Lindsey approves QB gurus

[aubiefifty 16,753]

Auburn's Chip Lindsey reverses Gus Malzahn's rule regarding private quarterback gurus

Tom Green | tgreen@al.com

Gus Malzahn's longstanding rule prohibiting his quarterbacks from working with private coaches, or gurus, in the offseason is a thing of the past.

Malzahn, who has been ardently against the practice during his tenure as Auburn's coach, said last month that he would be leaving the decision -- like most decisions regarding the offense -- up to new offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey. The Tigers' offensive coordinator was clear in his response when asked Tuesday during his first media availability of the spring.

"I don't have a problem with it, and most of the guys they work with, or the few that they do, I know them anyway and I communicate with them," Lindsey said. "I don't have a problem with them trying to go and get better."

Malzahn has long been an opponent of the practice and has given his reasoning behind his mindset. Simply put, he wanted to keep outsider voices on the outside, instead having his quarterbacks remain within his system.

The rule has prevented former quarterback Nick Marshall from working with private guru George Whitfield, who has worked with the likes of Cam Newton, Andrew Luck, Jameis Winston and Johnny Manziel, among others. It also prevented Sean White from working with longtime private coach Ken Mastrole, with whom White trained from eighth grade through his senior year of high school.

The lone exception appeared to be last summer, when John Franklin III spent time in South Florida with former NFL quarterback Michael Vick and private quarterback coach Oliver Boseman. Malzahn's justification for why he was OK with Franklin's workout was that "he's not paying anybody or anything like that," before adding that Auburn's coaches encourage players to work on improving while they're back home.

Under Lindsey, however, quarterbacks will now be free to seek outside help during the offseason when they aren't on campus. It's not something completely new to Lindsey, either. He said that while he was at Arizona State last year, "it seemed like" every one of the Sun Devils' quarterbacks had a private quarterback coach on the West Coast that they would work with in the offseason.

"Well, I think, you know, those guys want to go work when they're away from here and really, they're just working on fundamentals and trying to improve and get better," Lindsey said. "That's something that, as time has gone on, that relationship has changed over time. I'll just be honest."

That's a promising development for Auburn's group of quarterbacks, none of whom have been made available to the media yet this spring. Of the Tigers' signal-callers, at least three of them have known ties to private quarterback gurus.

White, who is limited this spring while recovering from a broken forearm but has been throwing on a pitch count at practice, is now free to work with Mastrole again in the offseason. It's something that Mastrole told AL.com last month that he is certain will happen so long as Auburn's coaches approve of it.

"I definitely think if they're open to it, Sean's going to come back and work with me," Mastrole said. "There's no question about that."

Former Baylor transfer Jarrett Stidham previously worked with private coach Trenton Kirklin, the co-founder of Dynasty Mechanics, for several years before arriving at Auburn in December.

 

Willis works out with private quarterback coach

Auburn freshman quarterback Malik Willis worked with a private quarterback coach on Sunday while back home in Georgia for the weekend.

 

Freshman Malik Willis has worked with private quarterback coach Sean McEvoy of Premier Quarterback Training since August. Willis' work with McEvoy continued even after Willis enrolled at Auburn this semester, with the 6-foot-1, 185-pound freshman traveling home to Georgia for a 90-minute workout with McEvoy at Willis' alma mater, Roswell High, last month.

McEvoy hoped to continue to help Willis develop as a quarterback in a supplemental manner in line with what Lindsey and Malzahn have in store for him at Auburn. With Lindsey's reversal of Malzahn's rule, that won't be an issue.

"My mindset's this: If I in any way can help Malik, and then through that help Auburn's program -- if Malik is better for whatever they find a way to use him, then I want to be able to do that," McEvoy said. "...It's certainly about just trying to do whatever's going to be helpful for Malik."

[ToomersStreet 795]

THANK YOU TOM CRUISE!

[cole256 17,042]

Man, I'm really starting to like Lindsey, wish he was here when Marshall was astound

[WFE12 9,191]

And to think Franklin working with Vick didn't do crap. George Whitfield would be great though.

