Nobody denies Caleb Williams is a talented young man. He has all the tools necessary to succeed in the NFL, from arm strength to accuracy, mobility, poise, and competitive fire. However, the transition from college to the pros is always a challenge. That is because NFL offenses are almost never the same as college. They tend to be far more complex due to the difficulty of facing pro defenses. Matt Eberflus knew this, which is why he and the coaching staff had a plan in place to help Williams learn the necessary tricks.
As expected, things started slow. The quarterback was in the absorption phase of the offense under Shane Waldron, learning the terminology and the various intricacies necessary to make it work. Friday was one of Williams’ best practices to date, connecting on almost every pass in 7-on-7s while also engineering a two-minute drive for a game-winning field goal. When asked what Eberflus has noticed about his new quarterback thus far, he noted the rapid improvement of his footwork.
“Just understanding the plays and how his feet are married to those plays, albeit if it’s just normal situations, if it’s play-action pass or in the red-zone when it quickens up a little bit. I think he really improved on that this week, and you could see the ball coming out of his hand pretty live when his feet were right.”
Matt Eberflus has harped on this for years.
From the moment he arrived in 2022, he stated that one of the goals for the quarterback was mastering the footwork of playing inside the pocket. It is often what separates the greats from everybody else. While he may be a defensive-minded coach, he knows enough football to understand how vital a QB’s feet are to his success as a passer. That was the problem Justin Fields had. He never quite mastered the ability to marry his throws to his feet. It is why several of his passes were never on time or on target.
If what Matt Eberflus says is true, Williams is already learning this part of the offense rapidly. That shouldn’t be a surprise. Lincoln Riley has a long track record of developing young quarterbacks, with footwork always being a focus. It is why guys like Baker Mayfield, Jalen Hurts, and Kyler Murray always seemed to have immediate success in the NFL. It shouldn’t be a huge surprise Williams is picking it up fast. Getting to see him in full pads at training camp can’t come soon enough.
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@jmscooby–
You have an almost, but not-quite, spiritual way with words, my brother.
Self awareness and self absorption are two distinct things. Things will be good in Pittsburgh if JF1 finally realizes this.
Just like playing tennis, good QB footwork when passing is almost essential. It also separates humans from the apes. Just ask Andrew Luck.
That’s why JJ McCarthy rose in the draft, because he is JAG regarding his arm. Harbaugh had his footwork tight. That’s also where Drake Maye needs to improve before he ever sees the field. Caleb needs to make his footwork his primary focus all season long.
That’s why I don’t feel CW would ever be a flat out bust. He is too self aware as a QB, like Mahomes, and Rodgers. This is my Greatest Bears offseason ever. I want to sweep the North. F those MF’ers. Praise Jesus.