For example, we are just over two weeks away from the 2026 NFL Draft, an endeavor where 32 professional teams, with every resource at their disposal, will still make mistakes after months and months of work. While there are many reasons players do not pan out at the next level, they often stem from what cannot always be seen on film, and rather what is inside that player mentally, and emotionally.
Which is why this moment from Oregon quarterback coach Koa Ka’ai stands out.
Ka’ai met the media recently, and was asked a question about evaluating potential recruits. The coach outlined how that evaluation, from his standpoint, often involves a non-football question.
What flavor of ice cream does the recruit prefer, chocolate or vanilla?
Now, Ka’ai does not care what flavor they pick, but he cares that they make a pick at all. He cares that they do not hesitate, and that they show conviction:
A quarterback wears many hats on a football team, but one of the ways to think about the position is this way: They need to diagnose and decide. A quarterback as to diagnose what a defense is doing on a particular play and then decide what to do with the football.
Of course, that process happens while some rather large people on the other side of the line of scrimmage are trying to put them in the hospital.
As Ka’ai noted, “right, wrong, or indifferent” you need to have some kind of “conviction.” If a quarterback gets caught thinking between chocolate or vanilla in a meeting room in June, what will happen on 3rd-and-7 with a pair of linebackers walked up in the A-Gaps?
Take what Terry Shea, whose coaching lineage includes Trent Green, Matthew Stafford, and Sam Bradford among others, had to say about the position in his fantastic book Eyes Up:
It can be argued that toughness — mental and physical — is as important as talent of self-confidence. One of the most challenging factors about quarterbacking is adjusting to the mental and emotional pressure. The pressure can be enormous in games at all levels. As the game unfolds, a quarterback’s mental toughness is keenly tested. To hang in there when you are worn down and your body hurts. To possess the nerve to release the ball with anticipation. To keep getting up after each hit. To keep coming back. To refuse to lose. This is how mental toughness is defined. A mentally tough quarterback produces the poise to play well in pressure situations and that is a defining virtue of quarterback play.
Or consider what none other than Bill Walsh wrote about quarterback play in his book Finding the Winning Edge:
A quarterback must have the ability to handle the stress and pressures that occur during the game. He must be able to control his emotions to a point where he can think clearly, evaluate his options, and act rationally, regardless of the situation. Similar to other aspects of quarterbacking, within a reasonable period of time, an athlete will either show that he can deal with his emotions properly within the framework of the game or demonstrate to the coaching staff (by his actions) that further effort in this regard is a waste of time.
Being decisive is a huge part of quarterback play, as is mental toughness.
If it takes a question about ice cream to try and solve that particular riddle in evaluating a player, so be it.
For example, we are just over two weeks away from the 2026 NFL Draft, an endeavor where 32 professional teams, with every resource at their disposal, will still make mistakes after months and months of work. While there are many reasons players do not pan out at the next level, they often stem from what cannot always be seen on film, and rather what is inside that player mentally, and emotionally.
Which is why this moment from Oregon quarterback coach Koa Ka’ai stands out.
Ka’ai met the media recently, and was asked a question about evaluating potential recruits. The coach outlined how that evaluation, from his standpoint, often involves a non-football question.
What flavor of ice cream does the recruit prefer, chocolate or vanilla?
Now, Ka’ai does not care what flavor they pick, but he cares that they make a pick at all. He cares that they do not hesitate, and that they show conviction:
A quarterback wears many hats on a football team, but one of the ways to think about the position is this way: They need to diagnose and decide. A quarterback as to diagnose what a defense is doing on a particular play and then decide what to do with the football.
Of course, that process happens while some rather large people on the other side of the line of scrimmage are trying to put them in the hospital.
As Ka’ai noted, “right, wrong, or indifferent” you need to have some kind of “conviction.” If a quarterback gets caught thinking between chocolate or vanilla in a meeting room in June, what will happen on 3rd-and-7 with a pair of linebackers walked up in the A-Gaps?
