The defenders are quicker, the passing windows are smaller and the difference between having success or failure on any given play shrinks significantly. So while many would criticize Darron Thomas for playing in a multi-read, spread offense, I actually think it will help him with the mental toughness it takes to play at the next level.
Think about it, most quarterbacks get a play from the sideline and immediatley know whether it's a run or a pass. Furthermore, if it's a run, they certainly know which player is getting the ball.
For Thomas, his running plays often contained as many as three "reads" on each play, which requires him to either keep or hand off the ball to a particular teammate in a fraction of a second.
Oh yeah, and he did all of this without having the advantage of a huddle, often snapping the ball within moments of the referee placing the ball in play. So was he successful? Let's put it this way, when Dennis Dixon injured himself 10 games into the his legendary senior season, the Ducks offense was averaging yards-per-game. In , when Thomas first took the reigns of Chip Kelly's offense as a red-shirt sophomore, the Ducks averaged yards of offense per game.
And in , with a depleted wide receiver corps, the Oregon offense still managed yards per game. And before people bring up LaMichael James into the discussion, let's not forget that Dixon was handing off to an eventual first-round selection Jonathan Stewart in Running Chip Kelly's offense requires a quarterback to be tougher than average.
Often times, the defensive player you've correctly "read" will still blast you even though you've correctly handed off the ball to the running back. Other times you're allowing a defensive lineman or linebacker to come free on a blitz, knowing that it opens up a receiver downfield. And finally, let's not forget all those designed runs, where the spread quarterback is expected to get those tough yards and keep the chains moving.
Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Are you a Stathead, too? Subscribe to our Free Newsletter. This Month in Sports Reference Find out when we add a feature or make a change. Do you have a sports website? Or write about sports? We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data.
Find out more. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Meanwhile, his decision has ultimately left the college sensation undrafted and unsigned—a nod to the times in which an individual with a business degree like the one that Thomas worked towards faces an unemployment rate of 7.
As a scrambling quarterback, he offers a unique skill set that can provide an extra offensive weapon to any team looking for such an asset. His arm, which is not quite NFL-ready by standard definition, is serviceable and will not be an entirely disappointing waste of time if he's placed on the field. Thomas felt as if this was the right year to declare for the NFL draft because there were very few other eligible QBs that would be declaring, and that would give him a greater opportunity to prove his stock.
Thomas, however, was a victim of his own optimism. He watched from Eugene, Oregon as every team passed over him. With roughly seven picks for every team, each time the dream became further and further from reality. Unfortunately for Thomas, he has yet to receive a phone call from an NFL suitor wishing to give him a chance in the upcoming season. Now the tough road begins.
This weekend, Thomas will begin his travels for minicamp tryouts. Thomas, 29, continues to play professionally. He's in his seventh year of pro football after leaving Oregon in He's best known for leading the program to a regular season in and its first national title game appearance, followed by the school's first Rose Bowl win in nearly years a year later. Portland acts as home base for Thomas who trains in the same state he starred in as collegiate.
Thomas has followed Oregon closely since leaving eight years ago. He's enthused by the direction the program appears to be headed in under second-year coach Mario Cristobal.
0コメント