What will UM's 2-QB system look like?
It's not new information that Harbaugh wants Dylan "The Ostrich Heir" McCaffrey to play this year, but in the last 24 hours it got a bunch of headlines again. Orion Sang is pondering the situation the Freep.
Brian's preview said "Next up is getting a drive or two in most games and keeping the hype train rolling with 50 throws and 20 runs." Harbaugh's talk is making it sound like more than garbage time, though.
Personally, I'm a little nervous about shoehorning a backup QB into the game, for whatever the reasons are. If Shea is the man, let Shea lead the team with all the snaps he can take. Let Dylan get his reps in garbage time and then he can be the man next year.
If this really is just headed toward mop-up duty, I'm not sure why it keeps coming up.
Yes, my username checks out.
August 27th, 2019 at 10:53 AM ^
I’m guessing it will only be a 2 QB system when we’re up by 30 in the second half of games and Dylan comes in to get reps. No way will we be shuffling 2 QBs in and out of the games.
August 27th, 2019 at 11:36 AM ^
Yep. I'm not expecting a "system." I'm expecting meaningful reps in situation-dictated moments.
August 27th, 2019 at 10:53 AM ^
I don't think he will play that much. I don't think it is going to be "two quarterback system."
August 27th, 2019 at 10:53 AM ^
No one knows but we will find out in four days!
August 27th, 2019 at 1:19 PM ^
My goodness these next four days are going to take FOREVER!
Why can't Saturday just be here already? I think I might just go insane constantly scanning the interwebs for CFB news / Michigan Football news.
August 27th, 2019 at 1:58 PM ^
I wouldn't bet on it.
Michigan isn't going to open up the playbook for a few weeks into the season.
August 27th, 2019 at 10:55 AM ^
What will UM's 2-QB system look like?
It will look like Shea being the starter and playing 100% of the time in close games.
August 27th, 2019 at 3:17 PM ^
Look at the stat line of the Notre Dame loss last year. I don't think that it will be a 2-QB system, but McCaffrey will get some change of pace (or whatever you want to call them) plays or series of plays.
The blue print is already there, McCaffrey played in every game before he was injured last year (and looked good doing it).
August 27th, 2019 at 10:58 AM ^
I don't see a 2 QB system either, mop up duty only when large lead. That will give plenty of reps if the offense is a prolific as it was most games last year. If the new look produces more points that would be something.
August 27th, 2019 at 11:01 AM ^
What will Michigan's two QB system look like?
Well......if it's like every other two QB system that's been tried in high school, college or the NFL it will look absolute dogshit.
"If you have two quarterbacks, you have none."
(pretty sure it was Confucius but it might've been Aristotle)
August 27th, 2019 at 11:05 AM ^
First of all, it was Plato.
That said, didn’t Urban Meyer work a 2-QB system pretty effectively at Florida for one of their National Championships with Leak and Tebow?
August 27th, 2019 at 11:09 AM ^
You're both wrong. It was Helen Keller that said that.
Or signed it. Or whatever it was she did.
August 28th, 2019 at 4:03 PM ^
I thought it was Coach George Wilson that did it with Tobin Rote and Bobby Layne in 1957 when he had Layne fake a broken ankle, change numbers from 22 to 87 and have Van Patrick call him Dorne Dibble the rest of the season while he played WR won the NFL title that launched the unstoppable Lion winning dominance that continues today.....
The 1957 beer sponsor--Altes--is now making a comeback but Helen Keller, George Wilson, Bobby Layne and Tobin Rote not so much...........Helen Keller never did get booed as a QB--Andrew Luck and every Philadelphia QB in history cannot say that...........
Go Blue!
August 27th, 2019 at 11:15 AM ^
It was 2006 and I'm just fine if the playing time/contribution of Patterson & McCaffrey matches that of Leak & Tebow that year. Check it out - it was a "two QB system" in name only. Leak was the QB for the vast majority of the snaps that year.
