Maybe all Vikings quarterback Case Keenum needed was a chance
Jon Gruden tried to warn all 32 teams about passing on Case Keenum.
Before the 2012 NFL Draft, Gruden sat down with Keenum as a part of ESPN’s Jon Gruden’s QB Camp, a recurring segment in which coach and quarterback chitchat as they watch film together.
Keenum had just finished a prolific career at the University of Houston, setting NCAA records for passing yards (19,217) and passing touchdowns (155).
Still, Keenum was considered a “system quarterback” because of the offense he ran in college. Many NFL executives were worried whether the throws he made in that spread offense would translate to the next level.
Not Gruden.
“Does the draft really matter?” Gruden asked as Keenum flashed a bashful grin. “All it takes is one coach that believes in you. Make a note here. Just be ready. Just be ready. Just be ready. Because you’re going to get your chance. You like this stuff. You’re going to be alright, Keenum. You just keep competing. You just keep working. Somebody’s going to take you. Somebody’s not. Somebody’s going to be sorry.”
To be fair, Gruden, a Super Bowl winner who recently was hired to coach the Oakland Raiders, had a reputation of liking, well, pretty much everyone during his time as an analyst.
Nonetheless, Gruden was clearly on to something six years ago.
“Yeah, I’ve seen the video,” Keenum said with a smile earlier this week. “It was cool to have a guy like that, that has the experience that he has, say those things. It was definitely good to hear at the time.”
As everyone knows by now, Keenum finally got his chance with the Vikings this season. He took over for the injured Sam Bradford, and put in a good situation for the first time in his career, the 29-year-old gunslinger flourished.
Keenum finished with an 11-3 record as the starter, leading the Vikings to the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs. He silenced the haters by throwing for 3,547 yards and 22 touchdowns and helping the Vikings reach the NFC Championship Game for the first time in nearly a decade.
It’s been far and away the best season of his career, after a few rough years with the Houston Texans — he went 0-8 in his first season as a starter — and a couple more uninspiring years with the Los Angeles Rams — he went 4-5 last season before being benched in favor of No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff.
Still, Keenum refuses to call himself a late bloomer. In his mind he’s been the same player since he entered the NFL.
Former Vikings quarterback Rich Gannon agreed with Keenum that labels are dumb, and while neither player likes the term late bloomer, it’s hard to argue that their career arcs don’t follow similar trajectories.
https://www.twincities.com/2018/01/19/maybe-all-vikings-quarterback-case-keenum-needed-was-a-chance/
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
Keenum is a talented passer, maxing out his limited physical abilities. He's got a gunslinger mentality. He's a very good leader and handles the huddle. He doesn't have ideal arm talent, but he makes up for that with accuracy.
I don't know what the organization is planning on doing, but signing Keenum to a 3-4 year contract and have a young guy learn and sit behind him (Sloter) or draft one has to be highly attractive as a possibility.
The thing I like most about Keenum is his ability to buy time in the pocket and guts throwing the ball and hoping his WR's make a play.
@"twgerber" said: The thing I like most about Keenum is his ability to buy time in the pocket and guts throwing the ball and hoping his WR's make a play.I think it's his ability to move in and out of the pocket while keeping his eyes down field. Very rarely do you see him looking around at the pass rush. He has great feel for pressure both in and out of the pocket. Good football sense.
This kid has us in the NFC Championship. I like everything about him.
He has the heart of Favre without the arrogance. Favre would use his rocket launcher of an arm and try to throw through triple coverage. Sometimes it would work...sometimes not.
Case's confidence and pocket awareness has served him and this team very well.
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