We got a lot of great stories and confirmations out of Jay Gruden when he co-hosted with Grant Paulsen Thursday at Rudy’s in Alexandria – including some never-before-known intel on a trick play they once had for All-Pro tackle Trent Williams?
Indeed, Williams wasn’t often if ever an eligible receiver, but let’s let Gruden tell the story:
“We had a play for Trent…I think Chris O’Hara, the quarterbacks coach now in Minnesota, showed me it, and I wondered if it was legal. We’re in shotgun, the quarterback rolls out to the right, and the left tackle takes a really deep set. The receiver on the left crosses out, and then you throw it to the tackle behind the line with lead blockers going up for him.”
They had the play ready for a game against the Eagles, and Williams seemed to love it, but when Gruden was ready to call it, the Redskins had a large lead, so it was Williams who wanted to call it off.
“He didn’t want to risk it, because we had such a big lead and he didn’t want to change momentum,” Gruden said. “That would’ve been sick, but Trent is one of my favorite guys I’ve ever coached, just because he was so good. We even put him in motion one time! He’s a fun guy.”
Grant noted from watching “Quarterback” that often, Andy Reid’s players in Kansas City will come to him with interesting ideas, and even if they just get run in practice, it can be a way to lighten things up.
“It looks cool and players like it,” Gruden said. “You go out in practice and players laugh and are having fun, it just changes the mood of the team and lightens things up. But time is limited, and there’s a lot of work to be done before you can start adding snow globe plays.”