Take what Terry Shea, whose coaching lineage includes Trent Green, Matthew Stafford, and Sam Bradford among others, had to say about the position in his fantastic book Eyes Up:
It can be argued that toughness — mental and physical — is as important as talent of self-confidence. One of the most challenging factors about quarterbacking is adjusting to the mental and emotional pressure. The pressure can be enormous in games at all levels. As the game unfolds, a quarterback’s mental toughness is keenly tested. To hang in there when you are worn down and your body hurts. To possess the nerve to release the ball with anticipation. To keep getting up after each hit. To keep coming back. To refuse to lose. This is how mental toughness is defined. A mentally tough quarterback produces the poise to play well in pressure situations and that is a defining virtue of quarterback play.
Or consider what none other than Bill Walsh wrote about quarterback play in his book Finding the Winning Edge:
A quarterback must have the ability to handle the stress and pressures that occur during the game. He must be able to control his emotions to a point where he can think clearly, evaluate his options, and act rationally, regardless of the situation. Similar to other aspects of quarterbacking, within a reasonable period of time, an athlete will either show that he can deal with his emotions properly within the framework of the game or demonstrate to the coaching staff (by his actions) that further effort in this regard is a waste of time.
Being decisive is a huge part of quarterback play, as is mental toughness.
If it takes a question about ice cream to try and solve that particular riddle in evaluating a player, so be it.
#Oregon #coach #asks #recruits #favorite #ice #cream #sense">Oregon coach asks recruits about their favorite ice cream, and it actually makes sense
Player evaluation is an inexact science, at best.
For example, we are just over two weeks away from the 2026 NFL Draft, an endeavor where 32 professional teams, with every resource at their disposal, will still make mistakes after months and months of work. While there are many reasons players do not pan out at the next level, they often stem from what cannot always be seen on film, and rather what is inside that player mentally, and emotionally.
Which is why this moment from Oregon quarterback coach Koa Ka’ai stands out.
Ka’ai met the media recently, and was asked a question about evaluating potential recruits. The coach outlined how that evaluation, from his standpoint, often involves a non-football question.
What flavor of ice cream does the recruit prefer, chocolate or vanilla?
Now, Ka’ai does not care what flavor they pick, but he cares that they make a pick at all. He cares that they do not hesitate, and that they show conviction:
A quarterback wears many hats on a football team, but one of the ways to think about the position is this way: They need to diagnose and decide. A quarterback as to diagnose what a defense is doing on a particular play and then decide what to do with the football.
Of course, that process happens while some rather large people on the other side of the line of scrimmage are trying to put them in the hospital.
As Ka’ai noted, “right, wrong, or indifferent” you need to have some kind of “conviction.” If a quarterback gets caught thinking between chocolate or vanilla in a meeting room in June, what will happen on 3rd-and-7 with a pair of linebackers walked up in the A-Gaps?
Take what Terry Shea, whose coaching lineage includes Trent Green, Matthew Stafford, and Sam Bradford among others, had to say about the position in his fantastic book Eyes Up:
It can be argued that toughness — mental and physical — is as important as talent of self-confidence. One of the most challenging factors about quarterbacking is adjusting to the mental and emotional pressure. The pressure can be enormous in games at all levels. As the game unfolds, a quarterback’s mental toughness is keenly tested. To hang in there when you are worn down and your body hurts. To possess the nerve to release the ball with anticipation. To keep getting up after each hit. To keep coming back. To refuse to lose. This is how mental toughness is defined. A mentally tough quarterback produces the poise to play well in pressure situations and that is a defining virtue of quarterback play.
Or consider what none other than Bill Walsh wrote about quarterback play in his book Finding the Winning Edge:
A quarterback must have the ability to handle the stress and pressures that occur during the game. He must be able to control his emotions to a point where he can think clearly, evaluate his options, and act rationally, regardless of the situation. Similar to other aspects of quarterbacking, within a reasonable period of time, an athlete will either show that he can deal with his emotions properly within the framework of the game or demonstrate to the coaching staff (by his actions) that further effort in this regard is a waste of time.
Being decisive is a huge part of quarterback play, as is mental toughness.
If it takes a question about ice cream to try and solve that particular riddle in evaluating a player, so be it.
