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Don’t Sleep on the Rams’ Potential Backup QB Sean Mannion
Posted by: Luke Schnake
http://www.101sports.com/2015/08/13/done-sleep-rams-potential-backup-qb-sean-mannion/
The Rams have a clear-cut and healthy starting quarterback in Nick Foles, but the team knows better than to bank on that being the case through December.
In a league going through a drought at the QB position, the Rams have had to dip into the reserves more than many franchises.
Two of this year’s training camp reserves wore the horns last season in Austin Davis and Case Keenum. The team decided to give itself an additional option by selecting Sean Mannion out of Oregon State in the third round of the 2015 draft.
Standing at 6-foot-6 and coming from a college that ran a pro-style offense, Mannion looks and acts the part of a player with a shot at a decent pro career.
Davis and Keenum have experience running an NFL offense, but coaches have spoken highly of Mannion and his ability to adapt. The rookie says the difference between today and when he arrived for rookie camp is night and day.
“I feel very comfortable. I feel like I’ve done a lot of good things so far in training camp.”
Mannion said. “I’m trying to be accurate, trying to make good decisions with the ball. I feel really comfortable in the offense. The biggest difference is it’s not my first time out here practicing with the guys. We got that over with in OTA’s so we could come out and hit the ground running.”
Rookie quarterbacks that ran pro offenses in college as opposed to the option ideally have an easier time adapting to the NFL. Mannion believes his time at Oregon State running head coach Mike Riley’s offense has been a big help to him in St. Louis.
“I think it’s helped a lot. Obviously there’s another level of detail with everything: protections, run game, passing concepts…all that stuff. But the good part about it is there hasn’t been much that’s been completely foreign to me.” Mannion said.
“Most of these concepts I’ve seen and ran in games in college. I think the general familiarity with formations, motions, protections…Obviously it boils down to different names and another level of detail, but there’s a great deal of familiarity having run this at some point in my college career.”
The jump has also been easier for Mannion in terms of his mechanics.
He knows he has work to do just like any rookie, but being a college pocket passer, Mannion insists he isn’t changing his approach, but sharpening it.
“(Mechanics) are not something I like to overthink. I like to think of it more as refinement than really changing things.” Mannion said. “Over the years I feel like I’ve been able to sharpen up my motion and eliminate wasted movement gradually. At the same time it’s not something I think of in terms of changing. When you’re in a game you don’t want to be thinking about how you’re throwing the ball. You should be thinking about the defense and where to put it.”
With the preseason kicking off Friday in Oakland, the quarterback depth chart will take shape. Mannion is eager for the chance to face opponents.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for me to just go out and show I can operate the offense. It’ll be nice to get into a game situation and a great opportunity for our team.”
Posted by: Luke Schnake
http://www.101sports.com/2015/08/13/done-sleep-rams-potential-backup-qb-sean-mannion/
The Rams have a clear-cut and healthy starting quarterback in Nick Foles, but the team knows better than to bank on that being the case through December.
In a league going through a drought at the QB position, the Rams have had to dip into the reserves more than many franchises.
Two of this year’s training camp reserves wore the horns last season in Austin Davis and Case Keenum. The team decided to give itself an additional option by selecting Sean Mannion out of Oregon State in the third round of the 2015 draft.
Standing at 6-foot-6 and coming from a college that ran a pro-style offense, Mannion looks and acts the part of a player with a shot at a decent pro career.
Davis and Keenum have experience running an NFL offense, but coaches have spoken highly of Mannion and his ability to adapt. The rookie says the difference between today and when he arrived for rookie camp is night and day.
“I feel very comfortable. I feel like I’ve done a lot of good things so far in training camp.”
Mannion said. “I’m trying to be accurate, trying to make good decisions with the ball. I feel really comfortable in the offense. The biggest difference is it’s not my first time out here practicing with the guys. We got that over with in OTA’s so we could come out and hit the ground running.”
Rookie quarterbacks that ran pro offenses in college as opposed to the option ideally have an easier time adapting to the NFL. Mannion believes his time at Oregon State running head coach Mike Riley’s offense has been a big help to him in St. Louis.
“I think it’s helped a lot. Obviously there’s another level of detail with everything: protections, run game, passing concepts…all that stuff. But the good part about it is there hasn’t been much that’s been completely foreign to me.” Mannion said.
“Most of these concepts I’ve seen and ran in games in college. I think the general familiarity with formations, motions, protections…Obviously it boils down to different names and another level of detail, but there’s a great deal of familiarity having run this at some point in my college career.”
The jump has also been easier for Mannion in terms of his mechanics.
He knows he has work to do just like any rookie, but being a college pocket passer, Mannion insists he isn’t changing his approach, but sharpening it.
“(Mechanics) are not something I like to overthink. I like to think of it more as refinement than really changing things.” Mannion said. “Over the years I feel like I’ve been able to sharpen up my motion and eliminate wasted movement gradually. At the same time it’s not something I think of in terms of changing. When you’re in a game you don’t want to be thinking about how you’re throwing the ball. You should be thinking about the defense and where to put it.”
With the preseason kicking off Friday in Oakland, the quarterback depth chart will take shape. Mannion is eager for the chance to face opponents.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for me to just go out and show I can operate the offense. It’ll be nice to get into a game situation and a great opportunity for our team.”
