Kirk Herbstreit speculated about Caleb Williams' preparation habits, only to admit he had no evidence to suggest otherwise. Credit: Amazon Prime Video
AmazonNFLBy Sam Neumann on

Kirk Herbstreit hasn’t exactly endeared himself to the masses lately.

Between his jabs at Ohio State’s “lunatic fringe,” dismissive comments about Indiana and criticisms of the lackluster first round of the College Football Playoff, the so-called “Mayor of College Football” has found himself in hot water with fans.

Now, he’s raising eyebrows again — this time with his curious remarks about Caleb Williams, who he covered plenty during his college career at Oklahoma and USC.

During Thursday night’s Amazon Prime Video broadcast alongside Al Michaels, Herbstreit waded into uncomfortable territory. He speculated about whether Williams has the discipline to be the “first guy in, last guy out” type of quarterback before quickly admitting he hasn’t heard anything to suggest Williams isn’t already doing those things.

“We’ve seen Caleb Williams tonight with his playmaking ability,” Herbstreit said. “Remember that low snap? And he was able to pick it up, locate a receiver and make a throw to Keenan Allen. He makes so many spectacular plays and he’s got such a physical ability.

“I think the thing that remains to be seen — and only time will tell — is if he understands what it takes to be an NFL quarterback as far as the preparation, as far as first guy there, last guy leaving. And I’m not suggesting he’s not doing those things, but all of those little things that really make the great quarterbacks special.”

Needless to say, Herbstreit got crushed for his comments, with many in the replies to the original post on X (formerly Twitter) asking why he would cast doubt on Williams’ work ethic without evidence.

Amazon sideline reporter Kaylee Hartung reported on how Williams has earned the respect of his teammates, especially during this ongoing losing streak. She shared an anecdote from veteran cornerback Jaylon Johnson, who said, “[Williams] has proved he isn’t a soft quarterback, and he’ll continue to battle, even when things aren’t going their way.”

“He is completely dialed in; such a bright guy,” Herbstreit shared. “And what Kaylee’s saying is true — his teammates love him. They did at USC; he was questioned around the program, his commitment, different things as far as ‘Is he a great teammate?’ Everybody you talk to who is actually on his team says he’s a great teammate. What I’m talking about is what all rookie quarterbacks — what Bo Nix is learning. What Jayden Daniels is learning. What Michael Penix [Jr.] now is just starting to learn is that you can’t be just a great, physically gifted quarterback.

“And maybe that was OK in high school — and even college — at an elite level. [In the NFL] everyone is so good, and the timing is so precise that the more that you can do, the over-preparation that you can do is only going to benefit you in the long run.”

“Again, they need to find a new head coach; they need to find a system,” the Prime Video analyst added. “They gotta build it around him. They gotta get better around him and kinda see where his career can go. But, the physical ability is what I think everyone is so excited to see where his career could end up.”

Herbstreit’s comments seem innocuous, but as Awful Announcing’s Ben Axelrod aptly noted, the issue lies in his tendency to dip his toe into criticism without fully owning it. Herbstreit often tries to walk this tightrope when offering critiques that seem more like musings than definitive takes.

While this style has worked for him in the past, vague insinuations and hedged bets are no longer accepted.

Herbstreit may have intended to spark a larger conversation about the demands of playing quarterback in the NFL. And that’s perfectly fine. In fact, it’s more than OK. There’s real value in analyzing what separates good quarterbacks from great ones at the highest level of football.

But the problem was his pivot.

In questioning whether it remains to be seen if Williams can handle the preparation demands of the position, then immediately admitting he hasn’t heard anything one way or another and isn’t trying to insinuate otherwise, Herbstreit undermined his own argument.

It’s one thing to raise questions about the challenges a young quarterback might face in the NFL.

It’s another to do this.

[Awful Announcing on X]

About Sam Neumann

Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.

View all posts by Sam Neumann