Spring QB Notes

[Mike_TBD]

I don't know if you guys watched Ivin Jasper's zoom call last week... I'll be writing a story on the fullbacks but there was also plenty of quarterback talk.

Blake Horvath is healthy and getting most-- but not all-- of the first-team reps. Jasper said the focus is on keeping him sharp, not overworking him, just making sure he’s dialed in heading into summer. Like last spring, he's working hard on his passing. Jasper mentioned that Blake missed some "layups" last year, things like relatively simple throws to the flat or hitting wide-open receivers against Oklahoma. Jasper wants him to get more consistent.

The more interesting wrinkle is that they’re trying to get Braxton Woodson more involved. Jasper said the goal is to get Braxton a series or two per game, and not just mop-up duty. It’s partly about keeping Blake fresh and partly about keeping Braxton engaged. I know some people will balk at the thought of playing two QBs, but I think Blake's health had a big impact on the second half of last season, including those missed layups. If the offense can move the ball with Woodson while reducing wear-and-tear on Blake, that's the best of both worlds.

Speaking of which, injuries have thinned the depth chart a bit this spring. Jackson Gutierrez is out (might be back late), JP Doyle is out with a hernia, and Drew Hall is out with a groin injury. That leaves only three QBs practicing: Blake, Braxton, and Trey Jones III. It's a huge opportunity for Trey to get a lot of work. Jasper said his mechanics are still raw but he’s seeing improvement. The quote:

“Mechanically, it’s just not where it needs to be right now... but Tuesday you could really see the kid focusing on his mechanics... if he can be consistently a thrower, because the kid can run, man, we’re going to have a stable of quarterbacks that's going to make us hard to defend.”

He compared Trey to Xavier Arline as an athlete.

Jasper also said what I thought was interesting about the shift in what is expected of the quarterbacks in this offense:

“Our quarterbacks in this offense, man, you have to be — you got to be able to run the option, you got to be able to run power, you got to be able to run inside, got to be able to run zone read, got to be able to throw the football. You got to be very, very talented in this offense to be a quarterback because there's a lot that we ask these guys to do.”

Their reads are less about pre-snap numbers and more about post-snap leverage:

“Everything now is based on leverage — we’re reading leverage now, not just numbers. That’s a big thing for us right now. You got to be able to make decisions quickly, based on the leverage. You got to understand where guys are going to be and get rid of the ball quickly, make the right read. It’s more post-snap now. The guys who can do it with the lights on, that’s what we’re looking for.”

Nothing earth-shattering here in terms of depth chart movement, but some useful context on where things stand and what they’re emphasizing this spring.