Commanders quarterback coach Ken Zampese talked to the media Friday about losing his father (Ernie), growing up a coach’s son and his current Washington position group.
This is part two and will look into his current trio of quarterbacks.
Zampese was asked what the difference is in coaching Carson Wentz (6-year starter) and Taylor Heinicke (first-year of starting 2021).
“I hit it off with both of them, really easily. They’re both guys that have a grit to them. There are certain guys that have a high grit level, that have a high pain threshold, and can play under pressure that way. They’re so fun to be around because they don’t get affected by outside forces. You can talk about things in the heat of it, and their minds are not on the last series. You can really get to what we’re going to do next. Both of those guys are like that.”
Zampese was expecting to have veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick last year when suddenly it was Taylor Heinicke’s job for 17 games. “It was so much fun this past year with Taylor because, ‘Hey we’re here, let’s go.’ You knew you were going to get your best from him. You knew you were going to get his whole heart and soul all the time. That’s all you can ask for anyway.”
Zampese in 2022 is given the challenge of working to help Wentz improve his game.
“There’s always certain things you want to move in the direction of more often to gain consistency. We try to do that on a daily basis, and he really likes to work. He puts his mind to it, and he really likes to talk about the details of things. Getting things fixed for anybody, it’s not an overnight thing; It’s a process thing. And as long as both people are committed to going in that same direction and see things the same way you can make strides as you go. And that’s what we’re doing.”
Change can be difficult for anyone, even an NFL quarterback who has been a starter for six consecutive seasons. Yet, Zampese stated he believed playing in any offense for a period helps because there are concepts that carry over, He believes Wentz is a good study and added, “Thank goodness, he’s got an urgency about him that wants to know why we do it this way so that we can then play that way.”
Ken is seeing Carson increase his comfort zone heading into the season.
“Each day is just a little bit more. It doesn’t mean that you’re going to win. It just means you’re going to put yourself in a position more often to do it right. Then, that will lead to winning. The consistency over time and making good decisions, to being on time, knowing who that person is and where he comes out of the break. All those things increase your odds a little bit. That’s all we’re trying to do each day, is put the odds in our favor a little bit more through technique, through understanding of players, through understanding of zones where the ball’s going and why.”
Zampese is a big believer in not only arm mechanics but footwork being vitally important. “Any throws that you throw without your feet firmly planted, as if you have money on throwing the ball to that target, usually the odds go down. Sometimes they make you do it and sometimes you do it just because you fell off of that one. Well, the discipline to stay and not fall off is what we’re trying to get.”
Using a basketball analogy, Zampese added, “We got to hit all the open threes that we can because we’re going to have to put the ball on the floor often enough, you know?”
Asked regarding his early impression of rookie Sam Howell, “When somebody gives you such a talented player, you got to find ways to buy time throughout the week, and we do that. I make sure I ask him questions in meetings, and we spend time Friday after practice. We spend a little time throwing and then Wednesday and Thursday; he has specific things that we talked about doing that he does on his own. Then we do it together Friday, the red zone stuff and it’s been fun.”
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