We have no shortage of quarterback controversy here in this town. As if this season isn’t strange enough, Frisco’s own Dallas Cowboys are having some major QB struggles — painful, disappointing, crushing setbacks. Heck, the QB situation has changed twice since we’ve recorded this episode! Our friend and quarterbacks coach, Landry Klann, sits down with us to talk it out.
We look at the young trend at the quarterback position in the NFL and some surprises and projections this season. And, of course, we talk Dak — and Mahomes, and Brady, and even Archie Manning.
We hope you enjoy our QB talk as much as we did. Listen to other episodes of Hustle and Pro in our archives.
Show Notes
- [00:06] Introducing Landry Klann
- [00:37] Quick Hits with Landry
- [03:36] Landry and Archie Manning
- [06:22] NFL’s Young Quarterback Wave
- [09:58] Football Players Starting Younger
- [14:06] NFL’s Top Passers
- [18:24] Dak Prescott’s Injury
- [22:55] Patrick Mahomes As a Role Model
Resources within this episode:
- Landry Klann: Instagram @qbcountrydallas | Twitter | QB Country Website
- NFL Website | Dallas Cowboys Website
- Kelly Walker: Instagram @kelly_walkertexas | Twitter: @kelly_walker_TX
Connect with Lifestyle Frisco:
Transcript: (machine-generated)
Welcome to Hustle & Pro, Season Two, talking sports in Frisco from youth to pro. Now here’s your host, Kelly Walker
Welcome to today’s episode of Hustle and Pro. So this far into October, and we haven’t had a football episode yet, which is crazy. But, we’re changing that today. So, we’re talking quarterbacks today with Landry Klann. So, Landry, you and I actually met a little over a year ago. We were kind of, co-hosting a, like a “football 101” for some ladies here in a local event. So, um, I’m excited to finally have you on here and get your insight into what’s going on with quarterbacks lately.
Yeah, no, I appreciate you having me on. I’m excited for this.
Okay. Before we jump into quarterback talk, I want to ask you a couple of the quick hits I ask all my guests. So who would you say is your all-time favorite athlete?
Um, all-time favorite athletes; probably Peyton Manning. He was a guy that I grew up with, uh, and just loved watching him. Again, it was always kind of between him and Tom Brady. Those were the two guys when I was growing up that were like the big, big names. God, it’s funny for Brady to still be doing it. Um, but, uh, I would say I’d have to go with, uh, Peyton Manning, um, and, uh, Rogers probably now Aaron Rogers, probably the guy I liked to watch the most now. But yeah, football guy, for sure; So, I have to pick a football player. Yeah.
Okay. So speaking of that, I always ask people, “what’s your favorite sport to watch versus your favorite sport to play?” And I know that you aren’t just a football player, right? Even through high school, you played other sports. So, um, what is your favorite sport to actually play?
Favorite sport to play is definitely football. Um, basketball would be the second. Um, but, uh, again, I grew up playing football, basketball, baseball. Um, so, again, played, you know, played pretty much everything and, um, but, uh, baseball is a little bit slower. I was good at it. So, I played all the way through high school, but, um, you know, never, like, was my passion or anything. Uh, and then my dad was a football coach growing up. So, I was always around that. And so that was kind of from-the-ground-up. Yeah, that was, that was priority.
So, if you’re sitting down to watch something, is it always going to be football that you choose first or are you so close to football and – you know, you work in the sport – do you, do you choose to watch, you know, tennis or do you like watching something different?
So, it’s funny you bring that up. Um, I do enjoy watching tennis. I never played it. Uh, I like watching that. I also have gotten really into sand volleyball, which has kind of been the sport that I’ve picked up after – you know, cause that’s the issue with football is, you know, once you’re done, you’re kind of done. You know, there’s nothing really, that’s going to replace that you can go play flag or you can play some of this other things. But, it’s not like basketball where you can still go, you know, scratch that itch and go get a pickup game or something and still like a pretty high level. Um, you know, once you’re done, it’s kind of done. So I’ve kinda been doing jujitsu and then, uh, um, sand volleyball has been my, my two kind of sports that still scratch my competitive edge. Um, but, uh, you know, I definitely have enjoyed watching, you know, sand volleyball a lot, actually. That would be the kind of thing.
