From KV's blog - Still working toward playing two quarterbacks? "Oh yeah, we'll play at least two in the first game," Mullen said. "If we need to play more, we'll play more." Is he talking about T. Russell or could he be possible talking about playing Bumphis or somebody else? Lets just hope we don't have to play more than two against J. State.
Mullen Speak - May play more than 2 QB's in opener.....
- Thread starter bonedaddy401
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From KV's blog - Still working toward playing two quarterbacks? "Oh yeah, we'll play at least two in the first game," Mullen said. "If we need to play more, we'll play more." Is he talking about T. Russell or could he be possible talking about playing Bumphis or somebody else? Lets just hope we don't have to play more than two against J. State.
that we were going to be running a two qb system. The Jackson St game is the perfect time to see if its going to work for us.
/I think Russell red shirts this year.
/I think Russell red shirts this year.
with Russell. I've been one of the loudest voices calling for the redshirt. And Jackie Wayne's trained eye said, after observing several practices, he's not ready mentally. But if the whispers coming from the inside are accurate and there are misgivings about russell's fit for the offense, why redshirt him?
if Russell isn't the player Mullen wants to fit his mold at QB he will want to move him through the system as fast as possible not redshirt him and have potential recruits shy away because they look at our depth chart and think they can play somewhere else sooner. I would hate to miss the boat because we are trying to put a square peg in a round hole.
State has been desparate for a quarterback of Russell's potential ever since the days of Moses....now that we have him, we're trying to get him out of here as quick as we can.
Madkin vs. Fant
I could even see a scenario where Newton starts from day one if Russell/Relf struggle. All of this of course assuming he comes to state.
I could even see a scenario where Newton starts from day one if Russell/Relf struggle. All of this of course assuming he comes to state.
Everybody seems to assume that Meyer's/Mullen's/Florida's offense requires a running QB. Where the hell did that start? How many great college QBs have they coached through that system that weren't runners? Just because most recently they had Tebow, doesn't change the fact that most of their QBs haven't been any more mobile than Russell.
I'm sure he'll take a dual-threat QB if he can get one, but the Florida-style offense isn't built around a running QB. It's built around matchups of the other 10 guys on the field.
I'm sure he'll take a dual-threat QB if he can get one, but the Florida-style offense isn't built around a running QB. It's built around matchups of the other 10 guys on the field.
Excellent point. Mullen has repeatedly said he builds his offense around the strength of the players with the intent of creating match-up problems for the opposition.bulldogbaja said:
1. People say that Russell doesn't fit the spread- and yet he ran the spread in high school.
2. I don't see why Mullen can't adapt his offense to Russell? That's sounds a lot like some other coach we knew that rode around on a golf cart, if he can't.
3. Newton will be a junior next year. If we RS Russell, he can be the back up next year and then start as a junior and senior. I actually think this is ideal for a QB, rather than force a true Fr. out there before he's ready and hope and pray that the guy is the "real deal".
4. In conclusion, let me say this right now- if Russell transfers somewhere else like Jacksonville State and becomes a star and an NFL pick, I'm going to be pissed.
2. I don't see why Mullen can't adapt his offense to Russell? That's sounds a lot like some other coach we knew that rode around on a golf cart, if he can't.
3. Newton will be a junior next year. If we RS Russell, he can be the back up next year and then start as a junior and senior. I actually think this is ideal for a QB, rather than force a true Fr. out there before he's ready and hope and pray that the guy is the "real deal".
4. In conclusion, let me say this right now- if Russell transfers somewhere else like Jacksonville State and becomes a star and an NFL pick, I'm going to be pissed.
But, those guys get their matchups by the defense having to respect the QB as both a running or passing threat. I don't think anyone is asserting the offense has to have a Pat White at the helm. But, the QB needs to at least be moderately athletic to execute the option well and be an effective passer. Once the defense has to commit a man to being able to defend either the run or pass, then the rest of our skill players can get more 1-on-1 matchups.
Edit to add: Meyer's 3 QB's he's coached since Utah have been Alex Smith, Tim Tebow, and Chris Leake. Alex Smith ran a 4.7 at the NFL combine and was a running threat at Utah. He wasn't a speed demon, but he had the physical tools to force defenses to respect him as an effective leader of the option run-game. Tebow: self-explanatory. Leake: well, he was the least effective with run game management. It was also Meyer's worst offensive times. This guy pretty much predicted the future in this article in 2005: http://www.sportingnews.c...-meyers-kind-quarterback
Plus, just take a look at any article about Meyer's offense that's available. Here's one: http://www.americanfootba...amp;output=article
Key quote from Mullen himself: "<font class="largemaroontext"><font class="medboldblacktext"><font class="medboldblacktext"><font class="medblacktext"><font class="medblacktext"><font class="medblacktext">"The quarterback is the most critical position in this offense," Mullen said. <span style="font-weight: bold;">And the quarterback must be able to run as well as throw the football</span>. And he also must be able to make good decisions quickly.
