Do the words "mobile quarterback" still give you ulcers?

Submitted by Larry Appleton on

I know Michigan realistically has a 98% chance of winning on Saturday, but my pessimism won't let me stop thinking about that 2%. 

One thing that is causing me stress is the fact that sparty's rs-freshman QB is a pretty good runner, and immidiately I have flashbacks to McNabb, Kordell Stewert, Johnny Johnson, and any number of other "mobile quarterbacks" that would dance in the backfield for seemingly a half-hour before launching a pass more accurate than they'd ever thrown or would ever again while Carr's or Moeller's defenses helplessly fall at their feet. 

Times have changed for sure, but I still can't shake that consternation.  Anybody else in the ulcer boat with me on this? 

MGoBoard

HarbaughsLeftElbow

October 25th, 2016 at 10:00 AM ^

I would say he is an average runner for the modern CFB QB position. He is also an average passer at best. Mobile QBs don't give me ulcers, good QBs do. We have done a great job defending average to below average mobile QBs the past few years. 

Joined: 08/22/2016

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bluepdx

October 25th, 2016 at 10:24 AM ^

The worst crushing in Michigan history. Michigan was lost in that game, and Oregon was nice enough to take the foot off the gas so it was only unbelievably embarrassing. Not soul crushingly embarrassing.

That Dixon Oregon team was their best. Nobody thinks of that team bc he blew out his knee later in the year and it sunk their title chances. They were amazing.

Joined: 08/17/2010

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Larry Appleton

October 25th, 2016 at 10:57 AM ^

Indeed!

I was at that game.  One loss and #2 in the country going into week 9 against an unranked Arizona.  Oregon marches down the field on their first possession and scores and (of course) gets the 2pt conversion.  Dixon blows out his knee on the next possession.  Oregon goes on to lose that game and the next two, also to unranked opponents.

Had that injury not occured, Oregon is likely in the NC game and Dixon wins the Heisman over Tebow. 

Joined: 05/15/2014

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pjmasi

October 25th, 2016 at 12:29 PM ^

Everyone thinks of the Horror as the worst thing ever, but very few remember that Oregon the following week was so, so much worse.  Yes, the Horror was a thing that happened, but it also should have been dismisable as a freak occurance, a one in a million shot.  

The Oregon game was a complete, top-to-bottom de-pantsing. We had no answer for anything they did on offense or defense. Ugh. 

The following week was Notre Dame, and the panic levels pre-game were off the charts.  If we didn't win that game, the wheels would have come flying off. 

Joined: 08/27/2009

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Hammer of Thor

October 25th, 2016 at 12:37 PM ^

That game was the moment I feared we were in trouble at a foundational level. At that time this, and the Tennessee 2001 Citris bowl were the biggest beatdowns I had witnessed.  We didn't belong in either of those games. 

Joined: 10/06/2015

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MGoBlueMyself

October 25th, 2016 at 2:07 PM ^

That's a great point, and that is the emotion I had watching us. I knew then we had issues that went beyond one game or even one recruiting class. 

Interesting quote from Jonathan Stewart after that game: "It's kind of funny. I was looking at one of their D-lineman and was like, `He's about to quit,' " Stewart said.

That's the same thing Jake Butt said about Florida's vaunted D last year in the Citrus Bowl. 

Joined: 10/07/2016

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MichiganForever

October 25th, 2016 at 4:30 PM ^

When they hit our endzone with that sledgehammer I was beyond pissed and I think thats when I was firmly in the Carr must go camp. The App state game whatever, it happens, team didnt come focused and prepared for a supposed cupcake, but to get manhandled by Oregon in our own house, reprehensible

 

I hope one day we can schedule a game at Autzen and return the favor with Harbaugh leading us

Joined: 03/23/2013

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CraigB

October 25th, 2016 at 10:13 AM ^

We've played against better mobile QBs in Liufau and McSorley. Both were soundly crushed.

Edit: Maybe not Liufau. For some reason, I thought he ran a lot more.

Joined: 02/20/2015

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MGoYoop

October 25th, 2016 at 10:10 AM ^

Trace McSorley is approximately 1 trillion times better than all MSU QBs, and he died in Ann Arbor, only to be reincarnated in time to carry out our bidding.

Joined: 09/02/2015

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Farnn

October 25th, 2016 at 10:13 AM ^

He's got a 53% completion percentage against NW and MD, not sure that's cause for concern with our defense.  I'm sure MSU will have a few trick plays that get some yards but behind that OL, he may have PTSD after this game. 

Joined: 07/07/2008

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BornInAA

October 25th, 2016 at 10:22 AM ^

MOAR mobile than a mobile QB is Peppers

Peppers at MLB is a big difference from last year. He is faster than any QB and Barrett is not going to run wild this year.

Joined: 11/21/2009

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Ghost of Fritz…

October 25th, 2016 at 10:22 AM ^

1.  News flash: MSU does not have Donovan McNabb on the roster.

2.  The only plausible scenario where it is a close game does not at all involve the Michigan D somehow finding itself unable to contain MSU's QB.  There are many things to worry about in this world.  MSU's QB (whichever one plays) is not one of them. 

The only possible way M loses on Saturday involves some huge negative turnover margin, such as 3 interceptions and a lost fumble.  Outside of this scenario, MSU has no chance. 

 

 

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AA Forever

October 25th, 2016 at 11:27 AM ^

by pounding out long drives with their QB scrambling for a lot of first downs on 3rd and long. They will try to pressure Speight at every opportunity early and rattle him into bad throws/interceptions, then stack the box with 8 or 9 and dare Harbaugh to throw with a underconfident QB. They will hope for a couple of early TDs off of turnovers, special teams or trick plays on offense, and then try to frustrate our offense and hang close the rest of the way.

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rwilb

October 25th, 2016 at 10:23 AM ^

Ucf, Colorado, and psu all had more mobile qbs and we were fine (exception of a couple busts against ucf that have since been corrected). This is not a concern

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severs28

October 25th, 2016 at 10:25 AM ^

But he also had 156 yards passing while going 11 of 24 against Maryland, with 1 INT and no TD's.  If we  can keep him anywhere close to those numbers passing, I'm not worried at all about 8 YPA on the ground.

Joined: 04/21/2010

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Jeff09

October 25th, 2016 at 10:30 AM ^

Not this year. I imagine the name "Don Brown" gives mobile quarterbacks ulcers. We have begun to solve our problems with aggression and I have a certain peace of mind whenever our defense takes the field. It's amazing.

Joined: 06/25/2011

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ScruffyTheJanitor

October 25th, 2016 at 10:39 AM ^

None of the mobile QB's we've seen have been particularly good. And I am relatively copacetic about Barrett, since he's basically a RB at this point (Especially since our secondary should smother their recievers). 

Of course, the night before OSU I'll be chugging Pepto Bismo, but still. 

Joined: 02/03/2011

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GoBlue2002

October 25th, 2016 at 10:46 AM ^

A fear of mobile quaterbacks has been seared into my brain for ~20 years of Micigan football. My first experience in person as a student was the Donovan McNabb show in 1998. The countless other losses to teams with Mobile QB's only pushed the brand in harder. One particularly miserable memory was the 2005 Rose Bowl when Vince Young went wild.

The dimension that a QB adds to a game when he can run for the sticks is incredible. Just think about Rudock last year. I wouldn't consider him a "mobile" QB by any means but his ability to scramble for first downs won us some games...

That said, the 2% that OP mentioned is not even remotely in my brain for the State game. We're going to crush them.

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