Kevin O’Connell Peels Back Curtain on 3 Vikings QB Questions
Any sense at all that folks around the Twin Cities have some interest in how things are progressing for the Vikings’ QBs?
Kevin O’Connell was asked a variety of questions about his passers prior to the Monday night practice at TCO. Along the way, O’Connell offered up several notable tidbits that will be of interest to Vikings fans as training slowly gives way to the preseason.
Kevin O’Connell & 3 QB Insights
J.J. McCarthy is Going to Play on Saturday, August 9th
Yes, there’s been word that McCarthy was going to play, but the news hits different when it comes from the top coach.
Kick it over to O’Connell: “Yeah, I do plan on playing J.J. Saturday.” Simple and to the point. The head coach did expand some after being prompted to discuss the issue in greater depth.
“I think you’d love to play him as much as possible,” O’Connell notes, but the upcoming joint practices with the Patriots are going to be where McCarthy gets the added reps. In short, look for a decent workload this weekend and then opportunities aplenty in joint practices.
Otherwise, it’s all about health and less-risky development for the sophomore.
The Backup Passers are Progressing … Sort Of
Apparently, Sam Howell is adjusting to O’Connell’s offense.
The quarterback has physical talent – O’Connell was sure to praise the fourth-year player’s arm – but did note that there’s room for improvement.
“In many ways,” O’Connell explained, “there’s a lot of things that are just flat out new for Sam. I think he’s really flashed his arm talent throughout the different phases of practice. What I’m looking for is just consistency.”
The head coach thinks that things will start to “slow down” for the former Commander and Seahawk. Howell has tried some throws “that have either not worked out or have worked out.” He needs to progress toward ensuring he doesn’t make the same mistake twice.
Not long afterward, O’Connell was sure to kick praise over Brett Rypien for his understanding of the offense while insisting that Max Brosmer is doing well (Brosmer had some impressive moments in the night practice).
The QB1 Needs to Know When (And How) to Run
J.J. McCarthy happens to be a fantastic athlete. So, he’s navigating a learning curve where he figures out when it’s time to let his feet bring him to a 1st down rather than continuing to sit in a pocket that could quickly be slipping into disarray.
Safe to say, though, that the sophomore isn’t a finished product.
At the press conference, O’Connell recalled a specific instance in practice when McCarthy lost a rep to Brian Flores and Jonathan Greenard. “Flo decides to drop eight in that moment,” O’Connell recalls, “and J.J. runs outside the back of the pocket and Greenard easily kind of ran him down and that ended that play.”
Crucially, it was a 4th & 5 scenario, so McCarthy’s sense of urgency to scramble for a 1st did make sense. The issue is that it was a “learning example” since the passer should have stepped forward rather than backward.
The head coach wants him to be “exhausting the progressions” – a football way of saying that he needs to ensure that he looks to see if any of his available receivers are open. Basically, throw the ball when there’s an opportunity to throw the ball; if everyone is covered, then it’s time to turn on the jets.
The goal is to “stack completions,” which is a thought that Kevin O’Connell has expressed in the past.
On Monday night, J.J. McCarthy showed off his wheels at different points. Safe to say that his legs are a weapon; safe to say that just about everyone around the Vikings hopes that the kid does a nice job of sliding to avoid contact.
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