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ESPN The Magazine Oct. 18, 2010 58 ESPN The Magazine Oct. 18, 2010 59

The longesT yardIn the Cardinals-Raiders Week 3 tilt, Arizona return man LaRod Stephens-Howling took the opening kickoff 102 yards for six points. Last season, only 8 TDs measured 100 yards or more. As shown in the chart below, that’s less than 1% of the 1,247 scores across the league.

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miserable about it all week. Of course, when you’re a sixth-grader, there’s not really anything else to worry about.

DUMBEST THING YOU’VE SAID IN THE HUDDLE?Last year, we used all “R” and “L” words for our formations. We were playing Seattle, and the call was “Roger and Louie,” which was a slot formation where the X and the Z [receivers] exchange positions. The coach gives me the play over the headset: “Louie wing, 73 stutter eggshell across” or something. I get in the huddle, the play clock’s running down and ... I just pause. All the guys were like, “Come on! Come on!” I thought, Oh my gosh. What is the play? This can’t be happening right now! Finally, I remembered the opposite of the formation, which was Roger. I say, “What’s the opposite of Roger?” Everybody screams, “Louie!” I called the play, and we converted on third down.

WORST CRITICISM YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED?I consider myself a drop-back quarterback. I had 14 rushing touchdowns my last year at Kansas State, but that’s because our running back left and another guy got hurt. Basically, I was the running and passing game. So, some draft experts were saying, “Freeman is not really a quarterback; he’s just an athlete playing the position.” It’s a slap in the face to work so hard to do something well, and have people disrespect me like that.

MOST AFRAID YOU’VE BEEN ON THE FIELD … ?Fear hasn’t been a part of my game for a long time. Back in eighth-grade football practice, I ran over a kid, fell and separated my shoulder. That was by far the worst pain I’d ever experienced. My shoulder still hurt when I came back after a couple of weeks, so I was really scared of hurting it again. I finally just said screw it and started laying people out again.

… OFF THE FIELD?One of the first nights after my brother and I moved into our new house, he went out of town. I went over to a friend’s

place to eat dinner. When I got back, all the lights were on, and the door was wide open! The creepiest thing was searching every room by myself. Nothing was missing, but I have no idea what happened.

FUNNIEST THING A FAN HAS EVER SAID TO YOU?A guy wanted me to endorse his hair product. He said it wasn’t Soul Glo, but it was similar. I got a kick out of that because I was with a bunch of my teammates, and they like to tease me about my hair. When I first got to Tampa, I heard a lot of Afro Sheen jokes.

STRANGEST THING A FAN HAS SAID TO YOU ?It was after my kickoff party my rookie year. A couple with two small kids—one was a baby and the other was 4 or 5 years old—came up to me and said,

“Oh, kids, meet Josh!” Then they said, “Hey, we gotta go do something tonight. Can you watch our kids?” And I was like, “Uh, I don’t know you.” The lady gave me a piece of paper with their phone number and address. Of course I never called them. What kind of people would leave their kids with a complete stranger?

LEAST-FAVORITE TRAIT ABOUT YOURSELF?I need to enjoy myself a little more. When I don’t play my best game, I’m miserable about it. Obviously, I’m stoked if we win, but right after, I’m back to work. I don’t take a day to relax and enjoy it.

EASIEST WAY TO GET ON YOUR NERVES?Receivers I’ve played with throughout my career have said the same thing: “Hey, man, I’m gonna be open. Throw me the ball.” That’s really the worst request.

I get In the huddle, the clock’s runnIng down and I just

pause. I thought, oh my gosh. what Is the play?

IF THERE’S ONE TEAM THAT COULD RIGHTFULLY BE CALLED THE “NEW jACkS” OF THE NFL, it’s the Buccaneers. Last season, Tampa Bay boasted one of the league’s youngest rosters, and its inexperience showed in an 0–7 start and a dismal 3–13 finish. This season, the Bucs are a big early-season surprise. A catalyst behind the rise? Second-year QB Josh Freeman, who can safely be said to ply his craft away from the spotlight’s glare. Which is why The Mag decided to get to know the 22-year-old swashbuckler under center a little better, subjecting him to our inaugural “Psyche Scan.”

