Is this receiver open?

[Profoundwizard]

Shouldn’t this ball have been thrown out to the sideline to # 15? Looks like a lot of separation to me

[Jaxwave]

Is there a video of this? Can’t see if there is another defender to the right in the picture.
Assuming there isn’t another one, this is just another example of the QB’s weakness in reading the defense and his propensity to want to leave the pocket too early. I’m all for giving the next guy a chance.

[Wavetrader]

But, there's no pocket, therefore he didn't have time to see him. Its the OLine's fault. No pictures or videos will convince me or others who really know football on this forum otherwise!

[DfromCT]

There is room for him to step up and make the throw with a 5 yard spread between the defender and the receiver. A good D1 QB completes that pass 80+% of the time.

[NOLABigSteve]

That's a pocket if I've ever seen one. He steps up, and there is definitely more time to read the D. Can't say if the receiver is open, would need to see where the other 3 DB's are since they are not in frame.

[Aberzombie1892]

It's impossible to tell from a still shot that does not include all 11 players on defense.

[tpstulane]

[HoustonWave]

Tulane’s #15 is only open if a QB can finesse the pass over SMU’s #16–Banks can’t do that. So with Banks at QB #15 isn’t open. And there is definitely a pocket for Banks to step up into, which I gather he didn’t do, again. Was this scramble one of his fumbles?

[Profoundwizard]

Tulane’s #15 is only open if a QB can finesse the pass over SMU’s #16–Banks can’t do that. So with Banks at QB #15 isn’t open. And there is definitely a pocket for Banks to step up into, which I gather he didn’t do, again. Was this scramble one of his fumbles?

He’s either open or he’s not, it’s got nothing to do with whether or not you think Banks can make the pass. Can most QB’s make that throw?

It is the play where Banks scrambles back to his right and fumbles

[JerseyWave]

Perfect example of Banks holding onto the ball too long. In frame one, #15 is open but may have come up short of the first down if Banks threw the ball. In frame three Banks is in big trouble. What’s sad is that SMU only rushed four while Tulane had seven blockers.

[winwave]

Thanks. Not much interest here but the vote is 6-4. He's not open. In the second frame here you can see 16 dropping into coverage on Robertson. The one shown in the OP continues to show him getting in better position. to cover it. Easy for Monday morning QB's to criticize but there's just nothing earth shattering here. The next time WT says something substantive will be a first.

[HoustonWave]

Tulane’s #15 is only open if a QB can finesse the pass over SMU’s #16–Banks can’t do that. So with Banks at QB #15 isn’t open. And there is definitely a pocket for Banks to step up into, which I gather he didn’t do, again. Was this scramble one of his fumbles?

He’s either open or he’s not, it’s got nothing to do with whether or not you think Banks can make the pass. Can most QB’s make that throw?

It is the play where Banks scrambles back to his right and fumbles

Can’t agree. Whether a receiver is open or not is never an absolute yes or no. It always depends on the QB’s passing ability. Some strong-armed QBs can routinely thread needles and complete passes, in which case the receivers are open. For a QB without a strong arm, that same receiver isn’t open because the DB has time to close on the pass. Banks has a strong arm, he just doesn’t have accuracy or touch on his passes. He could have never arched a pass over SMU’s #16. But all that assumes that Banks could see our receiver, which I doubt he did. Therein lies all the problems with Banks as our QB.

[Profoundwizard]

If the throw is made out to the sideline, there’s nothing #16 can do to defend that pass

[HoustonWave]

If Banks tries to throw it anywhere near where #15 might have a chance to catch it, it has to be over #16 who has a good angle between Banks and Robertson. If Banks throws that pass over #16 it’s going to also likely be too high for #15 to catch. If he doesn’t throw it over #16, it’s probably a Pick 6.

[DfromCT]

The post by ProfoundWizard is a second or two after the middle picture above. In the middle picture above, a touch pass to the "5" labeling the 50 yard line not only gets the receiver the ball, but has him turning up field. Not every pass needs to be rifled. A good touch pass can be tossed to where only the receiver can catch it, and I say 80% of D1 QB's completes that pass, or at worst steps UP into a pretty well defined pocket. 22 fans on the block, but his opponent was taking a very wide path. Stepping up at that point would have given Banks another second or so, as their right DE (95) would have over run the play. Notice the TE is standing alone by the 50 in the third picture.

[winwave]

In the middle picture Banks is rolling left on a designed roll out. In the OP pic he's trying to get set to throw and 16 is falling back in coverage. So when he reaches the point of actually being set 16 is even closer to our WR. More importantly Robertson was curling in and stopping at that point not going to the sideline. He drifts to the sideline after Banks begins scrambling . Huderson got beat on his left and McCleod on his right and those two are in on him quickly.

[DfromCT]

In the middle picture Banks is rolling left on a designed roll out. In the OP pic he's trying to get set to throw and 16 is falling back in coverage. So when he reaches the point of actually being set 16 is even closer to our WR. More importantly Robertson was curling in and stopping at that point not going to the sideline. He drifts to the sideline after Banks begins scrambling . Huderson got beat on his left and McCleod on his right and those two are in on him quickly.

Both rushers are taking HUGELY WIDE angles. If he steps up, they're behind the play. If he throws it three seconds after the snap, it's a completion, or incomplete, but, unless he makes a horrible throw, it's not a turnover. Get the damned ball out quickly. There is clearly a pocket to step up to, but the play was designed to be a quick pass. As I mentioned above, if he throws it to the 5 mark on the other side of the 50, it should be a big gain, as the secondary on that side is streaking up the sideline with the WR. The WR was designed to clear out that whole area. Do you watch good NCAA teams? This is a play that most good teams, in one way or another, run very successfully.

[winwave]

Like I said it was a designed roll out . It's not about stepping up into the pocket. Those defenders were close and were on him shortly after those pics. He isn't set in the OP. By the time he was 16 had the play covered. As for throwing it to the 5 it would have been incomplete as Robertson was turned in and not going in that direction. Yes I do watch good NCAA teams. Here we are talking about the dynamics of this play.