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QB Recruiting - Clear trend toward dual-threat

Buffnik

Real name isn't Nik
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Junta Member
Sefo Liufau committed to Embree's staff, was re-recruited to keep the commitment by MacIntyre's staff, and became a true freshman starter under MacIntyre. He's very likely the starter in 2015. So I don't want to minimize the commitment the staff has to a pocket passer who is a great leader and hyper competitive.

But when you look at who else the current staff has recruited, it shows that the move is clearly toward dual-threat QBs. This staff wants to be able to effectively run read option and have its QB extend plays (or make some extra 1st downs outside of play design).

Jordan Gehrke was signed as a JUCO transfer and redshirted into Sefo's class. He's got wheels.

Cade Apsay was the QB for the class following Sefo & Gehrke. Cade's very agile in the pocket.

Steven Montez for the 2015 class is dynamic in the open field.

For the 2016 class, the QB board is stacked with mobile, dual-threat guys.

I think everyone knew what I posted above, but I wanted to emphasize it. What the coaches are showing is that they will successfully adjust the offense to the skill set of who is playing (we see that with Sefo), but that philosophically CU will have an offense that features a QB who makes plays with his legs.

Even last season, we saw some games when they found ways to get Sefo running for 1st downs. But that's not his strength.

Could we see packages for Gehrke this season, even with Sefo as the starter?
 
I was expecting some packages with Gehrke last season, so I think it's pretty reasonable to expect. Cal did it with their true freshman QB last year and it worked a bit.
 
Yes, the preference is clearly for DT QBs. Part of me is hoping to see Sefo develop that part of his game enough to be a real threat - you never know.

As far as seeing plays specifically for Gehrke? Maybe he can fill some sort of "slash" role, like Stewart... yeah, I can't fool myself into believing that. I'd just as soon see plays for Apsay, if he can step up.
 
I honestly think Gerkes time has past. He could still be the primary backup this season but I don't see them investing a lot of time into anything special for him.

If Apsay takes a big step forward and shows he is ready to challenge for the primary back-up spot then we could see more of a trend that direction. In his case you are not only adding to what the team does but preparing a guy for a bigger role in the future.

I as well would like to see Sefo become more of a threat to run but I don't think he is ever going to be a key component doing that, doesn't mean they can't build on a few things just to keep defenses honest or take advantage of the weaknesses presented when defenses don't respect that element of his game.
 
DT QB just makes sense at the college level. Forcing defenses to account for a running QB creates mismatches. We need all of them that we can get right now.
 
I am just hoping if we use a package of plays for Gehrke to use his running threat to our advantage it doesn't backfire when the defense immediately sees him and knows that the play will be a run.
 
I prefer a DT for the college game but at the same time if an outstanding traditional pocket guy slips to us because other schools passed him over in favor of average DT guys I'm okay with that to.
 
Recalling an old saying about backup QBs and their popularity with fickle fans, I think.

I think once fans actually see him play and realize he isn't the savior, that sentiment goes away quickly. It's why we're all in love with Montez - until proven otherwise he could be the best QB we've had since Detmer.
 
As far as seeing plays specifically for Gehrke? Maybe he can fill some sort of "slash" role, like Stewart... yeah, I can't fool myself into believing that. I'd just as soon see plays for Apsay, if he can step up.

Yeah, Gehrke's a better runner than Sefo, but not good enough to be giving him a package of plays.
 
I agree the move is to mobile dual threat guys as the QB spot. That being said, Gherke is not the guy. He was flat out horrible everytime he saw the field last year including the abysmal performance at Oregon in the first half. He sees the field this year and I will be dissappointed. I hope Aspay proves he is ready to step up and take the back up role. God help us if it is Jordan.
 
Ohio State, Oregon, Florida State, even Alabama sort of. Dual threat QBs. NFL is evolving and both pocket and dual threat is needed. That's why Rodgers and Luck are amongst the best. Manning is a dinosaur and can't adjust. Even Brady can do enough to make defenses respect his ability or at least competitiveness. Sefo needs to take two strides, turnovers and just taking off because he has shown some wheels when on designed runs.


