Desmond King on Offense

[wyldhawk9]

What are the chances J Smith stays on the field when T Smith comes back? Would love to see him slide over and take Hillyer's spot on 3 WR sets. Any chance it will happen?

I would love to see some of this. (This is just the kind of wild-eyed speculation message boards thrive on right?) Imagine the options with J Smith on the field at the same time as a healthy Duzey and T Smith (with Vandy in the slot). Opportunity for potent offense. I wouldn't mind an offensive explosion following the bye week...here's hoping anyway.

 

[mazda1]

I don't think it hurts to use King as a decoy in three or four situations. I'd be worried about blocking penalties and bad routes but if he were to run a couple of deep routes it might keep a safety a little more honest if he were on one side of the field and/or put some pressure on a man to man corner.

 

[Quintana]

Has he ever run a pass route?

um, almost every down? just because he isn't the intended target doesn't mean he's not running the route along side his man. i think people are overstating the difficulty of a premier CB/athlete (with great hands) moving to the other side of the ball. i have no doubt he could run a route.

i'd be more worried if you wanted to move one of our receivers to CB.

 

[ichawk24]

I don't think it hurts to use King as a decoy in three or four situations. I'd be worried about blocking penalties and bad routes but if he were to run a couple of deep routes it might keep a safety a little more honest if he were on one side of the field and/or put some pressure on a man to man corner.

Why would we even waste his time if only to be a decoy? Jerminic or any other WR can run deep routes better than King can.

 

[MadDogC]

Put in package of five plays for DK in bowl prep...more in the spring...

 

[AuroraHawk]

Put in package of five plays for DK in bowl prep...more in the spring...

I am thoroughly convinced that Desmond King will not be a Hawkeye next year. He'll be earning a pay check for a pro team.

 

[ping72]

Heard some rumors from a buddy who is friends with someone on the staff saying they saw King practicing a bit on offense today.

Said it looked like only certain plays, but they've been trying to come up with more ways to get the ball in his hands. I'm personally worried about losing him in the defensive backfield but what does everybody else think?

You're buddies with StevenPatrick? You lucky bastard!

 

[ichawk24]

I was buddies with StephenPatrik two hours ago.

 

[wneff]

Did Des King play any offense in high school?

Yes, his high school's career rushing leader

High school honors - - Earned first team all-state honors . . . also first team all-city and named to Dream Team as a senior . . . first team all-state and all-city as a junior . . . first team all-city and second team all-state as a sophomore . . . Career - - established Michigan high school record with 29 career interceptions . . . set school record for career rushing yards . . . rushed for 2,360 yards and scored 33 touchdowns as a senior . . . recorded 56 tackles and seven interceptions as a senior . . . rushed for 1,610 yards and 12 touchdowns as a junior, with 49 tackles and 12 interceptions on defense . . . rushed for 811 yards and nine touchdowns as a sophomore, with 44 tackles and 10 interceptions on defense . . . team captain as junior and senior . . . competed on three teams that advanced to state playoffs, including regional championship as a senior . . . helped prep team post three-year record of 32-6 . . . four-year letterman in track, competing in sprint events and relays.

Did Des King play any offense in high school?

 

[timinatoria]

um, almost every down? just because he isn't the intended target doesn't mean he's not running the route along side his man. i think people are overstating the difficulty of a premier CB/athlete (with great hands) moving to the other side of the ball. i have no doubt he could run a route.

i'd be more worried if you wanted to move one of our receivers to CB.

Covering a WR does not equal good route running. You make it sound incredibly simple. It's not.

Good grief.

 

[ichawk24]

Route running isn't simple, but I'm sure spending 20 minutes per day for 3 practices will make him a better WR than all the guys on our roster who have been training at the position for years.

 

[Quintana]

Covering a WR does not equal good route running. You make it sound incredibly simple. It's not.

Good grief.

you make it sound like rocket science. all i'm saying is how do we know he can or can't. he's an elite athlete who plays the highest level of college ball opposite the best WR the other team has and he must cover him like glue. i'm guessing if he had to, he could run a decent route. has he given anyone here any reason to doubt him?

 

[GT Hawkaholic]

Route running isn't simple, but I'm sure spending 20 minutes per day for 3 practices will make him a better WR than all the guys on our roster who have been training at the position for years.

The best athletes are the best athletes for a reason. He played offense in High School I'm pretty sure. The other thing you can be sure of since he's been a corner...he knows what routes work the most effectively against him and what ones don't. He knows what kind of cuts and actions bait corners. You see NFL guys who played basketball in college go on to be WR's or TE's relatively frequently.

But I guess by your logic, there's NO CHANCE they should be able to pass all of these WR's who played in college.

 

[Chris Randleman]

Route running is much easier than people think. I was a 2nd string QB midway through junior year of HS and switched to WR because they didn't want to waste my athleticism. It really wasn't hard but I've always had a a high football IQ.

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

If it happens, some of you seem to think that he'd be used as a WR. If you look at his background, he has more of a RB background.

There are pretty easy ways to work in RBs into offensive-packages - that don't require all the intricacies of route-running. Sometimes it can be simply timing passes or getting the ball to your playmaker in space.

Is that going to actually happen with King? I don't know. But packaging him in the O wouldn't be as hard as some of you seem to think. Besides, he's been playing against our O for years AND he's a student of the game. He knows far more football fundamentals than most underclassman skill players would know. Thus, I'm willing to bet that he'd be able to pick up a lot of stuff rather quickly.

 

[hawksauce]

Route running is much easier than people think. I was a 2nd string QB midway through junior year of HS and switched to WR because they didn't want to waste my athleticism. It really wasn't hard but I've always had a a high football IQ.

You too huh?

 

[MTHawkeyes43]

Do you really want to put our top DB, KO and punt returner on offense too? Maybe he could sell peanuts during timeouts and march with the band at the half.

I was with you right up to, "march with the band at half." How is going to sell peanuts at half time and march with the band? I mean lets get real here.

 

[thewop]

Do you really want to put our top DB, KO and punt returner on offense too? Maybe he could sell peanuts during timeouts and march with the band at the half.

eh, I'm really more of a nacho person

 

[ping72]

Route running is much easier than people think. I was a 2nd string QB midway through junior year of HS and switched to WR because they didn't want to waste my athleticism. It really wasn't hard but I've always had a a high football IQ.

 

[hawkit3113]

What a stupid idea. So he can get hurt too? Leave him on D where we need him.

 

[timinatoria]

Route running is much easier than people think. I was a 2nd string QB midway through junior year of HS and switched to WR because they didn't want to waste my athleticism. It really wasn't hard but I've always had a a high football IQ.

 

[mazda1]

My thought on running him as a decoy would be that he would attract more attention than our typical 2nd option as a receiver. I'd guess that he could potentially draw a top cover corner that another option may not and the safety may be more inclined to pay attention. That potentially could open up other options that are normally the defensive focus.

Typically when an elite defensive talent see's unusual action on the offensive side of the ball the intent is to take advantage of those talents. A prepared defense (and after his first play you can bet the other team will pay attention) will likely make some adjustments. If he gets wide open on a deep route obviously you take that shot.

I don't see much downside to trying it.