Can Broncos OC Bill Musgrave turn Case Keenum into an elite QB?
Jul 19, 2018, 7:38 PM | Updated: 7:42 pm
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo may be the sexy pairing of coach and gunslinger heading into the 2018 season, but another coordinator-quarterback dynamic duo could be brewing with the Denver Broncos.
In a recent interview with Good Morning Football, columnist Peter King said he believes by the end of the 2018 season “we’ll think of Jimmy Garoppolo as a top-five quarterback,” largely in part due to Shanahan.
On Tuesday, “Pritchard and Cecil” host Mike Pritchard said he could see that same dynamic developing between Broncos offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave and newly acquired starting quarterback Case Keenum.
“Why can’t Bill Musgrave have that same type of effect on Case Keenum?” Pritchard said.
Pritchard said he believes that Musgrave is a “hell of an offensive coordinator,” one he believes will eventually “turn into one of those genius guys who a lot of people are going to start respecting.”
And Musgrave’s recent track record seems to support Pritchard’s thoughts.
Before joining the Broncos for the 2017 season, Musgrave spent the 2015 and 2016 seasons as the offensive coordinator for the Oakland Raiders.
In those two seasons, quarterback Derek Carr had his two top years in terms of quarterback rating, yards per game, and touchdowns. In 2016, the young veteran earned MVP consideration before an injury ended his season prematurely.
“Can Bill Musgrave do for Case Keenum what is reportedly going to happen for Jimmy Garoppolo and Kyle Shanahan? Why can’t Bill Musgrave do that?” Pritchard said. “Bill Musgrave is the same kind of guy, a west coast offense guy. He understands this offense.
“He’s worked with Mike Shanahan. He’s worked with several coaches in the National Football League who installed the west coast offense.”
Keenum as well, Pritchard said, flourished for the first time in a west coast offense under Pat Shurmur in Minnesota last season.
“Case Keenum, in this style of offense, elevated himself under Pat Shurmur as offensive coordinator, a disciple of the west coast offense,” Pritchard said. “Case Keenum is going to further his career with the west coast offense.”
And bringing those two elements together has Pritchard wondering “if Bill Musgrave can do the same thing with Case Keenum.”
Follow digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @JohnnyHart7.
