QB pounding in TO?

Y

yjack

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Curiosity got the better of me this afternoon. I went back to the review of Navy's offense against ND . . . the one looking at Navy's offensive plays in each of their drives against ND. I wanted to see just how many times Navy's QB was decked when he optioned the ball.

Common thinking is that the QB takes a beating whether he pitches the ball or not. Certainly much worse than a pro style, drop back passer. After all, the drop back passer may get sacked a couple times and knocked down a handful of other times. So he gets hit 5 or 6 times a game , maybe 8 at most?

What about the TO QB? In the ND game you can count on one hand the number of times Navy's QB got hit when he wasn't running the ball. Probably doesn't mean much, but I found it interesting.

Simple Complexity: http://bluegraysky.blogspot.com/2007_11_01_archive.html#3764758266899916666
 
Any defensive coordinator worth his salt who prepares against a PJ run team should train their LB who covers the QB to deck him every play regardless.
 
Remember Andrews of FSU who's pregame for us had five items:

#1 was knock out Hamilton. It wasn't hit him often, it was to take him out. And they did and other D1 schools will try to do the same.

I personally think that this one area will eventually be adjusted by PJ, in order to protect the QB a bit more.
 
1. keep your head on a swivel
2. learn how to fall
3. be tough, u need to understand the option QB shouldn't be built like a traditional QB, mentally or physically.
 
I think we will need 2 servicable qb's. It would be naive to play Div 1 option and think that the 2nd string qb is not going to get meaningful minutes.
 
BarrelORum said:
Any defensive coordinator worth his salt who prepares against a PJ run team should train their LB who covers the QB to deck him every play regardless.
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That's just stupid. Why take yourself out of the play completely? If the QB has the ball, then deck him. If he's already pitched it, and you haven't committed, go after the guy with the ball.
 
Bunger Henry said:
That's just stupid. Why take yourself out of the play completely? If the QB has the ball, then deck him. If he's already pitched it, and you haven't committed, go after the guy with the ball.
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FSU beat us in 1998 on BOR's "beat the hell out of the QB no matter what" strategy. Even called it beforehand in their press conference, then late hit Joe every play on our first drive. Knocked him out. When Joe came back in 1999 he'd gotten a lot stronger, and was able to weather the punishment.

I don't think any defense we face next year is as good as the late 90s FSU defense, but it would be nice to have 2 or 3 serviceable option QBs next year just in case.
 
I'm not sure the rules allow as much late hitting anymore though. If the QB has pitched it and it's clear he's not in the play, they may flag you for unnecessary roughness. At least I know I saw the call a couple of times last year. Still a good idea to have at least 2 guys ready to go.
 
ncjacket said:
I'm not sure the rules allow as much late hitting anymore though. If the QB has pitched it and it's clear he's not in the play, they may flag you for unnecessary roughness. At least I know I saw the call a couple of times last year. Still a good idea to have at least 2 guys ready to go.
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And a OL blocking scheme that kicks the defense in the teeth before they're allowed to pummel our QB "every play regardless." If we're letting our QB get killed every play we're doing something wrong.
 
And a OL blocking scheme that kicks the defense in the teeth before they're allowed to pummel our QB "every play regardless."
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If our QB is a ballcarrier, then he's going to take some hits. That's really the point of the option, to force a defender to mark the QB, which means one less defender to mark the pitch guy.
 
beej67 said:
If our QB is a ballcarrier, then he's going to take some hits. That's really the point of the option, to force a defender to mark the QB, which means one less defender to mark the pitch guy.
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The upside is that typically the hit is in front of him so he can brace for it....he expects to get hit.

A drop-back passer takes a lot of blind hits...even when not sacked...and is left completely exposed and unable to stabilize himself for the impact.

fwiw...."The Option Expert" website lists "the option injures your QB" as one of the option myths.
 
Joe Hamilton was a master at minimizing the impact he took on tackles/hits. He would duck, turn, dodge, whatever, at the right time to avoid being creamed. Many times it appeared he didn't even see the defender coming, he just felt him.

The question is, is this teachable, or is it just instinctive?
 
dressedcheeseside said:
Joe Hamilton was a master at minimizing the impact he took on tackles/hits. He would duck, turn, dodge, whatever, at the right time to avoid being creamed. Many times it appeared he didn't even see the defender coming, he just felt him.

The question is, is this teachable, or is it just instinctive?
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My opinion is that it is instinct. For example, instinct allowed Dale Murphy to steal 30+ bases in one season.
 
Some Truth On Both Sides

A skilled option quarterback won't take that many direct hits. An unskilled option quarterback will be killed.

The option demands the qb read some players that are intentionally not blocked. So the unblocked guy gunning for the qb precipitates the pitch, and it does not matter how good or bad the OL happens to be. (Although a bad OL will cause bonus hits on the qb.)

I think we will have enough skill in our slots to break enough long runs on the pitch that the opposing DC's just can't play the Kill The QB game all afternoon long. OTOH, I am not convinced that all our slots will be effective blockers, which puts the QB at risk and limits the blocking adjustments we can make.
 
If the QB steps to his pitch like he is coached he will take more glancing blows than direct hits. A dropback passer is a stationary target and is more likely to take a direct hit. Also, an option QB is usually looking for the guy that is going to hit him unless someone misses a block and not way downfield like a dropback passer.
 
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