PHOENIX — Drew Petzing is maybe the smartest offensive coordinator in the league. A degree in economics, assistant at Harvard and Yale, and 10-years on the job training in the NFL. The first-time play callers knows how to make decision.
"In the past, it wasn't my decision to make, and I had to live with it. And now, I get to do it. So that's been a lot of fun," Petzing said. "It certainly comes with a lot of responsibility, which I don't take lightly. But I got a great group of guys around me that I can lean on to help me do my job players and coaches included. So it's, it's really been a lot of fun."
Petzing said players are picking up the new system quickly. While coaches have been tight-lipped on the scheme, players have hinted at a more run-heavy offense. So what’s their identity?
"I think the big thing and I've certainly preached this to the room is we're going to do whatever we need to do to score one more point than the opponent," he said. "And I know that's simple. But that's, you know, that's running the ball 100 times or if it's throwing 100 times. And to do that, generally, you're going to build it around your best players."
So how does it work installing a new offense when your star quarterback can’t practice? Kyler Murray is still out recovering from ACL surgery. Murray is on the field daily, standing behind the offense, talking with teammates, watching every rep and listening to the coaches on the walkie talkie.
"Yeah, I think he's done a really nice job of that. I think it's a tough dynamic because he can't get the reps right," Petzing said. "And he can't always be out there when when he likes to be. But he is doing a great job in the meeting room of trying to conceptualize and verbalize and ask questions."
Petzing has experience getting a QB ready without practicing. He went through a similar situation last year when he was the quarterbacks coach in Cleveland. Starting quarterback Deshaun Watson was suspended for the first 11 game. So how long will it take Murray to get up-to-speed once he can practice?
"The reality of being hit, the speed of the game, all those things, the emotion of the game. There's no way to simulate it perfectly," he said. "So yes, certainly, we have to be prepared for some rust, I think he needs to be prepared and he is just having talked to me. He's been great about that. And I think it's something you try to work through now. Like you talk about it. Now you discuss it now and you prepare for it as best you can. And then you go out there and see where it's at."
Both Murray and veteran quarterback Colt McCoy have had a hand in developing the offense. Petzing said the offense will be tailored to whatever quarterback is out there. McCoy is expected to be the starter until Murray returns.
"He's played a lot of football, and nothing we're going to do is going to wildly revolutionize or change the game of football on day one. And so having his experience having his understanding as a teammate, as a leader, as a quarterback, I think it's valuable for that room," Petzing said. I think it's valuable for the offense and it's valuable for me."
A big noticeable difference this season, the return of the huddle and the quarterback being under center.
"I think the biggest thing in this league is if you get predictable, you become easy to defend. I think coaches and players at this point are smart enough, have enough tape and enough evidence that if they know what you're doing, they're going to make it pretty hard on you," he said. "So that's going to be a big emphasis for us as we get into September."
A lot has been made of the new culture set by new GM Monti Ossenfort and head coach Jonathan Gannon. Petzing and Gannon have been friend for a while, both starting their NFL coaching careers in Minnesota.
"He has not changed at all. He's the same person he was when we were assistants and terms of the way he approaches his day, the way he interacts with the staff," Petzing said about Gannon. "What he asked from us, he's been a lot of fun to work with. And certainly don't want to let him down in terms of the way we do things."
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