FIU football hoping creative use of film study will help QB Keyone Jenkins improve
FIU Panthers offensive coordinator David Yost did something completely new this spring.
For the first time in his career, Yost – who has more than 25 years of coaching experience in college football – broke down all 14 of Keyone Jenkins’ senior-year games at Miami Central.
“Normally when I watch high-school tape, it’s an evaluation tool,” Yost said on Thursday as the Panthers approach the culmination of spring practices on April 13.
“I’m usually analyzing how does (the recruit) throw the ball? How is his release? But this was different.”
Indeed, Yost and the rest of FIU’s coaches on offense watched Jenkins’ high-school tape this time in order to find what plays he excelled at during that 14-0 state-championship season of 2022.
“We need to accelerate Keyone’s progress,” Yost said of Jenkins, who this fall will enter his second year as FIU’s starting quarterback.
“I now have a better feel for what he’s good at. Multiple (FIU assistant coaches) have come up with ideas.”
Those ideas are needed because FIU has posted two straight 4-8 seasons under this coaching staff.
As a true freshman season, Jenkins became the starter midway through the opener. In 11 games, he completed 58.4 percent of his passes for 2,414 yards, 11 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
As for 2024, Yost said he hasn’t added new plays. Rather, concepts that were already in the playbook will be further emphasized due to the in-depth look at Jenkins’ past.
“When offenses are good,” Yost said, “it’s about the playmaker honing in on ‘what your offensive line can do and what your quarterback is good at.’”
With Jenkins, Yost wants him to -- at times – take the short gain and not always push for the long ball.
“We’ve told him, ‘You don’t have to put the cape on,’” Yost said. “When the normal play is there, take that.
“There will be enough times when you have to put the cape on and be Superman.
“Some quarterbacks want to make every play a super play. Then they mature and realize that a hitch for seven yards on first down is a good play. If you try to make every play super, one of those is going to be a turnover.”
Jenkins, who is entering his seventh season as a starting QB in high school or college, has a large “database” of football information.
“We watch film together, and he can remember plays from six years ago,” Yost said. “He gets excited about watching his teammates (in film study).
“But all of this film work should help our communication. When I’m on the head set (calling plays from the coaches’ box), and Keyone is on the field, we can speak the same language.
“We should’ve done (this film study) a year ago.”
THIS AND THAT
▪ FIU coach Mike MacIntyre made his entire squad run extra laps following Thursday’s practice. The reason: One player did not make eye contact when a coach was talking.
▪ True freshman quarterback Clayton Dees, who graduated high school early so he can participate in spring ball at FIU, is wearing a knee brace due to an old injury.
“He’s faster than you think,” Yost said. “When he takes off, he can go. He’s not as far along as Keyone was this time last year, but you see some flashes of Clayton’s deep balls, hitting those today.”
