Viktor
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- Mar 19, 2019
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Well, make it six different offensive coordinators in six seasons for Griffin-Stewart, who is now being taught by Vikings Offensive Coordinator Gary Kubiak and his staff.
"I think it helps out my football IQ tremendously," said Griffin-Stewart, who spent four seasons at Rutgers before transferring to Pittsburgh for the 2019 season. "We did pro-style my freshman year, a no-huddle, hand-signal, Air Raid-type offense my sophomore year … did a pro-style mixed with spread, went to pro-style again.
"So, I had a mix of everything, and it really helped me progress as a player mentally. I also matured as a player because every year I had a new task to do … there was never a level of comfortability knowing, 'Hey, next season I'm going to know the same terminology and it's going to be the same thing.' Every year I kind of had to bunker down and make sure I was in that playbook, and I had coaches who held me accountable to do so," Griffin-Stewart added. "Is it a leg up? I assume so. It helped out my football IQ tremendously. Talking with coaches and going over basic things and watching film, I understand what they're talking about and why things ae getting done. Obviously, nobody is a finished product, and the biggest thing I like to do is learn. I'm going in with wide eyes and big ears to listen and see anything I can possibly learn from anybody."
Griffin-Stewart may have some experience in learning on the fly, but he's one of 27 rookies (15 draft picks and a dozen UDFAs) who will now be tasked with picking up a pro playbook on an iPad.
Even coaches have had to adjust to a new learning environment, notably Kubiak, who is entering his 25th season as an NFL coach.
"I will say this, it's amazing how well the organization has done a great job of setting this up," Kubiak said. "The players have been great — the coaches I have on the offensive side of the ball, I have some great, young kids that help us with all of this technology — the veteran coaches are doing a great job of [learning].
"We're making it work," Kubiak added. "Off to a great start this week, got [four] days under our belt … it's been very positive."
Wide receiver Quartney Davis, an undrafted free agent from Texas A&M, said he's been meeting daily with Vikings assistant wide receivers coach Christian Jones.
And former Oregon offensive lineman Brady Aiello, who signed with Minnesota as an undrafted free agent after the draft, said he's spent plenty of time chatting with Vikings assistant offensive line coach Phil Rauscher.