Analytics: Is Tanner Mordecai the Perfect Fit for Wisconsin & Phil Longo?
Analytics deep dive on Tanner Mordecai and his fit within Phil Longo's offense.
I’m back with Part Five of my Pre-Season Series: TOP 10 Wisconsin Football Stats you need to know for the 2023 Season!
For Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4
We will shift gears away from the running game and focus specifically on Tanner Mordecai and his fit into Phil Longo’s Offensive System. I’ve done this before, because, well. The QB position is the most important in all of Football. At the High School, College, and Pro Levels. So it bears going quite deep into the analysis to ensure your QB is…or ISN’T the guy.
You can read that piece following up on his Spring Game Fiasco here.
But let’s go a little bit deeper with some new data!!!
First, let’s take a peek at RPOs.
All RPOs aren’t the same:
I wanted to look at how Tanner Mordecai performed in the RPO setting and given the robustness of the data I’m using. We can get really detailed into how that might translate into Phil Longo’s system.
Both Mordecai and Longo Pass heavily in RPOs to the “Right Third” of the field. This makes a lot of sense because on those throws, his feet are already set to throw. I also think this is why you see much fewer throws to the “Left Third” because to do that, Mordecai would have to flip his hips 180 degrees before he throws or throw off-base. Both of which are sub-optimal solutions! Middle Passes are the lowest from both Mordecai and Longo, which again makes intuitive sense. On RPOs and pulling to throw, you have a limited window before the middle of the field, which crashing LBs are now backing into. It’s too quick developing play to see a lot of intended throws over the “Middle Third”.
But not all RPOs are created the same, especially with how they attack the defense:
A lot is going on in this chart, so let me break it down clearly:
Column Chart is looking at Air Yards/ATT x Pass Direction
Line Chart is looking at On-Target % (QB Accuracy) x Pass Direction
Left Side is Longo | Right Side is Tanner Mordecai
Key Takeaways:
It’s obvious within Rhett Lashlee‘s & Sonny Dykes’ offense Mordecai wasn’t asked to push the ball downfield into tough gaps on RPO throws
These were very quick and fast developing – 2.55 Time To Throw (TTT) via PFF on PA/RPOs & 1.35 TTT on Screen Throws
Whereas for Longo, those RPOs stretched the defense vertically from an Air Yardage/ATT standpoint!
What’s also concerning to me is the fact that given the Air Yard/ATT discrepancy, the On Target % was a little bit lower than I would have expected from Mordecai
You would think quick passes that aren’t traveling as far would be much easier to get On Target!
When you look at his RPOs > 5 Air Yards/ATT
ON-TGT % = 44.35%
YPA = 7.59
2 TDs | 0 INTs
We’ll see if Longo looks to add different route concepts into the RPO Game too play into Mordecai’s proven strengths. Or if we’ll see how Mordecai performs with more downfield RPO Route Concepts!
Speaking of Rout Concepts…
What Route Concepts Will Longo Bring to Wisconsin Football:
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