Matt Waldman’s RSP NFL Lens shares an excellent interview of Dallas Cowboys receiver coach Sanjay Lal on KESN1033.
Sanjay Lal has a great reputation as a wide receiver coach in the NFL. This KESN 1033 interview with Lal is one of the most informative I’ve heard about the wide receiver position as well as a validation of the points we at the RSP have made about how to evaluate football in August.
This interview is great because Lal’s answers balance simplicity and depth, covering a lot of information in roughly 12 minutes:
- The mechanics of a good route running.
- Conceptual thinking that separate good athletes from receivers.
- Maintaining a balance between what must be done on a route and what can be up to the receiver.
- Specific routes where receivers win against coverage designed to take it the route away and how a successful completion is a combination of maturity shared among the receiver and quarterback.
- Ways that the third receiver in a route progression must show discipline.
- How much space should a receiver maintain from the sideline on vertical routes?
- A few indicators to discern the difference between lacking accuracy or an ineffective route on vertical patterns.
- Common mistakes young pro receivers make.
- Areas that coaches commonly have to micromanage with young receivers.
- How coaches use training camp and games to evaluate performance and, as a result, why training camp videos are misleading.
You’ll also learn about a facet of Amari Cooper’s game that sets him apart from his peers, where Michael Gallup is improving, and why there’s no drop-off from Cole Beasley’s departure because of Randall Cobb’s arrival.
This 12-minute listen is well worth your time.
H/T to Dallas Morning News writer John Owning for sending me this interview.
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