin.

 

that's what makes this draft so difficult for me. the thought of a possible trade back with a team like atl to get extra picks is very appealing. but it would be very hard to pass up a guy like aj if he's still on the board. i'll be glad when the draft gets here.

[nickers]

i looked it up to make sure the info i posted was correct and walsh coached lofton at stanford. i was pretty sure it was correct, but it doesn't hurt to double check.

 

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1126200/4/index.htm

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Walsh_(American_football_coach)

 

 

 

Yeah he probably meant in the NFL...but hey...Tom Flores and Marv Levy didnt do too bad with him...Im assuming Bill W. thought he could do something more with him maybe in his WCO system

[SJ_Browns]

Yeah he probably meant in the NFL.

 

i'm sure he would've loved to coach him on the pro level.

[rich4eagle]

Great thread.............astute observations............I am still waiting for the NFL to go back to the two back offense which provides more options to score. Right now, and stupidly, the FULLBACK is a guard in the backfield. In the Day, when offense ruled and West Coast Offense was supreme as invented by Paul Brown and Cleveland Browns..........the FORCEs in the offense were the QB and Fullback.............the Fullback was the main running threat and a receiving threat as well................The halfback was the elusive guy who was also a receiving threat

 

and the QB as always was supreme

 

Thanks OTTO

 

I will never forget all the passes Jim Brown took for yards into the yard................and the devastating tatum of Byner and Mack.......................

 

someday it will all come back and religion will not be secular but based on fact and data

 

THANK YOU ALL FOR ONE GREAT TOPIC AND DISCUSSION

[ballpeen]

I agree.

 

 

A person like Vickers is a waste of space if he can't run and catch.

 

You have only 5 position if you don't count QB who can actually touch the ball in a designed play and can move it forward for a positive gain.

 

If I have 2 backs in the backfield, I don't want one to be a blocking specialist.

 

 

 

SCREW that.