That’s cool. That’s fun. Different. All right. Last one. What’s your favorite sports movie?
I have to say, Remember the Titans. Um, again, that was just a movie. I think I was in fourth grade when that came out. Uh, and it was funny. I always had a bedtime, I’ve seen the first half of that movie, like over a hundred times because when that came out, I always had a bedtime at 10:00 PM. But, I was also like OCD that I couldn’t like start a movie where I left off. Like, I had to see a movie from beginning to end. But, I would never time it out right. So, like basically I would start at like nine, 9:00 PM and I’d have to go to bed. So, I’ve seen the beginning of that movie (a lot).
That’s good. That’s good. Okay. I thought I read or saw somewhere that you have a connection to Archie Manning. So, a while ago you said Peyton Manning and you grew up with Peyton; did you like literally know and grow up with him and his family or something?
Oh no, no, no, no. So, uh, I played college football in, in Louisiana: Nicholls State University, which is where the Mannings have their Manning Passing Academy. And so when I was in college, um, I got to work some of those camps and everything. And, uh, actually a girl that I dated, um, in college, her mom worked in the same building as Archie. And so I had already kind of known them from working in the camps and that, and that kind of thing. And, uh, um, she’s actually the one that kind of set up an interview with him once I was done playing. Um, and we just like had this conversation, like, I don’t know what he really expected. Like she just was like, would you be willing to, you know, talk to him or whatever? And we, you know, he at least had experience with me and that kind of thing. It wasn’t like just completely random, but, um, basically I don’t know what he was thinking. I was going to go in and talk, like, see if he can give me a, a spot with the Saints or something. And so like, I, of course was not what I was looking for. Like I just wanted to talk football with him. And so, basically, I kind of prepared, you know, several questions that I would just be, you know, kind of love to get his opinion on about playing the position, the leadership aspect, you know, his two sons and, and all of that. And so I basically put together several questions, kind of took them through an interview and we just really hit it off and it ended up being a great conversation. And, uh, pretty much when it was done, um, that’s how he got me in contact with QB Country. So, my boss, David Morris was actually Eli Manning’s backup at Ole Miss. And so, David was already doing QB Country and was training guys and, um, me and Archie really hit it off. And so he knew David was always looking for new guys that would be trainers. And so he’s the one who got me, you know, the connection between David and QB Country. And that’s how I wound up.
Wow, quite a connection. That’s awesome. That’s amazing. Just, you know, just an Archie Manning connection, no big deal.
I mean, he is as awesome as you think he is. I mean, again, just super, super humble guy. I mean, um, was a blast to go and talk football with. It’s funny, too. Cause of course I like want to talk to him almost like as if I were talking to Peyton. I’m like asking him all these Xs and Os and then that kind of thing or whatever. And he’s like, “I gotta be honest with you.” Like, “I haven’t really kept up with any of that stuff.”
He’s so far away from the game now.
Yeah, for sure. I mean, um, and again, he was very much in a parent role and just an encourager and, you know, that kind of thing. Whereas obviously the sons were the ones who are keeping up to date with what the latest schemes and stuff were. He can forget about the Xs and Os a long time ago. No doubt, no doubt.
Okay. So let’s take a look at what’s happening. Like, let’s look at the NFL specifically and specifically at the quarterback positions since that’s kind of what you know most. Um, would you agree that there’s, there’s a lot of movement like season to season movement and now game to game movement then than in a normal NFL season. It feels like that to me. When you say movement – I don’t know, just different quarterbacks. Like when I look at like who’s ranking at the top right now versus who was there a year ago, there’s so many young guys. I want to talk about that separately, too. But just, and maybe even like, if it’s Cam Newton’s having to sit out, there’s just so many COVID related things, and I don’t know exactly what it is. But, it just seems like there’s been a lot of movement and change at the quarterback position this season.
