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Dr. Saturday

Thu Mar 19, 2009 7:43 am EDT

Headlinin': Mike Leach thinks that Graham Harrell can be taught to run backwards

By Joel Hollingsworth

• And you call yourselves coaches. Former Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell threw for 15,793 yards and 134 touchdowns in his 45-game career for the Red Raiders. Last season alone, he had over 5,000 passing yards and 45 TDs.

Despite the fact that he's thrown for more TDs than anyone else in major college history, the NFL still views Harrell as just the next in a long line of "system" QBs who will undoubtedly fail at the next level.

What does Red Raider coach Mike Leach think of that? Giant load of the stinkiest hooey:

You bring up easily the most pitiful NFL cop-out of all.

See? But wait, Leach is just getting started: 

And you can send that message to the whole NFL. Any coach who has ever said or uttered those words or considers that a concern, here's my message for them: How could you possibly look yourself in the mirror and consider yourself an NFL coach and not be able to teach a guy to run back three steps, five steps and seven steps? I can teach a child that. Any coach in the NFL who can't do that ought to be fired.

. . . .

I only need a three-hour window. I'll have a great clinic for all the NFL coaches who are so horrible that they can't teach a guy to take a snap under center and go backwards.

Yeah, buckets and buckets of hooey. With chunks and hair.

• Hide that bracket! The NCAA basketball tournament tips off today, but don't let UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel's wife catch you with a bracket. Neuheisel recently told Dan Patrick that his children had asked about filling out a bracket, and "his wife went after them like an NFL linebacker." And not just any NFL linebacker, but Ray Lewis. And not just any Ray Lewis, but a "young Ray Lewis," said Neuheisel.

Well, you might turn on your offspring with malicious intent, too, if your husband had been fired by the University of Washington for winning an NCAA Tournament bracket pool in 2003. Learn life's lessons vicariously, dear readers: if you must play, at least don't win.

Quickly ... All of that ridiculous chest-thumping and otherwise impudent public rhetoric? All part of the plan, says Lane Kiffin. ... Clemson reported a total of six secondary NCAA violations for an eight-month period ending in February. ... Former Florida Gator Percy Harvin impressed those in attendance at yesterday's Pro Day in Gainesville. ... Former Miami QB Robert Marve has Nebraska on his short list. ... Former Nebraska and North Carolina State QB Harrison Beck is now transferring to North Alabama. ... Pittsburgh receiver T.J. Porter was suspended indefinitely on the heels of his second arrest for DUI.

When not attempting to fill in Dr. Saturday's spacious shoes, Joel Hollingsworth blogs at the SB Nation Tennessee Volunteer community Rocky Top Talk.

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6 Comments

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  1. Year2
    1. Posted by Year2 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:28 pm EDT

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    I've often thought about the role of player development in whether quarterbacks succeed or fail in the NFL. If the player is teachable and has the physical tools, he should do well.
    I remember seeing a quote from a scout within the past year saying that he thought David Carr still has what it takes to be a starter in the NFL, but the Texans screwed his development up so much that to fix it would require more effort than any team is willing to spend on him. I wonder how many other players are in the same boat.
    And I am 100% behind Leach here. If you want to talk about teaching a player to read a defense while dropping back, that's one thing. But the actual physical motion of dropping back? Seriously guys, high school coaches teach that successfully all the time.
  2. ev
    2. Posted by ev Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:31 pm EDT

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    Harrell looked horrible in the senior bowl and not much better in the NFL combine. Harrell's problem isn't learning how to play under center, but how to play QB at the NFL level. That being said, Leach had a horrible track record putting QBs into the League, why would anyone listen to him about what works at that level?
  3. Dave MM
    3. Posted by Dave MM Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:38 pm EDT

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    To me its all about practice. What good is taking 3 hours to teach Harrell to take a snap from center if he hasn't practiced it for the last five years like the other guys? His is not as developed and ready for an NFL offense because of the system offense that he played in. Surely a smart guy like ML could understand this...
  4. Redmetal52
    4. Posted by Redmetal52 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:50 pm EDT

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    I'm glad I don't have to recruit players every year. A college coach keeps his job based on the number of wins he can coach into (or out of) an ever changing pool of talent. Yes, the coach helped build that pool, but it's never the optimum one, and sometimes it lets you down even after the best pieces are in place. The raw material is maturing males, who mature at different rates and times. So the coach either recruits to his own strengths which wins games (and attracts five star recruits), or changes his gameplans to take greatest advantage of his raw material. But don't be fooled into thinking a college coach recruits for the NFL. The boosters who help pay his salary want wins, not NFL draft day ratings. So, therefore it reasons that if a coach is winning bowl games with an offense that doesn't mesh smoothly with what's currently playing in the NFL, the coach will recruit to keep the wins going. Yes, you'll explain to that five-star high-schooler (the one you just can't let your arch rival get their hands on) that you play a slightly different game, but don't worry young man, there will be plenty of time in your four (or five) years at his college to learn those other [NFL] niceties. Maybe it works out that way, and maybe it doesn't. Until there's a curriculum that allows a student athlete to major in playing a particular professional sport, and the foundation curriculum is supported by coaches who train and win in a particular professional model, coaches will recruit the best talent they can get (and keep away from others) and mold those players into the system that keeps the coach's job (or helps him into something bigger), NFL be, well.... you know.
  5. Ruffian
    5. Posted by Ruffian Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:55 pm EDT

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    Isn't every quarterback a "system quarterback"? They just come from different systems.
  6. bobby
    6. Posted by bobby Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:10 pm EDT

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    just a note on marve does anybody remember his apeal that um was unfair because he wanted to stay close to his father who has cancer long way from neb. to tampa lol as for system qbs maybe the nfl needs to look at any system that produces 45 td in 12 games

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