WR/TE "Efficiency" Troy through Boston College

We want to look at the effectiveness of the Clemson players as we move through the season.  The "effectiveness" will be evaluated through standard stats along with participation numbers.  Today, we look at the wide receivers and tight ends and augment our thoughts with cumulative statistics through the Boston College game with information found at the Clemson Athletics Website, www.clemsontigers.com.   The first table (see below) illustrates basic statistics.

Not surprisingly for anyone who has watched the Tigers this season, Clemson is led by freshman WR Sammy Watkins in all categories and is closely supported by fellow WR Nuk Hopkins and TE Dwayne Allen.  Watkins' numbers are impressive by themselves but eye popping when you realize that he is a true freshman.  Hopkins' and Allen's stats are both very nice, particularly when you realize that each would be the target of more passes if Watkins wasn't so impressive.  Jaron Brown also has over 200 yards on the year to round out the top 4 WR/TE pass catchers.

We really were interested in how these averages panned out when they were placed in context of snaps taken.  Below we have incorporated participation data for each player (total snaps) and calculated the percent of the total receptions per snaps taken (Reception %), reception yards per snap, and total touchdown catches per snaps taken (TD %).  I'll point out that snaps are all snaps (both passing plays and non-passing plays), so obviously these numbers are influenced by the offense's run/pass ratio.

Again, Watkins is the most impressive and most "effective" of the pass catchers to date.  The freshman recorded a reception on well over 12% of his snaps and recorded a touchdown on nearly 2% of snaps taken.  This young man contributes just over 2 yards per snap.  Excluding Joe Craig who has an 8.33% Reception % but has seen very limited experience this season, Nuk had the next highest reception percentage (near 8% of his snaps) and contributed over a yard per snap while on the football field.  Allen (nearly 6% Reception %) and Brown (5.6% Reception %) again rounded out the WR/TE contributions.

I'll note two other players, Adam Humphries and Martavis Bryant, who have contributed "efficiently" as freshmen.  Humphries had receptions on over 4% of his plays and Bryant on 3.75% of his plays.  Bryant has three long catches and a touchdown during his time on the field.

I am a little surprised at Charone Peake's performance this season.  He has over 100 snaps but no TDs and has caught a ball less than 1.75% of his snaps to this point.  With so many snaps to date, I would say I'd expect a little higher output particularly when you consider how much pure talent Peake possesses.  Peake's sure TD against Boston College would have improved his TD% and probably assured him a few more snaps moving forward.  Swinney openly discussed Peake and pretty much said he would have more opportunities in the future, so I will be interested in these numbers at season's end.

I expect to see Martavis Bryant on the field a little more now that he's (hopefully) better mastered the playbook.  This is a guy who can spread the field with his speed and, to his credit, has already drawn pass interference calls where the defender had to grab him to avoid the big play.

I am not exactly sure what Joe Craig's participation will look like as the season progresses, but am not particularly encouraged for obvious reasons.  Clearly Bryce McNeal won't be contributing further.  I'll say that Brandon Ford has been fairly efficient with his snaps, especially when you consider that passes to the TE or flexed TE will be going to Dwayne Allen because, well, he is just that good.