Sports Illustrated writer Don Banks recently made a stop at the Redskins’ OTA’s to get his first look at what the 2013 edition of the Burgundy and Gold might look like. During his time at the Park, Banks conducted a one-on-one interview with Redskins quarterback Pat White and learned why things didn’t work out for White in Miami, his chances of cracking the roster in D.C., and what exactly he has needs to improve on to make the most of his second chance. The former second-round pick was very open and candid with Banks and admitted to him that the culprit for his lack of success with the Dolphins was nobody’s but his. “The Dolphins gave me every opportunity, and I just didn’t make the most of it,” said White on Thursday, after a scorching hot OTA session at Redskins Park. “Maybe it wasn’t in a zone-read type of offense, but they did give me plays on the field, and I didn’t seize the opportunity. I have nobody to blame but myself.” White also revealed to Banks that his desire to be perfect early on ended up acting as more frustration than motivation. “It was me wanting to go in there and be perfect right away,” White said. “When it didn’t happen that way, frustration took over and selfishness took over, and I ended up out of the league. So I learned my lesson.” As Banks explains, it is seldom for a quarterback to be out of football for any extended period of time like White was to get a second chance, but what may have saved the former West Virginia superstar was the read-option frenzy that took the league by storm in 2012. The success of dual-threat quarterbacks such as Robert Griffin III, Colin Kaepernick, and Russell Wilson laid the groundwork for athletic quarterbacks like White to get at least a look from NFL coaches. Now, the Redskins already have a pretty full stable of quarterbacks with Griffin III, Kirk Cousins, and Rex Grossman, so White does have quite a bit of catching up to do considering he’s the newest of the four and hasn’t stepped on an NFL field since 2009. That being said, Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan told Banks that he’s intrigued by White’s skillset and improvement so far and that he does have a real chance to crack the roster. “I’ll be honest, he has really impressed me, as a person and a quarterback. It’ll be interesting to see how he does in the preseason, but he’s got some unique skills. There was a reason why he was drafted in the second round. What we do fits Pat perfectly, because he’s a great athlete and he’s got the ability to make plays with his legs, and he’s smart enough to handle all the play action and drop back. He’s never been in our system and yet he doesn’t make any mistakes. He’s a fun guy to have.” White told Banks that he has room to improve in every facet of the quarterback position, especially his timing, footwork and accuracy When asked if he still has any ability from his days of tearing up Big East defenses, the Mountaineer alum compared himself to a dormant car that’s been sitting in a garage, just waiting to be turned on again. Only time will tell if Pat White is able to make the most of this rare opportunity, but there is no doubt that he has matured and ready to seize this second chance.
Posted on: Fri, 07 Jun 2013 17:14:05 +0000
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