Hypothetical Discussion: Denard Robinson Playing QB (or Another Position) with Tebow at Denver

Submitted by aiglick on
It is late Sunday night and very slow. May be an interesting hypothetical to think about. I just saw how Denver is miraculously leading their division thanks in part to Tim Tebow. Whatever one thinks about him he is a heck of a player and is providing some evidence that a non-traditional QB can succeed at the next level. Enter Denard. They are different players and have different strengths but the similarity between them is that they have proved they can succeed at football at the highest levels while playing the position differently. Of course another way to think about this is the possibility of Denard playing on the field at the same time. That would be a real thunder and lightning combo.

BRCE

December 18th, 2011 at 10:36 PM ^

Tim Tebow will no longer be Denver's starting quarterback by the time Denard gets to the league. Cold hard reality for NFL QBs is like the house in Vegas -- it always catches up. Tebow is going to be exposed very badly next year.

jblaze

December 19th, 2011 at 9:25 AM ^

1 team playing Tebow-ball, then how much time will NFL DC's dedicate to actually stopping it, and reduce practice time from traditional O's? Also, who's to say that Tebow doesn't improve his throwing and that Denver's O will evolve? It's not like the Wildcat, which many teams adopted, many players could run, and had no real opportunity at innovation.

I'm not sure the Vick comparison is a good one either, as the Eagles have a lot of other problems, and they do light people up, occasionally still.

MSHOT92

December 19th, 2011 at 3:50 PM ^

at the NFL level it's no longer as much DC stuff as it is veteran defenders studying film and being prepared...when you consider the number of HS football players on a team/nationally, when a Denard appears, he looks immortal vs the run of the mill average kids who most likely will never see an NCAA field...then at the collegiate level he looks super human with a touch of kryptonite now and again...mostly against a bunch of kids who will never see an NFL field. At the pro level, ALL the guys are the best of the best, with incredible speed, varying degrees of football IQ, and some of the most gifted teammates to walk the earth...the don't need to cover anything but their job now that each defender is highly competent...essentially the Tebow effect...Timbo will be learned and studied and his humanlike tendancies will come back to haunt him...he can only gimmick for so long and a good defense will figure him out in half a game and it's over....Denard will LIKELY fall in that same category as his ability to run/pass are not on the same level..while he's as fast as light itself...with the lack of threat to pass, even B1G opponents started catching on...he can still grow into that mold but it's not looking good unless he decides playing slot or other speed position becomes an option.

aiglick

December 18th, 2011 at 10:36 PM ^

Let me say right now this is NOT meant to be a "Denard should play another position" thread. It is purely meant to be a speculative and a good-natured discussion.

bronxblue

December 18th, 2011 at 10:40 PM ^

Honestly, I think Tebow will be a competent, if below-average, QB in the league for a couple of years, after which he'll move on to his next career in politics, religion, sportscasting, etc.  I love Denard, and I think in college he should play QB, but if he expects to make it in the NFL he'll have to be in the Randle-El/Hines Ward style of changing his position.  He has elite speed and that means something, but 6-foot QBs with okay mechanics and accuracy don't last that long in the NFL.

bronxblue

December 19th, 2011 at 9:37 PM ^

As noted below, he was their QB for at least half a season, and (I think) lined up for them as an early-style Wildcat QB later in his career.  I'm just trying to think of college QBs who actually made a decent switch.  I mean, Eric Crouch and Woody Dantzler tried, and both of them flamed out.

bronxblue

December 19th, 2011 at 9:41 PM ^

I would be fine with him getting a chance, but he isn't a Drew Brees-style passer; he makes some good throws but his ability to hit the small windows you need to at the pro level just hasn't been there, and I don't see him being able to make that type of immense improvement in a season.  That said, he could definitely be a solid change-of-pace all-purpose back and a good kick returner. 

boshisama

December 19th, 2011 at 5:45 PM ^

I agree with your assesment, except for the part where you call Tebow a QB.  In reality, Tim Tebow is a RB that has the ball direct-snapped to him.

In terms of attempts-completions, the closet person listed as a QB is the oh-so-awesome Christian Ponder of the Minnesota Vikings.  Ponder has played in three fewer games and has one fewer starts. 

 

There is no "Tebow magic."  There Denver playing with a decent defense, a solid O-line, and a weaksauce division.