Yeah, I think a couple reasons. One, because again, some of the guys who have been the established quarterbacks for a long time, they’re getting towards the end of their career. And now, you’re really starting to kind of get that new wave of guys coming in where it’s really starting to transition. I mean, you think about the guys who have kind of dominated the position over the last, you know, decade plus. The – Brees, Brady, you know, Roethlisberger, Rogers, that kind of thing. Like, again, these, all these guys, Philip Rivers, all these guys are kind of on the tail end of, of their career, so to speak. So, that’s where the – Russell Wilson who again has been playing great for a while now, uh, is really starting to be kind of the guy. Mahomes, obviously, you know, becoming that guy. And, um, you’re starting to get these new faces, too; Kyler Murray. I mean, you know, I’ve been playing really well and, um, doing that. And again, you’re also seeing, too, where a lot of these rookies are able to step in and play well, a lot younger than maybe they, like, used to. Um, I mean, you’re seeing that with, uh, Herbert on the Chargers, you’re seeing that, you know. Again, Joe, the Bengals aren’t doing particularly great, but, Joe Burrow is playing pretty well. Um, and so again, I think you’re just really getting that new wave. Plus the names you talked about as far as, uh, you know, Dak getting injured. So, again, you’re getting a transition there. Um, you know, some guys are getting sick one week and so you gotta kind of make that switch.
Or veterans moving to Tampa Bay and changing, you know, giving an opportunity that was never there before. Right. So why do you think that this wave of young guys is seemingly stepping up quicker, stronger, faster, and better than kind of in years past when we see guys like Mahomes doing this?
Well, I think the position is shifting a little bit as far as, like, what’s expected from that guy. Um, I think traditionally in the NFL it had always been like a pretty much a pocket passer. You were going to be asked to do a lot at the line of scrimmage, uh, you know, know your protections, you know, know all the, the defenses and that kind of thing. Um, whereas now, I think they’re getting a little bit more creative as far as how to use a more mobile quarterback. Um, again, you’re seeing it, whether it’s, you know, Cam Newton, Lamar Jackson, um, you know, obviously, Kyler, uh, again, they’re, they’re just doing a better job. I think making the position, um, more suitable for younger guys, more suitable for guys who their strength, isn’t just, you know, being a pocket passer; but they add, they have that other element. Right. Um, and so I think that’s also what coaches are starting to look for more now too, is, you know,
And their coaches like coaching strategies, cause even the same thing sort of, you could say for coaches as we’re seeing younger coaches than ever step up sooner and you know, being successful head coaches. So, maybe that’s even trickling down to the, the, the ability for players to do the same.
Yeah, I think that’s a good point. I also think to your resources now at a younger age have just gotten so much more. Like whether it’s okay, say if you’re a young coach, I mean, you get access to, you know, guys who are geniuses in their field, you can go buy a DVD or, you know what I’m saying, don’t even need a DVD, you can get it all online and it’s just kind of shows their scheme and how they think about the game. And you know, that used to be a very inner circle kind of thing where, you know, if you didn’t have your foot in the door, you weren’t, you didn’t have access to these people, but you know, now, you know,
People and you brought your people kind of traveled to other teams with you.
Right, yeah. And again, it was more based on these clinics that you would have to go out and go to or whatever. But again, now there’s just more resources online that you can get that knowledge that you weren’t able to. Uh, the quarterback position, I mean, again, I train quarterbacks. That’s obviously something that’s really blowing up as a business and as a field. Um, and so again, not only are, uh, you know, coaches able to kind of get that access, but players are able to get that at a way younger age. I mean, I’m training kids that are, you know what I’m saying, fourth grade, fifth grade, and they’re learning the mechanics and the fundamentals now. But again, the earlier you get them fundamentals down the earlier, you can really start thinking about the game at a higher level. Yeah. And so again, kids are just starting that process earlier, getting certain things down and being able to move on into the next step.
That’s interesting you say that. My 10-year-old son plays flag football and just last night, his coach, who played in college, commented and said, “I can’t believe how much they’re consuming at age 10 right now.” He’s like, “they’re beyond what – they’re understanding and learning the things well beyond what I expected them to be learning as fourth grade.”
