Started By
Message
locked post

I still don't understand why Kevin Norwood didn't see the field more this season

Posted on 1/26/12 at 7:31 pm
Posted by Unbiased Bama Fan
Member since Dec 2011
2950 posts
Posted on 1/26/12 at 7:31 pm
I always felt this way even before the BCS National Championship Game. It seemed like Norwood didn't get a lot of playing time even though he always seemed to make plays whenever he was on the field. He was also one of the few players with great size in the receiving corps this season. I came upon this chart on Roll Bama Roll.



Norwood led the team in yards per target and yards per catch. He was clearly one of the most productive wide receivers when he was on the field yet he was only the eighth most targeted receiver this season. It doesn't make any sense. The guy scores a really nice TD against Penn State early in 2010 and he doesn't catch another pass game until the Georgia State in the second to last week of the season. He was one of the few offensive players that was making big plays in the Mississippi State game yet he hardly saw the field for the previous seven weeks after the Penn State game. I just don't understand these long stretches where Norwood seems to disappear to the coaching staff even those his play seems to be warrant more playing time.
Posted by TideFanAtlanta
Member since Nov 2010
1108 posts
Posted on 1/26/12 at 7:36 pm to
Well, that is surprising. However, after his performance in the NC alone, I think he will. He left me speechless. I didn't even have time to get worried about Maze being hurt. Step up big time. Now, I don't want to start a rumor, but has he had some discipline problems? I hope not, he had a Julioesque performance.
Posted by Alahunter
Member since Jan 2008
90739 posts
Posted on 1/26/12 at 7:38 pm to
Being a receiver in Bama's offense is more than catching the ball when it's tossed your way. There's proper route running and blocking and that's usually what keeps some off the field.
Posted by rolltide0692
Gulfport, MS
Member since Jan 2009
761 posts
Posted on 1/26/12 at 7:39 pm to
I hope he breaks out more next year. Played against him in High School, and really hope he gets more time.
Posted by Robot Santa
Member since Oct 2009
44841 posts
Posted on 1/26/12 at 7:41 pm to
Norwood probably has the best hands of any WR on the team. Chances are he doesn't know the playbook as well as they want him to.
Posted by BamaStepL
Ttown
Member since Feb 2011
2335 posts
Posted on 1/26/12 at 7:41 pm to
He wasn't gonna get Maze's or Hanks' minutes.. I heard that it was also based on practice consistency... Bell and White are pretty good and needed minutes... he will get his chance to be the man this season.
Posted by TideFanAtlanta
Member since Nov 2010
1108 posts
Posted on 1/26/12 at 7:42 pm to
Excellent point.
Posted by Teague
The Shoals, AL
Member since Aug 2007
21844 posts
Posted on 1/26/12 at 8:20 pm to
I think it was just a matter of Saban playing the older, more experienced WR's.

As far as talk about him not knowing the playbook or having discipline problems, maybe, but he seems like a very well-mannered intelligent kid. I'm not typically a FB stalker, but somehow I ended up being friends with two Bama players - Eddie Lacy and Kevin Norwood. Norwood obviously paid attention in school because he writes better than 80% of my FB friends.
Posted by 3rdandlong83
Alabama
Member since Oct 2011
916 posts
Posted on 1/26/12 at 8:21 pm to
2010 PSU game, Norwood flipped into the end zone on that first TD. Enter the doghouse, Norwood.
Posted by Teague
The Shoals, AL
Member since Aug 2007
21844 posts
Posted on 1/26/12 at 8:23 pm to
quote:

2010 PSU game, Norwood flipped into the end zone on that first TD. Enter the doghouse, Norwood.






That was a long time ago and he's played since then. Maze had some similar penalties early in his career too.
Posted by 3rdandlong83
Alabama
Member since Oct 2011
916 posts
Posted on 1/26/12 at 8:38 pm to
Then it's either not practicing hard enough or Saban favoring older players, which Norwood will be in 2012.

Can't be the playbook...Bama's playbook can't be that difficult for a competent football player to understand.
Posted by BhamDore
Nashville
Member since Aug 2009
6329 posts
Posted on 1/26/12 at 8:39 pm to
There is ridiculous talent at WR right now. Shinn,Norwood, White, Bell,and all of the incouming WRs are fighting for the few balls that won't go the the RBs or TEs next year.

Michael Williams is going to get a lot of balls next year and the RBs will always get a lot of balls. There are maybe 12-15 passes thrown to WR in a given game. Very few chances to make plays.

Not alot of chances to make plays.
Posted by 3rdandlong83
Alabama
Member since Oct 2011
916 posts
Posted on 1/26/12 at 8:42 pm to
I hope Michael Williams gets more passes his way next year. He always seems to be the go to guy on trick plays, too, going back to the 2010 UF game
Posted by S
RIP Wayde
Member since Jan 2007
159634 posts
Posted on 1/26/12 at 8:44 pm to
i just named him in the 'most respect for' thread. guy made some tough grabs.
Posted by The Spleen
Member since Dec 2010
38865 posts
Posted on 1/26/12 at 9:19 pm to
Honestly, the #3 & 4 WR spots have been kind of puzzling since Saban arrived.
Posted by AllBamaDoesIsWin
Member since Dec 2011
26725 posts
Posted on 1/26/12 at 9:22 pm to
I'd say his hands are on par with Carter's.
Posted by T Rey WI
Back in the south where I belong!
Member since Dec 2010
2937 posts
Posted on 1/26/12 at 9:35 pm to
KN is not a slot receiver. He is better suited for split end. He has good hands and good physical abilities but what he does not have is good blocking skills. With the way SEC teams (and likely most D-1 teams) scout, until his blocking skills improve the other team would be expecting a pass if he is in the game.

KN would play in a game but not get good grades for his blocking and someone else would get the chance the next game. Most of the younger receivers had the same problem.
Posted by LOYALBAMA
bham
Member since Sep 2008
2566 posts
Posted on 1/26/12 at 9:41 pm to
quote:

2010 PSU game, Norwood flipped into the end zone on that first TD. Enter the doghouse, Norwood.


It demonstrates a mind set that could be more ME and less TEAM than is desired in a receiver that needs to block well when they're on the field.

Saban has recruited the position of receiver as hard as any position on the team, harder than many.

I expect to see 2 or 3 superstars step up sooner or later due to the emphasis put on recruiting that position.

Norwood may be one that makes a move.
This post was edited on 1/26/12 at 9:43 pm
Posted by SECFan413
Cookeville,TN
Member since Jan 2009
977 posts
Posted on 1/26/12 at 10:35 pm to
I thought he's had some nagging injuries that kept him out of the rotation.
Posted by ALcapone
Member since Nov 2010
3828 posts
Posted on 1/26/12 at 10:55 pm to
quote:

he's had some nagging injuries that kept him out of the rotation.


and also everything yall have said about, blocking and older players and bell and white earning their time too.

bama didnt play three wide recievers very often. maze and hanks were pretty well established at the top two spots. Norwood is not a "Julioesque" talent, as someone said. He stepped up when he got his chance and all the props in the world to him for that, but he's not really a gamechanger. although he might be now, after he let his nuts hang all over a heisman candidate in the biggest game of his life.
Page 1 2
Jump to page
first pageprev pagePage 1 of 2Next pagelast page

Back to top
logoFollow SECRant for SEC Football News
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook to get the latest updates on SEC Football and Recruiting.

FacebookTwitter