As a ConAgra regional sales manager for North-East and Central Kansas I was in Manhattan over the weekend for quarterly meatings and was blessed with the opportunity to attend practice.
After watching the practice Friday I was 100% convinced that Waters will win the QB battle. As the weekend went on I started second guessing that.
Waters always took the first snaps with the ones. Now this could mean something or it could be Snyder screwing with everyone.
Waters was so crisp in 7 on 7 Friday. He has a big time arm and is very accurate. He does things that coaches love. He listens into the huddle when Sams is in there so Waters knows what the play is. Then he would shadow the play 10 yards or so behind Sams. Like I said, he was the last player off the field Friday. Waters throws a really nice deep ball.
Then on Saturday I watched them run Waters in the QB run game. He isn't slow or anything, in fact he moves pretty well. Sams is just electric in that phase of the game. Then when they were playing ones on ones, and bodies were flying around him, Waters didn't look quite as sharp.
Both players have a lot more zip on the ball than Klein. Waters is a little more accurate. I don't think either one can be asked to do the things Klein did in the running game. As great a runner as Sams is, he will have trouble absorbing that kind of punishment. I think if Sams plays they will roll him out a lot and give him a run pass option.
I guess I think it is really a toss-up right now. It will just depend on what style the coaches want. They did show a couple of plays with both in the game at the same time. If Waters does win the job I think they still try to find a way to get Sams a handful of touches each game. I guess if I was forced to make a prediction I'd go with 60% odds that Waters starts.
I didn't really pay attention to the other two QB. I watched them just enough to know that if both Sams and Waters get hurt, we will be handing the ball off a whole lot.
