I agree, but good coaching will also develop the ability for a player to adjust and be successful dealing with injuries. That has not happen at Nebraska.I totally agree. I think it's fair to say that Green does not have the makings of an all star who goes 23 for 30, with 300 yards and 3 TDs. But there is a wide margin between an all star QB and a guy who, in his two starts this season, didn't throw for more than 100 yards. Watson gets off the hook for not turning Green into an all star, but he has no excuse for failing to develop him into a serviceable QB who can still keep defenses honest. Put it this way: Green should have been capable of a CU-type performance at the start of this year.i guess the thing that bothers me the most, is it appears that developing Green was an after thought, don't know for sure, but it seems that way. until TM got injuried it appears Wats never gave a thought to what plays he would script around Green, as he tried to put Green in the TM playbook, obviously one size does not fit all....that's the real rub i have with Wats.
Frankly, I think that Cam Newton is the biggest indictment of Watson's ability to coach QBs. What do I mean? Newton completely, unequivocally, and indisputably shatters the notion that behind every quality QB there is a quality coach. You cannot convince me that any coach on Auburn's staff can take credit for the fact that, in a one-year span, Newton went from JUCO commit to Heisman QB. What sets Newton apart are natural physical abilities that you can't teach. All he needed was a little polish to make him unstoppable at the college level.
Why am I bringing this up? Because Cam Newton definitely resolves the question of whether Watson should be given any credit for Martinez's early glory. The answer is most assuredly, "No." What made/makes Martinez special is insane acceleration and top speed, which is extremely rare at the QB position. Martinez was born with that ability; Watson didn't teach it. At the same time, Watson failed miserably at the things he could have done to improve Martinez's game. Teach him to live to fight another day by not being afraid to throw the ball away or take a sack when the play isn't there. Help him to learn to dump the ball off to Helu or Burkhead when nothing else is there. Put him in position to succeed by slowing down the pass rush with screen passes. Roll him out of the pocket so Martinez can operate where he's most comfortable---in space.
So when I evaluate Watson, I look back on his work minus Martinez, because in my opinion, he cannot take any credit for the best aspects that Martinez has (blazing speed), and deserves most of the blame for things he doesn't (an ability to make plays in the pocket or under pressure). And without Martinez on his resume, Watson's body of work with QBs looks all too mediocre.
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