Denard Robinson leads pack of QBs that are running wild in college football
Purdue's Rob Henry picks up a first down against Ball State earlier this season. He took over for injured starting quarterback Robert Marve and has joined a growing list of quarterbacks having success running the ball.
AP file photo
CLIFF BRUNT AP Sports Writer
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue's season appeared to be hanging by a thread when quarterback Robert Marve went down with a severe knee injury a month ago.
Coach Danny Hope knew redshirt freshman Rob Henry wasn't ready to sling the ball around like former Boilermakers Drew Brees or Kyle Orton, but he knew his young quarterback was the fastest player on the team. Purdue used a bye week to tweak its spread offense and shift to a run-based approach featuring liberal use of the zone-read option play.
The results have been stunning. Henry rushed for 132 yards in an upset win at Northwestern, then ran for three touchdowns in a victory over Minnesota. Purdue is one of three unbeaten teams in conference play heading into Saturday's game at No. 11 Ohio State.
Problem solved.
Purdue has joined a growing number of teams using mobile quarterbacks out of the spread with a significant dose of that zone-read option. Michigan's Denard Robinson and Nebraska's Taylor Martinez quickly went from fighting for starting jobs to Heisman Trophy contenders doing it. Auburn's offense has been nearly unstoppable with quarterback Cam Newton running a similar system.
"It seems like every time you turn the channel, there's a dual-threat quarterback that can throw and pass and do all this and that," said Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor, who has passed for 1,505 yards and rushed for 410 this season. "I think in college football, that's one thing that's pretty hard to stop. It cuts out a lot of defenses that you can play against a quarterback."
Programs like Texas, Alabama, Nebraska and Oklahoma used mobile quarterbacks to fuel past national championship campaigns. While schools such as Georgia Tech, Army, Navy and Air Force still use old-school option systems, it's the zone-read option out of the spread that has quarterbacks putting up video game-like numbers and defenses across the nation scrambling for answers.
Four of the nation's top 18 rushers in the Football Bowl Subdivision — Robinson, Martinez, Newton and Nevada's Colin Kaepernick — are quarterbacks.
Denard Robinson, shown scoring a touchdown against UConn in this year's season-opening win, is closing in on the single-season record for yards rushing in a season by a quarterback.
But it's not just the big-name quarterbacks who are gouging defenses with their legs.
According to STATS LLC, quarterbacks have accounted for 15 percent of all rushing yardage in the FBS this season. That's the highest total in the past 15 years. As recently as 2006, quarterbacks accounted for just 8.9 percent of the yards rushing. In 1996, that total was just 5.3 percent.
Quarterbacks have rushed for more than 18,700 yards this season — already more than in any entire season between 1996 and 2000. In all, 16 quarterbacks rank in the top 100 nationally in net rushing yardage. If that holds up, it will by far be the highest total of the past 10 years.
Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez, considered a guru of the run-based spread, isn't surprised that the concept has grown because coaches have been picking his brain for years.
"Maybe five or six years ago, we had a whole bunch of people visit us when I was at West Virginia," he said. "Now there are so many other people that do it or do some version of it."
The zone read is simply the latest wrinkle of the spread that defenses have struggled to catch up with.
"That's been in existence for a long time now, and I think what's happened is it's grown," Auburn coach Gene Chizik said. "I think, like anything that catches on, people try to look at it and say, 'Hey, I can take it to the next level on this and do the next thing.'"
The approach is similar to the veer option of yesteryear, but it is more difficult to defend because the spread forces players to defend more space.
"Defenses today are geared to load the box, and (the zone read) equals out the number a defense can play because the quarterback is involved in the run game," Nebraska offensive coordinator Shawn Watson said. "So now the numbers are even. Instead of it being 10 on 11, it's now 11 on 11, and you make the defense defend the entire field."
