In the days leading up to the 2015 Rose Bowl, the Emerald will take a unit-by-unit look at Oregon and Florida State, determining which team has the edge going into the showdown on Jan. 1 in Pasadena. Today, we’ll look at each team’s wide receivers, with thoughts on Florida State from Perry Kostidikas of the Florida State View.
Oregon
Look no further than the box score of Oregon’s last game to find out how deep its wide receiver unit has become. Despite the lack in experience – 70% of the Ducks’ wide receiver production from 2013 was missing when they opened the season – Mariota completed 20 of his 27 passes to freshman as the offense executed arguably its best performance of the season. The two who led the group, Darren Carrington (7 catches, 126 yards) and Charles Nelson (7 catches, 104 yards), weren’t even starters when the season began.
It’s been the way the season has gone for Oregon’s offense in 2014, so much that Bralon Addison’s torn ACL back in April is almost an afterthought now. Addison was second in the team in receiving yards in 2013, but the ones taking his place haven’t skipped a beat.
Working primarily from the slot position, Byron Marshall leads the team with 61 receptions for 814 yards and five touchdowns. Devon Allen follows with 41 catches for 684 yards and seven touchdowns. Elsewhere, a multitude of underclassmen have continued to make impacts through the air, with Carrington and Nelson making more contributions as the season’s carried on.
Florida State
For the Seminoles, it’s no secret who quarterback Jameis Winston’s primary target is. While there are 6 players on the Oregon roster with at least 25 catches to their credit, Florida State in a lot of ways relies on one wide receiver. Senior Rashad Greened has amassed 93 catches for 1,306 yards and seven touchdowns this season. The wide receiver second to Greene in catches on the team is Jesus Wilson. He has 37.
“While the rest of the receiving core is talented, they’re all underclassmen and it still shows with dropped balls and incomplete routes,” Kostidakis said. “Greene holds several records at the school and is on the verge of breaking two more, and it’s not for nothing. He’s a four-year starter who is the most consistent and reliable weapon in the pass game.”
With Oregon cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu not playing, it can be presumed that the offensive game plan will go through Greene even more so now. Aside from him though, Wilson and Travis Rudolph have been up-and-down for much of the season, giving Winston a lack in options at the position.
Advantage – Oregon
Nelson has became a revelation for the Ducks. Only utilized in special teams for the first half of the season, the freshman has accumulated 17 receptions for 266 yards and five touchdowns. The numbers look average, but his performances have added to an already loaded unit full of freshman or redshirt freshman wide receivers.
With a quarterback like Mariota behind center, this group of wide receivers has provided the Heisman-winning quarterback with every type of threat he could possibly need. He has a variety of options unlike that of Florida State’s and it’s clear when looking at how efficient both offenses have operated this year.
12/24: Offensive lines
12/25 : Tight ends
12/26: Defensive lines
12/27: Defensive backs
Follow Justin Wise on Twitter @JustinFWise
Countdown to the Rose Bowl: How Oregon and Florida State’s wide receivers stack up
Justin Wise
December 27, 2014
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