Just watching the Iowa vs USC game back in 2019 and watching the speed of Marsette but who was faster? These guys were both burners but I don’t know who is faster between these 2 greats. Thoughts?
Smith Marsette vs Wetjen
- Thread starter JerseyCityHawk
- Start date
Just a hunch, but I bet ISM had/has more top end speed but Wetjen had/has faster change of pace and burst.
i honestly thought Wetjen would have a faster 40 time than he had at the combine.
i honestly thought Wetjen would have a faster 40 time than he had at the combine.
Overall speed, probably ISM. But sorta ends up being like the difference between a funny car drag racer and an Indy Car road racer.
Just lined up and going in a straight line, funny car wins 10 out of 10. But if the first few seconds of the race required two quick turns before finally going straight, the Indy Car crushes.
Just lined up and going in a straight line, funny car wins 10 out of 10. But if the first few seconds of the race required two quick turns before finally going straight, the Indy Car crushes.
Both really fast but ISM the more dangerous receiver. Both were really good on jet sweeps and end arounds. I would take ISM as he caught a lot of deep balls and was taller to go up and get more balls
ISM Key Pro Day Metrics (2021):
- 40-Yard Dash: 4.43s
- 10-Yard Split: 1.44s
- Vertical Jump: 37.0 inches
- Broad Jump: 124 inches
- 40-Yard Dash: 4.47 seconds
- Vertical Jump: 35.5 inches
- 10-Yard Split: 1.58 seconds
- 20-Yard Shuttle: 4.44 seconds
- 3-Cone Drill: 6.95 seconds
I can’t think of a single notable Wetjen jet sweep / end around.
Refresh my memory on big plays from him from the receiver position?
ISM is faster and much better receiver. Wetjen appears to have elite eyesight and (obviously) a plus athlete.
Did Wetjen do the cone drills? I’m not sure if they do that, I guess. Maybe he will at Iowa’s pro day but I think that’s a drill where he should excel
I'd take Wetjen all day everyday as a returner. Had my full attention every time.
He was something, but never forget the guys blocking have a lot to do with these long returns.
I'd take ISM as a receiver and Wetjen as a returner.
The way they utilized Wetjen on offense was criminal. Lol
They would have been better off putting him 10 yards back as a tailback and pitching him the ball. His superpower is reading the d and making decisions.
Does the jet sweep ever work for us? I can't remember many times that it did.
If I recall, weren't Charlie Jones, ISM and Tyrone Tracy part of the receiving corp on the 2019 team?
When commenting on being misused on offense, you misspelled Wetjen. More like WetjenCharlieJonesTyroneTracy.
Spose I forgot that one. Good call.
On the season he rushed 15 times for 79 yards. He was literally the best return man I’ve ever seen in an Iowa uniform, but we just couldn’t get him going offensively. To the original point of the thread, ISM had nearly all of Wetjen’s senior offensive production in one quarter against USC.
Not every called play is intended to be a shock play or taken to the house.
The jet sweep is intended to keep the defense guessing so you can run other action off it. One of the reasons our mid zone runs are so effective is that teams still have to respect the jet sweep action. We run a lot of the midzone runs off fake jet sweep action.
Wetjen had one carry as a running back and lost a fumble. He had no business being back there. This isn't a video game
Wetjen was a returner. To get used much on offense you have to be able to play a position. I'd say he got more than enough chances, considering he wasn't good enough to be on the field as a WR or RB.
As for Jones and Tracy, they played on a 10-4 team that won a division title, their last season at Iowa. I'd say the players on that team were "used" just fine
"best return man I've ever seen in an Iowa uniform"
Do yourself a favor and watch some Tim Dwight videos
Said no one ever! TD took it to the house against Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State in a different era, over his career. There's a reason he was voted in the top ten for the Heisman.
He also produced more on offense, which is why the Heisman consideration.
Regardless of who you thought was better, both were two of the best punt returners I’ve EVER seen at the college level.
If you ever take a close look at a jet sweep replay in slow motion, there is often a hole that develops shortly after clearing the end of the line.
It seems most of the time that isn’t even looked at as an option and we continue running outside right into waiting defenders.
Now, the runner would have to be looking at that potentially being there, and possibly slow up a little to make the cut. But, if the cut could be made, it is there for the taking a great deal of the time.
He has the skills to be a good running back, just never got much exposure there.