There are numerous variations of the play. Sometimes, a receiver will go in motion toward the quarterback before the snap. Other times, the running back or backs line up beside the quarterback. Nevada lines its quarterback up in a sort of half-shotgun formation, the now well-known pistol.
Because the quarterback doesn't always read the same player, defenses often struggle with assignments.
"If you really study it, there's more than one way to run it," Chizik said. "When you're running it a few different ways — when maybe to the naked eye it's the same way, but it's different — for a defense, that's where it gets complicated. And we'll run it several different ways."
Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer has had success using the zone read with quarterback Tyrod Taylor.
"You hand it off to a dive guy like David Wilson, and it doesn't take him long to go north and south, so I think there's good stuff there," Beamer said. "When your first option is fast, your second option is fast and your third option is fast, I think you've got something going."
What seems like a new phenomenon goes back more than a decade. Rodriguez began receiving attention for his success with the spread as an assistant coach at Tulane. With the mobile Shaun King at quarterback, the Green Wave went 12-0 in 1998. Rodriguez had similar successes at Clemson and West Virginia.
Hope feels he and offensive coordinator Gary Nord are just starting to discover what Purdue can do with its running game, and in particular, the zone read with Henry.
"It is something that we can also evolve with," Hope said. "It can grow and become larger, and we can add wrinkles to it and get wrinkles out of it. We will get better at it and add to it."
Comments
saginaw
Sun, Oct 24, 2010 : 7:55 p.m.
Michigan is a 2 point favorite to beat PSU in Happy Valley. Iowa is a 6 point favorite to beat the Spartans -- COOL. It could be a very nice Saturday.
GoblueinNE_PA
Sat, Oct 23, 2010 : 11:46 p.m.
The only kid mentioned here who will get a sniff at playing QB at the next level is Newton (unless that kid at Purdue really develops over the next 3 years). This style of football won't work at the NFL level. In HS, these kids are better than every single player on the other team. In College, they are facing maybe one kid on the other side that has his skills. In the NFL, every one of the players is as fast and as big as these guys. Just look at Tebow, he played as a combination FB & QB. He was used to sticking in to the interior of the line and he lasted ONE play and was jacked up. It doesn't work in the NFL. The most interesting piece in this article is how a guy like Danny Hope, someone that we all thought was a joke, some how managed to adapt to the players he had on his team. He didn't write off the season when "his guy" went down. He changed up is offensive game plan and went out an won. Now, this week, he ran up against a team w/superior atheletes and got his rear end handed to him, but he had that team winning before this. We should look very closely at that OSU/Purdue score. Unfortunately, that's coming our way.
CamaroDan
Fri, Oct 22, 2010 : 9:12 p.m.
redceder1 Yea, tell that to Oregon and Auburn.
Sean T.
Fri, Oct 22, 2010 : 8:15 a.m.
Running QB's have been around forever, just look at all the option-teams of the past. I can't believe RR took credit for the zone-read option's emergence. Since long before face-masks there have been zone-read options,just not out of the shotgun. Even my Father was an option QB in high school. (1970) Besides, the offense has very little value when you don't have a credible RB to take heat off the QB. I doubt Dee Hart is any better than what we have now, actually he's very similar to our starter which isn't saying much. I was very excited about him until I heard that he runs a 4.5 then for his size he didn't look so well. Nebraska and Air Force are the best at the zone-read option in the last thirty years, it can be dangerous when coached right. Each team in this article runs a different version of the option offense. Many uses multiple sets each game, hence their productivity.
XTR
Fri, Oct 22, 2010 : 3:43 a.m.
When the defenses saw the film on Denard, it was easy to stop the Denard running plays. When Denard was made to throw, he was below average of a passer and UM started to lose. The offense sputtered. Tate is a better QB against those big tough defenses because of those passes.
3 And Out
Fri, Oct 22, 2010 : 12:39 a.m.
