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http://www.dailynews.com/sports/201...ms-get-more-out-of-tyler-higbee-pharoh-cooper
THOUSAND OAKS >> A few months ago, UC Irvine buzzed with hype around a couple of mid-round gems.
It was training camp, after all, the time when — barring injuries — fans are most often filled with optimism and potential about their NFL teams. For the Rams, who had just returned to Southern California after more than two decades, that dynamic was no different.
No, top overall pick Jared Goff hadn’t yet seized the starting quarterback job, but that felt only like a matter of time. And when he did, he’d have a pair of young targets to throw to in Tyler Higbee and receiver Pharoh Cooper, the Rams’ two fourth-round picks.
Head coach Jeff Fisher wasn’t shy about their promise. In early August, he described Higbee as a potential red-zone target, saying that the 6-foot-5 tight end had a chance to play early and be “a big-time part of our offense.” Two weeks later, he added that Cooper was “obviously” one of the Rams’ top three receivers.
Fast forward through eight games, however, and the duo has combined for just four catches and 40 yards — 31 of which came on Higbee’s grab against the Panthers on Sunday. (Goff, of course, remains on the bench despite starter Case Keenum’s struggles through a four-game losing streak.)
Cooper’s start to the season was delayed by a shoulder injury, but the Rams have not consistently dressed him for games even after he got healthy. Higbee’s absence from that stat sheet is more inexplicable. Coming out of Western Kentucky, the scouting report was that he — like many other college tight ends — needed to develop as a blocker, but had good hands and the body control to make catches in traffic.
“Obviously, I’ve been asked to do a little bit more than I did in college,” Higbee said, when asked about blocking. “Originally, I was struggling a little bit with it. But I’ve come a long way with that — technique, stuff like that.”
Still, the Rams have been confident enough to give him 196 offensive snaps, including 60 in his last two games. That he’s good enough to get be on the field with the offense more than 37 percent of the time would suggest that his blocking has come along.
And yet, before this past weekend, he had only seen seven targets. If he’s already on the field, why not make use of his best talents?
Asked what he wants to see out of both Higbee and Cooper before using them more as pass-catchers, offensive coordinator Rob Boras said that their lack of production isn’t solely a function of their individual performance.
“You can run a good route and not get the ball thrown to you,” Boras said this week. “I know not everybody might recognize it. We see a guy creating separation, but the play design, or the progression, or the shell of the coverage might not have dictated the ball will go that direction.”
Cooper might have a tougher path ahead. Veteran receiver Brian Quick, who has been relatively productive after an awful preseason, has passed him on the depth chart. And this is an offense that hasn’t successfully gotten the ball to big names like Todd Gurley and Tavon Austin, whose touches have decreased sharply in the last couple of weeks.
“For all intents and purposes, we’re going to continue to work him in,” Fisher said of Cooper. “He’ll probably see a little bit more playing time offensively. I’m pleased with where he is right now. We just need to get the ball in his hands.”
THOUSAND OAKS >> A few months ago, UC Irvine buzzed with hype around a couple of mid-round gems.
It was training camp, after all, the time when — barring injuries — fans are most often filled with optimism and potential about their NFL teams. For the Rams, who had just returned to Southern California after more than two decades, that dynamic was no different.
No, top overall pick Jared Goff hadn’t yet seized the starting quarterback job, but that felt only like a matter of time. And when he did, he’d have a pair of young targets to throw to in Tyler Higbee and receiver Pharoh Cooper, the Rams’ two fourth-round picks.
Head coach Jeff Fisher wasn’t shy about their promise. In early August, he described Higbee as a potential red-zone target, saying that the 6-foot-5 tight end had a chance to play early and be “a big-time part of our offense.” Two weeks later, he added that Cooper was “obviously” one of the Rams’ top three receivers.
Fast forward through eight games, however, and the duo has combined for just four catches and 40 yards — 31 of which came on Higbee’s grab against the Panthers on Sunday. (Goff, of course, remains on the bench despite starter Case Keenum’s struggles through a four-game losing streak.)
Cooper’s start to the season was delayed by a shoulder injury, but the Rams have not consistently dressed him for games even after he got healthy. Higbee’s absence from that stat sheet is more inexplicable. Coming out of Western Kentucky, the scouting report was that he — like many other college tight ends — needed to develop as a blocker, but had good hands and the body control to make catches in traffic.
“Obviously, I’ve been asked to do a little bit more than I did in college,” Higbee said, when asked about blocking. “Originally, I was struggling a little bit with it. But I’ve come a long way with that — technique, stuff like that.”
Still, the Rams have been confident enough to give him 196 offensive snaps, including 60 in his last two games. That he’s good enough to get be on the field with the offense more than 37 percent of the time would suggest that his blocking has come along.
And yet, before this past weekend, he had only seen seven targets. If he’s already on the field, why not make use of his best talents?
Asked what he wants to see out of both Higbee and Cooper before using them more as pass-catchers, offensive coordinator Rob Boras said that their lack of production isn’t solely a function of their individual performance.
“You can run a good route and not get the ball thrown to you,” Boras said this week. “I know not everybody might recognize it. We see a guy creating separation, but the play design, or the progression, or the shell of the coverage might not have dictated the ball will go that direction.”
Cooper might have a tougher path ahead. Veteran receiver Brian Quick, who has been relatively productive after an awful preseason, has passed him on the depth chart. And this is an offense that hasn’t successfully gotten the ball to big names like Todd Gurley and Tavon Austin, whose touches have decreased sharply in the last couple of weeks.
“For all intents and purposes, we’re going to continue to work him in,” Fisher said of Cooper. “He’ll probably see a little bit more playing time offensively. I’m pleased with where he is right now. We just need to get the ball in his hands.”
