As the Pittsburgh Steelers prepare for their preseason opener, all eyes naturally gravitate toward young quarterbacks Drew Allar and Will Howard. While casual observers will focus on deep-ball highlights and box-score statistics, head coach Mike McCarthy and the offensive coaching staff are evaluating something far more fundamental: execution in "Quarterback School."
McCarthy's famous instructional framework breaks down every micro-step of playing the position. Rather than asking young quarterbacks to navigate complex schemes against vanilla preseason defenses, the coaching staff wants to see clean, seamless operational mechanics from the moment the team breaks the huddle.
Host Chris Carter outlined the methodical process on his “Locked On Steelers” podcast, explaining how McCarthy isolates each mechanic.
“Are you getting your first step after when you are catching the snap right? Are you, you know, are you taking your first step out in your drop back, right? Your second step, your third step, your fourth step. How are you setting up your frame? Then where are your shoulders? Where is your head pointing at the start of a play?” Carter noted.
For Howard, mastering those isolated steps has already shown tangible progress during training camp drills. According to Carter, Howard previously highlighted a simple metric for evaluating his own successful days.
Carter relayed how Howard said he was always happy as long as his “stripe was starting in the right place.”
That helmet stripe detail reflects whether a quarterback is remaining disciplined in his progressions or staring down his primary receiver. A critical habit when transitioning from college to NFL speed.
As guest Jenna Harner emphasized, clean operation under the stadium lights is the first real test for both young signal-callers. “It’s can these guys operate cleanly, but what can they prove? What can they show to the Steelers?” Harner asked. For Allar and Howard, proving they belong starts by mastering the basics.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: How Mike McCarthy’s QB school will judge Drew Allar in preseason opener