Flacco backing up one man's strong praise
Back before everyone and their mother knew who Joe Flacco was, K.C. Keeler was confident the quiet, laid-back quarterback from the University of Delaware, a Division I-AA school, had the talent and tools to be an All-Pro in the NFL.
At the time, people might have laughed at him. I don't think anyone's laughing now.
Keeler, the head coach at Delaware, had Flacco under center for two seasons after Flacco decided to transfer from Pitt. In that time, Keeler realized he had guy who was a little different than the other quarterbacks he'd seen.
And not just at the I-AA (now FCS) level, but in all of college football.
He saw Flacco's rocket for an arm, his 6-foot-6, 230 pound frame, and his poise, and was confident Flacco had what it took to make it in the NFL. He just wasn't sure if pro teams shared that same confidence.
Keeler had talked with numerous members of the Ravens' front office in the weeks leading up to the Draft, but it was one conversation with Baltimore head coach John Harbaugh that Keeler specifically remembers.
"John called me the Wednesday before the Draft," Keeler said, "and I told him 'If [Flacco's] at USC, we're arguing why he's not the first overall pick. He's that good.' And I think he's proven that right."
"I have a strong belief in Joe. I thought he could be the face of this franchise, I thought he could be a starting quarterback in the NFL, I thought he could be an All-Pro. And I think that's what they have - they have a franchise quarterback who could lead them to some special things."
Keeler told me he would often catch Flacco's games at his office when breaking down Delaware's game tape from the previous day. Now, a little over a year since that conversation with Harbaugh, Keeler can sit back and smile at how far his pupil has come.
"I got a chance to watch Joe a lot," Keeler said, "and what a great year he had. He played so well and we saw him mature as the season went on. He's everything I told them he was going to be, which is nice."
Flacco took the Ravens deeper into the playoffs than any rookie quarterback in NFL history, but the instant success didn't shock Keeler. He saw Flacco's mental toughness every day at UD, and knew that despite the rookie's lack of experience, he had the makeup a pro quarterback needs to be successful.
"You can't be afraid to fail," Keeler said. "Joe told me he thinks a lot of his success was based on that philosophy - you can't be afraid to fail. That's why when you watch him out there and he's in a blizzard and they're playing the Steelers and the place is going crazy, it's not affecting him, because he's not afraid to fail.
"If they win, they win, if they lose, they lose. He's going to do everything he can to get the job done but if they fail, they fail and he'll know he did everything he could. It's a great philosophy to have and it's something that you try to get your kids to understand and believe in."
Keeler thinks the Ravens are a perfect fit for Flacco, because as UD's head coach lovingly puts it, Flacco is a "homebody".
"Delaware is just down the road, and Audobon, New Jersey [Flacco's hometown] is just down the road," Keeler notes. "His parents can come watch him play, and Delaware fans get a chance to really enjoy his success."
"It's a perfect fit, it all worked out, and we're excited for year two with him."
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Categories (click for archive)Dan Kolko | Ravens News |
I said it before, and I will say it again. I think the only thing we have to worry about this season is a Flacco sophomore slump, which I truly cannot see happening. I really feel we are on the verge of something special with him under center. Now if only the media and so-called experts would give Joe the same love they are extending another young and talented QB named Matt Ryan...
I highly doubt Joe Flacco is gonna go through the "sophmore slump" because he has perhaps one of the best o-lines in the NFL to protect him and a good running game, so he's good to go. As for Matt Ryan, I would not be surprised if he falls victim to the sophmore slump list. Why?...
Because he had the benefit of facing easy teams who did not have not so good defenses while Flacco played against top 10 defenses constantly last season. Now I'm not saying he's gonna be a bust, but when was the last time he faced a good defense like the Ravens, Steelers, or Titans?? He played against the eagles in the playoffs and look what happened, he was toast. I am actually glad Flacco got the chance to play against good defenses because he needed to be thrown in the pack and learn on what he has to do in order to miminize his mistakes. Of course Flacco is not gonna have a breakout year, but at the same time he'll play a lot better this season than last season. That's my prediction.
In the era of the flamboyant sports heroes, Flacco is a breath of fresh air. Ravens fan or not, you have to pull for this guy.