2013 Recruiting: Anthony Jennings

Anthony Jennings is a 6-2, 205-pound dual-threat quarterback from Marietta, Georgia. In addition to the Hokies, 14 I-A programs (West Virginia, Iowa, Mississippi St., etc...) have offered Jennings. He hasn't named any favorites, but he's in Blacksburg this weekend for an unofficial visit. The Hokies are looking to take two quarterbacks during the 2013 cycle, and Jennings is high on their list. Marietta head coach Scott Burton was generous enough to talk with me yesterday about Anthony.

via http://marietta.patch.com/articles/marietta-falls-after-4th-quarter-coll...

How adept is Anthony at reading defenses; seeing coverages and blitzes before the snap?

That is probably the best thing about him, his football acumen. He has a very very high football IQ, and part of that is because he likes the process of what it takes to be a good quarterback. He really enjoys film study, he understands how important it is. He doesn't look at it as a chore, he looks at it as something that is not only necessary, but fun.

So he's the type of kid that's asking for tapes, getting his hands on tapes and really going after it?

Yeah, he comes to my office all the time and watches it, and has the ability to watch it online at home. He comes with questions. He'll constantly say, coach, what's this, or can you explain that? So you can tell he's processing it, and not just watching it because I tell him to.

During a game is reading the defense a responsibility put on him, or something he looks to the sideline for?

He has a lot of pre-snap responsibilities in terms of identification, recognition, and things like that. In order to get there first, it takes a lot during the week for him to understand not only what it is that the team we're playing has typically done, but also what we expect them to do against us. I try real hard not to just teach him plan A, because plan A is never the only plan you have to have. So we always have contingencies, and he has freedom because he is so bright. He has some freedom that we give him to do some things, that maybe other high school quarterbacks don't do, you know: change plays, change protection, audible, things like that. And again, because he embraces that responsibility, it's not as big a challenge as it would be with someone else.

Are timing routes incorporated into your offense?

I think that all routes are timing routes to be honest with you. We spend a lot of time just with the receivers and quarterbacks throwing. Anthony, in the offseason, he's constantly telling the wideouts, we're going to meetup here on Sundays at such-and-such o'clock, everything we do is timing. I think the misconception with timing is everyone understands it to be quarterback-receiver timing, but there's a rhythm that has to go with the protection as well. And Anthony understands that we may have a protection set for a three-step protection, and therefore he knows the ball needs to get out of his hands. There's a more comprehensive timing aspect to it than I think most people understand, but luckily Anthony does understand it, so we don't run into too many issues.

Which routes does he throw the best? Which ones does he need to work on more?

You know it's funny, I think he throws the outside breaking deep balls really well, the comebacks, the deep outs, the fades down the sideline, which are some of the hardest throws to make. I think he needs to work on more middle of the field deeper routes: posts, skinny posts, things like that. From the intermediate standpoint, he does a good job with digs, curls and things of that nature. So, I would say his biggest weakness is the middle of the field deep ball right now, but everyone has some chink in the armor I guess. He doesn't have very many.

Is arm strength a concern when throwing any routes?

I don't think arm strength is a question. Can he improve in that area? Everybody can. At this point in his development, he's certainly adept enough to make all the throws that we require him to make, and any program would expect him to make as an incoming freshman.

When he's moving outside the pocket does he put his head down to gain yards with his legs, or is he keeping his eyes upfield?

He's always trying to find the receiver. He's been taught, and he understands, a lot of big plays happen in the passing game happen when you can just extend the play a 1/2 second or second longer. Even though he has tremendous athleticism, he doesn't just say it's time to be an athlete and take off. He does a great job keeping his eyes downfield and making things happen with his arm.

I didn't see a lot of this on his highlight film, but is Anthony involved in the run game?

We do. He played the whole season with torn cartilage in his knee. He tore cartilage in his right knee, the first series of our season, play 8 or 9 of the year. His productivity in the run game was stunted a lot. You can't see it, if you didn't know it. We tried not to do too many called run plays for him because exposure to further injury. He's fine now, so I think we'll see him run the ball more effectively this year.

When he's healthy, what plays does he carry the ball on, the zone-read?

Yeah, and the quarterback powers and quarterback draws.

In 2011 he completed 165 of 273 passes for 2,187 yards, 19 TDs and 4 INTs. He rushed for 464 yards and 8 TDs.

Anthony's film really impressed me. In fact, I was sold on the first play. He sees the blitz, changes the protection, the wing stays in, and he hits the receiver for the score on the fly. That sold me. He extends the plays with his legs, but makes them with his arm. He toughed out an entire season on a dinged up knee. That right there says more than any Rivals' star can.