How Much Should A QB Run?

[Haywarduck]

What Risings torn ACL tells me is, with the same running stats as Nix last year, you don't want your qb running the ball as much as Utah and Oregon. The Heisman winner ran for less yardage than the Utah or Oregon qb.

 

While Williams had more running attempts his yards per run were less than Nix or Rising. It would seem to indicate he went down sooner, and just tended to scramble more, creating more passing opportunities. Williams pulled his hamstring last season, but didn't suffer a major injury. The pundits lauded his toughness, but Rising and Nix took the big hits while running for more yardage.

 

Being a running qb who throws won't get you into the NFL. The Oregon program needs to rely on Nix to scramble and throw the ball. The occasional run is ok, but the running should be scramblings to give the receivers time to get open. When needed, a first down run is ok, but contact should be minimized. Our season could, and probably will hinge on how we use Nix next season.

 

Next season we need to look at Nix as a passer, and a threat to go when the run is wide open with a perfected slide, or make the qb sneak work. I also want to see him roll out, scramble and make the effort throw. More passing yardage, less running yardage. How do you see our qb used, now and going forward?

 

I say with a stable of incredibly talented receivers, like never before, Oregon needs to become even more focused on the passing game with our qb. The scramble needs to primarily open up the passing game, not the running game.

 

We should also have a better defense and special teams so getting the tough first down with our qb won't be as necessary. 

[Tandaian]

The era of QBs sitting in the pocket and not rushing is pretty much over.  However, QBs have to be smart when they do run.  I didn't bother trying to see if these were scrambles or designed runs, but as you can see the quarterbacks below were running no less than 3 times per game and up to 9 times per game.  With Oregon's offense, Nix has to run a few times a game, so it has the appearance he will run, and the defense has to account for it. 

 

Remember when Herbert was playing and he never ran the ball, but Oregon was still running the zone read?  The defense keyed on the RB every time.  

 

	Justin Fields	Lamar Jackson	Josh Allen	Jalen Hurts	Daniel Jones	Marcus Mariota	Kyler Murray	Geno Smith	Patrick Mahomes	Justin Herbert
Rushes	160	112	124	165	120	85	67	68	61	57
Yards	1143	764	762	760	708	438	418	366	358	147
YPC	7.1	6.8	6.1	4.6	5.9	5.2	6.2	5.4	5.9	2.7

[Dave23]

He should run just enough to keep the defense honest.

[lownslowav8r]

On 2/15/2023 at 8:19 AM, Dave23 said:

He should run just enough to keep the defense honest.

…and never between the tackles (unless sneak) and slide whenever possible.  Rising got hurt going head first. 

[David Marsh]

Moorehead had a great response about how a quarterback should run (he was less clear on how much).

 

"Touchdown, First-down, Get Down"

 

If you can get the touchdown as a running qb take it... if not get the first down... if that's not an option just get down to avoid injury. All of this is easier said than done. 

 

I do feel a quarterback should run if they have open field in front of them and make the defense respect his legs. I also feel some zone-read play is also great because it can work a couple of ways. One, the quarterback and keep the ball and run for an open edge and take some yards. Or, two, the quarterback keeps it and passes it. Either way it forces the defense to have to respect the quarterback keeping the ball in a zone read play and can't just crash down on the runningback blindly. 

 

What I NEVER want to see is a designed quarterback run play that doesn't have a runningback in the backfield with the quarterback. I have harped on it time and time again and I will do so once more... the play Nix was injured against the Huskies was a designed quarterback run out of the shotgun in an empty set. Why wasn't a runningback in the backfield with him for him to at-least fake the hand-off and make the defense account for the runningback as well? This play didn't have a pass option and in truth that entire drive was basically pure run plays going through the runningback as it was so why switch it up at that point? 

 

That play felt like coaching negligence. Not just from a game play perspective but from the health of a player as well. 

[Charles Fischer]

It also depends upon how the Zone-Read play is designed; if it is meant for the QB to read the defender on the playside, (where the play is going) then there will be a congestion of players and the QB has greater risk of injury.

 

If the Zone-Read is of a defender on the backside of the play, such as a defensive end or LB--then if the defender charges the running back and the QB pulls--he is running into open field down the backside of the defense where he can go out of bounds or slide easily.

 

Thus why the QB runs between the tackles that are playside Zone-Reads...are plays I don't like.  As Chip Kelly used to say, "I want the running backs carrying the ball.  The QB runs only when a lane is wide open."  In other words, only when the defense has given the QB the open lane to run.

 

That does not happen very often, but the threat of the QB running helps to keep that defender "sitting," thus an extra blocker on the playside.

 

BTW...in the Super Bowl in the first half--the Eagles twice ran a play that we popped on Stanford, and twice Hurts made the wrong read and pulled the ball.  Or did he simply want to run the ball?

 

[Kurt Rambis]

On 2/15/2023 at 3:28 PM, Haywarduck said:

Being a running qb who throws won't get you into the NFL.

Justin Field, Lamar Jackson, Michael Vick, and Josh Allen would beg to disagree.  So far, all Fields can do is run (at least the others developed into good passers).

 

At the same time, I agree we have to do a better job protecting the QB, from a scheme standpoint.  I don't care what team it is - lose your starting QB, lose the season (unless your starting QB is barely better than your backup, in which case you weren't going anywhere anyway).