But timing is just one aspect of Love’s evaluation that has seen his draft stock rise as the real thing approaches, as the Notre Dame RB has gone from a potential top-ten pick in mock drafts to now a player viewed in the top five. There is something else.
Love is pure speed at the running back position, a trait that showed up on the field this fall and translated to his workout in Indianapolis at the NFL Scouting Combine, where he laid down a 4.36-second 40-yard dash. And what makes Love’s evaluation all the more impressive is how that trait shows up regardless of scheme, and even in the passing game.
Take this touchdown against Syracuse, coming on a zone design:
This is an outside zone design flowing to the right, but first Love has the vision to identify the inside lane that develops. From there, this is pure speed from the running back, who explodes into the second level before the Syracuse defense has a chance to react. Then keep an eye on the free safety. This is an example of a running back not just erasing an angle, but obliterating it.
And yes, safeties in the NFL will take better angles, but the thing about Love’s game is that even if you think you have a shot at him, you often do not. His contact balance and spin move are elite traits, traits that turn potential tackles into even bigger gains. Like on this run against Pittsburgh which comes on a gap/power design:
Several things stand out about this one play. First is the scheme, a gap/power design in contrast to the previous example. Love is a schematically-diverse running back, who can hit home runs regardless of the play design.
Second is again the speed, as well as the awareness. After cutting upfield and behind the two pulling blockers, Love rockets into the second level. But this time, the safety has a much better angle on him, with a chance to cut him down for a minimal gain.
Instead, Love anticipates the angle and unleashes his almost-violent spin move, blowing by the safety en route to a 56-yard touchdown. That spin move shows up throughout his film, and will be a weapon for him at the next level.
Here’s another example of this trait, coming on a counter design against USC. Keep an eye on No. 7 in the Trojans’ secondary:
While the safety has a decent angle on Love, the RB’s pure speed erases that on this 63-yard run.
Love might not be a pure power back, but that does not mean he gets cut down at the initial sign of contact. What he might lack in pure lower-body power he more than makes up for with contact balance. Would-be tacklers need to be sure at the contact point, and technically sound.
Otherwise, things like this happen:
On the first play against Stanford, you see Love run through several tackle attempts, erasing angles not with his speed, but with his contact balance. The moment a defender mistimes a tackle attempt, or fails to hit the perfect strike point, Love runs through contact, keeping his legs moving and showing enough power to extend plays with balance and strength.
And on that second example against Pittsburgh, you again see that angle-erasing speed. After making the first defender miss behind the line of scrimmage, Love simply outruns the second defender to the edge, turning what could have been — or should have been — a loss into another explosive run.
As noted at the outset, while the running game may be slowly coming back into style, the NFL remains a passing-dominated league.
So when any running back is discussed as an early pick, the question over what they can contribute in the passing game rises to the top of the evaluation. Can that player be a “three-down” back? Can they offer something as a receiver out of the backfield?
There may even be some untapped potential in what Love can do as a pass catcher, but when he comes off the board early in the first round, you can expect to see these two plays. First, a wheel route against Texas A&M where the defense loses him in coverage, but you see what he can do with his hands as he extends for this catch, and then get another look at that game-breaking ability to erase angles:
And then there is this play, a corner route run from a slot alignment:
Love is working against a linebacker on this play, but it illustrates what he can do as a route-runner when aligned outside. The Notre Dame RB uses two different gears off the line, including a second gear that erases the cushion and stresses the linebacker’s leverage. From there he simply loses the linebacker, leaving him crashing to the turf as Love makes his cut towards the sideline.
Again, expect to see this play highlighted when Love comes off the board on draft night.
When it comes down to it, Love is the complete package as a running back. A schematically-diverse player who can deliver explosive plays in the running game regardless of scheme, and whose speed and route-running could make him an even more explosive player in the NFL in the passing game.
When you think about positional value, that sounds pretty valuable to me.
But timing is just one aspect of Love’s evaluation that has seen his draft stock rise as the real thing approaches, as the Notre Dame RB has gone from a potential top-ten pick in mock drafts to now a player viewed in the top five. There is something else.
