Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator: Quarterback Kyler Murray 'gets better every day'

Having quarterback Kyler Murray on the field taking snaps and executing the offense the past couple of months is huge for Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, who didn't have Murray to work with last offseason.

Murray was still in knee rehab, working his way back from surgery and wouldn't see the field until midway through last season. But this offseason, a healthy Murray has been there for everything.

Here's some of what Petzing had to say about Murray on Thursday at team headquarters. Murray recently labeled his offensive coordinator a "genius" earlier this offseason.

"He's the type of guy that gets better every day," Petzing said, asked about the growth of Murray as a quarterback. "Sometimes it's physically, sometimes it's mentally, sometimes it's a leadership perspective. But when you take the job as seriously as he does, I think you're always going to see that growth.

"I think it's something that he's always looking to be a better player, be a better teammate, be a better leader, so the more opportunities he gets to do it, the more he learns from it, just like we do as coaches."

Kyler Murray wants the ball

Great players want the ball, Petzing said, and he wants those type of players on his team.

"Any great player, especially of his talent level, is always going to want the game on their back," Petzing said. "To some extent they should, and I should. He's that type of player. I think he's found a nice balance of when to make his plays, but also let the talent around him provide."

With regard to the genius label, Petzing was humble.

"I fooled him," he said with a smile. "I think it's getting that connection. One of the things I've always told him is if we're ever going to get really where we want to be, when I call something, you know exactly why, to the point where you're almost anticipating a call before I do."

A confident quarterback, a confident offense

Petzing said the Cardinals offense being a tighter-knit group led by Murray is meaningful.

"It's an understanding of we're all trying to accomplish the same thing and we're willing to put in the effort to get it done right," Petzing said.

The Cardinals' first training camp practice is Thursday, July 25. The team's annual Red & White Practice is Aug. 3 at 1:15 p.m. and the first preseason game is at home against the New Orleans Saints on Aug. 10.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: What Arizona Cardinals top assistant coach said about his quarterback