I have some similar thoughts but am overall actually pleased
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Florida_Ram
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Rams43
I find statements like this rather amusing as there is no way any one of us have the ability to have an informed opinion about the ability of the coaches to coach.
So what exactly do you think they are doing wrong?
Admittedly, I'm no NFL coach, and I certainly don't see the multiple interactions between Goff and his coaches and teammates in meetings and practices. But the kid had a reputation as football smart, instinctive, and possessing a burning desire to win.
I would have thought that he would have been further along by now. That hints to me that something is amiss in his coaching and training. But what do I know?
For starters like some have already mentioned... (Team Weinke and Boras)
Playbook size and length of verbiage was beyond JG's capacity from the get go..... When did they decide to Dumb it Down after how many OTA's and or practices? Wrist band playbook? Did Goff have an ego and say no to the wristband offer? Did they even give him an option to say no if they did recommend one?
Did Boras get a feel for JG's Bear Raid muscle memory back in OTA's? Did Boras talk with Cal QB coach and HC Sonny Dykes several times about what Goff's learning curve might be with their system to his system? Did Boras and Weinke Pick those coaches brains since those coaches were JG's key mentors that groomed him straight out of high school etc...
Or was Boras more of the personality type that he didn't want to bother those coaches and plenty confident that he could manipulate his playbook to Goff's strengths and weaknesses by just simply learning how to groom a rookie #1 pick on the fly. I sure would've had Sonny come out to a few practices and picked his brain and bounced ideas around off of each other..
Weinke and Boras are my biggest question marks? Does Weinke know the Boras play book as if he could call every play in a live huddle like he's been the starting QB under Boras for a few years. Unlikely because Weinke is barely in his 2nd season as the Rams QB coach and Boras doesn't even have 6 games under his belt as an NFL offensive coordinator so both of them are still adjusting and learning about their own job titles on this level and what has Groh's twist been in the passing game?
Lot's of things here that point to this staff not being qualified as an experienced seasoned group working together with the task of grooming a very raw Bear Raid spread formation 21 year old kid quarterback. Boras has never had the responsibility of learning a rookie QB from a spread offense to fit an NFL offense let alone tinker with it to work for all parties involved.
We don't know for sure what Weinke's grasp of the Boras' playbook is. We can assume he knows every line check, hot read, audible along with what every moving part of the offense is doing on every single play based on defensive schemes/sets etc. Does he know how to translate that in different ways/structures to keep a young prodigy with all of his college flaws and learning disabilities from imploding Or does Weinke think he knows JG's personality and learning curve by his own osmosis? sorry couldn't resist that shot at Weinke lol...
Maybe a QB coach with an Offensive Coordinator's background and or at least several years of NFL experience of grooming rookie QB's would've fit JG's skill set and personality type expediently better from the onset? This understanding would be on Fisher and Snead the moment they made the trade. They knew they were going all in on the rookie from CAL and the experience his staff Weinke and Boras would be up against.
Weinke might be a great QB coach but not the best one for the challenge it was going to be for JG's pedigree or lack of coming out of CAL.. That goes on Fisher and Snead because maybe they didn't give that much thought after they made the all in trade.
Weinke sure enjoyed pointing out the obvious tough love and reality to Goff that he wasn't going to win the starting job by osmosis. Did Weinke and Boras just assume they could make Goff fit the playbook with tiny adjustments because JG had a reputation of a high football IQ? Did they Give JG too much credit as being a student of the game and just assumed he would catch on by the 2nd or 3rd week of training camp?
How many practices passed by they finally realized he wasn't going to retain and apply their teachings on the field to the extent they had faith in? These are just some things an experienced NFL OC and QB coach would've had a plan B, C and D for right from the onset of OTA's.
What I just rambled on about is all Hindsight and skeptical? sure it is now because I was blinded to it just being elated we drafted JG. Truth is now that I have learned my lesson, If I'm the head coach of the Rams trading up that far to get a rookie QB that didn't play in a similar offense like Carson Wentz played in, I would've hoped I checked all these boxes and made the necessary coaching changes to give the kid the best chance to succeed from day 1...
I now agree that Wentz for sure and maybe Lynch while staying put was the better fit for Fisher, Boras and Weinke which is why this has come full circle...
I always wanted JG and still do but after seeing this unfold like some on this board predicted as well as NFL media guys before the draft, Fisher's offensive coaching staff was up against Gigantic Odds to have JG ready to challenge even a journeyman of Keenum's caliber in his rookie debut.
Maybe Fisher gets a second year and this all plays out well in 2017 but without a new contract offer yet, it seems Stan is maybe going to make Fisher earn the extension by posting a winning record in 2016. I'm still rooting for all of this to work out so don't shoot me down like a negative arrogant Rams fan because I'm not
GO 2016 LA Rams..
At this point, I think its important to maintain some perspective here. I think quite a few people are focusing on the wrong things entirely. My biggest concern was/is Goff being a bust. I wasn't completely sold that his college skill set would translate in NFL caliber. I am no longer concerned. He has a legit NFL arm and an elite release. When he "see's it" the ball comes out so fast its deadly. His biggest asset and the real reason we drafted him, is his ability to deliver the ball outside the numbers accurate, on time and on a line. Throwing outside the numbers is the best way to force a defense out of a stacked box. Unfortunately, Keenum just can't make this throw. When Keenum has thrown this pass over his career its been for significantly shorter yards on the route than league standards. You definitely don't want him throwing it to the wide side of the field. From what I've seen of Mannion, he has the arm but his timing and accuracy aren't the best. I could post the stats if you want, let me know but as far as getting the ball out fast Keenum, has been among the leagues worst at holding on too long. This seems to have become a staple of recent Rams QB's. From the research I did on Keenum, I do have to say he takes the the deepest (most step) drops on virtually every type of throw than any NFL QB. I kinda found that a little disturbing. But it may account for some of his slow time to get the ball out. This isn't supposed to be a rip on Keenum diatribe, because I am pulling for him and he has looked much better this pre-season. But its pre-season... Back to Goff. Quick release box Check! Another question I had about Goff after watching him in college was I thought he got rattled(nervous) when teams repeatedly pressured him. At times he would look jittery and rush his throws. it's early, but to my suprise so far and under some seriously bad protection he's hung in the pocket tough. That's good and bad. He looks like he's an injury waiting to happen. He's actually got a nice frame. He seriously needs some NFL conditioning. I think he could easily put on 20 lbs. One thing that's probably going to be a cluster^%$# is the whole handling snaps under center and turning and handing the ball off in the running game along with jet sweeps and tosses. Having a revolving door at center doesn't help. Where he really needs some work is on figuring out the difference between "college open" and "NFL open". He already know how to be accurate. He just needs to adjust his accuracy standards another notch. This stuff will come with reps and learning by trial and error. Coaching will have very little to do with it.
As far as the playbook. For a Rams offense that I can 75% of the time tell you exactly what they are going to do solely based on formation, is it just me or is it rediculously overbose for what it is? With the limited reps and time teams have with players in pre-season these day, I can see why it takes some of these elite college prospects time to develop on offense. You would think the Rams would try and give Goff a simplified playbook based on the Cal offense. Makes sense to me. Would you then have to teach everyone else the new calls? I don't know. The fact is we have now idea whats really going on with the playbook. We can only guess. I am going to guess Goff doesn't know it well it enough. Who's fault is that? Don't know. At this point it doesn't really matter.
Its going to take as long as it takes.