Love is pure speed at the running back position, a trait that showed up on the field this fall and translated to his workout in Indianapolis at the NFL Scouting Combine, where he laid down a 4.36-second 40-yard dash. And what makes Love’s evaluation all the more impressive is how that trait shows up regardless of scheme, and even in the passing game.
Take this touchdown against Syracuse, coming on a zone design:
This is an outside zone design flowing to the right, but first Love has the vision to identify the inside lane that develops. From there, this is pure speed from the running back, who explodes into the second level before the Syracuse defense has a chance to react. Then keep an eye on the free safety. This is an example of a running back not just erasing an angle, but obliterating it.
And yes, safeties in the NFL will take better angles, but the thing about Love’s game is that even if you think you have a shot at him, you often do not. His contact balance and spin move are elite traits, traits that turn potential tackles into even bigger gains. Like on this run against Pittsburgh which comes on a gap/power design:
Several things stand out about this one play. First is the scheme, a gap/power design in contrast to the previous example. Love is a schematically-diverse running back, who can hit home runs regardless of the play design.
Second is again the speed, as well as the awareness. After cutting upfield and behind the two pulling blockers, Love rockets into the second level. But this time, the safety has a much better angle on him, with a chance to cut him down for a minimal gain.
Instead, Love anticipates the angle and unleashes his almost-violent spin move, blowing by the safety en route to a 56-yard touchdown. That spin move shows up throughout his film, and will be a weapon for him at the next level.
Here’s another example of this trait, coming on a counter design against USC. Keep an eye on No. 7 in the Trojans’ secondary:
While the safety has a decent angle on Love, the RB’s pure speed erases that on this 63-yard run.
Love might not be a pure power back, but that does not mean he gets cut down at the initial sign of contact. What he might lack in pure lower-body power he more than makes up for with contact balance. Would-be tacklers need to be sure at the contact point, and technically sound.
Otherwise, things like this happen:
On the first play against Stanford, you see Love run through several tackle attempts, erasing angles not with his speed, but with his contact balance. The moment a defender mistimes a tackle attempt, or fails to hit the perfect strike point, Love runs through contact, keeping his legs moving and showing enough power to extend plays with balance and strength.
And on that second example against Pittsburgh, you again see that angle-erasing speed. After making the first defender miss behind the line of scrimmage, Love simply outruns the second defender to the edge, turning what could have been — or should have been — a loss into another explosive run.
As noted at the outset, while the running game may be slowly coming back into style, the NFL remains a passing-dominated league.
So when any running back is discussed as an early pick, the question over what they can contribute in the passing game rises to the top of the evaluation. Can that player be a “three-down” back? Can they offer something as a receiver out of the backfield?
There may even be some untapped potential in what Love can do as a pass catcher, but when he comes off the board early in the first round, you can expect to see these two plays. First, a wheel route against Texas A&M where the defense loses him in coverage, but you see what he can do with his hands as he extends for this catch, and then get another look at that game-breaking ability to erase angles:
And then there is this play, a corner route run from a slot alignment:
Love is working against a linebacker on this play, but it illustrates what he can do as a route-runner when aligned outside. The Notre Dame RB uses two different gears off the line, including a second gear that erases the cushion and stresses the linebacker’s leverage. From there he simply loses the linebacker, leaving him crashing to the turf as Love makes his cut towards the sideline.
Again, expect to see this play highlighted when Love comes off the board on draft night.
When it comes down to it, Love is the complete package as a running back. A schematically-diverse player who can deliver explosive plays in the running game regardless of scheme, and whose speed and route-running could make him an even more explosive player in the NFL in the passing game.
When you think about positional value, that sounds pretty valuable to me.
#Jeremiyah #Love #brings #top5 #NFL #Draft">Why Jeremiyah Love brings top-5 value to NFL Draft as a RB
The 2026 NFL Draft class is replete with fascinating evaluations.
Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love might be at the top of that list.
While Love is a running back, a fact that carries all sorts of questions about positional value, he is entering a league at a time when the running game may be coming back into vogue. The NFL world just saw the Seattle Seahawks win the Super Bowl featuring a surging run game down the stretch, and while the league is still dominated by the passing game, the influx of two-high defenses have seen offenses turn to the run game as at least a powerful complement to their passing attacks.
