The message reached Mike McDaniel from Steve Younger in early spring, 2022.
If you coach Tua Tagovailoa, ensure that he feels his left-handedness is a bonus, not a flaw or annoyance.
In 2005, Younger turned the primary left-handed quarterback chosen to the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame. He’s one in all solely 33 to have ever performed within the NFL. Tagovailoa turned No. 32 in 2020 when the Miami Dolphins drafted him fifth general.
When McDaniel took over as Miami’s head coach two years later, he’d by no means thought of what it could be like to educate a lefty — however he did know that Tagovailoa’s general confidence was shot. The quarterback later revealed that throughout the depth of his struggles over his first two NFL seasons, he used to take a look at himself within the mirror and ask, “Do I suck?”
So McDaniel put collectively a reel that spanned lots of of Tagovailoa’s performs from practices and video games, clipping collectively throws and selections he believed might assist eradicate adverse self-talk from his quarterback. “It was within the course of of constructing the tape for Tua, to current to him ‘this isn’t simply lip service,’ to current to him why he’s extraordinary and what I’m enthusiastic about,” McDaniel advised The Athletic this spring, that he seen one thing. Tagovailoa’s handedness saved tripping him up.
As McDaniel lower collectively clip after clip, he started to give attention to Tagovailoa’s mechanics as an alternative of the results of the throws, and someplace in the course of the movie he ultimately offered to the quarterback, it clicked. It was as if he have been watching Tagovailoa by way of a mirror — he might see him throw the way in which he might see right-handed quarterbacks throw.
McDaniel started to daydream. If the coach felt his personal mind hesitate ever-so-slightly over the left-handed supply, would defenders really feel the identical? Might play formations, blocking and route combos all intensify a lefty? Was there a method to flip a visible anomaly right into a schematic benefit?
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Younger knew what McDaniel is aware of now: Understanding how Tagovailoa throws might enable McDaniel to design an offense that takes benefit of how the ball comes out of his quarterback’s hand. It is also a manner for McDaniel to indicate Tagovailoa: I such as you for you.
“What Steve realized is that (being left-handed) felt extra like an inconvenience to all events concerned whereas he was taking part in, which didn’t assist his confidence,” stated McDaniel. “He was massive on, ‘no, it is a useful resource, software or aggressive benefit,’ seeing it by way of that lens.
“Not solely was it good recommendation to method issues with Tua like that, nevertheless it was factual.”
A couple of issues naturally change for an offense if the quarterback is left-handed. A few of that irritates groups to the purpose that many have traditionally averted lefties altogether.
For instance, a quarterback’s “blind facet” (the facet of the sector he turns his again to throughout a dropback) switches from the left to the fitting. The appropriate sort out turns into the blind-side protector on passing performs as an alternative of the left sort out.
Austin Jackson performed left sort out after being drafted with Miami’s second first-round choose in 2020 however moved to the fitting facet when McDaniel took over as head coach. “Your mechanics actually change (to) reverse legs,” Jackson stated. “My left leg needed to grow to be my push leg, my proper leg needed to grow to be my ‘catch/anchor’ leg that sort of retains my stability.”
As he made the change, Jackson’s proper leg was considerably stronger than his left. His left hip was sturdy however manner tighter. The Dolphins’ strength-and-conditioning workers put in particular programming to rebuild each hips and legs for his new position.
Move catchers even have to regulate to a southpaw thrower. The ball spins the wrong way — counter-clockwise — popping out of a left-handed quarterback’s hand, and a few receivers have stated the spin feels unusual and takes some getting used to. Some left-handers’ throws can are likely to fishtail on the finish of deeper balls, although velocity helps boring the distinction. Dolphins coaches and receivers say Tagovailoa doesn’t have that subject.
“It makes it loads simpler to dwell in a left-handed world when your quarterback has sufficient pronation, sufficient spin, that nobody even notices,” McDaniel stated.
