Rams Rookie Shares Unique Challenge From Sean McVay he’s Adjusting to

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Rams Rookie Shares Unique Challenge From Sean McVay he’s Adjusting to

Stetson Bennett has had to make one key adjustment being around Sean McVay. And it has nothing to do with what goes on after the snap.

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Rams Rookie Shares Unique Challenge From Sean McVay he’s Adjusting to​

Stetson Bennett is already used to playing fast. After all, speed was everywhere in practices at Athens, Georgia and now he’s witnessing a similar tempo in Thousand Oaks for Los Angeles Rams practices.

But there’s one adjustment the national title winning quarterback has to take on that also comes at him at a rapid fire pace: Sean McVay getting out his play call.

Bennett admits it’s far different from receiving hand signals from the Bulldogs’ sidelines then getting lined up. Now, the rookie has to hear McVay’s voice…and he’s noticing McVay’s words can be quick.

“The first day I was kind of freaking out with the play calls and stumbling over my words a little bit. It’s weird to hear the playset or the play call from the earpiece. Just completely different from seeing signals which is what we did in college,” Bennett told reporters following the Rams’ Tuesday, May 23 practice.

However, that doesn’t mean Bennett and McVay aren’t on the same page. All it really is for both is an adjustment during OTAs, including for rookies getting acclimated to a new kind of tempo.

“He’s been helpful with that. With all the rookies, he’s been very helpful,” Bennett said.

Although, Bennett shared how it’s different for fellow Georgia Bulldog Matthew Stafford when it comes to hearing his head coach.

“Matthew said ‘I can hear him pretty clear.’ And I was like ‘I can’t,’ Bennett said which drew laughs from the media. “So I’ve got to work on that.”

‘It’s Really Fast Out Here’

Again, Bennett got used to the speed of the Southeastern Conference and moving rapidly during Georgia practices. Now, he’s transitioning to the Rams’ movement.

“It’s really fast out here,” Bennett said. “But it’s been good. We’ve got a big rookie class and we’re just trying to work through the playbook together, get it down and there’s a bunch to it. But it’s been fun.”

But, is the Rams’ rapid pace already faster than what he was used to at Athens?

“No I wouldn’t say that. We practiced hard at Georgia and we got after it,” Bennett said. “And we had a lot of numbers. As far as just like the speed of the players, just them knowing where they need to be, people have a bit more freedom I’d say in their positions and what they can do. So that’s what makes it [Rams practice] a little bit faster and a little bit more sped up. You better be on your P’s and Q’s going to the right spot or otherwise, something bad is going to happen.”

‘He’s Really Smart’

As for McVay, he’s enduring his own rare adjustment with Bennett: Working with a rookie passer the Rams drafted.

Never in his tenure as head coach have the Rams ever drafted a QB until Bennett came along. It’s given McVay a new perspective.

“It has, and really, it’s a little bit different, but he’s really smart,” McVay said of Bennett. “Both he and Dresser [Winn] are really conscientious guys. It’s a totally different vernacular and so in a lot of instances, sometimes you’re getting plays communicated with just flashing a card in college. I do think once you get comfortable with it, that’s an advantage that we have and that’s why it’s so important to be able to make sure that you’re building the foundations.”

McVay further explained that while there’s a ton of information that’s being fed inside Bennett’s brain, he wants to help build in bitesize increments for his new passer. He added how during the seven-on-seven portion of practice, Bennett showed he can throw the ball with accuracy and anticipation.

Still, every Rams QB under McVay had to be a quick study regarding the playbook and play calling…and he’s expecting Bennett to be no different.

“Yeah, that’s definitely something that we haven’t had to do in a while [work with a rookie passer], but the guys that we have had to do it with, whether it was a John Wolford or Baker (Mayfield), those guys were really quick studies and they had at least accumulated some experience. So it is a little bit different than anything we’ve done.”