How do you contain a mobile QB?

It has been said very frequently throughout the years that Nebraska defenses have struggled with mobile quarterbacks.

The proof was certainly in the pudding last season. In a 48-17 loss to Wisconsin, Russell Wilson torched the Huskers in going 14-of-20 for two touchdowns and no interceptions. He also ran for 32 more yards on six carries. In a 34-27 come-from-behind win over Ohio State, Braxton Miller gave the Huskers fits before leaving the game with an ankle injury. Miller completed 5-of-8 passes for 95 yards and a score. He also ran for 91 yards on 10 more carries.

In a 28-25 upset loss to Northwestern, Kane Colter completed 4-of-6 for one touchdown and 15 yards. He ran for 57 yards on 17 carries and a score. In a 45-17 loss to Michigan, Dennard Robinson completed 11-of-18 passes for two touchdowns and an interception for 180 yards. He also ran for 83 yards on 23 carries and two touchdowns. Nebraska managed just five sacks combined against those mobile signal-callers.

Against the more classic, dropback quarterbacks, Nebraska had much more success. In a 24-3 win over Michigan State, Spartans quarterback Kirk Cousins completed just 11-of-24 passes for no touchdowns, one interception and 86 yards. He totaled zero yards rushing on six carries and was sacked four times.

In a 20-7 win over Iowa, Hawkeyes’ quarterback Jeff Vandenberg completed just 16-of-35 passes for 182 yards, no touchdowns and one interception. He was sacked just once but recorded just one yard rushing on one carry.

The question should be, what is the solution to slow down mobile quarterbacks? Some say use a defender as a “spy,” which means assign him specifically to the quarterback. I do not like that approach because it takes one defender away from everyone else.

Some would say, rush four, drop seven and make him “read” the defense. That approach is fine if you have a back seven with speed and can rely solely on your front four to bring pressure but how many defenses can do that? Plus, if you give any quarterback too much time to throw they will spot an open receiver at some point.

I believe in the approach of bring your front four (or three if you run a 3-4) but add one blitzer on every play. You may give up a big play every now and then, but getting in any quarterback’s head (especially a mobile one) is vital. If he is running for his life, he isn’t going through his reads.

However, they have to be delayed and disguised blitzes because straight blitzes will lead to open field for them to run through.

When I hear the term, “he is a mobile quarterback,” it usually means that he has success to some degree or another with most defenses. In the glory years of the 1990s, defensive coordinator Charlie McBride’s game plan was to attack the quarterback rather than just contain. I can remember many Defensive ends for Nebraska that got to the quarterback very quickly. He might dodge one, sometimes two rushers but often times he ducked right into the path of a runaway freight train. I remember many a quarterback back then who looked like he had gone through a meat grinder. Their heads were not totally focused at the task at hand.

It comes down to philosophies. McBride’s was old school aggression and Bo Pelini’s is all about outsmarting and confusion. At least that is how I see it.