BYU football wide receivers developing aggressive identity and improved route running
BYU wide receiver Dylan Collie (3) makes a catch against BYU defensive back Keenan Ellis (30) during practice on Thursday, Aug. 2, 2018, in Provo.
Brigham Young Cougars wide receiver Talon Shumway (21) falls to the ground after completing a catch during a game between Brigham Young University and San Jose State University on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017 at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
BYU wide receiver Dylan Collie (3) makes his way back to the huddle after a catch during practice on Thursday, Aug. 2, 2018.
BYU wide receiver Dylan Collie (3) is wrapped up by BYU defensive back Austin McChesney (20) during practice on Thursday, Aug. 2, 2018, in Provo.
Every time you watch a football game and see a wide receiver break free to make a catch, you can guess that they were aided by running a good route.
“Route-running is patience and understanding what the defense is doing,” BYU senior wide receiver Dylan Collie said Monday after practice. “If you have that understanding, understand what your role in the offense is and if you are patient enough to set the defense up, then you are able to find spaces in special ways. It’s something I try to get better at.”
Collie might be the best Cougar route-runner in camp this year, but explained that it took some experience to understand the basics.
“Maturity is the biggest part, and that patience is critical,” Collie said. “The ability to get to the point where you understand exactly what you are doing, that’s where the patience comes in instead of running your route as fast as possible.”
BYU junior wide receiver Talon Shumway said it is a skill that can always be refined.
“You are never done developing and it’s never good enough,” Shumway said. “It’s always a work in progress. It’s one of the pillars of the position. It takes a lot of practice.”
Route-running leads into the most unsung part of a receivers’ job — working hard to maximize the possible gain downfield. Cougar head coach Kalani Sitake believes the drive of this group of receivers to never stop working is becoming their identity.
“If you look at them when they aren’t catching the ball or it’s not a pass play, I think that defines them,” Sitake said. “They block well downfield and in order for us to have big plays, they have to do their job blocking, and I’ve been really happy with that so far.”
Shumway and Collie say that’s all part of being the complete package at the position.
“A big part of the identity we are working on is being consistently dependable,” Shumway said. “The rest of the team can depend on us to finish plays. I think any receiving corps that can do that, they are going to help the team be successful.”
Collie said the having guys that can play any role prevents defenses from keying in on certain players.
“We are multifaceted,” Collie said. “You’ve got a group of guys who can do a lot of different things. No matter where you are playing, you are expected to know every position, so you can be thrown on the outside or inside, to one side or the other. It doesn’t matter. You have to understand the offense as a whole, and that is a really cool expectation.”
They want the receivers to get to the point where excellence is a habit.
“We need to put everything together and stay consistent,” Collie said. “There are days where plays are good and plays are sorry. There are mistakes that we need to get away from that are all about focus. It’s a matter of getting to a point where we can put all of it together.”
The only way to reach that goal is by putting in the time.
“We have to get better every day,” Shumway said. “It’s cliche to say but tomorrow we have to be better than today. We have to focus in and get ready to play a game.”
But the rewards are just around the corner as the Cougars are nearly done with camp and about to turn their attention to getting ready to play at Arizona on Sept. 1 (8:45 p.m. MDT, ESPN).
“I love football,” Collie said. “I love fall and the whole process of the season. I love preparing for games and watching film, so there is honestly no better time of the year from July hopefully to January. It’s the best.”