Listener Opinion: The Process Behind the Mobile QB

As referenced in our most recent podcast, our latest blog comes directly from a long time Sunday Surefire fan. As a youth football coach, this listener brings a unique perspective to the development processes of athletes today. Examining the Quarterback position specifically, he shares his thoughts on trends in the modern game and why these trends exist. 

The latest trend in the NFL is a push towards the mobile QB over traditional pocket passer. In doing so, the league is placing and emphasis on overall talent and athleticism rather than fundamentals and intelligence. Having a QB who can move and make plays with their legs undoubtedly creates problems for opposing Defensive Coordinators. However, the result has the potential to create an inferior on field product for the sport if taken too far.

How do I figure? Well, look at the Eagles and Jalen Hurts. This past season they ran a rugby style QB sneak putting Hurts in the middle of massive scrum and had two backs pushing him forward in order gain yards. The team’s conversion rate on these plays? A whopping 33 of 37! Hard to argue with results, but the bottom of a pile is a notoriously foul place to be in football game and probably not where you want your franchise QB visiting nearly 40 times a year. That is, unless the Eagles don’t view Hurts as their long-term answer despite leading the team to the super bowl. Sounds crazy, I get it. But What about Lamar Jackson and the Ravens?

The 2019 MVP has missed 12 games in each of the past 2 seasons and the Ravens haven’t won a playoff game in that time. He’s averaged 145 rush attempts per season in his career resulting in accumulating more hits than the traditional pocket QB. Now he wants a fully guaranteed contract north of $230m. If you’re a GM, do you feel confident guaranteeing a contract with that much money to player who’s already showing signs of wear? I wouldn’t because although he’s a better passer than people give him credit for, you’re not signing Lamar to stand in the pocket and he can’t impact the game from the sidelines. While the franchise tag remains on the table, the Ravens will most likely let Lamar walk at some point and draft another athlete to run that system. They will have short term success; ownership will be happy to pocket the revenue from being back in the playoff mix and the GM and Head Coach will retain their jobs. All is right in the world.

But here’s the trickledown effect of that business model:

1. It’s lazy - GMs and scouting departments don’t have to put too much emphasis on identifying O-Linemen who can pass block on an elite level because that’s not what they’re being asked to do. You can save money on high priced tackles because it’s no longer a premium if you have an athlete back there who can just take off at any sign of danger. Great for Ownership, but bad for the fans.

2. It’s bad for the players - I just mentioned the O-line but by default if your QB is running more, he’s throwing less and that doesn’t help wideouts. There’s no incentive to hone your craft on an elite level if you’re not seeing the ball and if the dude who’s throwing it is inaccurate then what’s the point? The QBs are coming in on cheap rookie deals and being worn out faster than the wheels a full time UBER driver makes their living on.

3. It encourages the wrong things - As a youth coach you want to emphasize fundamentals. A QB like Tom Brady was a coach’s dream in that regard. A perfect example of why proper fundamentals translates into continued success at the highest level. And in his prime, most aspiring young QB’s wanted to be him. But as we transition away from the pocket passer to gifted athletes that pull highlight reel feats from out of nowhere, it’s impossible for a kid to not want to be like a Lamar, Hurts, Fields, or Murray. Can’t imagine any of them will play 20+ years and win 7 super bowls but I guess we’ll find out.

Sadly, many youth and High School coaches care more about winning than proper player development so it’s easier to stick your most gifted athlete at the QB spot, build an offense around him making plays, win games and never look back. The kids are happy to be part of a winning program and troll their buddies online. The parents are happy that their kid is being scouted by major schools. The coaches at big schools will look at what this kid does best and do the same thing the past 2 coaches have done: exploit the talent for short term success. They don’t care if he makes the right read and gets the ball out on time on his 3-step drop if he has 4.3 speed and a cannon arm. The bottom line here is that NFL owners, college ADs and board members at major schools don’t care because winning keeps them relevant and that keeps money coming in. Every level of management below them doesn’t care because they’re just trying to keep their jobs.

So while players like Mahomes and Burrow do exist and are the perfect middle ground for mobility, play making improvisation and pocket presence there is a plethora of young QB’s being developed the wrong way for the benefit of money hoarding owners and selfish coaches and GMs.

As fans, parents and coaches it’s all fun in the moment but at some point we have look at the bigger picture and realize we’re diminishing the quality of the product on the field and doing our youth a disservice so some billionaire can keep the caviar flowing in the luxury suite.