The Tennessee Titans are preparing for the upcoming season, and their young quarterback, Malik Willis, has shown significant growth during offseason training. Despite struggling in his three starts last season, Willis has impressed his coaches and teammates with his improved confidence and decision-making abilities.
Willis’ Development
During the final day of OTAs, coach Mike Vrabel put Willis in a challenging situation, calling for a third-and-four from the five-yard line. Willis responded with a perfect pass to receiver Mason Kinsey in the back corner of the end zone, earning praise from his coach and teammates. This version of Willis is a stark contrast from the player who struggled in his three starts last season, failing to register a 100-yard passing game and throwing more interceptions than touchdown passes.
However, the Titans’ struggles last season cannot be placed solely on Willis’ shoulders. The team traded up to draft him in the third round and planned to develop him from the ground up. But when starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill suffered an injury last season, Willis was forced into action. Despite the difficult circumstances, Willis refused to make any excuses for his struggles and took responsibility for the team’s results.
This offseason, Willis has worked hard to improve his game and build on his experiences from last season. His teammates have noticed his increased confidence in the huddle, and Tannehill praised him for being “in command of the offense, throwing the ball accurately and playing fast.” Willis has embraced the coaches’ challenges to execute each play within the scheme and throw with anticipation, areas where he has shown improvement.
Competition for Backup Spot
The Titans have added competition to their quarterback room by drafting Kentucky quarterback Will Levis with the No. 33 pick. Vrabel has stated that Willis will be Tannehill’s backup entering OTAs and minicamp, with Levis third on the depth chart. However, Willis is not concerned with the competition and is focused on improving himself each day. He has worked with his trainer, Quincy Avery, during the offseason and hopes to pick up where he left off when the team returns for training camp in July.
Titans quarterback coach/passing game coordinator Charles London has echoed the coaches’ expectations for Willis to continue to improve and master the offense. The team cannot afford to start from scratch when Willis returns for training camp, and he must be ready to hit the ground running.
Malik Willis has shown significant growth during offseason training, impressing his coaches and teammates with his improved confidence and decision-making abilities. Despite facing competition for the backup quarterback spot, Willis is focused on improving himself each day and hopes to pick up where he left off when the team returns for training camp. The Titans need Willis to continue to improve and master the offense so that he can be ready to contribute when called upon.
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