UNI passing game progressing 3 weeks into spring ball

CEDAR FALLS — Coach Mark Farley was adamant going into spring practice: the passing game must improve.

The run game spoke for itself by the end of 2015. Quarterback Aaron Bailey would have more time in the meeting rooms and more practices to get more comfortable with his reads and checkdowns.

So, Coach, three weeks into spring ball, how is that passing game you wanted improved?

'I'm pleased. We've brought that group along. We've worked hard on our passing game,' Farley said Wednesday. 'Aaron can throw the football. It's more about getting the ball out on time than anything. And really, we needed to look at what was causing his stress in the passing game.

'I think just by getting him in a meeting room and into the knowledge of the game and the timing of stuff. We needed to work on his body clock so that ball comes out on time. And then you've got to match up the route speed and route break with the body clock. That's what we weren't in-sync with last year, and it's showing up more than ever.'

The emphasis was no joke.

Most practices through spring have involved much more work for the quarterbacks in route trees and timing drills than working them in the run game.

In 7-on-7 drills, the read-option might be one out of every five plays on a given day. Repetition, Farley said, is the only way to get Bailey comfortable enough to grow. The first day of spring practice, Bailey said familiarity had a part to play in what he did with the ball on pass plays.

Nearly every time he dropped back in 2015, he was on the run. Co-offensive coordinators Ryan Mahaffey and Bill Salmon have worked with the receivers and running backs to get their routes better, while working with Bailey on trusting those designs — as well as the offensive line — to move past just the first option on a given pass play.

Both Farley and Salmon said, in live drills, Bailey has been more patient with the football. Getting him to find his second, third or even fourth option wasn't common in 2015, but is becoming much more so through three weeks of practice this spring. That bodes well for the fall.

'We've gotten a lot better, but we need to continue to grow,' Salmon said. 'We've kind of cleaned up our terminology as far as the passing game. We've got a pretty neat system in that makes it easier for the quarterbacks to understand. (Bailey is) getting a better grasp of things. You can see him going to his second and third receiver.

'He's a lot more comfortable in the pocket. We know he's not a pocket quarterback, and we're not going to throw it 50 times a game. But he's really done a nice job with his footwork and those things. He can throw the ball. Man, watch him throw it. It's just a matter of getting those feet and mind in the same direction.'

It's not all just on Bailey, though, and both the coaches and players realize it. As much as Bailey was pulling the ball down last year, his receivers and running backs going out for passes weren't always in the right spots.

Running back Tyvis Smith spoke to that on the first day of practice this spring. Under the guidance of Salmon, he and Smith and Michael Malloy specifically have become much more crisp in their route running as well.

They can feel the progress starting to take hold.

'I like the way our offense is coming along. The younger guys are showing great things, and we have more depth,' Smith said. 'I think the passing game is wonderful. Aaron Bailey, he's found his place. He's found his rhythm, he's more comfortable, he has more time to pick his targets and he's throwing great passes. Daurice Fountain, the other receivers, they're in their spots and making catches, and Aaron is putting the ball where they need it.'

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