Yeah. And I think again, um, you know, obviously kids have access to watching football all the time. Um, you know, especially in this area where they’re able to have, you know, not only, uh, you know, youth football, which we’ve had for a while. But, they have youth 7-on-7. And they have youth, you know, now Flex is kind of the new thing. Yeah, new ways to play. Right. Which are our regressions on the sport. But that, like, help players develop. Because again, if your, say, your, uh – you said your son’s 10? Yeah. So, again, most ten-year-old offensive lines are not very good. Right. And that’s just the truth of it. And so it’s hard to really develop as a passer when you have no protection. And so that’s kind of youth tackle football. Uh, but if you play youth 7-on-7, well, you take the offensive line out of it. Now he has four seconds. So there’s still a time limit. Now, that’s a big time limit relative to the actual game. Um, but he can still learn to, again, you take away the rush, but now he can learn to keep his eyes up and kinda go from receiver to receiver, to receiver. Right. Whereas you used- To read the field differently. Yeah, and get used to just tracking your eyes and, and used to kind of how routes are working together and, you know, creating bonds for the defense and receivers popping open and that kind of thing, so.
That’s interesting. I never thought about like that. But then, also, that makes me think kind of the versatility of like, even though you’re talking just football, the versatility of having different, like you said, 7-v-7 later in the summer or whatever. Um, but isn’t that the same for being a multi-sport athlete part of that, like, you’re learning other skills and you’re kind of refining different skills that eventually will help you become a better football player.
Yeah, I think so. I think, uh, again, obviously the 7-on-7 is going to be a more specific regression. That’s going to develop certain aspects of football. But other sports, in general, they’re going to emphasize certain skills that maybe if you just played quarterback your whole life wouldn’t. Right. And so again, say you’re a point guard in basketball, you know, obviously you have your basketball skills in order to do that, but there’s still an element of a lot of people moving around you, things kind of happening. You’re able to see guys break open to the basket, that kind of thing. And so again, just developing that vision, um, but also there’s more agility involved and that’s only gonna help you as a quarterback. There’s uh, you know, so again, I think you nailed it as far as other sports are going to develop you as a more well-rounded athlete rather than just like, if you only played quarterback your whole life. And so again, that’s going to make you a better quarterback, um, for sure.
All right. So, when we are recording this, this is the, this is what the NFL shows as the top passers right now. I know this sounds crazy because Dak is at the top of this list. But, but it’s Dak, Matt Ryan, Deshaun Watson, Josh Allen, and Mahomes. So, when you look at that list, like, what are your, what are your surprises of that list? And then after that, what are some projections as we’re – what are we, game, week six-ish, um, when this records? Um, when we’re coming to the end of this season, like what what’s going to be different about that list besides the obvious that Dak’s not going to be there.
Right. Well, I think the first thing that comes to my mind, um, so, obviously you’re having some great production in the passing game. But you know, the two that you just named off the top, they’re not necessarily winning games. And so again, there’s not a one-to-one correlation as far as if you can just throw the ball- they’re throwing a lot. Yeah, yeah. You know, but they’re still not winning games. And so, there’s other elements that come into evolve, obviously of being a complete offense and a complete team. Um, and, uh, but you also have some other guys in there, again, the Bills are playing pretty well. Obviously, the Chiefs are playing well. So, you have some teams that are throwing it and still winning games. But I think it is interesting to note that you have some, you know, a couple of teams that have some of the worst records and then a couple of teams that have some of the best records all on that same list right there. Um, but I think it just, again, kind of goes to show that there’s more to it than just that there’s more to it than just, you know, how much the quarterback is throwing in and everything as far as being a complete team and a complete offense. Um, I would expect to see
Who’s going to jump up and end up on that list.
Well, again, I don’t know where Rogers is at on the list, but I would expect, I mean, they’ve had a lot of success and they have a good run, yeah.
He was in the top 10, maybe deeper just a little deeper.
