Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
The preseason is a time for players to come out and show coaches they are worth a spot on the football team. Chandler Harnish is definitely worth a spot. For those who aren’t aware, Chandler Harnish is the third string quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts. He wasn’t expected to make the roster or be any good after being drafted dead last in 2012, but as I’ve seen through the preseason Harnish possesses an extreme amount of talent.
Harnish had his first curtain call this season on August 11, and I was very impressed with his performance. On his first few passes he showed pristine accuracy. He zipped the ball into every the hole for completed passes and showed supreme touch.
Harnish is also far more athletic than he is given credit for. Many times during the game he scrambled out of the pocket when pressure was bearing down on him, and once or twice he also ran for some decent yardage. Harnish is super quick and shows a great burst when he runs. He’s a multidimensional player.
Harnish’s biggest asset is his arm strength. He routinely threw deep passes with just the flick of a wrist. His arm is like a rocket. When he had to squeeze balls into tight places he was able to with relative ease and without the closest risk of throwing an interception.
While Harnish did display good talent he had some major bumps. Harnish is a very rough player. At this point in his career he is like a piece of leather being made into a smooth and beautiful saddle. He made bad reads and tried to force things on occasion. He threw one interception in the game, and it showed just how young a player he really is. As a quarterback it takes time to read the defense properly and makes the right throws.
Harnish has the talent to be a good quarterback, and he just needs to work on consistency and the mental aspect of the game. We’ve seen Harnish show some special talent and ability in the preseason. It will be telling in the next few games just how much he can improve. He is showing promise, but he needs to continue to step up and work hard.
