Sean McVay once again teases 'wildcat package' for Cam Akers

[ROD-BOT]

Sean McVay once again teases 'wildcat package' for Cam Akers

Sean McVay’s creativity will be on full display this season.

theramswire.usatoday.com

Sean McVay once again teases 'wildcat package' for Cam Akers

Sean McVay is one of the most creative and innovative offensive coaches in the league, and he’s pulled some tricks out of the bag in his first three seasons with the Rams. Cooper Kupp has attempted two passes on trick plays since 2017, though he didn’t complete either one.

The Rams should have a few more passes thrown by non-quarterbacks in 2020, though, after adding a running back with a great arm in the draft. Cam Akers is a former high school quarterback who completed five of eight passes for 97 yards at Florida State, showing off his arm when the Seminoles got creative.

McVay previously teased some trick plays for Akers after the Rams drafted him, and on Sunday, he once again hinted at the rookie throwing some passes when asked how extensively the Rams scouted him.

“He was the top high school recruit as a quarterback coming out. So, his stats are, when you look at them, it’s almost like a ‘Madden’ stat line when you see the stuff he was doing in high school. We knew about it. I know our personnel staff did a great job of vetting him and going real deep in terms of the background with (scout) Michael Pierce and all of those guys,” McVay said. “Then when you really start to study him, it shows up, and then they use him. I mean, there are some trick plays where he’s catching a swing pass to his left and flipping his hips and making 50-yard throws down the field. He did some impressive stuff. You never know, we might have a wildcat package coming to a theater near you.”


View: https://youtu.be/G2pOi19uAxk


Wildcat packages were all the rage years ago when the Dolphins broke it out with Ronnie Brown taking direct snaps. He would either run it, hand it off or throw a pass, much like a mobile quarterback would.

It helped the Dolphins upset the Patriots back in 2008, and while they’re no long as popular, teams still use them occasionally – like the Titans did with Derrick Henry in the playoffs last year when he threw a touchdown pass against the Ravens.

Akers is one of the best passers you’ll see at the running back position, and it’s easy to put him in positions to throw it off of tosses and direct snaps. We’ll just have to wait and see how McVay deploys him and incorporates his arm into the offense.

 

[JonRam99]

Sa weet.
I remember hoping we'd draft Darren McFadden for this possibility.

 

[Bootleg]

That would be great. And I'm still waiting for Aaron Donald at full back on the goal line.

 

[Memento]

That should be interesting. We never did it with Gurley (who also had an arm), but maybe we change it up with Akers in the shotgun with Darrell Henderson also in the backfield?

So many options. That's why I think our offense will improve dramatically.

 

[RamsFanCK]

That would be great. And I'm still waiting for Aaron Donald at full back on the goal line.

a rumbling AD sounds nasty!

 

[majrleaged]

I personally don't like taking your QB out of the game for the wildcat. Not apposed to the RB throwing on a trick play, just not the wild cat.
As inviting as seeing AD plow thru the line, I don't like the opposing D getting free shots at my best Defensive player. To much of an injury risk. There is a reason running backs don't last.

 

[dieterbrock]

a rumbling AD sounds nasty!

An opposing D line with a free shot at Donald? Yeah, no thanks...

 

[fearsomefour]

Vomit

 

[A.J. Hicks]

That should be interesting. We never did it with Gurley (who also had an arm), but maybe we change it up with Akers in the shotgun with Darrell Henderson also in the backfield?

So many options. That's why I think our offense will improve dramatically.

I don't recall a Todd throw with Mcvay but I seem to recall one with Fisher as coach.

Todd could throw about as well as just the average football player who has played catch. He certainly didn't have a QB arm. He's also left handed if I recall and that really changes a lot of things.

Cam was a top recruit as a QB out of high school. He can really throw the ball.

 

[RamsFanCK]

An opposing D line with a free shot at Donald? Yeah, no thanks...

Not sure tackling AD would be free for anyone

 

[Mikey Ram]

I never have been a fan of the wildcat...Like a lot of pie in the sky fashionable stuff, it had it's run and I think for all intents and purposes it's pretty much passe...(at least for me)...

 

[kurtfaulk]

.

the wildcat showed what we all knew to be true. if the cheats didn't know exactly what was coming at them they couldn't stop shit.

.

 

[CGI_Ram]

I like the idea of handoffs to a rolling out Akers, for pass option.

There are a lot of variations we could build off that, for surprise play packages.

 

[FarNorth]

I like the idea of handoffs to a rolling out Akers, for pass option.

There are a lot of variations we could build off that, for surprise play packages.

We are going to see Akers throw the ball, and not just once or twice. What plays or when remain TBD as far as all of us on the outside of the Rams' offensive braintrust are concerned.

 

[RamsOfCastamere]

That would be great. And I'm still waiting for Aaron Donald at full back on the goal line.

If we bring AD in, the entire defense will think he's getting the ball. I like the idea of faking it to him and giving it to someone else. And then, maybe giving it to him once the defense learns to hesitate.