Texas Tech football expert Vanessa Franchesca sits down to tell us more about what the Chiefs could get if they pick Patrick Mahomes in the 2017 NFL Draft.
With the NFL Draft right around the corner, and Chiefs fans clamoring for a quarterback, for many fans the top choice has become Pat Mahomes from Texas Tech. With that in mind, had an interview with Vanessa Franchesca, who helps cover Texas Tech football for Wreck ‘Em Red, the FanSided website devoted to Texas Tech.
What was the response to his turning pro? Expected? Disappointed?
It was expected. If you paid attention to Texas Tech’s recruiting in the Fall, you got a sense that Mahomes’ departure was inevitable. I can’t think of a reason any quarterback wouldn’t want to at least learn under Kliff Kingsbury, but you don’t add that much depth when you have a starter locked in the following season.
Mahomes turning pro this year avoids drama of “Mayfield vs. Mahomes” headed into next year’s draft; which media already likes to turn to for ratings. They’re friends off the football field, so this unintentionally allows them their own space. Nobody’s excited to see him go, but Texas Tech quarterbacks always deliver, so everyone wishes him well. He’s already offering Texas Tech a level of exposure in the Draft that seems to be igniting recruits’ interest, so nobody is complaining about that.
What kind of person was Mahomes off the field?
Mahomes is a natural leader. Under Texas Tech’s new strength and conditioning coaches, accountability and leadership are stressed as the No. 1 metric in gauging how successful a player will be, as opposed to skill. Players have skill, otherwise, they wouldn’t be there in the first place. Regardless of whether a player was a four-star out of high school, or a walk-on, he motivated his teammates and always tried to be helpful with different position groups. He has a mature presence, and found respect in the community on an organic level because he let his play make the news, not off-the-field disruptions (which [Tech head coach Kliff] Kingsbury has a zero tolerance for.)
What were some of Mahomes’ strengths at Texas Tech?
His strengths are that he’s willing to learn, he’s willing to admit when he messed up, and he’s willing to put in extra work to correct the problem. I know how stereotypical that sounds, but considering how up and down Texas Tech’s record has been, its offense has never been the weakness.
Conversely, what are some
of his weaknesses?
Mahome’s personal weaknesses at Texas Tech were probably with inconsistencies on the field. When he returned from his injury against Kansas last season, he wasn’t at full power, and some of the plays he made reflected that he wasn’t 100 percent. I think another year at Texas Tech could have improved the mechanics–especially behind a more stable offensive line, but time is money when you’re an athlete, so his decision was definitely supported
Is Mahomes viewed as being part of the problem last year or 2016 in Lubbock or simply caught in that mess?
None of the above, although, like any great leader, he did take ownership when the team failed. I think Texas Tech’s biggest issues were in mental, and physical conditioning; both of which are being addressed intensively. Tech’s “messes” have been years in the making, but are largely contributed to penalties, and defensive struggles on the field, and funding* off the field. Mahomes can only do so much at the end of the day, and it’s hard to blame him for a false start, or failure to tackle.
To your knowledge, were there any issues with the relationship between Mahomes and Kingsbury or other coaches?
To my knowledge, there were no issues with Mahomes and the coaching staff. Like most coaches, Kingsbury’s approach to recruiting is to bring in guys that gel, so issues tend to highlight themselves when players transfer. From what I’ve heard, Mahomes was very open to all the new changes, and was very involved on a mentorship level for younger players. Mahomes never had issues off the field that led to distrust, or the perception of disrespect, so that’s very telling on what was going on inside the facilities. It’s very much a brotherhood.
How good was the talent surrounding Mahomes this past season compared to previous seasons?
All the talent was there, but Texas Tech as a team was a few plays away from at least clearing the seven wins mark. Tech had the talent, but in a game of inches, mechanics and technique need to be perfectly executed the majority of the time in order to be considered successful. Some players who were expected to come up big last season, flat lined, or performed at an underwhelming level; of course, everyone took that personally. Players definitely could have done more, and roster adjustments have been made as a response to that. Simply put, the talent is there, but if a players’ heart isn’t into it, they’ll be replaced. That’s a business decision that can be carried into every job, so it follows the “real world preparation” model the staff has implemented.