Chiefs WR Xavier Worthy draws comparison between Texas HC Steve Sarkisian and Andy Reid's playbook
Former Texas Longhorn and new Kansas City Chief wide receiver Xavier Worthy discussed his head coaches on Saturday. Worthy mentioned similarities between the playbook he used under coach Steve Sarkisian at Texas and the one he uses with Andy Reid now.
The two coaches haven't often been discussed as similar thinkers, but Worthy had some interesting points about his former and current coaches.
"It's been fun, learning the new offense," Xavier Worthy said. "It reminds me a lot of Sark's (Steve Sarkisian) playbook, a lot of similarities, just a lot of different names to it. It's going to be fun to play in this offense."
Sarkisian's background
Sarkisian was a multi-sport athlete in high school who starred as a quarterback in college at BYU. He played briefly in the Canadian Football League but soon began his coaching career.
After several assistant jobs, Sarkisian got his first head coaching shot at the University of Washington. He took over a 0-12 team that had passed for just 163.8 yards per game. Additionally, the UW team had just one receiver who caught more than 20 passes or who topped 301 receiving yards.
The following year, Sarkisian improved the team to 5-7, largely on an increase to 236.5 passing yards per game. Lightly touted backup quarterback Jake Locker was on his way to becoming a first-round draft pick. UW now had five receivers with 25 or more catches and three who topped 421 yards.
From there, it has only been more of the same. Sarkisian's coaching career hit a few false starts, but he's been an offensive innovator at every stop. Those who applaud his work are clear as to how he succeeds. ESPN analyst Greg McElroy has credited Sarkisian with using motion and shifts before the snap to create mismatches. He also praised Sark for the same plays from numerous formations.
Reid's background
Reid and Sarkisian both ended up at BYU as players. But while Sarkisian was a quarterback, Reid was a reserve offensive lineman. Reid coached in college for a decade, starting at BYU and finishing up at the University of Missouri.
Reid then moved to the NFL, where he was an assistant with the Green Bay Packers from 1992 to 1998. He took the Philadelphia Eagles head coaching job in 1999 and stayed until 2013 when he moved to the Kansas City Chiefs, where Reid has won three Super Bowls.
Reid's NFL system is one that generally defies categorization. Reid's background came with the West Coast passing attack, and he has increasingly utilized the shotgun formation in the NFL, as has most of the league.
At the end of the day, Reid's style is adjusted almost by the minute. But in terms of overarching philosophy, those who analyze Reid have a few conclusions. His system, they note, is largely about short to intermediate passes. Those passes are well-defined to create mismatches and space for receivers to make plays.
Xavier Worthy's Progression
At the end of the day, then, Xavier Worthy has a point about certain consistent similarities between his two coaches. In three seasons under Sarkisian, Worthy has been remarkably consistent. He caught 62, 60 and 75 passes. Worthy failed to catch multiple passes in just two of his 39 games at Texas.
At 6-foot-1 and 160 pounds, Xavier Worthy is a bit skinny to play on the edge, so he exploited Sarkisian's work in creating mismatches to work the middle of the field.
None of this feels outside the realm of Reid's Kansas City attack. As quarterback Patrick Mahomes gets older and more banged up, the Chiefs will probably prefer getting the ball out of his hands earlier and earlier. With Travis Kelce and Rashee Rice already making plays, Xavier Worthy could fit right in for 2024 and beyond.
How will Xavier Worthy work out with the Chiefs? Let us hear your thoughts below in our comments section!