But timing is just one aspect of Love’s evaluation that has seen his draft stock rise as the real thing approaches, as the Notre Dame RB has gone from a potential top-ten pick in mock drafts to now a player viewed in the top five. There is something else.
Love is pure speed at the running back position, a trait that showed up on the field this fall and translated to his workout in Indianapolis at the NFL Scouting Combine, where he laid down a 4.36-second 40-yard dash. And what makes Love’s evaluation all the more impressive is how that trait shows up regardless of scheme, and even in the passing game.
Take this touchdown against Syracuse, coming on a zone design:
This is an outside zone design flowing to the right, but first Love has the vision to identify the inside lane that develops. From there, this is pure speed from the running back, who explodes into the second level before the Syracuse defense has a chance to react. Then keep an eye on the free safety. This is an example of a running back not just erasing an angle, but obliterating it.
And yes, safeties in the NFL will take better angles, but the thing about Love’s game is that even if you think you have a shot at him, you often do not. His contact balance and spin move are elite traits, traits that turn potential tackles into even bigger gains. Like on this run against Pittsburgh which comes on a gap/power design:
Several things stand out about this one play. First is the scheme, a gap/power design in contrast to the previous example. Love is a schematically-diverse running back, who can hit home runs regardless of the play design.
Second is again the speed, as well as the awareness. After cutting upfield and behind the two pulling blockers, Love rockets into the second level. But this time, the safety has a much better angle on him, with a chance to cut him down for a minimal gain.
Instead, Love anticipates the angle and unleashes his almost-violent spin move, blowing by the safety en route to a 56-yard touchdown. That spin move shows up throughout his film, and will be a weapon for him at the next level.
Here’s another example of this trait, coming on a counter design against USC. Keep an eye on No. 7 in the Trojans’ secondary:
While the safety has a decent angle on Love, the RB’s pure speed erases that on this 63-yard run.
Love might not be a pure power back, but that does not mean he gets cut down at the initial sign of contact. What he might lack in pure lower-body power he more than makes up for with contact balance. Would-be tacklers need to be sure at the contact point, and technically sound.
Otherwise, things like this happen:
On the first play against Stanford, you see Love run through several tackle attempts, erasing angles not with his speed, but with his contact balance. The moment a defender mistimes a tackle attempt, or fails to hit the perfect strike point, Love runs through contact, keeping his legs moving and showing enough power to extend plays with balance and strength.
And on that second example against Pittsburgh, you again see that angle-erasing speed. After making the first defender miss behind the line of scrimmage, Love simply outruns the second defender to the edge, turning what could have been — or should have been — a loss into another explosive run.
As noted at the outset, while the running game may be slowly coming back into style, the NFL remains a passing-dominated league.
So when any running back is discussed as an early pick, the question over what they can contribute in the passing game rises to the top of the evaluation. Can that player be a “three-down” back? Can they offer something as a receiver out of the backfield?
There may even be some untapped potential in what Love can do as a pass catcher, but when he comes off the board early in the first round, you can expect to see these two plays. First, a wheel route against Texas A&M where the defense loses him in coverage, but you see what he can do with his hands as he extends for this catch, and then get another look at that game-breaking ability to erase angles:
And then there is this play, a corner route run from a slot alignment:
Love is working against a linebacker on this play, but it illustrates what he can do as a route-runner when aligned outside. The Notre Dame RB uses two different gears off the line, including a second gear that erases the cushion and stresses the linebacker’s leverage. From there he simply loses the linebacker, leaving him crashing to the turf as Love makes his cut towards the sideline.
Again, expect to see this play highlighted when Love comes off the board on draft night.
When it comes down to it, Love is the complete package as a running back. A schematically-diverse player who can deliver explosive plays in the running game regardless of scheme, and whose speed and route-running could make him an even more explosive player in the NFL in the passing game.
When you think about positional value, that sounds pretty valuable to me.
#Jeremiyah #Love #brings #top5 #NFL #Draft
The 2026 NFL Draft class is replete with fascinating evaluations.Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love…