Two years after a head-coaching change altered his profession trajectory, Tua Tagovailoa signed a $212 million extension with the Dolphins this July. (Megan Briggs / Getty Photographs)
Oregon Geese offensive coordinator Will Stein has grow to be a “lefty-whisperer” of types within the faculty ranks. His starter heading into 2024 is left-handed switch Dillon Gabriel, and Stein beforehand coached all-conference lefty Frank Harris at UTSA whereas working with offensive coordinator Barry Lunney, a former left-handed quarterback himself.
The Geese have workshopped a sort of passing system they name “mid-game” that mixes components of quick-game footwork and corresponding brief, quick route ideas with extra conventional longer dropback route pairings. They’ll make use of each on one play, splitting the sector into sides and even a number of sections based mostly on the quarterback’s development.
“It’s sort of a brand new mind-set as a result of it does get defenders’ eyes in spots they aren’t used to,” stated Stein. “It’s fast sport on one facet and dropback on the opposite. It’s one thing we’ve accomplished lots of final yr and within the spring. … I feel you’re gonna see it present up much more in skilled soccer.”
With a left-handed quarterback, the edges of the ideas can flip — and therein lies an extra problem for defenders. A left-handed quarterback’s progressions on any passing play are inverted, so his eyes sweep the sector for his receivers in the wrong way as a right-handed quarterback.
Stein’s experiences within the recruiting cycle and at all-star occasions have led him to consider that extra lefties are on the way in which. High highschool quarterbacks like Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele and Deuce Knight impressed coaches and scouts at this summer season’s Elite 11 in Manhattan Seaside, Calif. Trendy JUGS machines (the equipment that shoots footballs out for receivers to catch) now also have a “left-handed” setting.
“There’s loads of them,” Stein stated. “I feel the previous ‘concern of lefties,’ possibly it’s going by the wayside. … I’ve been round guys which have refused to educate lefties, refused to recruit them. It’s sort of wild, I by no means actually understood the logic behind it.”
In fact, trendy NFL defenses are savvy sufficient to regulate to the ball popping out of a quarterback’s left hand over the course of a sport. Most defenders say it solely takes a couple of quarter or so to get used to a lefty.
McDaniel could be very clear: He’s not on the lookout for some “Eureka!” second that modifications the game for left-handed throwers. He simply desires to make defenders hesitate — just a bit — and maximize manufacturing on performs the place that occurs. It’s why he sought a lot velocity in his ability gamers, who’re the quickest within the NFL. In opposition to that sort of velocity, a fraction of a second’s hesitation might imply dying for a protection.
NFL hashmarks are nearer to the center of the sector, with large swaths of grass on both facet. Groups that use movement to vary formation power can manipulate the area on one facet or the opposite earlier than the ball is even snapped. Over time, McDaniel realized what number of defensive guidelines are predicated on the quarterback throwing together with his proper hand.
The Dolphins rank amongst NFL leaders in utilizing motions and shifts, a few of which create new formations that power mismatches with “proper facet” defenders who immediately face a flipped play. Rollouts and bootlegs flip sides, too, and the sting defender accustomed to defending these can discover himself out of place, making a pure mismatch for the less-experienced participant on the opposite facet.
“What (defensive finish) will get used to defending boots one of the best? Properly, the one on the rollout to the fitting facet,” McDaniel stated. “OK, nicely, now you possibly can create schemes to out-flank the protection; to be on the perimeter … and alter the pocket. And also you’re having gamers that aren’t used to defending the first throwing hand of a left-handed quarterback — the (defensive finish) on that facet — once you pretend the boot and exit right here, he’s not used to taking part in (that).”
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McDaniel questioned how Miami’s velocity would possibly work together with Tagovailoa’s inverted development, significantly in opposition to zone defenders who use visible keys to find out their drops.
