Transition from QB to D-back
Very often there is a discussion of an athlete who plays QB (or another skill position) that is recruited to play safety or cornerback. It seems like it is casually thrown around that someone can just learn to play defense if they are a good athlete.
My question is: what is the track record of someone who plays defense in high school and develops skill at the safety position (taking good angles, knowing defensive strategies, learning to tackle, etc...) versus people who convert mid to late career.
Isn't there some skill related to experience that comes with playing a position for some time. Or does it all really just athletecism and speed? I realize it is obviously both, but is there any data to suggest how easy the changeover is.
I would be interested to know if someone has any numbers on outstanding safeties and when they made the transition to defense. I.e. "Was Ronnie Lott a great wide receiver who happened to be behind a better receiver and moved to the other side of the ball for playing time. Or was he taking cheap shot late hits and leading with his helmet at the age of 7?".
November 26th, 2008 at 12:08 AM ^
Because QB's need to learn so much about the offense, it is often a natural switch to either WR or DB (unless this QB only handed the ball off). Because QB's need to understand so much about what their receivers are doing and how routes are run as well as understanding thoroughly what QB's need to do (by playing one) they are often better at playing in pass defense as well. Plus, HS DB's only have a couple years of much technique training at that point anyway, so a guy who switches in college isn't that far behind. A redshirt is common, but that's a position change that is often easier to make than from LB to DB, or RB to DB.
I was a QB as a frosh and soph and switched to DB for varsity, and once I learned to open up my hips I was right there with the other guys, and better in pass defense. And really, guys who are great athletes in HS can play anything in college - half of the HS coaches don't really coach shit.
Sorry so long.
November 26th, 2008 at 9:43 AM ^
A lot of high school QB's move to defense in college. Keep in mind that many high school teams put their best athlete at quarterback, whether they can throw the ball extremely well or not.
These aren't defensive players, but TJ Duckett and Michael Bush were both quarterbacks in high school.
Also, at both of the schools where I've coached, the philosophy on defense has been to put the best all-around athlete at free safety. Often that player is the QB, who gets a chance to read the quarterback's eyes and make some plays in the passing game (plus make some tackles) without getting caught up in the wash where somebody could roll up on his ankle or take out his knees or something.
I don't know what the overall track record is, but there are a couple guys I can think of off the top of my head. Tom Zbikowski was a pretty highly rated high school QB who, obviously, went on to a decent career as a Notre Dame football player/boxer. A kid at my old school was a 2-star QB recruit who's now a second-string LB at an ACC school.
I realize that's only anecdotal evidence, but that's all I've got off the top of my head.