 

It's a tough balance.  Mariota took off running and made some spectacular plays.  So did Masoli and other Oregon QBs.  Nix was a highly effective runner last season.  The critical factor is that these guys need to slide or run out of bounds EVERY TIME.  

 

Unfortunately, when you're a competitor, that can be hard to do.  Instinct takes over.  Look at Josh Allen - still trying to run guys over in the NFL.  He'll pay for it eventually.  RG III lost his career because he wouldn't go down without a fight.  Then he went down without a knee.

 

I don't want to take away a major weapon for mobile guys like Nix, but even if he is really smart when running, there's still the chance he could get hurt.  But heck, he could get a concussion sitting in the pocket, or pop an ACL dropping back to pass.  Injuries happen - smart coaches and QBs play the percentages and try to limit the opportunities for injury.  I'll bet Carson Wentz wishes he could go back and time and not fight for that TD that turned him from a probable NFL MVP to a backup QB on his third team.

[Babyjesus615]

On 2/15/2023 at 9:08 AM, lownslowav8r said:

Rising got hurt going head first.

Nix also got hurt going head first and between the tackles.

[Haywarduck]

I would say Vicks 4.3 speed made him a running qb who could throw, no doubt. The other guys can throw first, which is my point. Nix has to prove his throwing all the way down the field can get you a touchdown. As for Fields this past season was an anomaly, and he was running for his life. He had 55 sacks, and was injured, repeatedly.

 

Nix also has the receivers Herbert didn't have, so he needs to lean on these guys. The NFL doesn't want an injured qb who hasn't proven his arm can carry a team.

 

I do agree Nix will have to run, and has proven his toughness, and leadership. What he needs is the sharpness of this guy, when making the decision to slide. Do the smart thing, not necessarily the easy, or glorious thing. That will get you to the NFL, play smart and show skills.

 

Jerick McKinnon Slides Short of the Goal Line to Help the Chiefs Run Out the Clock in Super Bowl LVII

WWW.CHIEFS.COM

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Kansas City Chiefs running back Jerick McKinnon slides down at the 1-yard line to keep the clock running and set up the Chiefs with a field goal attempt late in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LVII.

 

[OhioDuck]

On 2/15/2023 at 1:15 PM, Haywarduck said:

I would say Vicks 4.3 speed made him a running qb who could throw, no doubt. The other guys can throw first, which is my point. Nix has to prove his throwing all the way down the field can get you a touchdown. As for Fields this past season was an anomaly, and he was running for his life. He had 55 sacks, and was injured, repeatedly.

 

Nix also has the receivers Herbert didn't have, so he needs to lean on these guys. The NFL doesn't want an injured qb who hasn't proven his arm can carry a team.

 

I do agree Nix will have to run, and has proven his toughness, and leadership. What he needs is the sharpness of this guy, when making the decision to slide. Do the smart thing, not necessarily the easy, or glorious thing. That will get you to the NFL, play smart and show skills.

 

Jerick McKinnon Slides Short of the Goal Line to Help the Chiefs Run Out the Clock in Super Bowl LVII

WWW.CHIEFS.COM

---

Kansas City Chiefs running back Jerick McKinnon slides down at the 1-yard line to keep the clock running and set up the Chiefs with a field goal attempt late in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LVII.

 

Reminder that Vick had a live arm, one of the strongest arms in the game at the time (not always the most accurate). 

 

Both the QBs in the Super Bowl having running as part of the offense, giving their teams one more weapon the defense has to worry about. 

 

Nix got hurt running, but could have gotten hurt getting hit in the pocket just as easily. A lot of QB  injuries happen when they are in the pocket or moving in the pocket trying to pass. 

 

Not necessarily advocating for a lot of running by Nix, QB should probably not be your leading rusher, but the RPO offenses that are being run now need a QB that is a threat. Nix certainly is that and it is one of the reasons he was so successful when he came to Oregon. The offense played to his strengths. 

 

My tendency is to run the QB enough to make the D respect the QB run. There have been times, even before Mari no O, that I thought the QB should have kept the ball more often in the read option and not doing so was making the offense run less efficiently.

 

Oregon has almost always had a QB that is a good runner. Even our pocket passers, like Herbert have had the ability to tuck it and get some yards occasionally, though that was certainly not a big part of their games.

 

And for me having a QB that can run is just exciting. Who didn't love it when Mariota took off and left D backs coughing in the dust behind him! 

 

But yes, if you have only one serviceable QB, keeping him healthy is a good idea too. I get that.

[Haywarduck]

Vicks career stats, 56% completion rate, passing TD's 133/ 88 Int's, and 43 lost fumbles. An exciting guy, but became a liability. He was one of those, much like DAT, worth the price of admission, and you didn't want to miss a second of his field time.

 

I do think weighing how much a qb should run is a worthwhile endeavor. They can get hurt anytime, but a qb who relies on his smarts and arm is going to last a longer time and be more valuable.

 

I also think we may have a couple guys who will be unstoppable as receivers. This should make the qb running the ball even less valuable as well. 

 

A qb is much like a nice sports car, it can go off road, but not what it was made for. You can have plenty of fun with a sports car without going off road.