Mike Detillier: Gauging the quarterback position (1 Viewer)

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By Mike Detillier / Sports Correspondent

I had a chance to talk to former LSU defensive line coach Pete Jenkins, who coached over 40 years in major college football and the NFL, about the most important position on the field today — quarterback.

I asked the 79-year-old coach, who is one of the owners of the Louisiana Line Camp held at Nicholls State University, what are the key features he sees in quarterbacks today.

“My job as a defensive line coach was always to stop or slow down that quarterback and to be honest it really hasn’t changed much throughout the years,” Jenkins said. “You have to be accurate as a passer to excel at quarterback. I don’t care about arm strength. I care about if that quarterback is accurate. You can’t teach it. Either you have it or you don’t. You can improve upon it a little on the accuracy part, but not a whole lot. So, first and always it will be accuracy.

The second thing, and it is close to accuracy, is what I call passing knowledge. It is the ability to quickly think and know where to go with the football and especially on third down. A lot of guys can make throws on first and second down plays and then they are “Mr. Freeze” on third-down conversion plays. The ability to know where to go and quickly is such a great talent to have and most don’t have it. Sean Payton built an offense that put that feature on centerstage with Drew Brees. Almost instantly he knows where to go and the ball is out of there. In New England Bill (Belichick) built an offense the same way for Tom Brady. Knowing where to go with the ball and it’s out of his hand. You can’t have them run plays holding the ball for deeper throws too many times. That’s a recipe for disaster.

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