When Will Willis Learn To Hold Onto The Ball?
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I’m glad we finally have a starting QB and that he played the entire TCU game. Now it’s time for Ryan to learn to hold onto the ball. I thought his fumble on the goal line last week showed he isn’t gripping the ball tightly enough while he’s looking for a receiver. The TCU defensive lineman just pushed our lineman into Ryan and the ball popped out.
Another example of Ryan not holding the ball tightly enough was during the Memphis game when he pulled the ball down to run, but ended up fumbling it up in the air right to a Memphis Dback. Maybe our running backs coach, Tony Hull could work with Ryan on ball security.
Next, Coach Beaty must teach Ryan when to get rid of the ball to avoid a sack. The last drive of the TCU game was just agonizing watching Ryan look for a receiver way too long and finally get sacked twice. We have a very young and inexperienced starting quarterback, so we must be patient. But, I sure will be looking for improvement in both of these areas from Ryan. Let’s coach him up. RCJH
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@stoptheflop I think you’ll see him progress from week to week and hopefully bye next year he wil be a solid QB. I think without question the offense moves better with him in for the most part. I wonder how far he’d be if he started this year from the get go and or didnt injure his wrist in the off season. I’m just hoping we can steal a win or two before we close out the year. I’ll give him 2 of the turnovers this past week, the tipped ball and the blindside hit and fumble are on the line not him IMO. Thats how we always did it when i played, you have to stay engaged on the o line and protect the QBs blindside if not the turnover hurts your grade for the game not the QBs. At least he didnt pull a cozart and just drop the damn ball lol.
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Willis is an FCS or DII QB that was lucky enough to be near a D1 program desperate for QBs.
I honestly don’t think this program can get to bowl eligibility with him at QB. He is just not built for this offense at this level of play. And to compete with Big XII opponents, we are going to have to score some more points than we will be with him.
With that being said, I love the grit and determination that Willis has. He is definitely a gamer. I just think he is about to peak. His throwing motion is telegraphic and robotic. He lacks pretty much any athleticism. He has a little bit of straighline speed, but that’s about it. If this team is really going to make it to bowl eligibility in two years, they need to find another answer. Willis is great for now, but he isn’t going to cut it in a couple of years. And we can’t have a QB holding back the rest of the offense.
My hope is that we win 4 games next season and can go pitch to a young gun slinger that if they come here they can start as a freshmen and get us over the hump. You have seen how well freshmen QBs have been able to do lately. Bama, TCU, A&M, UT, etc.
Just my two cents.
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@Kcmatt7 your description of Willis reminded me of a guy that played at Michigan in the late 90s. He was an ordinary QB with average arm strength, and limited mobility.
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@Ralph That’s the funny thing some of the elite QBs in NFL history weren’t all that great in college.
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@Kcmatt7 I disagree with your assessment of Willis, I get tired of hearing about Cozarts athleticism and never see it. Willis is not a great athlete but a solid one, watch that scramble for a TD on Saturday, never have seen cozart do that. Which I realize your not comparing the two but with a decent O line he could grow into a good QB. Think about guys like Graham Harrell and Sam Bradford how athletic were they? I’d say in the same area as Willis and I think Ryan is more athletic than 5 star Heaps or Crist without question.
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@Ralph Probably was still deflating football then…
I will take any bets on Willis being the next NFL QB to win 4 rings. Odds are 10,000 to 1.
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@kjayhawks I don’t think Cozart is that athletic… I haven’t seen it at least.
I don’t think Willis is athletic either. He is so robotic. I won’t deny that he is a gamer. But I just don’t know he has the arm to get it done in an “air raid” offense. His deep balls are far from electric passes. Even to wide open receivers. He is a gamer. He is competitive. But is he the guy to get us over the hump? I can’t see it. I think he is a guy that gets us to the point where we are ready to take the step from a joke to a game you take seriously on your schedule. But in no way is he talented enough to win 6 games. Or rather, 3 conference games. I just find that hard to believe when he can’t hit a wide open post (or come within 10 yards of the reciever) and could win 3 conference games.
Willis gives this team the best chance to win in the short term. But if he is the standard, we won’t make it to a bowl game and Beaty won’t make it a 5th season.
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@Kcmatt7 Fair enough, but I’ll bet you bye 2018 Willis is a starting QB on a bowl team. I think because he is a gamer his game will improve, taking first team reps and playing will help a ton on the long ball =, our recievers have to catch it aswell he hit Quv right in the chest for a TD that was dropped vs TCU, which prob wins us that game.