Leak: 232 of 365 for 2,942 yards
Tebow: 22 of 33 for 201 yards
https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/florida/2006.html
August 27th, 2019 at 11:22 AM ^
And over half of Tebow's passes came against UCF and Western Carolina. Two 40+ point blowouts that Tebow played in as the actual #2 QB.
He basically threw 10 actual serious passes that year. It wasn't a 2 QB system. It was a wildcat that threw a couple more times than Ronnie Brown did on the Dolphins that one year they had success with it.
August 27th, 2019 at 1:53 PM ^
That's significantly underplaying Tebow's actual usage though.
Tebow only attempted 33 passes, but he was the team's second leading rusher with 469 yards on 89 rushing attempts, and 8 rushing TDs.
Tebow also scored 2 TDs in the National Championship game against OSU. So he wasnt exactly limited to garbage time againt Little Sisters of the Poor.
August 27th, 2019 at 2:40 PM ^
I think Spurrier did a true two QB system at one point. Can't recall if it was successful or not. Hell, USC didn't even do one and they had an NFL QB backing up Palmer and Leinart.
August 27th, 2019 at 11:16 AM ^
That really only works if they have very different skill sets. Tebow isn't a polished passer but was a wrecking ball so he was used in a bunch of short yardage situations.
I don't imagine we will use a 2QB system in a meaningful way until garbage time.
August 27th, 2019 at 11:18 AM ^
Kinda-sorta-not really. Tebow was a short-yardage QB who threw only a handful of times (other than their yearly FCS game in week 11). I don't think he ever led a full drive when a game was ever in doubt.
August 27th, 2019 at 11:12 AM ^
When we had the Brady/Henson situation, it is now pretty clear that we had at least one QB.
August 27th, 2019 at 11:19 AM ^
Confucius says better to be pissed off than pissed on...
Confucius says better to be knocked down than knocked up...
August 27th, 2019 at 11:25 AM ^
Confucius should speak for himself.
August 27th, 2019 at 11:35 AM ^
R Kelly disagrees.
August 27th, 2019 at 2:02 PM ^
And Kim Kardashian. She has made millions off of getting peed on.
August 27th, 2019 at 1:10 PM ^
"If you have two quarterbacks, you don't have one." Seems more clever.
August 27th, 2019 at 11:06 AM ^
I think we are going to have a 3-QB System vs. MTSU this weekend.
August 27th, 2019 at 11:48 AM ^
I'm hoping for a rare Cade McNamara sighting, myself. Might even get a grainy video of him passing to the Luke-ness Schoon-monster
August 27th, 2019 at 11:06 AM ^
It'll look amazing. Just wait till you see us unleash the 3 QB system, then confuse opponents by lining up 11 QBs
August 27th, 2019 at 12:29 PM ^
The "King Ghidorah" Attack.
August 27th, 2019 at 11:09 AM ^
I don't think we'll be running a 2-qb system. That said I don't think this is a bunch of lip-service that amounts to "he'll get mop up duty if we're killing it" - there would be no point to the amount of discussion from the coaches if that's all that it was.
My guess is that there will be several designed plays for Dylan to be on the field sporadically throughout games where perhaps he's sold as more of a run threat but will obviously have the throwing option as the counter, and that he'll give Shea a quicker hook in what appears to be trending towards an easy win than you may historically have seen against the MTSU/Rutgers of the world.
Also need to factor in its possible we'll have several more drives per game with the new offense which will allow for more drives than we're all mentally accustomed to. We shall see..
August 27th, 2019 at 11:41 AM ^
"That said I don't think this is a bunch of lip-service that amounts to "he'll get mop up duty if we're killing it" - there would be no point to the amount of discussion from the coaches if that's all that it was."
You mean like last years talk about all the RPO's and the awesome passing game we were going to see?
August 27th, 2019 at 11:52 AM ^
Yeah but...Pep Hamilton existed.
