What to Expect With Willis at Quarterback

Ryan Tannehill has been ruled out for Sunday against the Houston Texans. The rookie out of Liberty University will start and get his first real taste of NFL action.

George Walker IV / Tennessean.com / USA Today Network

NASHVILLE – Just over half a year since the Tennessee Titans drafted him in the third round, rookie quarterback Malik Willis will make his first NFL start.

Ryan Tannehill has been ruled out of Sunday's game against the Houston Texans due to the combination of an illness and an ankle injury.

What should we expect of Willis, who directed the starting offense almost all week in practice?

It’s hard to base any forecasts based on what he’s done so far this regular season. Willis has played just 20 snaps – four runs for 16 yards and one completed pass (four attempts) for six yards.

To get a better picture of the third-round pick out of Liberty, it’s probably helpful to look back when he got a significant amount of action in three preseason games and how he’s progressed in practice this year.

Here’s a five-point refresher on Willis:

• Splash plays – Willis didn’t have a perfect preseason, but he certainly displayed big-play potential – with both his arm and legs. The first glimpse came against Baltimore, when Willis started right, reversed field and eluded three tacklers on his way to a 7-yard touchdown run. One series later, he connected with Racey McMath on a 48-yard pass.

In the next two games, Willis produced a 24-yard run against Tampa Bay, a 50-yard run against Arizona and completions of 21 and 27 yards to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and McMath, respectively. Consistency may have been an issue, but it soon became clear what NFL teams found intriguing about him: He has the ability to create big-chunk plays, which have been in short supply for the Titans this season.

• Hesitation and Sacks – One of the biggest concerns about Willis throughout the preseason was his hesitation in the pocket. He wanted to wait until receivers were in the clear before he threw rather than anticipate their arrival in an open window. That’s one of the reasons Willis was sacked nine times during the preseason – tied for the most in the league. He had been sacked 51 times during his final year at Liberty, most among FBS quarterbacks in 2021 .

The good news is that Willis appeared to take strides with each preseason game when it came to getting rid of the ball quicker. He averaged 4.48 seconds to throw in Week 1 of the preseason, lowered that number to 4.05 seconds in Week 2 and lowered it again to just 3.08 in Week 3.

He’ll likely need to be closer to three seconds than four if he wants to be successful on a regular basis in the NFL.

• Pocket Presence – Willis is an elusive runner, as evidenced in college, when he broke 89 tackles during his final season at Liberty – the most of any player at any position, per Pro Football Focus. But there were times in the preseason when he left the pocket too early, and times when he left the back of the pocket rather than step up and keep his eyes downfield.

If Willis starts Sunday, there’s little doubt that Texans coach Lovie Smith – a former defensive coordinator – will find ways to bring pressure against him. Willis will need to make wise decisions in those instances, trying to keep passing options open as long as possible before bolting from the pocket.

• Last Impression, Best Impression – Willis showed the kind of strides he made in the preseason in the Titans’ final contest, a 26-23 victory over the Cardinals.

In the first two quarters of that game, Willis ran four times for 79 yards, while completing 12-of-16 passes for 88 yards.

One completion in particular stood out. In the closing seconds of the first half, Willis found himself under heavy pressure. But instead of scrambling, Willis stepped up in the pocket, absorbed a hit and used a near-sidearm throw to complete a 14-yard touchdown pass to Treylon Burks.

It seemed an exclamation point to the preseason learning process, a possible prelude to the regular season.

“At the end of the day, for as long as possible, I want to remain a passer,” Willis said at the time. “That’s what was so frustrating about the first two games. I think I wasn’t remaining a passer as long as I wanted to, which wasn’t allowing people to get open downfield.”

• Taking Responsibility – Early this season, coach Mike Vrabel spoke with Willis about the most important job of the second-string quarterback – preparing the scout team, in order to give the first-string defense a realistic look at what it might be facing in the upcoming game.

“I thought maybe the first week of the season it was something that was new for him,” Vrabel said. “We had a conversation about how he needs to operate and get those guys to function.”

Vrabel said he likes the progress he’s seen from Willis in that regard, especially the last couple of weeks. Another regular member of the scout team, wide receiver, Mason Kinsey, has seen Willis take strides in leadership and responsibility as well.

“Yeah, it’s just by taking control of the huddle, making sure people are lined up and know what to do, so we can go out there and give our defense a good look,” Kinsey said. “That’s the biggest thing. And then it gives him an opportunity to get reps and play quarterback. He’s done a great job in that regard.”

If Willis starts at Houston, the Titans will hope that the growth process continues.