BEST PASS YOU EVER THREW?It was third down and 17 during Week 2 against Carolina. I dropped back, thinking about taking a shot at Kellen Winslow in tight coverage down the middle. Just when I’m about to cut loose, a defender almost sacks me. Then another guy comes and gets me, but I pull free. I break around, and all I see is this big white glove waving 40 yards down the field. It’s Kellen. I throw it as hard as I can. Charles Godfrey tried to undercut it, but it went right over his hands and into Kellen’s. We got a touchdown out of that drive, and those points allowed us to win the game.

TOUGHEST SCHEME TO READ?The Saints have a really exotic blitz package on third down. Well, it was exotic to me the first time we played them last season. I threw two third-down interceptions that day. Now, picking it up has almost become second nature. Live and learn.

BIGGEST GAME?My first start, against the Packers. We were 0–7 coming off a bye week. It was my first opportunity. There are so many nuances and protection calls when you’re playing a 3-4 defense like Green Bay’s, so I definitely came into the game a little more nervous. I didn’t play great, but I did well enough to win.

WORST LOSS ON THE FIELD? It was such an up-and-down emotional roller coaster when we played the Dolphins last year. We took the lead toward the end of the game, but with 1:10 left they got the ball back. Ricky Williams, I think, broke a big run down to the 7-yard line. They waited ’til there were like 14 seconds left and kicked a field goal, and we lost. Before that, my worst loss was my little league basketball championship game in sixth grade. It was one of those losses where you’re

not afraidsOphOmOre signal-caller jOsh freeman

sTanDs Up TO OUr pressUre.By Carmen Renee Thompson

Photograph by Bob croslin

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NFL

ESPN The Magazine Oct. 18, 2010 60

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Giants“Pocket passers can’t throw on their backs,” Jaws says. With a porous O-line (18 QB hits allowed, seventh most in the NFL), that’s where Eli Manning’s been this season. Big Blue would do well to draft Middle Tennessee’s Dwight Dasher. His ability to escape pressure (nearly 2,000 yards rushing) should charm O-coordinator Kevin Gilbride, who had the mobile Warren Moon in Houston.

BroncosSure, the Chosen One has improved his throwing motion, and Josh McDaniels is likely grooming the rookie to start someday. But imagine Tim Tebow, the first college player to run and pass for at least 20 TDs in the same season, manning the five-wide 10 plays a game right now. “If there’s anyone in the NFL who could run this type of system,” Jaws says, “it’d be Denver because of Tebow’s skill set.”

PatriotsBill Belichick isn’t afraid to break out the spread with Tom Brady, but Pats fans don’t want No. 12 sacked. Why not bring in Virginia Tech’s Tyrod Taylor—who, like former Hokie Michael Vick, is a dual threat (1,738 rushing yards)—to take the hits? “A rookie spread QB probably won’t succeed right away,” says Jaws. Then again, there’s no better teacher than Brady.

49ersThere was a reason Troy Smith won the 2006 Heisman: more than 5,500 career yards passing and 1,000 yards rushing at Ohio State. Health problems derailed the fourth-year pro, but he—and the Niners—could make a legitimate comeback with the spread. New O-coordinator Mike Johnson coached a similar style QB in Michael Vick during Johnson’s four seasons in Atlanta.

FalconsIn Matt Ryan, the Falcons have a QB ready-made for five-step drops. But next season, Georgia Tech senior joshua Nesbitt could be the magic bullet for a team once known for its run-happy signal-caller. Nesbitt already has 100-yard-rushing and -passing games this season, and what self-respecting Falcons fan wouldn’t want to cheer on a Peach State grad?

BrownsSeneca Wallace is the prototypical change-of-pace passer. Without a blocking back, the spread leaves the QB vulnerable, effectively taking the play off the table when backup Wallace starts in place of Jake Delhomme. In small doses, though, the eight-year vet could shine. After all, he did throw for more than 5,000 yards in just two seasons at Iowa State.

For his new book, The Games That Changed the Game, former pro quarterback and current Monday Night Football analyst Ron Jaworski spoke with coaches from the past about the NFL’s future. Their prediction? The spread offense is coming to a team near you. With nearly 40% of Football Bowl Subdivision (see page 55) teams relying on multireceiver sets, more shotgun specialists will be available on draft day. “The top six quarterbacks will always be elite passers,” Jaws says. “But the league may have to adapt.” Some teams are already set to transition to a world of dual-threat QBs. Here are six squads best prepared to make that switch.

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is YOUr Team reaDY? By LaRue Cook