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Dual-threat QBs common in Big 12
Robinson another 'scary' threat for Cyclones
By Bobby La Gesse
Date Posted: 2009-11-06
Each week, Iowa State defensive coordinator Wally Burnham pops in a DVD of the Cyclones’ upcoming opponent.
Each week, he sees the same thing, a quarterback capable of beating ISU with his legs, as well as with his arm.
“It wasn’t like this in the Big East,” said Burnham, who coached at South Florida the last nine seasons. “You had (former West Virginia quarterback) Pat White and (South Florida quarterback) Matt Grothe who could do what these guys do in the spread offense.”
In other conferences, teams can go weeks without seeing a quarterback who is a legitimate threat to run the football.
But in the Big 12, dual threat quarterbacks rule.
Once conference play starts, the Cyclones face a gauntlet of signal callers that can do more than throw a football down the field. This afternoon is no exception as ISU (5-4, 2-3 Big 12) will try to contain quarterback Zac Robinson when it faces No. 18 Oklahoma State and quarterback Zac Robinson at 2:30 p.m. (ABC).
“It’s scary is what it is,” said coach Paul Rhoads about constantly facing dual threat options. “It makes defensive coordinators want to change the rules or change their contracts.”
As a defensive coordinator, Rhoads hated to face a quarterback who could run the ball. It made game planning tougher because he always had to account for the quarterback’s ability to scramble if a play broke down.
This year, it’s been almost impossible to defend against the likes of Texas’ Colt McCoy, Texas A&M’s Jerrod Johnson, Kansas’ Todd Reesing and Robinson. Six Big 12 teams average more than 30 points a game.
Burnham said the scores in conference games are mind boggling — Texas A&M and Texas Tech combined to score 82 points two weeks ago — and that it’s a rare week when a defense can shut down a Big 12 offense.
Defensive tackle Nate Frere said that’s because of the guys taking snaps in the shotgun.
“It all starts with the quarterbacks,” Frere said. “They are all really good. They are tough to stop. You can play good defense and still give up points.”
Burnham has some basic principles — get to the quarterback fast, maintain gaps, keep the quarterback contained — he wants his defense to adhere to each time it faces a dual threat quarterback.
But each week, adjustments must be made for specific tendencies.
Against Kansas, Burnham wanted to keep Reesing from using his athleticism to keep plays alive. Reesing likes to use his legs to create extra time in the pocket so he can find receivers down the field.
Against Texas A&M, Burnham knew Johnson wasn’t much of a threat to run on zone option plays because he preferred to beat opponents with his arm.
Against Oklahoma State, Burnham has to prepare for a quarterback who is a threat to score a touchdown nearly every time he keeps the ball on an option play.
“We have another running quarterback this week,” Burnham said. “We have another guy that likes to scramble.”
But Robinson can do more than that. He’s thrown for 1,690 yards and 13 touchdowns. Last year he had 395 passing yards and five touchdowns against ISU.
“He is a very talented quarterback,” safety Michael O’Connell said. “… He lit us up last year.”
O’Connell said facing a dual threat quarterback puts additional pressure on the secondary because it not only has to keep receivers from getting open, but must also step up to make a play once a quarterback decides to scramble.
“Once he gets across the line of scrimmage, you have to try to tackle him and get him down as quick as you can,” O’Connell said. “That just comes with pursuit to the football and good pressure by the defensive line.”
For the last four weeks, the Cyclones have faced teams that run a zone read based running game with athletic quarterbacks. Because ISU has spent so much time defending mobile quarterbacks recently, Rhoads said the Cyclones have gotten better at it.
“Whether it be our game plan or the similarity in the offense, any time you can have repetition with what you are doing you are going to improve,” Rhoads.
But the Cyclones still have a ways to go. Rhoads still wants to see ISU, which missed 20 tackles last week, play better in space.
And the better the Cyclones get at it, the more likely they are to keep a Big 12 quarterback in the one spot they are harmless: the bench
“If the quarterback scrambles and picks up a first down maybe you get him the next series and get off the field,” Frere said. “That’s the goal. We don’t have to defend them once we get to the sidelines.”
Bobby La Gesse can be reached at (515) 663-6929 or rlagesse@amestrib.com.
