When asked about his biggest challenge since transitioning to an NFL offense, Caleb Williams was honest. It is reading blitzes and making adjustments at the line of scrimmage. This is hardly a surprise. Defenses are incredibly diverse at this level and use all sorts of tricks to mask their intentions to blitz. It is why quarterbacks must constantly study film, looking for tells of when one is coming. Williams didn’t have to do that a lot in college because those defenses don’t go through the trouble of constant disguising.
Recent word suggests the Chicago Bears quarterback is improving in that department. He’s learning where and when the defense is planning a blitz and has managed to beat more than a few of them. However, another issue has popped up, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. This isn’t one the quarterback probably expected to deal with.
“There are some technique matters that Williams is still working through. Eberflus said Williams has practiced taking snaps from under center for years with his private quarterback coach, since he knew he was going to be a pro quarterback and his college offenses didn’t offer him the chance to work from under center very much. But he also said Williams is still working on his run game footwork from under center, mainly because he’s getting used to the speed at which NFL players run.”
Don’t forget Williams spent almost his entire college career in shotgun. Most of his handoffs consisted of pivoting to his right or left and feeding the back. He never had to cover any ground. That is different under center, where he’s required to turn his back to the line of scrimmage and get the ball to the back with the right timing.
One of the biggest advantages of running from under center is it makes the play action game far more effective. It becomes difficult for the defense to identify when runs or passes are coming because each looks identical from snap to handoff. By the time they figure out the quarterback kept the ball, they’re already a split second behind, allowing receivers to get separation for a big play. Williams is smart. He will quickly recognize why he must master each drop and sell every handoff. It is all to his benefit in the end.
The good news is that he has a capable offensive coordinator guiding him. Shane Waldron showed at the Hall of Fame game that he understands how to coach his quarterbacks. Brett Rypien spent last year with him in Seattle. He looked excellent against Houston, executing every play efficiently, including handoffs. Caleb Williams can use him as an example to polish his own technique. He should have everything ironed out by next month when the games get real.
