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Keenum has that 'it' factor in huddle
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_8ece5c0f-1d4e-5c6b-a81a-d5c1e1222de5.html
It’s not unusual to see coach Jeff Fisher eavesdropping on the offensive huddle during practice at Rams Park.
“I want to hear what’s going on,” Fisher said. “It’s the quarterback’s huddle, and there’s more to operating a huddle than just calling the play.”
Is the quarterback reminding players about situations, down and distance? Does he have command of the huddle?
Case Keenum did last season, even while on the Rams practice squad.
“That’s one of the reasons why we brought him back,” Fisher said. “He’s got that enthusiasm and that ‘it’ factor in the huddle.”
Keenum was in Houston last March, either driving to or coming back from training — he forgets which — when he got the call.
“It was Fish on my phone,” Keenum recalled. “He said, ‘What are you doing? I just traded for you.’ “
When Keenum saw the tease on ESPN later that day — Rams in quarterback trade — he thought he might get some air time on SportsCenter. Alas, that was the same day the Rams swapped Sam Bradford to Philadelphia for Nick Foles. So the deal that brought Keenum here from Houston for a seventh-rounder was almost an afterthought that day.
Keenum is no afterthought on the Rams’ roster, however. He’s fighting for the No. 2 QB spot behind Austin Davis this preseason. And given the team’s forced reliance on backup quarterbacks lately, it’s a position of significance.
The Rams’ last 25 regular-season games, in fact, have been started by backup quarterbacks. Over the past four seasons, 31 of 64 Rams games, dating back to Steve Spagnuolo’s final season as head coach in 2011, have been manned by a backup QB.
Heading into preseason game No. 2, Sunday at Tennessee, Keenum has the lead over Austin Davis for the No. 2 job.
“I’m trying not to compare,” Keenum said recently. “I never compare. For me, I’m preparing to play. I’ve been around this league long enough to know that I’ve started a year as a No. 3, and I started eight games.
“I’ve started a year on another team, really fifth-string, and then started a couple games for that team as well. So I know that anything can happen at any point.”
Keenum, 27, was tremendously productive in college at the University of Houston, finishing his college career as the NCAA’s career leader in passing yards (19,127) and touchdown passes (155).
He entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie with the Houston Texans in 2012, spending that season on the Texans’ practice squad. In 2013, an injury to starter Matt Schaub against the Rams opened the door for Keenum to start eight games.
Cut by the Texans on Aug. 31, 2014 after they acquired QB Ryan Mallett, Keenum was claimed on waivers by the Rams, who needed help after Sam Bradford’s season-ending knee injury in their third preseason game (against Cleveland).
Keenum spent part of last season on the Rams’ active roster, without appearing in a game, and spent the second half of the season on their practice squad. Until Dec. 15, that is, when Houston — once again with injury problems at the position — signed him off the Rams’ practice squad onto their active roster. “I left pretty quickly,” Keenum said. “The Texans called on Sunday and I was on a flight Monday morning.”
Next thing he knew, Keenum was in Houston watching film on Baltimore when he got a call from Rams quarterbacks coach Frank Cignetti.
“Are you in Houston right now?” Cignetti asked.
“Yeah, Coach. I am. Sorry,” Keenum replied. “I didn’t get a chance to say ‘bye’ or anything.’ “
That’s how quickly it happened. Keenum ended up starting the final two games of 2014 for the Texans, winning both contests. But with last year’s Rams backup, Shaun Hill, off to Minnesota in free agency, Keenum returned to St. Louis via that other quarterback trade in March.
Keenum must have done something right in his first stint in St. Louis to have the team expend a draft pick to bring him back.
“I think it’s a good fit,” Keenum said. “I love playing for (Fisher). I’ve been really blessed to have some great coaches, and he is right there at the top of that list with a bunch of other guys that I’ve had.”
Cignetti, now the Rams’ offensive coordinator, spent a lot of time with Keenum last season.
“We talked a lot of ball,” Keenum said. “Not just our offense, just kind of ball in general. So it was kinda getting on the same page with him. We think a lot alike, which really helps me. I think that’s what a quarterback’s job is — to see the (opposing) defense through his coordinator’s and through his quarterback coach’s eyes.”
While with the Rams last season, Keenum spent a lot of time before games working with Cignetti. They’d go out on the field early and do individual stuff.
“The game’s not too fast for him,” Cignetti said. “He processes information very well. Very smart. He’s a rhythmic passer. Very accurate. He can run the offense.
“We ask our quarterbacks to keep us out of a bad play, so he can come to the line of scrimmage, recognize the defense right (away), make the proper adjustments.”
The coaches could see many of those traits in him on the practice field during his 3½ months with the team last season. “No question,” Cignetti said. “You could just see his functional intelligence.”
And his huddle presence.
“I like to think that I know when the huddle needs a little bit of humor in it,” Keenum said. “It just depends on the situation. I try to just be awkward and just random. Maybe mention that somebody’s fly is unzipped on the sideline or something.”
Naturally, there are times when a more serious approach is needed. Perhaps to regain attention in the huddle, regain focus on the task at hand.
“Just over time, it’s stuff you learn,” Keenum said. “It’s just football, and it’s just playing quarterback, and it’s leadership skills. You can pick that up from anywhere and anybody.”
