Former NFL players roll their eyes at fans who keep track of player stats in practice. They feel it is pointless because people have zero context for the situations being run. A good example came from Lake Forest when Caleb Williams threw two interceptions in red zone drills. It turns out head coach Ben Johnson simulated pressure coming unblocked on those plays. He wanted to see how Williams handled unexpected situations. It was an important teaching moment that would help the young quarterback evolve.
However, dismissing the idea of training camp stats might not be wise. After all, the Bears coaches keep track of them. Offensive coordinator Declan Doyle delivered that revelation at his latest press conference. One of the goals Johnson set for Williams this year is a 70% completion percentage. He believes that level is often customary with winning football. To instill this into Williams’ head, they’ve been tracking his completion rates in practice, letting him know when he isn’t at the necessary threshold.
“The biggest thing is, you track it and you give it to him. ‘Hey, we’re below our standard right now.’ That information is really helpful, because obviously it’s one thing to say that, it’s another thing to walk into the quarterback meeting and hand them a sheet that says, ‘Hey, you’re above or below championship standards.’ It’s something we’ll track throughout camp. Obviously that’s our benchmark, our goal. But that’s the biggest thing — we have to track all of it and make sure our players are aware of what we’re going to ask them to do.”
Caleb Williams is learning what real coaching is like.
Johnson brought a well-earned reputation from Detroit for his detailed and demanding approach. No little thing goes unnoticed by him. He has a mathematical approach to this. While not as important as games, tracking stats in practice will press upon Caleb Williams that this must become second nature to him. Seeking big plays is important, but not as important as stacking completions, moving the chains, and keeping the offense on schedule. The Bears never did that last year, and it was often their doom in all those close games. Williams must learn to take the easy throws when available, something he didn’t have to do in college because of the weaker defenses. That won’t fly in the NFL. It is about finding the small windows and wearing the defenses down with sustained drives.
