If there was ever a question about the type of work ethic that former Oregon Ducks quarterback Justin Herbert would show in his first offseason in the NFL, just ask someone from Eugene what they thought.
After watching the semi-scrawny kid from Sheldon High School turn into an eventual Rose Bowl MVP and NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, it was clear that the Eugene native worked harder than anyone else.
Now, in his first true offseason with the Los Angeles Chargers, Herbert is getting a chance to take command of the offense, and really settle in as a leader on the team. Through the first week of OTAs, that leadership is palpable.
“Justin’s a big part of the operation in terms of his command in and out of the huddle and I think that’s going to be a hallmark of how we play … I thought he was really impressive,” said Chargers coach Brandon Staley, via the team’s website. “There was one (play) in particular that I felt like really demonstrates that he’s got the capacity that you guys are all aware of from an identification standpoint of something we do defensively that we feel like is tough to pick up, and he picked it up practice No. 1. He’s off and running.”
Herbert also has the benefit now of returning to a more normal offseason, where, thanks to the prevalence of vaccines in our society, we can worry less about the coronavirus and more about football. Of course, Herbert is once again dealing with a new coaching staff, but he’s shown in the past that the change to a scheme is little to worry about for No. 10.
It’s always hard to make good on a career season, and when you set the bar as high as Herbert did in 2020, expectations are almost insurmountable. Regardless, we know that the former Duck will put his all into climbing this mountain ahead of him, and if his career trajectory is to continue, we will be talking about him for a long, long time to come.
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