The quarterbacks in the semifinals of the College Football Playoffs varied in passing ability, but each shared a mobility that could be effective at different points in the game.
Here’s a look at the rushing stats of the four quarterbacks.
– Stetson Bennett of Georgia: 7 carries, -18 yards, 1 touchdown.
– CJ Stroud of Ohio State: 12 carries, 34 yards, 66 scramble yards.
– TCU’s Max Duggan: 15 carries for 64 yards, 2 touchdowns and 34 scrambled yards.
– JJ McCarthy of Michigan: 10 carries, 52 yards, 1 touchdown, 56 scrambled yards.
Three of the four quarterbacks made a big impact in the game with their feet, but UGA’s Bennett couldn’t run as many yards. goal line situation.
Mobility is also a key factor in gaining time to pass the ball. This is where all four of his quarterbacks in the semifinals made an impact. All four quarterbacks have the ability to evade pressure from talented front sevens and keep the chain moving in those situations.
Here are the performances of the four quarterbacks under pressure:
– Bennett: 6/12 for 69 yards, 1 interception.
– Stroud: 5-of-11 for 67 yards and one touchdown.
– Duggan: 7-of-21 for 229 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception.
– McCarthy: 7/14 for 62 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception.
Here are the average throw times for quarterbacks when dealing with pressure:
– Bennett: 3.27 seconds.
– Stroud: 3.83 seconds.
– Duggan: 3.49 seconds.
– McCarthy: 5.37 seconds.
Any time the quarterback can gain more than 3 seconds to throw the ball, it is a dangerous situation for the defense. Because it’s usually just a matter of time before the receiver opens.
There are many ways a quarterback can win a game at every level, but this semi-final round of the College Football Playoffs showed the value of pocket mobility (and scrambling ability) to avoiding athletic pass rushers.
One of the things that bothered Stroud going into the semifinal match was his reluctance to use his athleticism as a runner. He didn’t hold back that part of the game Saturday night, playing the best game of his college career against an athletic and tough defense. His performance made a strong case that he should be the #1 overall pick in his 2023 NFL Draft.
Of the four quarterbacks in the college football playoffs, only CJ Stroud is considered an NFL draft-level first-rounder (a measure of a quarterback’s passing ability). However, all four quarterbacks have demonstrated the ability to play with their feet.
With college defensive lines being too athletic and college offensive lines error-prone, the modern quarterback position requires some kind of mobility.