August 27th, 2019 at 11:15 AM ^
If McCaffrey was only going to get garbage time snaps, there would be no reason to talk about it. I don't recall Harbaugh making similar comments a year ago.
In fact, I expect Milton to split the garbage time snaps. You don't want to have only one QB with any experience going in to 2020.
I think what Brian says makes a lot of sense. A drive or two for Dylan most games. They can work on some packages he does particularly well with. Is that a 2 QB system? I wouldn't call it that. It's not in the sense that they're competing for the starting job or that they're somehow co-starters. It's a way to find a little playing time under fire that will get the backup prepared to step in when needed. And it may pose some more problems for opposing defenses.
August 27th, 2019 at 11:15 AM ^
Patterson riding on McCaffrey's shoulders.
August 27th, 2019 at 11:31 AM ^
in a trench coat, little rascals style?
August 27th, 2019 at 11:36 AM ^
Underrated comment. Anyone who doesn't get it is sticking their head in the sand.
August 27th, 2019 at 11:18 AM ^
It will be a two QB system because we will be so far ahead in every game that Shea won’t have to play in the 4th quarter
August 27th, 2019 at 11:27 AM ^
I'm fine with him getting mop up duty if he's throwing passes and actually getting real reps, not just handing it off to the 4th string RB.
August 27th, 2019 at 11:28 AM ^
I think the idea is great... primarily because it leads to a smooth posterial transition, on many fronts. The team gets used to the new qb, the qb gets to grow with his future teammates on field...Yes, it does risk the future a tad, but that is offset by resting the current starter and prevention of injury. Harbaugh surely will put in McCaffrey only after we built a 21 point or so lead. In fact, I often wondered why coaches don't pull the starters earlier.. maybe because the risk the opposing team catches up... but that in itself make the snaps meaningful, and the corresponding pressure helps to groom the future player. I am all for it.
August 27th, 2019 at 11:32 AM ^
I think it'll look like having both on the field at the same time, both in the back field, one maybe splits out wide for a potential end-around hand off/lateral where there's an obvious throw option for the QB playing 'end.' Both guys have the feet to move on the ground, both are QBs so can throw.
I think Steve breaston did one of these, he was a HS QB. Maybe a transcontinental (or a fake) like Navarre/Griese.
August 27th, 2019 at 1:06 PM ^
Nope...dumb, dumb, dumb. You don’t risk using a potentially valuable backup QB as a running back just to try something gimmicky.
August 27th, 2019 at 11:33 AM ^
Uhhhh ... "The Ostrich Heir"?
August 27th, 2019 at 11:38 AM ^
That was in Brian's preview. Blame him.
August 27th, 2019 at 11:46 AM ^
Thanks, I see that now.
August 27th, 2019 at 11:45 AM ^
"Yes, my username checks out."
So you're Tom Brady. What, you worried about losing your place in Michigan lore about 2-QB systems? Relax, your place is secure. You'll always be paired with Drew Henson whenever anyone thinks of your time at UM.
August 27th, 2019 at 11:47 AM ^
We’ll go with it until it costs us a game. I dont care good the back up is, the lack of continuity for the offense and the impact on the starters head make it a recipe for trouble. It only has to screw up once or twice to ruin a season
August 27th, 2019 at 11:47 AM ^
I can see situations where Dylan comes in for one or two snaps, then swaps right back out again. As others have said, I think it is imperative that we have at least two QBs that are experienced with the rest of the first team.
How many years has it happened that our starting QB has been injured going into The Game? We either threw in an inexperienced back-up or let the starter play because even injured they were a better option.
August 27th, 2019 at 12:09 PM ^
I think you've nailed it here. They'll have a few preset package plays that really work to DMac's (is that a thing?) skillset.
6 plays into a drive and the defense has their hands on their hips... hit 'em with a McCaffery/Charbonet read option. Good luck, defense.