Kyler Murray's pre-snap clap threw officials off in the Cardinals' 33-26 preseason loss to the Raiders on Thursday and coach Kliff Kingsbury says the two sides are working on clearing up the confusion.
Murray was flagged for two false starts against Oakland and says he was told his claps were "too abrupt" and "not smooth enough." Kingsbury believes progress is being made toward a resolution though.
“I feel we are in a good place with it,” Kingsbury told reporters earlier this week. “It’s just something new and there is some subjectivity to it, but I think we have come to an understanding.… Just an abrupt motion without the actual clap is what we have to avoid. We’ve come to that place and we understand that.”
Claps are certainly allowed in the NFL, but they aren't nearly as common in the pros as they are at the collegiate level. Despite the initial reactions to Murray's unusual cadence, Kingsbury says he'll stick to the routine that makes his quarterback comfortable moving forward.
Murray had a strong showing in a win over the Chargers last week, but his performance against Oakland was hampered by poor field position due to penalties. He only completed three of his eight passing attempts against the Raiders for 12 yards, leading to speculation that Arizona's college offense might not be the best fit for the NFL.
Regardless, it looks like officials with have to adjust to Murray's style of play as the season goes on. The Oklahoma product was selected first overall and has been tasked with turning around an Arizona team that went 3-13 last year and is paired with a first-year head coach.
People have their doubts the 5-10 quarterback has the chops to make it in the NFL and Arizona will try to make him feel at home so he can thrive in his rookie season.