Nyck Harbor 2026

[18IsTheMan]

If Harbor doesn't transfer, I'm excited to see how he progresses. He took some nice steps forward this year to be our leading receiver (admittedly a low bar). He's, of course, our best deep ball threat, but I saw some nice route running from him this year. Unfortunately, his route running was often wasted as Sellers had trouble seeing the field and doesn't see open receivers. If we could get more consistency out of the passing game, I could see him approaching 1,000 yards.

He's still raw in some ways, but he's come a VERY long way since 2023 when it was very apparent that he was a non-WR playing WR.

 

[PrestonyteParrot]

The deep threat was underutilized and proved to be fruitful when it was given the opportunity. Sellers deep passing game is much better than his short passing game. In the short passing game, Harbor is very lackadaisical in his route running and his effort after the catch,

 

[18IsTheMan]

The deep threat was underutilized and proved to be fruitful when it was given the opportunity. Sellers deep passing game is much better than his short passing game. In the short passing game, Harbor is very lackadaisical in his route running and his effort after the catch,

I don't remember every play, of course, but on one play against Clemson where Sellers I think threw incomplete to a very tightly covered receiver on the sideline, the announcers pointed out Harbor streaking wide open across the middle on a crossing route directly in Sellers' line of sight, but he didn't even see him. Would have been a first down for sure and probably a big gainer.

 

[AngloCock]

Harbor was open a great deal thus year. Gotta see him.

 

[Lurker123]

Have to wonder if Harbor wouldnt be better served if a different qb starts for us next year.

 

[Sleepyhead]

If Harbor returns the wide receiver room is under the radar looking really damn good.

 

[cockyferg]

Harbor had some flashes, but he also needs a lot of work. Sellers caught a lot of grief for the clemson game, but Harbor was directly responsible for the pick 6 and a fumble to clinch the game for clemson. He should stay and develop. If he goes to the NFL I think he'll end up like Tory Gurley.

 

[18IsTheMan]

Harbor had some flashes, but he also needs a lot of work. Sellers caught a lot of grief for the clemson game, but Harbor was directly responsible for the pick 6 and a fumble to clinch the game for clemson. He should stay and develop. If he goes to the NFL I think he'll end up like Tory Gurley.

Well, I quit watching the game in the 3rd quarter and just got around to watching some replay/highlights. In no way was Harbor directly responsible for the pick 6. He was the most tightly covered of the 5 receivers on the play and the Clemson defender got a hand it and knocked the ball up in the air. How is that Harbor's fault?

Jayden was completely wide open on the far side. Harbor was totally blanketed. If he gets the ball to Jayden and he makes one man miss, it's a TD. Jacobs also broke open a bit and Faison had some space on the near side. Of the 5 receivers on the play, I'd say he could have gotten the ball to 3 of them: Jayden, Faison or Jacobs. Of those, Jayden was the only one who looked to have a good chance of making a play after the catch, but the Faison and Jacobs could have been receptions for short gains. Knox isn't open across the middle. Defender was ALL over Harbor.

Even if Harbor somehow makes the catch, he's not going anywhere.

Lanorris really blew it by missing Jayden wide open on the far side. I'm sure in film breakdown the coaches wanted to know why Sellers went there with the ball. He's just not close to open. Beyond that, it wasn't a good pass. It was a bit high (Harbor is 6'5" and leaves his feet). A catchable enough ball if he's open, but not when he's blanketed by the defender. If you're the QB going to that receiver, you gotta put it on the money.

 

[Piscis]

Well, I quit watching the game in the 3rd quarter and just got around to watching some replay/highlights. In no way was Harbor directly responsible for the pick 6. He was the most tightly covered of the 5 receivers on the play and the Clemson defender got a hand it and knocked the ball up in the air. How is that Harbor's fault?

Jayden was completely wide open on the far side. Harbor was totally blanketed. If he gets the ball to Jayden and he makes one man miss, it's a TD. Jacobs also broke open a bit and Faison had some space on the near side. Of the 5 receivers on the play, I'd say he could have gotten the ball to 3 of them: Jayden, Faison or Jacobs. Of those, Jayden was the only one who looked to have a good chance of making a play after the catch, but the Faison and Jacobs could have been receptions for short gains. Knox isn't open across the middle. Defender was ALL over Harbor.

Even if Harbor somehow makes the catch, he's not going anywhere.

Lanorris really blew it by missing Jayden wide open on the far side. I'm sure in film breakdown the coaches wanted to know why Sellers went there with the ball. He's just not close to open. Beyond that, it wasn't a good pass. It was a bit high (Harbor is 6'5" and leaves his feet). A catchable enough ball if he's open, but not when he's blanketed by the defender. If you're the QB going to that receiver, you gotta put it on the money.

View attachment 1065538

More evidence that Sellers is not a very good QB and all the worry about him leaving is unwarranted. Sellers made up his mind to throw to Harbor before the ball was snapped. He did not, and never does, go through progressions at all.

 

[Builderman]

Sellers has struggled Seeing the field all year and last.
i always go back to what Lou H said, play the guy who gets you from point A to point B, I don’t care how it looks.

 

[18IsTheMan]

More evidence that Sellers is not a very good QB and all the worry about him leaving is unwarranted. Sellers made up his mind to throw to Harbor before the ball was snapped. He did not, and never does, go through progressions at all.

