Design of precoding and feedback for user equipment (UE)-specific reference signals (UE-RS)-based open-loop and semi-open-loop multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) systems is discussed. Aspects of the present disclosure provide for sub-resource block (RB) random precoding that allows for greater diversity gain in a lower bandwidth. In addition, the recoding may be performed using resource element (RE)-level layer shifting that provides for a number of precoders to be assigned to a number of layers for every such continuous subcarrier. As such, two codewords may experience the same effective channel quality with channel quality indicators (CQI) being averaged across all of the layers.