Nacua

Tutu in the Hakim role?

How Rams WR Puka Nacua is growing with ‘Coach Kupp,’ a breakfast club and tough hits

by Jourdan Rodrigue

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — In 2021, it was playfully nicknamed “the breakfast club,” a daily film appointment between
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford and receiver Cooper Kupp that took place in the earliest hours of the
morning.These days, a third player sits in with the two veterans: rookie receiver Puka Nacua.
“Those two — as much as they’re in the moment for the reps that we’re taking, they’re thinking light-years ahead. ‘Hey, we’ve
played this team before, on this look we have run this before, we’ve got a different look so when you run this, expect this
because we’ve seen that before,’”said Nacua, waving his hands to demonstrate how rapid-fire the information comes toward
him from Stafford and Kupp.“It’s been sweet, it’s been a blessing. Every morning. …They’re next level.I guess that’s a part
of being a professional.They are the best of the best.I’m trying to build some of those things into my routine.”
Nacua burst into the NFL’s view in historic fashion.In just two games — minus Kupp, who is on injured reserve with a
hamstring issue — Nacua has 25 catches for 266 yards and the Rams’ pass game has a 15.9 EPA whenever he is targeted,
according to TruMedia.This ranks No. 4 among NFL receivers. His 15 catches for 147 yards (on 20 targets) Sunday marked
the most catches made in a single game by a rookie receiver in NFL history, and he is also the first in NFL history to have
10-plus catches and at least 100 yards receiving in each of his first two career games.

Getting to this point has been a group effort, Nacua said, and it started in spring OTAs — just a few weeks after the Rams
drafted him out of BYU in the fifth round.
If “the breakfast club”is a graduate-level study program, Nacua had to begin with some “gen eds.” During OTAs, he started
showing up in the mornings to passing game specialist Jake Peetz’s office — Kupp and Stafford in a room somewhere down
the hall — to get a base layer of information about the Rams’ passing concepts, from alignment details to formations and how
the team layers and times routes.
“Every morning (of OTAs) I was coming in, after practice coming in to see him,”Nacua said.“It slowly started branching out
from there. (Peetz) got me some reps with the ones, and I was able to work with Stafford and with Coop. (Then, Stafford) is
giving me coaching points because we got live reps together. … Everybody (started) chiming in.”
On the field, Nacua worked closely with receivers coach Eric Yarber especially on what his responsibilities would be away
from the ball. Catching passes well doesn’t guarantee playing time for Rams receivers, who are fully involved in blocking
concepts along with the tight ends and offensive linemen.If Nacua could grasp the requirements there, he could get on the
field earlier.
“It really did start in the run game,”Nacua said.“If we have a closer split, if I’m all the way out wide, how does that change
our run rules? …That was,I guess (a way) to build into our offense.It starts in our play-action, stuff like that.The ground
level really was all the run game stuff, and I love that.I found a new way to look at the defense.”
By Week 2 against San Francisco, Nacua was executing some of the run-blocking assignments the Rams used to give former
veteran receiver Robert Woods.
“Those receivers, they got to put their face in there and when they do, it sets a tone for everyone else on offense,” offensive
coordinator Mike LaFleur said.“It’s good that he’s embraced that.I think that’s the culture he walked into and like I said,
giving Yarbs (Yarber) a lot of credit for getting that done.”
As OTAs and training camp continued, Nacua took coaching wherever he could get it.In June, McVay spent time in
practices working with Nacua on his release off the line of scrimmage.In July, between OTAs and training camp, Stafford
organized throwing sessions with Nacua, Kupp and other young receivers.In training camp and into the preseason while he
dealt with a hamstring strain, Kupp spent most practices on the sideline with the receivers and got in Nacua and others’ ears
after each play. But the other receivers — Tutu Atwell, Van Jefferson and Ben Skowronek — also got in Nacua’s ear.
“The other guys have been right there along the way, helping me as much as they can,” he said.“As much as I feel like I’m
learning things, and picking things up, there’s the little nuances (they know), they’ve just been in the offense for a while.
They’re always willing to help me.