@Forever27...if the NFL "changes" as you indicate to running QBs...they had better stock up on them and allow 5 or 6 per roster because with the new 18 game schedule coming up... there will be more QBs knocked out of NFL games and seriously injured if offenses go on to running Qbs... no way it would work in the NFL as a base offense...defenses are far to fast and hit too hard.... no way it would work....no way
Sevans68
Thu, Oct 21, 2010 : 7:54 p.m.
What makes me nervous is that Purdue installed a version of the Spread option in a few weeks and it took Rich Rod 2 years. Why can't we do something with the defense in 3 yers? That makes me question the coaching more than anything.
Jaxon5
Thu, Oct 21, 2010 : 7:28 p.m.
Some fans seem to be blinded by the speed of players and recruits. The problem is: Big Ten defenses are not.
lawrencelaundry
Thu, Oct 21, 2010 : 7:24 p.m.
Tater, shred at the horse shoe.lol. we can't stop anyone so that Drob gets the ball. Purdue and illinois are playing good football with a defense. That spells bad news for rich rod to come back. If we lose to either one of these teams I don't know how Brandon will keep RR. Purdue season looked like crap and somehow their coaching staff adapts and plays better. Have you seen our coaching staff adapt and play better at all in the last 3 YRS. Qb play is better, everything else and fundamentals still looks like the 08 team. The only thing is. Back then we could actually hit a field goal. Michigan is now just playing to make a bowl let alone a title.
Tally10
Thu, Oct 21, 2010 : 7:19 p.m.
It's good to be able to compare QB's and they're both on the same team. DRob is a run first QB and Tate a pass first QB, but both equally as good. And just think, 2 1/2 more years with these two. And next year adding Dee Hart's 4.3-4.4 speed in the backfield with DR...WOW! the possibilities. I watched a couple clips of DHart, this kid can flat out fly! GO (FAST) BLUE!!!
Jaxon5
Thu, Oct 21, 2010 : 7:06 p.m.
It's not possible to have both in the same backfield - you can't throw two interceptions on one play. On a serious note, it's good recognition for D.Rob who has accomplished a lot so far. And, Tate has played extremely well when plugged in.
Howard the Duck
Thu, Oct 21, 2010 : 6:56 p.m.
It worked preconference Tater..UM won't win another game this season against Big Ten defenses!
umgoblue47
Thu, Oct 21, 2010 : 3:23 p.m.
kubrick... i would like to see tate at qb and dr at slot a couple of time's in a game... with tate's arm and dr speed defense's will be scratching there head's... this may open up the run more and also the passing game for other receiver's... GO BLUE...
Ben
Thu, Oct 21, 2010 : 3:19 p.m.
"Robinson and Forcier in the same backfield, at the same time. Discuss. " That would be too logical for the UM coaching staff to consider.
saginaw
Thu, Oct 21, 2010 : 2:25 p.m.
The NFL doesn't have enough QB's to use them "running". Running QB's are more likely to get hit and hurt in the NFL. There are no really crummy defenses in the NFL -- they are all fast and hit hard.
Forever27
Thu, Oct 21, 2010 : 2 p.m.
@lumberg, the NFL will change as college football changes. They're just a little slower on the process because player turnover isn't as high. The systems they use are based off of the talent they have though. I wouldn't be surprised to see the NFL style of play morph into a speed-based option game in the not-too-distant future.
lumberg48108
Thu, Oct 21, 2010 : 1:49 p.m.
5 years from now the NFL will start to feel the heat as their are less and less QBs who are ready for the pros not saying this is good or bad but having programs that routinely sent players to play QB (like Michigan) now featuring running QBs - the league will suffer. How many great QBs are there now? Only so many wildcat plays exist and Vick and Vince Young have yet to win anything... this is another reason why both the NFL and college football are getting ready to jump the shark...
Kubrick66
Thu, Oct 21, 2010 : 1:12 p.m.
Robinson and Forcier in the same backfield, at the same time. Discuss.