Just under it. Um, but, uh, you know, I think obviously I think Mahomes moves up the list probably. Um, you know, unfortunately for Dak, having a great season, you know, he’s got to cut that short and that’s again, he was playing really well. And, um, I also think, too, to kind of answer the question as far as, when you think about teams that get in situations where they have to throw the ball a lot, like they don’t start games early and now they’re down. And I know that was a big thing with the Cowboys as far as like, well, they want to get Zeke involved, but again, if you get, if you fall down so early and stuff, and now you’re trying to come back and create points quickly, well now you’re kind of reliant on the past to some degree, right?
And, and just, you, you have no control over injuries, like other players on your offense that are going to get injured and how that affects, you know, how often you’re throwing versus running and all the different things that happen that can affect just, you know, passing yards. Right. Yeah. I know it’s, it’s a, it can be a pretty shallow stat, I guess, right?
Yeah, for sure. Um, but again, it’s surprising that, you know, Brees has kind of been always on top of that list, you know? Uh, so it’s surprising that he’s not up there. Um, to some degree it’s surprising, obviously he’s getting older and you can really start to see that. Unfortunately, um, it does happen, you know, I think, uh, Brady started the season off a little bit slower, but they’ve definitely seemed to kind of hit, you know, uh, another gear here.
Do you see though, with somebody like comparing Drew and Tom Brady, like, do you see Tom Brady’s, um, production slipping at all because of age? I mean, I know it’s hard right now. He went to a new team. He has a whole new everything. But do you think he is still playing as well as he always has been?
Um, probably not quite as well. I think there’s probably a little bit of drop-off there. But, not as much as I’m seeing with like Brees, you know what I’m saying? I’m seeing more of that with him. Um, again, it is a little bit harder to tell with Brady because he is transitioning to a new team and that kind of thing. But, uh, a lot of people were saying that last year about Brady, but what I really kind of witnessed was like, Brady didn’t have weapons around him when he was on his last year with the Patriots. I mean, he basically had Edelman and, you know, a couple of good running backs, but no real number-one. He’s also old and trailing. Yeah, for sure. So, uh, again, whereas if you look at Brees, like, he still has weapons and he still has Michael Thomas still has Kamara. Like, so, there’s still guys there and you can still really feel that drop-off.
See the decline, yeah. Okay. We can’t have a, we can’t sit here in Frisco and have a quarterback conversation without talking a little more about Dak. Obviously, you’ve mentioned his names a few times here, but, um, so we’re just a few weeks out. So, when Dak got hurt, I was, I was sitting, watching the game with my ankle propped up, um, on the couch, um, because I had just finished having ankle surgery on my right ankle just a few days before that. So, I also just side note, I think, because Dak and I had right-ankle surgery, um, the same week that like connects us. And I think we’re like pals now. He just doesn’t realize that. He doesn’t know that. But, um, so, you know, I watched, watching the replay – it was, it was painful. Like it was a lot of Cowboys fans, um, and him getting carted off the field and with Jason Garrett happening to be there and coming over and checking on him and all of his teammates and the whole scene was a lot. It was overwhelmingly sad for somebody like me. Um, but, I get sports-sad a lot with stuff like that. Um, you probably watch these games in a completely different capacity, in a different lens being involved in this sport. But, what are your, what were your thoughts on that injury?
Well, number one, I probably do watch it maybe in a little bit different lens. But, as far as just the human element of it, like, obviously you just feel awful, you know, for a guy who’s been such a good role model and a good leader of the team, and it was playing at such a high level, you know, individually and that not necessarily putting it together as a team at that point, but, um, you know, doing, doing a good job for himself to see it kind of come to an end and to see it be as kind of gruesome, you know, maybe as ugly of an injury as it was, uh, it was definitely heartbreaking for sure. And to see the emotion of the teammates, really both team and, you know, Garrett coming over there and that kind of thing; so, again, you’d really just kind of hope the best for him. Um, but, uh, what was – I actually forgot.
No, that was it. I mean, the other thing I was going to ask is – we’re local. So, we hear all the – immediately, we hear a lot of the stuff that people in other parts of the country aren’t hearing. We’re hearing that night. We’re hearing where he is. We’re hearing when he had went into surgery, where he, when he comes out – all the details. We’re hearing a lot from Jerry Jones immediately, the support, and “he’ll be back and he’s still our quarterback.” But realistically, like what do you personally think his future looks like? Is he really going to be able to come back from something like that, and now the shorter timeframe that they even originally said, um, and, and be, uh, you know, NFL-caliber level for next season?
