“I Don’t Know What It Is But I’ll Figure It Out”
May 24th, 2018
Your Buccaneers shelled out a historic guaranteed contract this spring to a receiver who admits he isn’t what he used to be.
Joe’s not being a wiseass, but that is a very odd combination.
Mike Evans spoke openly this week about his extended troubles with yards after the catch, aka YAC.
“I just got to be quicker after I catch the ball. And I think that’s going to come with repetition. Because in college I was good at it. My first couple of years I was really good at it. My last couple of years I haven’t been that great. I don’t know what it is but I’ll figure it out,” Evans said.
This left Joe a little bewildered. Evans had an outstanding wide receivers coach the past two seasons in Todd Monken, and Evans caught a whopping 167 balls over the last two years, during which he’s struggled with YAC. So Joe finds it hard to believe that more repetition is what Evans needs to fix that aspect of his game.
Perhaps being a low-Yac guy is just who Evans is? Joe is certainly cool with that.
May 24th, 2018 at 12:07 am
I think he’s alaways been a low YAC guy in the NFL. College he racked it up more, but he was dominating guys who would never sniff an NFL roster.
Designing routes where Evans is hit in stride instead of spun around backwards and falling out of bounds would help too.
May 24th, 2018 at 12:34 am
Quality sign of maturity right there. Good of Mike to take the high road on this question. Well played sir.
May 24th, 2018 at 12:53 am
I think once Jameis becomes even more proficient with spreading the ball around and not targeting Evans so often that coverage will loosen up a little and Mike won’t garner as much attention on every single play. Right now the defense slides coverage towards Mike because of his amount of targets per game so it always seems there is at least three defenders in the area every time Mike makes a catch. I bet his YAC goes up this season but with fewer targets.
May 24th, 2018 at 1:31 am
Moken, great….never use those two words in the same sentence!
May 24th, 2018 at 1:34 am
Moken, great…never use those two words in the same sentence
May 24th, 2018 at 2:08 am
He doesn’t want Godwin to became Jameis’ favorite target ala Randy Moss taking over the #1 spot in Minny from Cris Carter
May 24th, 2018 at 2:29 am
ME doesn’t seem to get that many opportunities to make a catch then turn up and run.
May 24th, 2018 at 3:22 am
Maybe Jameis needs to figure it out.
May 24th, 2018 at 4:27 am
Hit him in stride once in a while. Quit throwing him so many jump balls.
May 24th, 2018 at 4:47 am
This one thing that I blame Jameis for. He needs to hit him in more in tride and he would get a whole lot better.
May 24th, 2018 at 4:49 am
Bum knees???
It’s kinda what did VJax in.
May 24th, 2018 at 4:53 am
nothing wrong with being a big bodied possession receiver who runs great routes and can dominate 50/50 jump balls.
May 24th, 2018 at 4:56 am
Nothing wrong with being a big bodied possession receiver who runs great routes, can dominate 50/50 jump balls, and make excellent acrobatic toe tap catches.
Even without good yac, Evans is still a top 5 receiver in this league.
May 24th, 2018 at 5:32 am
maybe he was saving his body until he got his new deal.
May 24th, 2018 at 5:48 am
Bum knees he’s a kid what is he 24 or 25 it’s just the designed routes he runs there using him as a possession reciecer our recovers need to be hit in stride that needs to be ephizied this offseason
May 24th, 2018 at 6:07 am
Maybe its just me but it seems like Evans is falling down 8 out of every 10 catches he makes. It stood out last year on a regular basis. Awfully hard to get YAC when body parts other than your feet are touching the ground.
May 24th, 2018 at 6:18 am
route designs. It’s like Jameis can’t throw a slant
May 24th, 2018 at 6:18 am
He is a possession receiver like Keyshawn Johnson was……and that is just fine. It’s hard to get YAC when the play is designed to go out of bounds or when the pass over the middle is thrown low so no one else can catch it.
Also, he got open more in college because of Manziel’s scrambling around in the pocket for hours on end.
May 24th, 2018 at 6:27 am
I remember, a number of years ago now, a Buc receiver that was a “catching” sensation his rookie year, but also had no YAC. He vowed in the off season to work at that aspect of his game the next season. He stopped catching the ball, looking ahead before securing the ball, becoming a pass “dropping” nobody. I think the change of mindset ruined him. For the life of me, I just can’t remember who it was.