Robinson another 'scary' threat for Cyclones
By Bobby La Gesse
Date Posted: 2009-11-06
Iowa State quarterback Austen Arnaud will try to keep up with the pace of Oklahoma State's dual-threat quarterback Zac Robinson when the Cyclones host the No. 18 Cowboys.
Tribune photo by Ronnie Miller
Tribune photo by Ronnie Miller
Each week, Iowa State defensive coordinator Wally Burnham pops in a DVD of the Cyclones’ upcoming opponent.
Each week, he sees the same thing, a quarterback capable of beating ISU with his legs, as well as with his arm.
“It wasn’t like this in the Big East,” said Burnham, who coached at South Florida the last nine seasons. “You had (former West Virginia quarterback) Pat White and (South Florida quarterback) Matt Grothe who could do what these guys do in the spread offense.”
In other conferences, teams can go weeks without seeing a quarterback who is a legitimate threat to run the football.
But in the Big 12, dual threat quarterbacks rule.
Once conference play starts, the Cyclones face a gauntlet of signal callers that can do more than throw a football down the field. This afternoon is no exception as ISU (5-4, 2-3 Big 12) will try to contain quarterback Zac Robinson when it faces No. 18 Oklahoma State and quarterback Zac Robinson at 2:30 p.m. (ABC).
“It’s scary is what it is,” said coach Paul Rhoads about constantly facing dual threat options. “It makes defensive coordinators want to change the rules or change their contracts.”
As a defensive coordinator, Rhoads hated to face a quarterback who could run the ball. It made game planning tougher because he always had to account for the quarterback’s ability to scramble if a play broke down.
This year, it’s been almost impossible to defend against the likes of Texas’ Colt McCoy, Texas A&M’s Jerrod Johnson, Kansas’ Todd Reesing and Robinson. Six Big 12 teams average more than 30 points a game.
Burnham said the scores in conference games are mind boggling — Texas A&M and Texas Tech combined to score 82 points two weeks ago — and that it’s a rare week when a defense can shut down a Big 12 offense.
Defensive tackle Nate Frere said that’s because of the guys taking snaps in the shotgun.
“It all starts with the quarterbacks,” Frere said. “They are all really good. They are tough to stop. You can play good defense and still give up points.”
Burnham has some basic principles — get to the quarterback fast, maintain gaps, keep the quarterback contained — he wants his defense to adhere to each time it faces a dual threat quarterback.
But each week, adjustments must be made for specific tendencies.
Against Kansas, Burnham wanted to keep Reesing from using his athleticism to keep plays alive. Reesing likes to use his legs to create extra time in the pocket so he can find receivers down the field.
Against Texas A&M, Burnham knew Johnson wasn’t much of a threat to run on zone option plays because he preferred to beat opponents with his arm.
Against Oklahoma State, Burnham has to prepare for a quarterback who is a threat to score a touchdown nearly every time he keeps the ball on an option play.
“We have another running quarterback this week,” Burnham said. “We have another guy that likes to scramble.”
But Robinson can do more than that. He’s thrown for 1,690 yards and 13 touchdowns. Last year he had 395 passing yards and five touchdowns against ISU.
“He is a very talented quarterback,” safety Michael O’Connell said. “… He lit us up last year.”
O’Connell said facing a dual threat quarterback puts additional pressure on the secondary because it not only has to keep receivers from getting open, but must also step up to make a play once a quarterback decides to scramble.
“Once he gets across the line of scrimmage, you have to try to tackle him and get him down as quick as you can,” O’Connell said. “That just comes with pursuit to the football and good pressure by the defensive line.”
For the last four weeks, the Cyclones have faced teams that run a zone read based running game with athletic quarterbacks. Because ISU has spent so much time defending mobile quarterbacks recently, Rhoads said the Cyclones have gotten better at it.
“Whether it be our game plan or the similarity in the offense, any time you can have repetition with what you are doing you are going to improve,” Rhoads.
But the Cyclones still have a ways to go. Rhoads still wants to see ISU, which missed 20 tackles last week, play better in space.
And the better the Cyclones get at it, the more likely they are to keep a Big 12 quarterback in the one spot they are harmless: the bench
“If the quarterback scrambles and picks up a first down maybe you get him the next series and get off the field,” Frere said. “That’s the goal. We don’t have to defend them once we get to the sidelines.”
Bobby La Gesse can be reached at (515) 663-6929 or rlagesse@amestrib.com.
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