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Sefo will be the last immobile QB signed by this staff. Apsay, Gehrke, and Montez all have the ability to run the spread-option. Unless we don't develop Apsay/Montez, I expect to see more of a true spread-option offense in the coming years.
 
It'll be interesting to see who else we go after this cycle. Seems like there's more than enough dual threat type guys in the west this year. I'm wondering if we maybe target a top notch athlete that may be rough around the edges as a passer, rather than the other way around. Someone like Khalil Tate perhaps. The offer list is a little out of our depth, but the kid wants to play QB and not all of those schools want him at QB.
 
It'll be interesting to see who else we go after this cycle. Seems like there's more than enough dual threat type guys in the west this year. I'm wondering if we maybe target a top notch athlete that may be rough around the edges as a passer, rather than the other way around. Someone like Khalil Tate perhaps. The offer list is a little out of our depth, but the kid wants to play QB and not all of those schools want him at QB.

This brings up the other positive of recruiting DT QBs. If a guy gets buried on the depth chart, he's a good enough athlete to help at another position instead of transferring or being a waste of a scholarship.
 
I do find it interesting that we are recruiting DT types, but our coaches have not really coached that style in the past.
 
I think Matt Fink is my favorite based off of film at this point. Seems to have the whole arsenal.
 
I can't help but think that people are waaaay overestimating Apsay's dual threat nature. Sure he's nimble in the pocket, but you don't run zone read with a QB built like him.
 
I can't help but think that people are waaaay overestimating Apsay's dual threat nature. Sure he's nimble in the pocket, but you don't run zone read with a QB built like him.
Everyone who has seen him in practice says he is very agile. He's 6'2" 190, and while he doesn't have a big frame, you can absolutely run a zone read offense with him. Anu Solomon isn't much bigger than Apsay as well.
 
I can't help but think that people are waaaay overestimating Apsay's dual threat nature. Sure he's nimble in the pocket, but you don't run zone read with a QB built like him.

Being a DT doesn't necessarily have to mean running the zone read. All it says it that you have a QB who is a legitimate threat to move the ball with either his arm or his feet.

In addition to throwing the ball this can mean that he can carry the ball on planned runs and/or can pull the ball down when the pass isn't there and turn it into quality gains.

Zone read certainly adds a completely different dimension that the defense has to deal with but it is not the only way to be effective. If a guy like Apsay were to only run the ball 5-8 times a game but they resulted in important gains that made to offense significantly more effective then he would be a true dual threat, defenses would have to deal with two different potential ways he can move the ball.
 
I can't help but think that people are waaaay overestimating Apsay's dual threat nature. Sure he's nimble in the pocket, but you don't run zone read with a QB built like him.
He definitely needs to get bigger, no question there. He seemed to be the most mobile from what I saw last year. Or at least on par with Gehrke
 
Damn how long have you been lingering?
Lurking? I was first a member about ten years ago, but rarely posted. Sacky posted in another thread about how he is his "favorite Buff's" doom, which is why has chosen carefully for the upcoming season. I think he has a new favorite poster, too.
 
Lurking? I was first a member about ten years ago, but rarely posted. Sacky posted in another thread about how he is his "favorite Buff's" doom, which is why has chosen carefully for the upcoming season. I think he has a new favorite poster, too.
He meant malingering.
 
This is bad news for the NFL teams.

I actually think this is worse news for the college QBs than it is for NFL teams. Ohio State and Oregon-type offenses/coaches do little to nothing to get their QBs ready for a successful NFL career (no fault of their own as it's not Urban Meyer's job to do so), other than hyping them up and getting them paid. The NFL has 32 starting QB jobs, with only about half of them actually open for competition. They have a large population of collegiate QBs to choose from and will simply lean toward QBs that fit their offense's style, no matter what collegiate level they hail from. The future of the NFL is going to the Russell Wilson/Andrew Luck models. Dual threat QBs that come from a pro style offense.
 
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