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An Appeal for a 2 QB SYSTEM

-2 HS
NYWoodyFan's picture
January 10, 2017 at 3:09pm
126 Comments

Watching Clemson run 99 plays last night--and watching Alabama target Watson for extinction as part of their strategy--I considered a few things for this upcoming season.

1. Tempo wins games against superior defensive lines, and, next year, no one in the nation has as much depth on the defensive front as we do. Therefore, up tempo plays exactly to our strengths in rotating DL and WR. We MUST run 90+ plays a game to allow our talent and depth to win out. The 30 plays we are leaving on the field is like leaving an entire day of practice. Invaluable experience, invaluable film.

2. 99 plays is too much for one running QB, and plenty for 2 and even 3 to see PT on a regular basis. An NFL QB sees 60 snaps a game? We can grant plenty of snaps to JT while still preparing for the future.

3. QB discontent is about to be a big issue for Ohio State. Trotting JT out every slow-tempo series, and not developing Haskins, Burrows, Martell, and eventually Jones on the field, is going to lead to fissures and transfers. Running 68 plays with JT instead of 99 plays leaves a lot of talented playmakers without touches, and festering discontent. Further, it allows teams with thinner talent on the defensive line to run less plays. Running 99 plays justifies our approach in recruiting depth and handing out PT. 68 plays does not. 99 plays is something we can recruit to as a selling point.

4. The shibboleth about two quarterback SYSTEMS meaning you "don't have any QB at all" is stale and stupid, the stuff of conventional minds and exactly the place where you look to be innovative and revolutionary. Urban Meyer won his first NC doing just that, challenging old concepts with Tebow as his redzone guy...this is a new era, with unprecedented talent on the roster that needs to play. Clemson showed us something we are uniquely positioned to capitalize on and take to the next level. Meyer already invented the 2 QB system for a NC. Return to your roots.

5. A SYSTEM does not mean "I'll play the QB with the hot hand or whoever has the best week of practice." This leads to QBs feeling excessive pressure on every series, and leads to the failure that defines the cliche (Cardale versus JT was not a 2 QB system but a failure of imagination with the "hot hand" approach). A SYSTEM, instead, guarantees playing time, and people know when they are going to see the field. It is a series of plays, formations, and play charts in which everyone knows what will be utilized. (For one game we tried it in 2015, JT was the red zone QB with Cardale as the open field passer, and that had promise that was dropped). 

5. Why not run two inter-related offenses within an overall system?  Skill Team A is run by Barrett and features our traditional power spread running attack, with play-action, 60-40 run pass. Martell would be his back-up if he does not red shirt. This offense would be run in the danger zone (inside our own 30) and the red zone, where the deep ball is not happening. It would also be run against teams to ice the ball in the 4th quarter, or who are otherwise exhausted.  Skill Team B would be run by Haskins/Burrows. IT would have an assistant OC/QB coach devoted to it. It would be a power spread with a variety of different formations and feature different pass oriented personnel, and possibly 2 TE etc. It would be 70-30 pas oriented, with a secondary power formation possibly run under center. Skill TEAM B would look for at least 30-35 snaps a game as they earn further playing time. They would focus on the two-minute drill and super up tempo. Pass blockers might be switched in on the OL with road graders to get more linemen developed and involved. Draw plays and screens perfected finally.

6. Each team would have specialized areas to focus on each week. While you would have an interchangeable common playbook, you wouldn't prepare that way. Each would focus with laser precision on their portion of the game plan. Each would have a scripted first series.

7. Teams facing Ohio State would face a relentless physical and conceptual assault . Imagine preparing for so many variations in a one week stretch. Then trying to find enough defensive linemen to stay on the field. This would also force teams to try to run and possess the ball, to rest their defense, giving us further schematic advantages on defense. 

8. Such a system would preserve JT from criticism, allowing him to produce at his strengths as he becomes a better passer, while developing his back ups. It also insures that in case of injury we have experience. We can run JT more effectively knowing he doesn't have to take so many shots a game.

9. If we have multiple OC, then someone like Warinner could focus on the running Skill Team, and another coach could focus on developing the passing offense sets.

9. Running 90 plays at full tempo, getting plenty of touches and experience, would ensure a happier roster with less transfers and malcontents. There would no longer be a stale 1st and 2nd team approach. Guys would get on the field as well as try to compete with each other's unit. Groups of receiver packages would develop with "their" unit QB, developing rapport you can't with 9 receivers and only one QB. 

11. Lastly, Clemson's relentless aggression blew up another shibboleth about turnovers. If you are running 90 plays, you're going to lose the turnover battle on occassion. So what. If that means that Alabama is gashed at the end of the game and surrenders 21 points, such a mindset and outcome are justified.

 

 

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