May 24th, 2018 at 7:26 am
Have no issue with his YAC the way they use him and this isn’t the Big 12 conference- ME is awesome but not an open field runner at the NFL level – I’ll take it, let DJax Hump and Goodwin be the targets for YAC type routes
May 24th, 2018 at 7:29 am
This is a non-issue…Keep catching 40-60 yard bombs, winning jump balls, hauling in 1st down on 3rd down, 3rd and 12 etc…He’s fine
May 24th, 2018 at 7:37 am
Move this man around the field, he don’t have to be on the outside every freaking play. You guys are right we need to look at how we design plays for him. Drag routes are good for getting the ball in space. And if Godwin is as good blocking as they say, then maybe he can block for Evans on a screen play. He and Howard and maybe a pulling lineman could give Evans plenty as he plow through smaller would be tacklers!!! He could easily get 5 yards falling forward with the potential of breaking a tackle and going for 15 or more.
May 24th, 2018 at 7:38 am
This is MEME s ceiling. After 4 years, he is who he is
Bad hands …his catch percentage is bismal
At 6 5″, he is the least “physical” body reciever in the history of the NFL
YAC? Like Kobe has said repeatedly for 3 years, MEME looks like Donovan Smith putting on skinny pants when he trys to run after catch
MEME body/soft tissie issue worrys every year. His body will break down because he doesnt know how to catch on his feet and run but lands viciously on his body after a attempted catch
*Kobe has never been sure than ever with this statement
MEME contract is the worst contract ever by the tampa bay bucs. We will be eating the last 3 years of that bloated contract
May 24th, 2018 at 7:41 am
Most of Mike’s routes are to the sidelines or slants for first downs. He’s main goal is the catch it for first downs so I’m good with that. Chris Carter was a beast at that, and it moves the chains. Godwin looks like the YAC kind of WR so that combination may work out.
May 24th, 2018 at 7:44 am
For the record I love Mike Evans and have no issue with his game either. But it is an area where he could improve and push guys like Brown, Julio, and Beckham for best WR in the game. YAC is where these guys excel. If Evans gets anything remotely close to the YAC these guys get he would be WR1 in the NFL!!!
May 24th, 2018 at 7:50 am
Its ball placement……Evans and Brate find ways to make the catch despite the location of the pass. Those guys are routinely making athletic catches requiring them to go up high, turn back, dig low, take it from a defender….all that additional effort kills the momentum of their stride…..It also kills drives. A few yards here, few there that could have been but weren’t….adds up to missing the first down, red zone opportunities, etc. That’s all Winston, he’s been that way since college
May 24th, 2018 at 8:30 am
I see a lot of his catches are facing the quarterback with a defender on top of him
May 24th, 2018 at 8:38 am
Couple things that i have noticed watching Evans in the last two seasons; one of the reasons that his YAC is lower than most is because he saves himself from unneccesary hits. He makes the catch turns to scan the field then drops down to avoid contact. I don’t mind this tactic at all because a) it saves his body and keeps him healthy and b) he pretty much only does this when he has done his job by either getting a first down or a long pass over the middle. The second reason that his YAC is low is that his is a main priority for opposing defenses. Every week in their pregame meetings his name is circled, much like a James Harden to where they can’t completely stop him but they will try to limit the damage. They stack safeties over him and always make sure the linebackers/nickle flow over to him as soon as he makes the catch. They always make sure they know where he is on the field because he stopping him is key to stopping the Bucs offense. Look for Mike to take this very personally and boost those numbers this year. GO BUCS!!!
May 24th, 2018 at 8:42 am
you are suggesting that evans is on the decline, which is ridiculous.
May 24th, 2018 at 8:55 am
“I remember, a number of years ago now, a Buc receiver that was a “catching” sensation his rookie year, but also had no YAC. He vowed in the off season to work at that aspect of his game the next season. He stopped catching the ball, looking ahead before securing the ball, becoming a pass “dropping” nobody. I think the change of mindset ruined him. For the life of me, I just can’t remember who it was”.
MDSBUC:
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
mdsbuc…. That receiver you could not remember Would Be Michael Clayton, who caught 80 balls in his Rookie season and like 1,167 yards… Never produced another good year in the NFL…
May 24th, 2018 at 9:11 am
I think this is the only website making too much of a big deal about this. No yac and still gets a grand every year. D have got here and his yac sucked also which says the qb ball placement isn’t all that good.