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_8ece5c0f-1d4e-5c6b-a81a-d5c1e1222de5.html
It’s not unusual to see coach Jeff Fisher eavesdropping on the offensive huddle during practice at Rams Park.
“I want to hear what’s going on,” Fisher said. “It’s the quarterback’s huddle, and there’s more to operating a huddle than just calling the play.”
Is the quarterback reminding players about situations, down and distance? Does he have command of the huddle?
Case Keenum did last season, even while on the Rams practice squad.
“That’s one of the reasons why we brought him back,” Fisher said. “He’s got that enthusiasm and that ‘it’ factor in the huddle.”
Keenum was in Houston last March, either driving to or coming back from training — he forgets which — when he got the call.
“It was Fish on my phone,” Keenum recalled. “He said, ‘What are you doing? I just traded for you.’ “
When Keenum saw the tease on ESPN later that day — Rams in quarterback trade — he thought he might get some air time on SportsCenter. Alas, that was the same day the Rams swapped Sam Bradford to Philadelphia for Nick Foles. So the deal that brought Keenum here from Houston for a seventh-rounder was almost an afterthought that day.
Keenum is no afterthought on the Rams’ roster, however. He’s fighting for the No. 2 QB spot behind Austin Davis this preseason. And given the team’s forced reliance on backup quarterbacks lately, it’s a position of significance.
The Rams’ last 25 regular-season games, in fact, have been started by backup quarterbacks. Over the past four seasons, 31 of 64 Rams games, dating back to Steve Spagnuolo’s final season as head coach in 2011, have been manned by a backup QB.
Heading into preseason game No. 2, Sunday at Tennessee, Keenum has the lead over Austin Davis for the No. 2 job.
“I’m trying not to compare,” Keenum said recently. “I never compare. For me, I’m preparing to play. I’ve been around this league long enough to know that I’ve started a year as a No. 3, and I started eight games.
“I’ve started a year on another team, really fifth-string, and then started a couple games for that team as well. So I know that anything can happen at any point.”
Keenum, 27, was tremendously productive in college at the University of Houston, finishing his college career as the NCAA’s career leader in passing yards (19,127) and touchdown passes (155).
He entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie with the Houston Texans in 2012, spending that season on the Texans’ practice squad. In 2013, an injury to starter Matt Schaub against the Rams opened the door for Keenum to start eight games.
Cut by the Texans on Aug. 31, 2014 after they acquired QB Ryan Mallett, Keenum was claimed on waivers by the Rams, who needed help after Sam Bradford’s season-ending knee injury in their third preseason game (against Cleveland).
Keenum spent part of last season on the Rams’ active roster, without appearing in a game, and spent the second half of the season on their practice squad. Until Dec. 15, that is, when Houston — once again with injury problems at the position — signed him off the Rams’ practice squad onto their active roster. “I left pretty quickly,” Keenum said. “The Texans called on Sunday and I was on a flight Monday morning.”
Next thing he knew, Keenum was in Houston watching film on Baltimore when he got a call from Rams quarterbacks coach Frank Cignetti.
“Are you in Houston right now?” Cignetti asked.
“Yeah, Coach. I am. Sorry,” Keenum replied. “I didn’t get a chance to say ‘bye’ or anything.’ “
That’s how quickly it happened. Keenum ended up starting the final two games of 2014 for the Texans, winning both contests. But with last year’s Rams backup, Shaun Hill, off to Minnesota in free agency, Keenum returned to St. Louis via that other quarterback trade in March.
Keenum must have done something right in his first stint in St. Louis to have the team expend a draft pick to bring him back.
“I think it’s a good fit,” Keenum said. “I love playing for (Fisher). I’ve been really blessed to have some great coaches, and he is right there at the top of that list with a bunch of other guys that I’ve had.”
Cignetti, now the Rams’ offensive coordinator, spent a lot of time with Keenum last season.
“We talked a lot of ball,” Keenum said. “Not just our offense, just kind of ball in general. So it was kinda getting on the same page with him. We think a lot alike, which really helps me. I think that’s what a quarterback’s job is — to see the (opposing) defense through his coordinator’s and through his quarterback coach’s eyes.”
While with the Rams last season, Keenum spent a lot of time before games working with Cignetti. They’d go out on the field early and do individual stuff.
“The game’s not too fast for him,” Cignetti said. “He processes information very well. Very smart. He’s a rhythmic passer. Very accurate. He can run the offense.
“We ask our quarterbacks to keep us out of a bad play, so he can come to the line of scrimmage, recognize the defense right (away), make the proper adjustments.”
The coaches could see many of those traits in him on the practice field during his 3½ months with the team last season. “No question,” Cignetti said. “You could just see his functional intelligence.”
And his huddle presence.
“I like to think that I know when the huddle needs a little bit of humor in it,” Keenum said. “It just depends on the situation. I try to just be awkward and just random. Maybe mention that somebody’s fly is unzipped on the sideline or something.”
Naturally, there are times when a more serious approach is needed. Perhaps to regain attention in the huddle, regain focus on the task at hand.
“Just over time, it’s stuff you learn,” Keenum said. “It’s just football, and it’s just playing quarterback, and it’s leadership skills. You can pick that up from anywhere and anybody.”