A one-dimensional QB holds back the offense. I'm not saying it can't work well with just a drop back passer, but it will never be as effective as it is designed to be.
The man himself has been quoted as saying it. Mullen wants a dual-threat QB. End of discussion.
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I have heard/read many times this summer and early fall that Mullen doesn't think that Russell is a good fit for his offense. I agree that the offense is built around match ups and other variables but I think after working with Tebow and seeing what a mobile QB can add to his offense that is what he want from now on.
or 1, if you want to count chris leak as a great college QB. alex smith was a runner. so was his successor (who mullen found). the bowling green QB was a runner too.
maybe that's why everyone assumes that the offense requires a running QB - because they have almost always had one. even when they had leak, they still used tebow for the running QB.
I doubt the talk is starting with Mullen. From what I saw in the spring, we're going to throw the ball around A LOT. I think Mullen would much rather have a QB w/ a big league arm and okay wheels, than a athlete who can't hit the broadside of a barn. It's not like Alex Smith and Chris Leake were running 4.6's/4.5's.
....Russell isn't the second coming, and we had all convinced ourselves he was. Talk of transferring is probably nothing, and we shouldn't read Mullen's decision to redshirt him as any indication of Mullen's plans for Russell to stay/leave the program. Quite simply, it will be based on whether or not he is ready to play and can help the team.
2nd, Alex Smith can be a dual-threat, but he's not Mike Vick or Pat White. He ran a 4.7 at the NFL combine. Johnson, the next guy at Utah, is a bit quicker. Leak is no runner. I have no idea about the guy at Bowling Green.
Russell isn't necessarily Peyton Manning in the pocket. I bet he can run better than Leak and almost as good as Smith. Maybe Mullen is disappointed, but I would hate to be the next QB after Tim Tebow too.
Russell isn't necessarily Peyton Manning in the pocket. I bet he can run better than Leak and almost as good as Smith. Maybe Mullen is disappointed, but I would hate to be the next QB after Tim Tebow too.
The only people who know it are the offensive coaches and maybe his wife. Mullen ain't Croom, running his mouth off.
but to say that it doesn't need a running QB isn't correct. it needs a QB who is a legitimate runner.
i wouldn't call leak a "great" college QB. he was very good, and his numbers show that. i loved watching him throw the ball. i just wouldn't put him up there with the greatest quarterbacks to play college football. maybe i'm too selective, but i would only choose tebow for that status from meyer's QBs.
either way, the offense still made leak run. in 2005, leak ran the ball 105 times. in 06, even with tebow, leak ran the ball 77 times. that year, tebow ran the ball 89 times.
in alex smith's two years as starter, he ran the ball 149 times and 135 times. in josh smith's three years under meyer/mullen at bowling green, he ran the ball 129, 186, and 215 times.
plainly put - the offense needs a QB who can run. at the same time, without a running QB, the offense won't require him to run as much (see leak 2005).
i wouldn't call leak a "great" college QB. he was very good, and his numbers show that. i loved watching him throw the ball. i just wouldn't put him up there with the greatest quarterbacks to play college football. maybe i'm too selective, but i would only choose tebow for that status from meyer's QBs.
either way, the offense still made leak run. in 2005, leak ran the ball 105 times. in 06, even with tebow, leak ran the ball 77 times. that year, tebow ran the ball 89 times.
in alex smith's two years as starter, he ran the ball 149 times and 135 times. in josh smith's three years under meyer/mullen at bowling green, he ran the ball 129, 186, and 215 times.
plainly put - the offense needs a QB who can run. at the same time, without a running QB, the offense won't require him to run as much (see leak 2005).
I know Mullen is going to tailor his offense to fit his talent, but anyone that thinks he isn't going to run some variation of the offense he ran at Utah and Florida, in his first collegiate head coaching job, is just crazy.
Why do you think Relf is competing with Lee for the starting gig? Because he is a big mobile QB that can take the pounding that he will take in Mullen's offense.
If you look at FL and Utah's offenses just look at the number of rushes the QB has, and then decide if you think Mullen is just going to eliminate that from his offense. Of course not.
As for everyone saying Russell is a mobile QB, that may be, but the guy from everything I have been told is a all of 6'6" and has a rocket for an arm. He is not going to make it to the NFL with his legs, and he isn't built for the pounding that a QB in Mullen's system will take.
Mullen is doing what he knows, which is what any first time head coach should do.</p>
Why do you think Relf is competing with Lee for the starting gig? Because he is a big mobile QB that can take the pounding that he will take in Mullen's offense.
If you look at FL and Utah's offenses just look at the number of rushes the QB has, and then decide if you think Mullen is just going to eliminate that from his offense. Of course not.
As for everyone saying Russell is a mobile QB, that may be, but the guy from everything I have been told is a all of 6'6" and has a rocket for an arm. He is not going to make it to the NFL with his legs, and he isn't built for the pounding that a QB in Mullen's system will take.
Mullen is doing what he knows, which is what any first time head coach should do.</p>
