Looking over his left shoulder, Ricky Jeune saw Justin Thomas’ pass coming to his right shoulder.
Jeune jumped, turned left so his back faced the end zone, caught the pass, landed, and continued spinning so that his momentum would carry him into the end zone for a 29-yard touchdown against Pittsburgh last week.
It was an excellent pass play that started before the ball ever left Thomas’ hands.
Thomas won’t say what Jeune told him, but he told his quarterback how he was being played by Pittsburgh’s cornerbacks. As they lined up, Jeune’s defender approached the line, signaling press coverage. Jeune was supposed to run a comeback route, but when he recognized the defensive call, he changed the route to vertical. Thomas read the same coverage. The offensive line gave Thomas more than enough time. Jeune made a beautiful catch.
“Whoever is out there one-on-one, we expect them to win those matchups,” Thomas said.
While the rushing part of Tech’s offense started to resemble its old self in the loss to Pittsburgh, the passing game had just a few bright spots. Jeune’s touchdown catch, and another on fourth down in the fourth quarter when he did run a comeback route, were two of them.
Coach Paul Johnson said a combination of factors are affecting the passing game, which last year featured two players at wide receiver who are now in the NFL: Darren Waller (Baltimore) and DeAndre Smelter (San Francisco).
The protection has given up nine sacks in seven games compared to 11 in 14 games last season, but Tech has also been trying to rally in a few games which can make passing more difficult.
That’s one of the reasons that Tech’s passing game is worse in a few categories compared to last season:
Thomas is completing 44.4 percent of his passes, compared to 51.3 percent last season. That wouldn’t be bad except he’s having to throw more: 108 attempts through seven games puts him on a pace for 185 in 12 games. He had 187 attempts in 14 games last season.
With four interceptions through seven games, Thomas is on pace to throw six through 12 games. He threw six in 14 games last year.
He is averaging 120.3 passing yards per game compared to 122.8 yards per game.
Thomas is averaging slightly more pass plays of at least 25 yards per game, 1.6, compared to 1.3 last season.
Tech’s passing game is also ahead of the curve in touchdowns. With 10, Thomas is on pace to throw 17 in 12 games, compared to 18 in 14 games last season.
“…There’s really a fine line between winning and losing,” Johnson said.
But with Thomas, Jeune and wide receiver Micheal Summers, there is hope that the passing game’s potential will be realized, starting with Florida State on Saturday.
Jeune said it took two games for him to become comfortable, and now he is trying to work on becoming a more consistent player in all areas. Thomas said he has developed a good chemistry with Jeune after working with him throughout the offseason. As a result, Jeune leads the team in receptions (14), yards (286), yards per game (40.9) and touchdowns (3). Eleven of the catches, 246 of the yards and all three touchdowns have been in past four games.
Jeune said he solicits advice from Waller and Smelter on how to become a better receiver.
“’Play every down like it’s your last,’” he said they’ve told him. “It’s hard to do, but I try to play hard every play.”
But there’s more than route-running and pass-catching. Jeune’s blocking helped spring Marcus Marshall on his 58-yard touchdown run in the first quarter against Pittsburgh.
“Just trying to get better every game,” Jeune said. “Feel like the blocking is getting better every game. Hopefully it will get better for Florida State.”
