Long Bomb Logistics - Cal Wide Receivers In 2011!

TwistNHook:  Keenan Allen.  Marvin Jones.  Keenan Allen!  Marvin Jones!

Kodiak:  I may be biased, but I think we have the best starting wideout tandem in the Pac-12.  Although neither are burners, per say, both KA and Marv have the footwork and moves to get open all over the field, including going deep.  When you watch video of their practices, it really strikes you how much separation there is between Marvin Jones, KA, and the rest of the wideouts.  They are so much more precise and explosive in their footwork, even while working simple patterns like a 10-yard out.  

OhioBear:  Cal is blessed with a formidable starting duo in Keenan Allen and Marvin Jones.  If this duo is not the best tandem in the Pac-12, they are certainly in the conversation.  Both have speed, both have good hands, both seem to run good routes, and both have the ability to get yards after the catch.  As far as the starting WRs go, Cal is just fine.  KA and MJ are weapons and Zach Maynard couldn't really ask for anything more as a quarterback. 

TwistNHook: A concern I have about Marin Jones is that he did have some untimely drops last year.  He is clearly an explosive player with the ability to get separation, but I hope that his hands are 100% this season.  We'll definitely need him and drops have affected the entire receiving corps the last few years.  Hope that all goes away.  

HydroTech:  I'm not that worried about the WRs this year.  Marvin Jones is clearly one of the better WRs in the Pac-10.  Keenan Allen is one of those guys that should assert himself as a top WR in the Pac-12 this year too.  And while beyond those two guys there are a lot of players who haven't seen a ton of playing time, I'm still not worried.  Michael Calvin was a guy who showed some improvement last year catching some really tough balls.  I'm bullish on him.  Kaelin Clay and Coleman Edmond sound like guys who have the speed to really hurt the defense deep.  I'm actually thinking this is perhaps one of the strongest units on offense if not the strongest unit.  

I'm hoping that with an improve QB this year, that we'll see our WRs catching more balls down the field rather than on screens.  I'm not knocking screens because they do serve a purpose.  But last year it seemed that Cal ran tons of screens when Riley went down mostly because (1) we couldn't complete much else down the field; and (2) defenses were constantly blitzing us on passing downs because they knew we couldn't complete a lot of passes down the field.  So overall, with an improved QB this season, I think our WRs will enjoy a greater variety of passing routes and catches.  

NorCalNick:  I've always felt like Tedford's offense has always been at it's best when there's a viable deep threat at WR.  Think a healthy Chase Lyman or DeSean Jackson.  So my question is: Can Marvin Jones and/or Keenan Allen already be considered a consistent deep threat, or do we need one of our young burners to step up and fill that role as a field stretcher?  Marvin certainly has that ability to go up and catch deep balls, but he doesn't seem like an obvious speedster either.  

LeonPowe:  I think wideout is one area on the team where we're all pretty comfortable. The best unit we've had since the Hawk-DJax-RJordan - I think that one had a lot more talent, but this one has the potential for a lot more depth. With our top two, I think everyone knows where we stand. Big, talented, hands, moves, and enough speed (but not burner speed) but underestimate them at your own risk. I'm intrigued by the 3 or 4 back-ups though. I think there will be plenty of balls for the next 4.