Hope he doesn’t start trying to run before securing the ball and drop more passes. Let the game come to you young man
May 24th, 2018 at 9:18 am
Personally, Joe will take a receiver who catches the ball and moves the chains over a guy who struggles catching but has good YAC.
***However*** for a team that struggles to score points, YAC is very much a factor.
May 24th, 2018 at 9:23 am
It would help if he stop looking for the ground as soon as he caught the ball.
And Bobby M do you ever think maybe the ball has to be placed there because those two are not that fast and are never really that open? Neither one of them are exactly fleet of foot so all of there catches are going to be contested unless someone blows a coverage. In fact a stat just came out that Jameis is the 2nd best accuracy in the league when it comes to tight window throws only behind Tom Brady. But yeah you’re right he is not that accurate.
May 24th, 2018 at 9:28 am
I’m no expert but if you hit a receiver in stride so that he doesn’t have to turn his back to the defender, come back for the ball, scoop it off the ground or catch it in a crowd of defenders it might be a little easier to increase YAC. I think Jameis has to throw a better pass, like the one he threw on the last play against the Saints.
May 24th, 2018 at 9:29 am
Because if his drops that your that Monken fixed now he’s too focused on securing the ball
May 24th, 2018 at 11:04 am
mdsbuc…. That receiver you could not remember Would Be Michael Clayton, who caught 80 balls in his Rookie season and like 1,167 yards… Never produced another good year in the NFL…
JWBUCS
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Thanks JW!
May 24th, 2018 at 11:15 am
I love ME and I’m glad he sees this as an issue. Says a lot when a pro is admitting to needing to work at something to better their game instead of being satisfied. That being said it’s on both he and Jameis to get better. Yes there are plenty of times he’s being thrown the ball that leads him to the ground however you can see plenty of balls thrown his way that he simply looks for a place to fall. Lets face it he’s not an Antonio Brown or OBJ so maybe getting big YAC just won’t ever be part of his game but if it ever is LOOK OUT!
May 24th, 2018 at 11:21 am
Mike is effective and dangerous as a big bodied receiver. Sure, we can through him a quick slant and let him run.. but why not play to our WRs strengths.
Use mike for what he is elite at, let Djax take the slants and crossses
May 24th, 2018 at 11:36 am
Maybe if our QB the the ball on time and with more accuracy, he wouldn’t have to always turn or stop to catch the ball. He’s just saving face for our inaccurate QB.
May 24th, 2018 at 1:41 pm
ME has no YAC bc QB locks in on him like Fort Knox and there are 49 defenders around him all the time. Jameis is good, but has not played up to potential yet.
#FreeTheAmishRifle
GO BUCS!!!
May 24th, 2018 at 2:35 pm
ME13 runs tons of hooks and going across the middle Jameis could lead him more than he does most the time.
May 24th, 2018 at 2:38 pm
Jameis needs to put it in the right place more often
May 24th, 2018 at 4:58 pm
All of the above
Tell him if his catch percentage drops or his YAC is below avg that he gets paid 50 percent less and I assure you he will catch very well and his YAC will be good !!!
Coaches allowing premier athletes to think they are great the way they are is the beginning and the rest is on Mike !! The above statement is accurate so twist how ever many ways you want , it’s not that he can’t !!!
The Rams showed the whole nfl how poorly coached receivers are and even marshal Faulks YAC was huge and yes they worked and worked at it !!! They got better at it and that won them allot of games . Coaching Coaching Coaching !!!
May 24th, 2018 at 6:14 pm
He is a low YAC guy because one of the things he learned from Randy Moss is catch the ball and hit the ground.
May 24th, 2018 at 9:28 pm
Is tax isn’t about him it’s about the designed routes he runs. Every catch is either low he has to slide to catch it or it brings him to the ground to catch. He does a lot of comeback routes where his back is to the defense he is already losing ground as he catches it. And lastly he catches a lot of high jump balls where he is immediately knocked off balance and tackled because he is in the air. I don’t know for the life of me why we don’t run a bunch of quick slants. Every game you watch they do it. 3rd and 2 quick slant it’s almost unstoppable with these big receivers. Hopefully koetter implements a lot more of that early in games to get jameis in a rhythm and string together some first downs. Forcing the defense to play closer and opening up the deep ball for Jamie’s to over/under throw by 10 yards.