A Vince Young update

OK, so in the past I have written about the extreme overrated-ness of one Vince Young. And so this week, due to the complete ineffectiveness of Tennessee’s offense, they fired offensive coordinator Norm Chow (noted offensive genius, at least until this year).  

This kind of makes me laugh, kind of makes me angry. Basically, Jeff Fisher is saying that it’s not VY’s fault the offense sucks, it’s Norm Chow’s. I find this to be a pretty laughable idea. Norm Chow’s quarterback pedigree is as good as anyone in the business. If he couldn’t make the “great” Vince Young into an even average NFL quarterback, maybe it’s Vince Young who’s the problem.  

Now, my disclaimer is this. I do think that VY could be a better quarterback if the NFL coaches who work with him would abandon the whole idea that an NFL quarterback needs to be a drop-back passer and nothing else. VY’s strength, the entire reason he was so successful passing in college, was that he was free to run any time he wanted, and he was very good at it.  

I think that if an NFL coach would have the balls to let VY run, and then mix in the pass off of that, he could become a legitimate NFL quarterback. His game wouldn’t look like the other NFL QB’s games, but it could be just as effective at moving the team. But that’s one of the problems with the NFL. Coaches are TERRIFIED to take risks. Coaches in the NFL are so afraid of losing that they are reluctant to try anything different than what has already been proven in the past. That’s why there’s no diversity in the NFL. Every team’s systems are similar. Sure, some teams run more than others and vice versa, but the formations are the same, the plays are the same, it’s all the same. They aren’t willing to innovate nearly as much as the college coaches are, and they suffer for it. I could go on and talk about this in more detail for a very long time, but for now will leave it at that. 

But back to my original point, I just think it’s funny how people are so sold on Vince Young, who statistically was yet again one of the worst quarterbacks in all of football, that they fire the coordinator rather than consider a quarterback that can actually throw the ball.  Here’s the solution if you’re Tennessee. If you want to run a traditional NFL offense, bench Young now. There’s no point in trying to make him something he’s not. If you believe in him, then do what colleges do, and tailor your offense around his strengths, and, most importantly, tell him to run the ball 15 times a game. It’s that simple. Not only is he a good runner who will gain yards, but the linebackers (and even safeties) will be focusing on his running more and it will open up the passing game. You have to try a risky (by NFL standards) scheme though if you’re going to go with VY as your QB.  Of course this won’t happen though. Fisher will hire some new coordinator who will swear he can develop Young into a bona fide NFL passer, and after a while, his schemes (that will no doubt be almost identical to Norm Chow’s) won’t be producing any great results, and the cycle will continue.  

By the way, most people’s objection to the idea of letting Young (or any mobile quarterback) run 10-15 times a game is that they can’t take the pounding of being hit that many times. I think that is so ridiculous it deserves laughter in the face though. If running backs can handle 25 hits a game, then a good running quarterback, especially one as big and strong and elusive as VY, can handle 15 hits a game. You will never convince me otherwise on this. Besides, if that’s the way for the quarterback to be successful, don’t you have to try it? What’s the point of harnessing a player’s only advantage because you’re afraid using that advantage might lead to an injury, when the alternative is to keep him safe by telling him to not use the skills that got him there in the first place? It’s insane.