 

RK PLAYER TEAM ATT COMP PCT YDS YDS/A LONG TD INT SACK RATE YDS/G
21 Tim Tebow, QB DEN 220 107 48.6 1,484 6.75 56 11 2 27 83.6 124

 

26

Christian Ponder, QB

MIN 268 146 54.5 1,757 6.56 72 13 12 28 72.3 195

 

Gorgeous Borges

December 18th, 2011 at 10:47 PM ^

One of these days someone's going to have to create a diary that contains everything that you could post that would get negged on MGoBlog, call it MGoProfanity or something. Putting "Denard" and "Another position" is sure to piss people off. Anyway, here's a start on the rest:

Denard another position QB controversy put Devin in Drew Sharp link Appalachian State Michael Rosenberg is right and awesome Urban Meyer dynasty The Ohio State University Dick Rod scUM O$U M$U Detroit Free Press bring back DeBord!

go16blue

December 18th, 2011 at 11:02 PM ^

I've always been curious to see how a shotgun offense would work with 2 dual threat QBs. For example, you could run stretch plays or options with pass options automatically worked in, and you wouldn't have to worry about downfield blocking at all. So many possibilities...

Tater

December 18th, 2011 at 11:10 PM ^

Nobody would ever try something as creative as two QB's on the field at once in the NFL as anything more than an occasional gimmick play.  They won't even try it in college yet, though Al Borges at least experimented with Devin and Denard.  

 Back to the NFL: everyone runs variations of two offenses, and anything else we ever get to see out of the NFL is a major bonus.  The only time they get creative is in the "two minute drill," when they are desperate enough to do anything they can.  

 Still, though, as the criticism of the run and shoot would indicate, NFL management and coaches shoot down anything that is different than the status quo.  It's really too bad; the game would be a lot more interesting if the NFL took the giant sticks out of their recti.

unWavering

December 19th, 2011 at 10:03 AM ^

So it's sheeplike to not put two QB's at risk of injury on the same play just because you have a hunch that a 2 QB system would be totally rad dude?  Most of the time in situations like these nobody does these kinds of things because they're stupid.

BlueVball8

December 18th, 2011 at 11:04 PM ^

He will be the jack of all trades.  Put him back to return kicks, play in the wildcat, and do a bunch of other stuff.  I think we will see Denard in the NFL for a good 7 to 9 years terrorizing teams with speed/vision/and a decent capability to throw.

budeye

December 18th, 2011 at 11:28 PM ^

tebow might turn out to be an above average qb in the NFL.  but he has size on his side to take some big hits.  denard does not have the build to sustain james harrison type hits.  denard might be better off as a wr/pr/kr. 

gobluesasquatch

December 19th, 2011 at 12:30 AM ^

Why do we assume that Denard cannot eventually make the transition into a pocket passing QB? Let's think about the guy who is in second place with most of the career passing marks at Michigan - John Navarre. He definitely didn't have Denard's ability to run, and prior to his senior year, his footwork was aweful and that led to some very inaccurate throws.

He still made it the NFL, started a few games, Denny Green had a man crush on him ...

Denard has the ability to move around, generating a few extra seconds that is the difference between an incomplete pass, a coverage pass, or a completion for a first down, in the NFL.

As for height, that short Drew Brees kid, he sure never amounted to much in the NFL. He has a full off season and next year to improve. Either way, we can enjoy one of the most amazing and humble college football players to come around in a long time (sans Tebow).  

LSAClassOf2000

December 19th, 2011 at 5:17 AM ^

....this would hinge on Denard Robinson actually  being drafted by Denver when the time comes. That being said, I think the primary issue is that the NFL, being even more conservative on offensive formation than college, would be hesitant to even attempt a 2 QB play. If they were on the field at the same time on the same team, I'll put it like this - I have a pretty good idea who one of the people in the receiving corps would be in an NFL offense. 

I'll go with what a  few people said here - the idea of Denard Robinson returning kicks in the NFL is an interesting one. It's one of the few places where they WILL utilize someone as dangerous in space as he is. 

LSAClassOf2000

December 19th, 2011 at 4:47 PM ^

I think he is a QB as well and could probably be a serviceable one in the NFL at the present rate of growth. Will they think that ("they" being whatever team  drafts him)? My fear is that they won't draft him to be that QB, and it is still a nagging fear I have. 

08mms

December 19th, 2011 at 12:13 PM ^

I hope they don't, Denver only still has Tebow healthy because he is a very large inhuman tank-beast. If they put Denard in the same position I fear he would be pulped. While his throwing abilities are non-trivial and hopefully will be continue to develop next year, I expect to see denard as a specialty return man a la devin Hester with maybe some reps at slot.

Lord Maker

December 19th, 2011 at 10:05 AM ^

Bless you for bringing up this topic.  My buddy and I have debated this over the past few weeks. 

I think they would be unstopabble in the Wildcat together.  Not knowing who is getting the ball, etc, would be too hard to defend.  And the trick plays I envision the two pulling off would be so fun to watch.  Even running the option would be great.  But I dont watch the NFL anymore, so Im not the best guy for this.

My buddy hates Denard (he is tosu fan) so he thinks Denard will never play on Sundays and Tebow is a joke and will be out of the NFL in under four yrs.  And he loves the NFL like its his child.