Yeah, from everything that I’ve heard, I actually think he probably will be able to come back. Um, again, if you think, you know, to his back on the field, he had a hip, you know, kind of a really bad hip injury, I mean, the fact that Alex Smith got back on the field and, you know, his injury was significantly worse. Same day, right? Yeah. So, yeah, I think it was. He came back the same day Dak got hurt. Yeah. Yeah. But again – which is weird. The universe is, is weird that way. Yeah. Uh, for sure. Um, also it was the same day you just got off your, your own surgery. So yeah. It’s all, it’s all connected probably. But, uh, no, I think, um, I think he will come back again. That’s probably the biggest thing that you see in today’s game and just, you know, how far just the medical side of it has come, where, you know, an ACL tear used to be like a career-ending thing. And now people kind of have that all- not all the time, but it’s a lot. And, like, they come back, you know, and it’s expected at this point for them to come back. Whereas that legitimately used to be a thing where like, no, that wasn’t happening. Um, again, I’m not an expert on what all the, fully, was Dak’s injury, but, um, I definitely think it to some degree it was a dislocation. Um, and I do actually think he will get back. Especially based on what he is, how he’s playing the position, you know what I’m saying? He, again, he’s still predominantly has been a pocket passer. He has the ability, uh, capability to run and stuff. But, that’s not, they haven’t really used him like they use Cam Newton or like, you know, they use Lamar Jackson or anything like that. Again, I think he’ll still be able to come back, be a great passer of the football. Um, so yeah, I definitely, I see him coming back. I think the bigger issue now is, you know, will it be as, with the Cowboys or that kind of thing because of the timing of the contract. And, so, that really is going to be interesting.
That will be an interesting story to watch unfold. To see if, if Jerry’s really means it when he says he’s still his guy. And that, and just the irony, like you said, of, of how the type of quarterback he is. I mean, just first of all, he didn’t slide on that play. Right. Um, and then plays before that he got a pass in the end zone to score a touchdown. Like it’s just, it was just the whole day. It was weird. Yeah. Um, okay. One last little thing. So, when I knew I was going to record this with you, um, I asked my son, Jack, who his favorite quarterback was. And he said, Mahomes. He also got to go pick out a New Jersey from Scheels the other day and he chose a Mahomes jersey. He has Dak stuff, too. Um, I said “why?” And, and we allowed the Mahomes jersey, just so you know. He actually wanted to Saquon Barkley jersey and we did not allow Giants jersey and purchase and wear it in our house. We allowed the Mahomes jersey because we’re Red Raiders. And that’s fine with us. Um, and I asked Jack “why?” And he said, um, well, because he’s good. And because he won a Super Bowl. But, also because he plays for Dan Hunt and we’re FC Dallas fans, and my son plays in the, like, Academy or, you know, club level for which on his contract, Dan Hunt’s name is on. So, Jack feels like they both play for Dan Hunt.
Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it makes sense. No doubt.
It’s, it’s funny how these little kids look up to different players, but I think if he’s going to look up somebody, Mahomes is a good one to watch.
Yeah, absolutely. Obviously, uh, again, if he’s playing football and just sees him on the football field, again, he’s an exceptional football player. He’s changing the game to some degree, as far as the different throws that he’s making and all of that. And, uh, you know, the way he carries himself off the field and everything again, absolutely would be, uh, a great role model to look at.
All right. Landry, thank you for your input here in talking quarterbacks with us. Um, we’ve got a lot, few more weeks of this season to play out and see how it all, how it all works out and see if Andy Dalton can step in and do a little better than the first game of his, his full game back. But, um, you know, we’ll see. We’ll see how it unfolds the rest of the season. But, thanks for your time coming in and talking to us. I appreciate you having me. And thank you for listening to this episode of Hustle and Pro. Subscribe however you listen to podcasts and we’ll see you next week.
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