The Dolphins additionally run their very own model of the “mid-game” that Stein described at Oregon. The ability gamers in Miami’s “Chevy” collection are so quick that Tagovailoa can use footwork and timing that make it appear to be he’s operating quick-game ideas — to the alternative facet of the sector than standard — earlier than he will get the ball to a receiver on a deeper route.
“Inherently it’s going to hit (defenders) in dwell soccer otherwise, and they’ll be a hair, a fraction … later to react, which is the final word benefit of offense,” McDaniel stated.
Los Angeles Rams security Kam Curl, who ready for Tagovailoa and the Dolphins in 2023 whereas with the Washington Commanders, stated the most important in-the-moment adjustment a protection wanted to make in opposition to Tagovailoa’s handedness got here when the Dolphins ran a real fast sport. The weak brief components of the sector flipped sides, so the defensive assignments needed to change.
“A right-handed quarterback will catch it — increase to his (proper),” Curl stated. “However a left-handed quarterback, he’s primarily going to throw it to his (left).”
And in opposition to a left-handed quarterback, the “tells” sure defenders get throughout a right-handed throw aren’t accessible. On commonplace strong-side formations with further targets on a quarterback’s proper facet, nickel cornerbacks must align to their matchup after which aren’t in a position to learn a lefty’s eyes the way in which they will see a right-handed thrower’s. As a substitute, they find yourself trying behind Tagovailoa’s helmet as he opens his throw to the alternative facet.
“I can really feel him, however he can’t see,” Tagovailoa stated.
Tua Tagovailoa threw for a league-best 4,624 yards final season with 29 landing passes and accomplished 69.3 % of his throws. (Jim Rassol / USA Immediately)
Getting ready a scout staff for a left-handed quarterback is probably the most important affect on an opponent, particularly non-divisional groups which will see a lefty annually or much less. Curl recalled that Washington’s scout staff quarterback needed to reorder his progressions from back-to-front when presenting appears for the beginning protection in practices forward of the sport in opposition to Miami final yr.
“I simply felt like all the pieces was simply flipped to the alternative facet, each learn and stuff like that,” stated Curl, “Simply attempting to get that down in a single week? It was just a little difficult.”
McDaniel hopes to make the week of sport preparation for defensive coordinators just a bit tougher.
“Anytime you possibly can’t put together for one thing throughout the week 100% in order that one factor of sport day is new, it’s actually arduous for the opposing staff,” he stated.
So if the way in which Tagovailoa throws the ball causes even a fraction of hesitation, or if how McDaniel schemes formations and performs to the alternative facet permits him to capitalize earlier than a protection adjusts, he’ll take it.
“In the event you would have requested me earlier than I began this job a couple of left-handed quarterback, I’d don’t have anything to say,” stated McDaniel. “By way of working with Tua particularly, that is stuff that’s tremendous tangible that I know to be a aggressive benefit.
“If I might clone a human being and I had the selection of major hand, and if it was the identical human being at quarterback, I’d go left-handed simply due to these components — in the event that they have been an elite thrower, a pure passer.”
Possibly McDaniel and Tagovailoa will discover a real new edge for left-handed quarterbacks, possibly they gained’t. There’s a bigger level at work. Coming into their third season collectively, the 2 have grow to be collaborators, “concepts” individuals with real, mutual belief in one another.
When Tagovailoa actually questioned, “Do I suck?” and McDaniel responded with a load of tape that he felt argued in any other case, he purchased into all the pieces about his quarterback, and he needed Tagovailoa to realize it. Adjusting to his throwing hand was merely the entry level.
In late July, Tagovailoa signed a franchise-record four-year, $212 million contract extension. He stated he heard from “a number of birdies” across the facility that McDaniel advocated for the cope with the entrance workplace and staff possession. It additional spoke to their bond, which began with the coach wanting to higher perceive how his quarterback threw and how one can construct his confidence.
Steve Younger was proper again in 2022. Or left.
(Illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; pictures: Mike Stobe, Ryan Kang / Getty Photographs)