Count both head coaches from the BCS national championship game among those uninclined to allow their quarterbacks to engage in private offseason passing instruction. FSU coach Jimbo Fisher drew the line in an interview about the industry with usatoday.com. About five months earlier, Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said much the same.
"We've got good quarterback coaches," Fisher said. "My guys aren't going out there. I'll coach them. When they go to pro ball, they can do whatever they want. We'll coach our guys. I don't think it benefits you. We know what we're doing, too."
That's a clear-enough directive for Fisher's Heisman Trophy winner, Jameis Winston. He would be eligible to declare for the NFL draft after the season, but has suggested that if two more seasons are needed to complete a degree, he intends to do so. Malzahn has one more season to work with Auburn quarterback Nick Marshall, and intends to be the only source of instruction for him.
"There won't be anyone working with our quarterbacks until their eligibility is exhausted," Malzahn said.
Louisville coach Bob Petrino fell on Malzahn's side of the fence, wanting he and his staff to be the only instructional voice for Cardinals quarterbacks.
Still, the proliferation of top college quarterbacks who are working with instructional gurus such as George Whitfield suggests that much of the coaching community sees it not as interference, but as assistance. Whitfield's clients have included the likes of Johnny Manziel, Andrew Luck and Cam Newton. And that's more than enough name recognition to attract top college quarterbacks to be next in line.
And the mill has its supporters among coaches, too.
"If a young man can go to a different coach that specializes in his position and he comes away with one new drill, one new technique or something that helped him improve, he got better and it was worth it," said Houston coach Tony Levine.
*Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter **@ChaseGoodbread.*