Yeah, seems that way. Doesn't really appear that he looks anywhere else on the play. Jayden most likely gets tackled for a short gain, but if he's able to make a guy miss, he's gone. The defender was draped on Harbor. And then he threw a high pass.

But the poster said that pick was on Harbor? Rubbish.

 

[Lurker123]

Well, there's always the chance that Sellers could improve by next year.

Are we allowed to suggest he needs to improve this time?

 

[18IsTheMan]

Well, there's always the chance that Sellers could improve by next year.

Are we allowed to suggest he needs to improve this time?

Weren't those some fun discussions last offseason?

I'm still stuck on how much of it was Shula's fault?" though. I just don't know. We all knew coming into this season, his most dynamic plays were when the pocket broke down and he scrambled for a big gain or found an open receiver. Even when he was at his best last season, it wasn't b/c he was sitting in the pocket picking defenses apart.

How much of that is on Shula for trying to make him a pocket passer? How much of it is on opposing defense for figuring out how to contain Sellers running? How much of it is on Sellers for just not being as good as we hoped he was?

Questions I don't know the answers to.

 

[Lurker123]

Weren't those some fun discussions last offseason?

I'm still stuck on how much of it was Shula's fault?" though. I just don't know. We all knew coming into this season, his most dynamic plays were when the pocket broke down and he scrambled for a big gain or found an open receiver. Even when he was at his best last season, it wasn't b/c he was sitting in the pocket picking defenses apart.

How much of that is on Shula for trying to make him a pocket passer? How much of it is on opposing defense for figuring out how to contain Sellers running? How much of it is on Sellers for just not being as good as we hoped he was?

Questions I don't know the answers to.

Agreed.

As was mentioned after the bowl, you could see a difference right away, and it did carry over to this year.

What struck me as odd when I looked at the numbers was that his passing from last year to this year was very similar.

The main difference was in the running numbers.

So Shula hurt his running numbers, and left us with his existing passing ability to try and carry the offense.

 

[cockyferg]

Well, I quit watching the game in the 3rd quarter and just got around to watching some replay/highlights. In no way was Harbor directly responsible for the pick 6. He was the most tightly covered of the 5 receivers on the play and the Clemson defender got a hand it and knocked the ball up in the air. How is that Harbor's fault?

Jayden was completely wide open on the far side. Harbor was totally blanketed. If he gets the ball to Jayden and he makes one man miss, it's a TD. Jacobs also broke open a bit and Faison had some space on the near side. Of the 5 receivers on the play, I'd say he could have gotten the ball to 3 of them: Jayden, Faison or Jacobs. Of those, Jayden was the only one who looked to have a good chance of making a play after the catch, but the Faison and Jacobs could have been receptions for short gains. Knox isn't open across the middle. Defender was ALL over Harbor.

Even if Harbor somehow makes the catch, he's not going anywhere.

Lanorris really blew it by missing Jayden wide open on the far side. I'm sure in film breakdown the coaches wanted to know why Sellers went there with the ball. He's just not close to open. Beyond that, it wasn't a good pass. It was a bit high (Harbor is 6'5" and leaves his feet). A catchable enough ball if he's open, but not when he's blanketed by the defender. If you're the QB going to that receiver, you gotta put it on the money.

View attachment 1065538

I can concede to pretty much all of your points. I would say, though, that Harbor being a 6'5" guy should be a bit better about being able to box out those corners, but you're right, after watching the replay, the defender got a hand in there. It's just frustration with our play.

 

[18IsTheMan]

I can concede to pretty much all of your points. I would say, though, that Harbor being a 6'5" guy should be a bit better about being able to box out those corners, but you're right, after watching the replay, the defender got a hand in there. It's just frustration with our play.

I get it. A slo-mo breakdown in YT is quite different from initial reactions to live play.

 

[Piscis]

I can concede to pretty much all of your points. I would say, though, that Harbor being a 6'5" guy should be a bit better about being able to box out those corners, but you're right, after watching the replay, the defender got a hand in there. It's just frustration with our play.

Harbor has been playing WR for two years. He is still learning the position and P4 college football is not the place to learn to play a position. At this point, if Harbor can run downfield and get three steps on the defender, he can catch the ball for a long gain. Otherwise, he struggles with route running and contested balls. The root of his problem is that he is not an experienced WR. He is an incredible athlete who wants to be a WR because he thinks that will be his best path in the NFL.

I hope it works out for him.

 

[Piscis]

Weren't those some fun discussions last offseason?

I'm still stuck on how much of it was Shula's fault?" though. I just don't know. We all knew coming into this season, his most dynamic plays were when the pocket broke down and he scrambled for a big gain or found an open receiver. Even when he was at his best last season, it wasn't b/c he was sitting in the pocket picking defenses apart.

How much of that is on Shula for trying to make him a pocket passer? How much of it is on opposing defense for figuring out how to contain Sellers running? How much of it is on Sellers for just not being as good as we hoped he was?

Questions I don't know the answers to.

My opinion is that 90% of Sellers struggles have come from the fact that opposing DCs know how to defend him now and have since the bowl game. In the bowl game, Illinois put a spy, sometimes two on him and took away the scrambling for big gains. DCs this year know he is not a pocket passer so they design their rushing to force him to stay in the pocket and not let him get outside and scramble. They keep him uncomfortable and keep a spy on him so when he switches to his default mode, scramble, there is a defender ready to tackle him.

Last year, Sellers was a surprise to opposing DCs. They really didn't know what to expect or what his real strengths and weaknesses are. Now, they know.