Cam Ward, the highly touted quarterback drafted by the Tennessee Titans, is set to make his NFL debut this Sunday against the Denver Broncos. Famed as an aggressive passer, Ward’s goal is to let his arm talent loose and take advantage of opportunities down the field. Ward had a great collegiate career. He proved he could do it in the big moments, now he is hungry to prove he can do it week in and week out on the professional circuit.
During his time in college, Ward was 88/132 pass attempts against the blitz. He ranked second in passing yards, passing touchdowns, and rushing touchdowns when under pressure. Due to his remarkable elucidation, he was awarded with a 88.5 Quarterback Rating (QBR). That ranking put him 12th in the FBS among 129 QBR-qualified passers last year. Right from the start, he was beset with injuries and disappointments. Yet, these experiences molded him and allowed him to develop his skill set and deal with different types of pressure situations, preparing him for the NFL.
I am so ready,” Ward shouted. He spoke about his willingness to face the vicious blitzes that will be coming for him, as most notably in protection against the blitz. The Titans are taking it day by day, but are excited and hoping for a great debut on Sunday.
Ward’s preparation has been bolstered by the guidance of Titans’ offensive coordinator Brian Callahan. Callahan has built quite a reputation for his “quarterback friendly offense.” Given his long track record of mentoring rookie quarterbacks, he is the ideal coach for Ward. The Titans have engaged with various coaches, including Miami’s Shannon Dawson and North Texas’s Eric Morris, to identify and leverage Ward’s strengths as he transitions into the NFL.
Callahan has scheduled joint practices with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons. It doesn’t help that he willingly scheduled, maaaaybe pointlessly, a preseason loss to the Minnesota Vikings. This strategy aims to provide Ward with valuable reps against aggressive defenses, mirroring what he will encounter on game day.
“Know your protection, get the ball out, don’t let them kill you,” Ward advised when discussing how he plans to navigate pressure during games. He acknowledges that defenses will test and pressure him throughout his career, but he is focused on managing these challenges effectively.
Brian Callahan on the hype train that is Ward. The old mantra for all quarterbacks usually is that defenses will come after you and force you, he said. What that means for a young quarterback like Ward is that he will put in some totally new, uncomfortable situations. Ward will have to adapt to these realities very fast.
Yet Callahan remains optimistic about Ward’s potential: “You just don’t ever want to take away the stinger, and Cam’s got one. He’s going to take some chances and take some risks and put the ball in some tight windows, and that’s part of what makes him who he is.”
As the Titans prepare for their matchup against the Broncos—who led the NFL with 63 sacks last season and feature reigning Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II—Ward understands the gravity of the situation. He’s got to control those things,” Callahan said. At the end of the day, your aim needs to be to get him to a point where he can play as soon as possible. You need him to play with great confidence, particularly when on the road.
Ward, in particular, has spoken glowingly about Callahan’s coaching approach. When Callahan came through the door, he told us, “I want to be a reason why Brian Callahan is considered one of the best coaches in the NFL. This impressionistic motivation drives Ward’s dedication not just to his own victory, but to that of his coach.
He likes the way Callahan adjusts playcalling to fit what quarterbacks are most comfortable executing.… They’ve always been willing to hear my opinion, and I’ve been able to provide feedback to them,” said Ward. I always incorporate them, get their feedback. Since I arrived here after the draft, I’ve seen it all. I got better at it every day.”
Brandon Allen, another quarterback on the Titans’ roster, expressed appreciation for Callahan’s unpredictable play-calling style. He is great at mixing it up and keeping guys on their toes with the call during OTAs and camps. He isn’t afraid to boast on his positives, declaring that “He’s elite on these types of plays, but requires further development on…”.
As Ward gets ready for Sunday’s game, he knows he has quite an impact to make on the field. And I’ll be darned if I’m not going to play for Tennessee, for as tangibly long as I can. He specifically called out himself and Callahan, as well as the other coaches helping to develop him.
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