Welcome. A lot in that post I'd like to go with the bolded part: I think it’s a lot easier to teach a QB to take snaps from under center then to teach (if it’s possible to teach) the other intangibles Goff already possesses.
Well, yeah, but only because many intangibles that the top QBs possess can't be taught AT ALL. That doesn't mean that teaching a QB to take snaps from under center is easy. Gruden had concerns that Goff wasn't accounting for all the rushers and taking hits behind that leaky OL at Cal. Well, in a Play Action based offense that the Rams run, the QBs back gets turned on the LOS and rushers so that awareness is key or he's going to get creamed. Teaching a QB to take snaps under center is actually quite difficult because it changes the entire rhythm of the passer and it puts a LOT more fatigue into the legs. Want to feel it for yourself? Do 10 squats, then do a QB drop back. Do 10 more, then do it again. If you're out of shape, it'd e pretty easy to stumble because a whole set of muscles need to be built up. Point is that by the 3rd quarter, there's a difference that will affect footwork, weight distribution, release point and timing. The entire issue of mechanics have to be kept in mind. It's not just practicing a few crossover steps and strengthening the hip flexor muscles, it's maintaining good mechanics across a moving platform and changing how he sets up.
Also, I keep reading about Goff "dropping dimes".
I don't see that. I see him consistently underthrowing his deep throws while Wentz hits his receivers deep in stride. At Cal, I think he got away with that way more than he will at the pro level.
In Goff's favor, I think he was more accurate in the intermediate level overall. I like Wentz more on those big throws to the sideline, the "1st down" throws if you will, but overall, yeah, I see Goff as more accurate in the intermediate range.
So, as far as "dropping dimes" I just don't see it and certainly not on the long balls.
Great call out on the play action, I never said it was easy, said it was easier then learning the other things I mentioned though. Goff has been working a ton since the end of the season on working under center. I do agree though it's a tough transition, it a guess on my part but I just don't see trading away that many picks for Wentz, he's big has a strong arm and can run, from and accuracy and progression standpoint I just don't see it.
Your absolutely correct on the deep throws, one thing you will notice though is on the under throws thats usually his last progression and the receiver is way downfield and usually wide wide open. They run a trips to the right all verticle with an RPO, Goff first executes the play action progresses through the trips side, if that's not open he comes back to Davis because the deep saftey has usually floated over to the trips side hence him being so wide open. I think part of the reason for the underthrow is the receiver is so wide open, and there is a fear of an overthrow. One other thing that scared me the first two years were his deep middle throws, he threw a few picks because he wasn't accounting for the saftey. He seemed to clean that up last year.
One thing he does excel at it placement on the go routes in man coverage, it's usually over the outside shoulder or out of bounds so no picks. He also throws great fade routes, Lawler his receiver on the right made quite a few spectacular catches based Goffs ball placement.
Don't get me wrong though, in think one of the issues he ran into this year was he was getting so good at reading defenses that he would show tendencies based on certain defenses. 3 of his picks were in disguised cover 2s where the corner would come up to the flat then drop back to the over the top route. He cleaned that up though the line also got better towards the end of the year giving him a little more decision time.
I can go on all night about the good and bad things, honestly though what it comes down to for me is the intangibles he has, I watch alot of CFB and I just don't see other qb's with the pocket awareness, the mechanics and the ball placement he has. I just don't see trading so much for Wentz, nothing against the guy at all but besides him playing in a play action offense and being big and strong I don't know, I watched alot of Hogan and i would have stayed where I was and took him.
Who knows right, I'm a CAL fan so I lean towards Goff. I'll watch some more Wentz film though.
Update (watching Wentz in the national championship game against Montana) I like him but their offense looks very similar to Cal's, mostly shotgun and lots of RPO. Their routes seem to be alot deeper though maybe due to play action)