[DAG 33,966]

About time 

[Win4AU 4,052]

I thought Gus already had allowed this?  Hopefully our coaches are just as good as these "gurus"

[Tiger 8,818]

On 3/9/2017 at 9:51 AM, aubiefifty said:

"I don't have a problem with it, and most of the guys they work with, or the few that they do, I know them anyway and I communicate with them," Lindsey said. "I don't have a problem with them trying to go and get better."

LMAO it's absurd that it got to the point where this has to even be mentioned. It defies logic to block them from, in our OC's words, "trying to go and get better". 

[lionheartkc 6,150]

36 minutes ago, Win4AU said:

I thought Gus already had allowed this?  Hopefully our coaches are just as good as these "gurus"

Gurus have the advantage of being able to give their full attention to one guy and also don't have NCAA limitations on the amount of time they can work with said player.

[SumterAubie 3,031]

This was/is a strange mindset of Malzahn's to have prevented his qbs from seeking outside assistance from a private qb tutor. He should be pleased his qbs want to work on their football skills during the summer instead sitting around swilling beer, and getting out of shape.

[ToomersStreet 795]

7 minutes ago, SumterAubie said:

This was/is a strange mindset of Malzahn's to have prevented his qbs from seeking outside assistance from a private qb tutor. He should be pleased his qbs want to work on their football skills during the summer instead sitting around swilling beer, and getting out of shape.

Malzahns biggest flaw is he gets in his own way.  His ego has gotten the best of him.  He has gotten away from the play calling that made him successful.  Regardless as to whether or not he can or cannot develop a QB, there is now a debate as to whether he can or can't.  Hopefully, he has swallowed his pride and can start winning 10+ games a year on a regular basis.

[aubiefifty 16,753]

maybe there is or would be an issue of some qb's being able to afford a qb guru and other kids that maybe could not? or maybe he has has had to deal with suspect qb teaching which would then messing the kids up? i just think it is something simple and not something nefarious. i just think gus might be smarter than that. i am just throwing this out there but in reality i have no idea. just a differing viewpoint.

[Tiger 8,818]

Gus hasn't been in one place for very long so the length of time he has been here might be exposing his weaknesses a little more than his previous stops. But all that can be fine if he recognizes the weaknesses and takes measures to correct them. Which he seems like he's doing. 

[SumterAubie 3,031]

40 minutes ago, aubiefifty said:

maybe there is or would be an issue of some qb's being able to afford a qb guru and other kids that maybe could not? or maybe he has has had to deal with suspect qb teaching which would then messing the kids up? i just think it is something simple and not something nefarious. i just think gus might be smarter than that. i am just throwing this out there but in reality i have no idea. just a differing viewpoint.

This is certainly a point to consider. Except in White's case where he worked with Mastrole throughout middle and high school. That guy must be doing something right.

[corchjay 5,311]

The issue prior was all footwork "issues" Gus would have to correct.  If you were in a spread system the first thing the "gurus" would do is stick them under center and work 3-5-7 step drops throwing off the timing and cadence of their footwork from the shotgun.  Since the NFL is a shotgun league now the gurus work on those fundamentals so it's the framework of Gus' system now therefore he probably encourages the work as long as it isn't some  doofus.

[PoetTiger 1,896]

Unlike some I see both sides of the coin and appreciate Gus leaving it up to his OC. As an OC, Gus just has a different view point and preferred to keep his guys in house. 

[WDE_OxPx_2010 5,294]

8 hours ago, corchjay said:

The issue prior was all footwork "issues" Gus would have to correct.  If you were in a spread system the first thing the "gurus" would do is stick them under center and work 3-5-7 step drops throwing off the timing and cadence of their footwork from the shotgun.  Since the NFL is a shotgun league now the gurus work on those fundamentals so it's the framework of Gus' system now therefore he probably encourages the work as long as it isn't some  doofus.

This was my thought. He was using a spread system before it was really popular. He probably didn't care about footwork that much. He only needed a QB to deliver a ball to the flat or screen.