By the time the season began, Nacua had “graduated”from his morning sessions with Peetz and started sitting in with
Stafford and Kupp.
“I’m kind of following Coop, like, ‘Hey, when do you guys come in? Hey, Coop, can I watch with you guys?’”Nacua said
laughing.“The first couple of meetings,I’m like a fly on the wall. Nothing is really being said to me, they’re just like,
watching the tape (and) talking to each other.Then they’re like, ‘Oh, Puka, you’re in on this rep? This is what we want you to
do.’ And I’m like, ‘Oh, you’re talking to me?’I’m so focused the whole time! My ears perk up and I’m like, ‘He’s talking to me
now.’”
As the season approached, coaches started to see the young receiver “get it.”LaFleur noticed that when Stafford broke the
huddle, and Nacua went to his spot, he did so without confusion or indecision.
“There’s a lot of things that are said in that huddle for a rookie receiver that they’ve never experienced in their life,”LaFleur
said.“Every guy is going to be a little bit different on how they approach it … I won’t even mention names, but some
(rookies), when the first parts of the play call are coming in, they’re pointing to what direction they have to break (out) of the
huddle. You can almost kind of see them playing the play out with their hand and stuff like that. For Puka, he just breaks it
with confidence — and then he goes.”

When the Rams traveled to Seattle in Week 1, the younger receivers asked McVay if Kupp could travel with the team so he
could be on the sideline with them.
“What was the most powerful thing is that those guys asked,”McVay said.“Usually guys that are on IR don’t make the trips
to these away games, things like that.Those guys specifically asked because they wanted his feedback, his ability to lead and
the information that he’s able to give them that can be digestible and applicable. …
“There’s such a credibility that comes.It’s one thing when we’re saying it, it’s another thing when Cooper is explaining it.To
be able to articulate it through (the) lens, ‘I’ve been in these exact situations,I know exactly what we’re looking for.’ He was
right there on the sidelines. He’s ‘Coach Kupp’right now.”
Against Seattle, Nacua was targeted 15 times by Stafford, and caught 10 passes for 119 yards. He also lined up all across the
line of scrimmage and became one of the early reads in Stafford’s progression against zone coverage, a sign that the coaching
staff and quarterback trusted him to account for many of the concepts called for Kupp when he’s healthy.
In that game, Nacua bruised his ribs on a tough catch across the middle of the field — “welcome to the NFL,” he said — but
was all smiles, shoots and goshes postgame and said he couldn’t wait to call his mom

Zooey wrote:

InvaderRam wrote:

he and kupp should be dynamite together. if he’s supposedly playing the robert woods role. and cooper kupp will presumably play the uhhhh… cooper kupp role, they should complement each other instead of being redundant. that’s also very encouraging.

My concern – and it was expressed by Steven Smith – is that Kupp and Nacua are the same guy. Not complementary guys. But…I would think a good coach would be able to stress a defense with 2 guys who are that good. And maybe this is where Atwell actually gets to be the lightning.

Kupp and Robert Woods we’re the same guy, and that worked out ok for a few years.

How in the heck did Kupp last till the 3rd round and Nacua into the 5th round?

Purty good drafting.

w

v

Zooey wrote:

nittany ram wrote:

Kupp and Robert Woods we’re the same guy, and that worked out ok for a few years.

I dunno about that. I think Woods’ was notable for his ability to find open space in crucial situations, and make those catches. The thing I see in Kupp and Nacua is the ability to create tight windows, fight for the ball, and then fight for extra yardage when it looks like the play is over. How do you see Woods and Kupp as similar?

Neither Kupp nor Woods are speedsters, but they get separation through precise route running.  Kupp takes that ability to another level.

When the Rams traded Woods, it wasn’t just because of the cap. Snead said they wanted someone with a different skill set because Kupp and Woods were similar players. Then they went after Robinson who had a different skill set – which turned out to be none.  The no skill set.  But in Snead’s defense, having no skills did set him apart from Kupp and Woods.

zn wrote:

To quote Ben: “When a guy has 25 catches over two games, and not that great at running routes yet…think about how many he’s going to have when he’s good at running routes.”

i don’t know for sure.  this is just my impression.  but i get the sense that kupp entered the league a much more polished receiver than nacua.  he came in a couple years older, and he was more developed physically as well.

i’m not saying that nacua will be as good as kupp.  but as much as he has produced in the first two games of his career, i still see a raw receiver with huge upside.  that’s what excites me the most.  he’s gotta stay healthy though.  and he’s not the most athletic receiver out there.  but he’s strong.  he’s tough.  he’s got the instincts.  if he can master the technique.  and i don’t see why he can’t.  he’s playing alongside a master technician.  and he already seems to have developed a bond with him.

he and steve avila.  and i should mention kobie turner as well.  the reports and highlights i’m seeing of those guys.  it’s given me hope that the rams future is bright.  this could be one heckuva rookie class.

pic.twitter.com/0Q4yChsLcd

— Marty Mcjerkbag (@MartyMcjerkbag) October 1, 2023

• This reply was modified 7 months, 1 week ago by InvaderRam.