All of this realignment talk has distracted us, we haven't had weekly arguments about the QB spot for a while now!
I remember last year breaking down some numbers on bringing in an air raid type offense into a program. It seemed like a good idea was to get in a young guy at the QB spot and let him run that offense for a few years to let the offense become a well-oiled machine. I think there is some validity in that. But I also think an argument can be made for talent as well.
Now I don't think you have to be a great QB to run an air raid offense or a variation of it. I think with enough teaching, all you need is a QB that can make quick decisions. You don't have to be crazy talented to do that. But to get that offense going initially, I think you can make an argument that talent is the way to go. Look at a few of these recent coach's implementing the air raid and who their first starting QB was:
Art Briles at Baylor - RG3 (1st round pick)
Kevin Sumlin at A&M - Johnny Football (1st round pick)
Sonny Dykes at Cal - Jared Goff (1st round pick)
Also consider Kliff Kingsbury. His offense is becoming consistent under Pat Mahomes (some considering a future first round pick), but he wasn't there his first year. That first year, though, his top 3 QBs were Davis Webb (now at Cal, some saying he is the top senior QB in this upcoming draft class), Baker Mayfield (one of the favorites for the Heisman), and Michael Brewer (transferred to Virginia Tech and was a two year starter). So he has had a lot of talent as well.
Now maybe the offenses those guys ran have enhanced the value of those guys. But I do think it makes a strong argument that starting out running this type of offense, to get it going you need to play the most talented guy and grow with that guy. If that is true, purely from a talent perspective you have to go with Ryan Willis over Montell Cozart. I know the arguments about Willis's off the field stuff, Cozart being more efficient, and things like that, which I do think are valid points (in particular I think Willis has to do a better job at reading defenses, which is understandable since he was a true freshman last year). However, the above shows to me you have to roll with the most talented guy and build things around his talents for these type of offenses to really take off.
I remember last year breaking down some numbers on bringing in an air raid type offense into a program. It seemed like a good idea was to get in a young guy at the QB spot and let him run that offense for a few years to let the offense become a well-oiled machine. I think there is some validity in that. But I also think an argument can be made for talent as well.
Now I don't think you have to be a great QB to run an air raid offense or a variation of it. I think with enough teaching, all you need is a QB that can make quick decisions. You don't have to be crazy talented to do that. But to get that offense going initially, I think you can make an argument that talent is the way to go. Look at a few of these recent coach's implementing the air raid and who their first starting QB was:
Art Briles at Baylor - RG3 (1st round pick)
Kevin Sumlin at A&M - Johnny Football (1st round pick)
Sonny Dykes at Cal - Jared Goff (1st round pick)
Also consider Kliff Kingsbury. His offense is becoming consistent under Pat Mahomes (some considering a future first round pick), but he wasn't there his first year. That first year, though, his top 3 QBs were Davis Webb (now at Cal, some saying he is the top senior QB in this upcoming draft class), Baker Mayfield (one of the favorites for the Heisman), and Michael Brewer (transferred to Virginia Tech and was a two year starter). So he has had a lot of talent as well.
Now maybe the offenses those guys ran have enhanced the value of those guys. But I do think it makes a strong argument that starting out running this type of offense, to get it going you need to play the most talented guy and grow with that guy. If that is true, purely from a talent perspective you have to go with Ryan Willis over Montell Cozart. I know the arguments about Willis's off the field stuff, Cozart being more efficient, and things like that, which I do think are valid points (in particular I think Willis has to do a better job at reading defenses, which is understandable since he was a true freshman last year). However, the above shows to me you have to roll with the most talented guy and build things around his talents for these type of offenses to really take off.
