Blame Baylor. Bryce Petty Does.

[Burgundy&GoldForever]

At Baylor, quarterback Bryce Petty was one of the most prolific passers in the country. He led the Bears to two conference championships in his last two seasons on campus and holds 31 Baylor passing records and has the lowest percentage of interceptions per pass in NCAA history.

But NFL teams were wary of Petty. Because Baylor played a “spread” offense that forced defenses to fan out across the field, making them unable to disguise anything, many scouts worried he would struggle to master the NFL game. He had to wait until the 103rd pick before the New York Jets scooped him up. Petty said he was “upset and frustrated that I was thrown away like I couldn’t learn it,” he said. “I’m like ‘you’ve got to give me a chance a little bit.’”
New York Jets quarterback Bryce Petty looks for an open receiver during a preseason game against Atlanta. ENLARGE
New York Jets quarterback Bryce Petty looks for an open receiver during a preseason game against Atlanta. Photo: Zuma Press

Petty admits to grappling with tasks such as hearing and calling the play, identifying defensive backs in coverage and identifying which player in the defensive backfield was the “mike” linebacker, the central part of the defense whose location teams base their offensive line protections on. “As crazy as it sounds, at Baylor, we did not point out the ‘mike’ linebacker,” Petty said.

Petty was unfamiliar with making adjustments to the play or the formation before the snap.

“Honestly, I wish I’d done a little bit more as far as being proactive to get into a pro style [offense],” he said, singling out the need to decipher fronts or coverages. “It was things I have never seen before.”

http://www.wsj.com/articles/why-the-nfl ... 1441819454

[StorminMormon86]

What a shocker. Things NFL analysts and football people have been saying for years. Namely Mike Shanahan.

[markshark84]

This honestly sounds like a guy that understands the differences in his prior offensive structure versus his current one --- and what he has to do to make the transition (whether he actually does it --- or have the skill to --- is another story). Since Petty and RGIII played under identical college offenses, it is surprising that we haven't heard this type of language from RGIII. Was it because RGIII didn't understand the differences or was it because our coaches tried to eliminate those differences in creating an easier to understand NFL offensive scheme or BOTH? This may be debatable (although not really), but the one thing that isn't is RGIII's inability to quickly identify defensive sets and DB schemes --- which is primarily why it takes him so long to make decisions.

Another rationale is because RGIII is/was too proud/ego was too big to admit he didn't understand or was having difficulting identifying the differences. Had RGIII just said "coach, I need help with this" (and I am safely assuming he never did); I wonder what the on-field results could have been. Pride can be a bitch. IMHO, it is what ruined RGIII --- well that and his knee injury. Honestly, the ego thing is a reason why I'd like us to keep him on the roster. Let him sit for a year and watch; be truly humbled; make him realize that raw skill is worthless in the NFL unless it is coupled with discipline; break him down to build him back up. All while giving him a year to get his fundamentals down and have the QB & offensive coaches work with him to correctly identify defenses; tons of film time. RGIII has all the physical talent in the world, but has a LONG LONG LONG way to go. This may come as a shock to many here, but I still have hope for RGIII. He just needs to put his ego to the side and take both critism and instruction without making it personal. Redo his contract so he makes less next year and see how he does in the preseason. If he still doesn't get it, part ways.

TRUE humility (not the "I am humbled to accept this AWARD" bullsh&$ we hear all the time) is a lost art in our current world. Petty just showed some. That type of humility may just make him an NFL starter one of these days.

[riggofan]

Haven't read that article yet, but I was listening to Mike & Mike talk this morning about that new issue with college QBs. Apparently coaches at the scouting combine were shocked by how few of these guys have been prepared to read defenses AT ALL or prepared to play in a pro style offense.

[Burgundy&GoldForever]

Haven't read that article yet, but I was listening to Mike & Mike talk this morning about that new issue with college QBs. Apparently coaches at the scouting combine were shocked by how few of these guys have been prepared to read defenses AT ALL or prepared to play in a pro style offense.

Every pro coach and GM they interviewed said pretty much the same thing: If you have a pro skill set quarterback keep him because they're getting harder and harder to find in the draft.

[OldSchool]

At least the Jets only spent the 103rd pick on Petty. After the Griffin megabust NFL teams aren't going to ASSUME a guy with a sweet arm who lights it up in a spread offense is going to be able learn the critical analytical and processing part of the game. Teams are going to look first to college QBs running pro sets in college so they don't Griffin themselves.

[DEHog]

At least the Jets only spent the 103rd pick on Petty. After the Griffin megabust NFL teams aren't going to ASSUME a guy with a sweet arm who lights it up in a spread offense is going to be able learn the critical analytical and processing part of the game. Teams are going to look first to college QBs running pro sets in college so they don't Griffin themselves.

I guess Tennessee didn't get that memo??

[markshark84]

At least the Jets only spent the 103rd pick on Petty. After the Griffin megabust NFL teams aren't going to ASSUME a guy with a sweet arm who lights it up in a spread offense is going to be able learn the critical analytical and processing part of the game. Teams are going to look first to college QBs running pro sets in college so they don't Griffin themselves.

From what I have been told, those types of QBs are becoming extinct in the high school and college game.

The interesting thing is that the high school and college game is evolving to the spread, but these types of offenses don't work in the NFL. Mobile/running type QB will NEVER be long-term successful in the NFL because the NFL players and coaches are exponentially faster, stronger, and smarter.

The only QBs that could survive are Wilson types who have compact bodies that can both avoid and take hits as well as being able to process. Wilson, however, is basically a unicorn in that he is smart, agile, fast, strong, compact, has big hands, good vision, humble, mature, and is on a team with (IMHO) the best RB and DEF in the league. He can also stay healthy --- he has rushed 750 times in college & NFL and has been sacked 118 times in the NFL alone -- without any significant injury.

Less and less pro style QBs will be coming out and spread/mobile QB will never work, so it will be interesting to see how the NFL evolves moving forward.

[mastdark81]

It will be find because owners will recognize this and start hiring guys more from the college rankings. The old geezer HC's in the NFL that do not want to change are going to be out!

[PulpExposure]

The interesting thing is that the high school and college game is evolving to the spread, but these types of offenses don't work in the NFL.

Chip Kelly. Cough.

Mobile/running type QB will NEVER be long-term successful in the NFL because the NFL players and coaches are exponentially faster, stronger, and smarter.

That I agree with. But a spread doesn't only work with a mobile QB...it can work with people like Nick Foles.