QB Guru David Cutcliffe Weighs In on Trevor Lawrence’s Rookie Season
Considering his status as a generational talent and subsequent results, it is safe to say that Trevor Lawrence struggled to find his footing during his rookie season.
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 draft was forcibly thrust into the clutches of Urban Meyer’s ineptitude, which resulted in 12 touchdowns and 17 interceptions while only completing 59.6% of his passes. Despite the dumpster fire of a coaching staff and lack of identity, there are still reasons to think that Lawrence’s play left a lot to be desired.
It is important to understand that despite Trevor Lawrence’s status as a generational talent, he is still very young and has plenty of room to grow. There is a reason why ESPN recently labeled Lawrence as a potential breakout candidate; the man has all the physical tools to be a stud at the position for years to come.
Former Duke head coach and renowned quarterback guru David Cutliffe has seen the early development stage of talented quarterbacks firsthand. His work with Peyton and Eli Manning played an integral role in the stars that they became. In a recent interview with 1010XL/92.5FM, Cutliffe quickly downplayed any notion of concern when it came to Lawrence’s development and found it unsurprising that he endured early struggles.
“Well, I mean not really because there is a circumstance for any player and that transition can be hard,” Cutcliffe said. “I think the NFL Players Association has made it harder for young players because they don’t get the time that they need with teammates. That’s kind of a role I did with Peyton and Eli. We brought all of their receivers into Duke or wherever I was and we would work on their system. I wouldn’t coach them to do anything different than their staffs.”
Cutcliffe’s alignment of his training regiments with that of his quarterbacks' scheme did wonders for their learning curve and establishing consistency. Peyton and Eli Manning benefited greatly from this method, putting together Hall of Fame careers and cementing their names among the greats at the position.
Consistency is a young player’s best friend in their most crucial learning stage. Switching between new coaches and different offensive schemes can mess with a quarterback’s learning curve, and stunt their development. For Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars organization, Doug Pederson and his quarterback-friendly scheme present a prime opportunity for a smoother learning curve and long-term stability. The immediate future of the franchise depends on it.
