Breaking Down Zach Collaros

We've played 4 games this season. You knew that already. Zach Collaros has started all 4 games. You also knew that already. What you've also may have known is that young Zachary started 4 games last season. He also played some against South Florida. We are going to combine the South Florida game with the games he started and compare Zach Collaros this year and last.

Let's start off with the stats. 2010: 77-127-964-9 TDs-1 INT-25 rushing (197 positive yards)-2 TDs. 2009: 87-113-1,305-8 TDs-2 INTs-337-4 TDs. The first thing that jumps out to me aren't the yards, it's the completion percentage. Going from 77 to 61 is a huge drop off. Next has to be the rushing yards. UC gave up only 15 sacks last season, and the line has been much worse so far. The numbers from last year are sacks included though. Zach just hasn't been as effective. Obviously one of the big playmakers the Bearcats had last year was Mardy Gilyard, so let's look at the completions to each receiver.

Fresno

• Armon Binns 7-55
• DJ Woods 6-72
• Vidal Hazelton 6-63
• Isaiah Pead 4-28
• Ben Guidugli 1-1

Indiana State

• Woods 5-46
• Binns 3-59
• Guidugli 2-17
• John Goebel 1-8

NC State

• Woods 6-146
• Binns 6-95
• Marcus Barnett 5-61
• Darrin Williams 1-5
• Guidugli 1-3

Oklahoma

• Woods 7-171
• Anthony McClung 4-58
• Pead 4-9
• Binns 3-26
• Adrien Robinson 2-19
• Barnett 2-18
• Goebel 1-4

That adds up to:

1. Woods 24-435
2. Binns 19-235
3. Pead 8-37
4. Barnett 7-79
5. Hazelton 6-63
6. McClung 4-58
7. Guidugli 4-21
8. Robinson 2-19
9. Goebel 2-12
10. Williams 1-5

Let's do even more math, and try to take a look at targets. I'm using the ESPN box scores, so if they are wrong, whatever. There are none for the NC State game, so we have to just look at 3 games.

• Binns-31
• Woods-30
• Barnett-13
• Pead-9
• Hazelton-8
• Guidugli-6
• McClung-5
• Robinson-2
• Goebel-2
• Williams-1
• Throw Away-7

Interesting breakdown. The disconnect between Binns and Collaros has been surprising. Binns caught 17 passes the first 4 games of last season, and still finished with 66. What's been surprising is that top 2 Binns receiving games were from Collaros. They have yet to hit 100 yards this season, although was close against NC State. Let's look at last season.

South Florida

• Pead 2-22
• Guidugli 1-43
• Mardy Gilyard 1-7

Louisville

• Gilyard 4-82
• Binns 3-75
• Woods 3-38
• Guidugli 2-18
• Pead 2-14
• Jacob Ramsey 1-10

Syracuse

• Gilyard 6-62
• Binns 5-138
• Woods 3-32
• Kazeem Alli 2-23
• Robinson 2-21
• Guidugli 2-15
• Ramsey 1-6
• Pead 1- -2

Connecticut

• Gilyard 12-172
• Binns 5-108
• Woods 5-68
• Ramsey 3-19
• Robinson 2-74
• Alli 2-40

West Virginia

• Binns 4-52
• Robinson 3-59
• Gilyard 3-22
• Woods 2-34
• Pead 2-13
• Williams 2-7
• Guidugli 1-18

Added up, those numbers come to:

1. Gilyard 26-381
2. Binns 17-373
3. Woods 13-172
4. Pead 7-47
5. Robinson 7-154
6. Guidugli 6-94
7. Ramsey 5-35
8. Alli 4-63
9. Williams 2-7

Let's look at the targets.

• Gilyard - 31
• Binns -  21
• Woods - 16
• Pead - 9
• Robinson - 8
• Guidugli - 7
• Ramsey - 6
• Alli - 5
• Throwaway - 5
• INT - 2

The thing that pops out to me is the use of the tight end. The Butch Jones offense doesn't utilize the tight end position at all. You had Ben, Robinson and Alli getting 20 targets, while Ben and Robinson have only gotten 8 this season. The Bearcats also got a lot more yards. Let's take a look at the 10 longest passes for Collaros this season and then last season.

1. Woods 73
2. Woods 68 (TD)
3. Binns 60
4. Woods 55
5. Woods 36 (TD)
6. Woods 31
7. Binns 29 (TD)
8. Pead 25
9. Woods 25
10. McClung 25

Now last season

1. Binns 81 (TD)
2. Gilyard 54
3. Robinson 54
4. Guidugli 43
5. Binns 41 (TD)
6. Gilyard 31 (TD)
7. Woods 31
8. Binns 31
9. Binns 29
10. Alli 28

Obviously the biggest thing is that the passes downfield just aren't there. Nearly all of DJ's catches were short that he broke. What's also surprising is that the tight ends got the ball downfield more, three to none in favor of last season. The biggest thing that I have come away from by looking at the stats is that Cincinnati isn't using the tight end position to the best ability of Zach. He looked for the tight end to great success last season, and the outlets haven't been there this season. Cincinnati has not been successful going deep, even though Coach BJ has said they run deep routes. Maybe they should run more of a west coast offense to take advantage of all Zach brings to the table. So far, it's been a disappointing season on a couple of levels for Collaros. With Miami, Louisville and South Florida coming up, let's see #12 change that. The proof he can is out there. It's up to the coaching staff and receivers and the line to help.