Why the NFL Has a Quarterback Crisis - from today's WSJ
From today's WSJ
Why the NFL Has a Quarterback Crisis
Coaches see more QB prospects entering the league without the skill sets to excel; Will the classic NFL passer go extinct?
http://www.wsj.com/articles/why-the-nfl-has-a-quarterback-crisis-1441819454?mod=trending_now_4
Remember "read the Mike?"
September 10th, 2015 at 10:35 AM ^
Look at the starting QB's for teams as we start the NFL season. Tyrod Taylor, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Josh McCown, and Brian Hoyer are all starting. Players like a Kellen Clemens, Luke McCown, Chase Daniel, Dan Orlovsky, Shaun Hill, Matt Moore, Bruce Gradkowski, Charlie Whitehurst, Derek Anderson, Tavaris Jackson, TJ Yates, and Scott Tolzein are all primary backups. How many of those players do you remember in college?
The amount of talented college QB's that translate to the NFL is amazingly quite low
September 10th, 2015 at 11:08 AM ^
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September 10th, 2015 at 10:51 AM ^
other than Chip Kelly run a college style offense? I never understood this.
Anyway, the article is stupid and pointless because how many QBs from say the 80s and 90s got a chance to sit on the bench for a year or more to learn how to be an NFL QB.
Wishbone, Triple Option, and other offenses that haven't relied on a throwing QB were the norm in the 70s and 80s in college (hence Henne and Navarre hold the M records) and the QBs going to the NFL largely needed to learn how to be a QB in the NFL or were put in much more basic NFL offenses that didn't require memorizing a 500 page playbook.
September 10th, 2015 at 11:09 AM ^
That removes most of the advantage of running from play to play.
September 10th, 2015 at 11:13 AM ^
A large and underappreciated element of the effectiveness of the spread offense in NCAA & HS football is the position of the hashmarks. In the NFL the hashmarks are 15ft apart(Same as the goalposts) whereby a defense does not have to compensate for the "wide" side of the field. They can line up symmetrically against your offensive alignment and thereby not "tip their hand" as to what they will do post snap.
If the hash marks at either the HS or NCAA level were changed to the same as the NFL it would have a very detrimental effect on spread offenses as we know them now.Having the ball placed on the hash in HS(50 feet apart) or NCAA(40 feet apart) allows the OC to dictate the defensive alignment, taking this "read" away from the QB, and then signal in the play that best suits the defense he see's. Allowing QB's with little or no understanding of reads to use their athleticism to have success.
My question is why do defenses and both lower levels not exploit this more with motion/deception on their side of the ball? I would mess with those QB's and OC's as much as possible in every way possible. I'd have none of my lineman down in 3pt, instead I'd stand 6-8 guys up within 1yd of the LOS(mixing linebackers/lineman/hybrids) and leave them guessing who is coming and who is bailing out to cover every time.
Playing an Oregon type spread where lineman are NEVER going power or even drive blocking why have your d-line down in a position that is intended to keep them from getting leveraged out against power running? If the O-line is going to stand up and dance with you on every play(Zone block) why even worry about being the "low man"? Stand everyone up which hides your linebackers/secondary anyhow and dare them to run power on you.
September 10th, 2015 at 12:26 PM ^
Didn't the Packers do this? I remember some alignment they used where only Raji or some DT was down and the rest of everyone was up but I cannot remember when or who they were playing.
September 10th, 2015 at 12:39 PM ^
Lots of teams at various times have used a 1-5-5 nickel.
Here is an article from 2009 about the Steelers using it:
http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2009/9/21/1047264/the-2-4-5-and-1-…
September 10th, 2015 at 1:33 PM ^
Nice!!That is exactly what I was talking about. Teams IMO are always playing too "wide" against the spread offenses. Trying desparately to cover massive amounts of grass while at the same time keeping the "lane integrity" that is a staple of defensive football for a century.
I much prefer taking away the one thing spread QB's need the most, time and vision. Its a gamblers risk I know but I think I'd take it over the death of a thousand cuts that quality spread teams deliver against traditional spread D formations. Come at them from angles they dont expect in unpredictable timing. I understand we will get burned for a big one when they guess right, we'll also create big losses & turnovers when we guess right and most importantly they will not get comfortable the rest of the time.
Spread in so many ways reminds me of double wing or T football. Once the O has a feel for what you do in 5 situations they show you it turns chess into checkers for them. The players can call the game themselves(I've seen this playing in a double wing). Gotta mix it up on D even though you may pay for it sometimes.
September 10th, 2015 at 12:48 PM ^
Win Win (and also win on Saturday, please)
September 10th, 2015 at 4:29 PM ^
Like the NFL-style of play is absolute, normalized, and unchanging. Adapt or keep fielding shitty offenses.
September 10th, 2015 at 4:41 PM ^