We see it all the time. The hype, the magazine covers, the TV specials telling us that this is the next great top-flight NFL quarterback. We see the passing titles and numerous awards they receive. We tend to believe that hype, but more often than not, the product falls way short of expectations.
Everyone remembers the 2008 Sugar Bowl between the Georgia Bulldogs and the then-undefeated Hawaii Rainbow Warriors, quarterbacked by Heisman hopeful Colt Brennan (pictured above).
Brennan, following in the footsteps of former Hawaii QB Timmy Chang who set the NCAA career passing yardage mark back in 2004, threw for an NCAA Division I-A record 58 touchdown passes in 2006, along with a record passing efficiency of 185.96. His 2007 season was not as spectacular but equally productive, throwing for over 4000 yards and 38 touchdowns as well as leading Hawaii to a 12-0 season, the ONLY undefeated team in the country.
All of those numbers became irrelevant that night in the Superdome as he faced a defense of professional caliber. Brennan's normally solid offensive line wilted under the pressure and allowed a season high eight sacks, the most given up by Hawaii since 2000.
The Bulldogs's relentless pressure made it a nightmare for Brennan to find his talented receivers, causing him to throw for a season-low 169 yards and three interceptions. He was also hit and knocked down multiple times throughout.
Brennan's failure on the big stage was obviously picked apart and many experts saw it as a possible sign of things to come. They cited that his conference and overall schedule was too easy and he faced opposing defenses with sub-par secondaries. He was touted as just another "system quarterback" and that the word "bust" would follow him in the NFL. Time will tell if that comes to fruition.
Brennan is not the only quarterback to have this label. David Carr, Tim Couch, Andre Ware, Danny Wuerffel, Akili Smith, Alex Smith and Joey Harrington are just a few of the other "system quarterbacks" to have to come to the NFL and failed miserably. But we ask, why is that?
Is it really the system itself that they play in or are there other factors?
The main factor we will zero in on is the main offensive formation these quarterbacks, and many others around the country, have relied upon and that is the shotgun spread (sometimes known as the Run and Shoot).
The shotgun spread offense has been modified since it was invented by Red Hickey in 1960 and has become a college quarterback's favorite weapon. Mismatches are easy to exploit which leads to big plays and big numbers and most of that production depends on solid pass protection.
Others say that a lot of the quarterback's success depends on the talent around them. At the collegiate level, talent is clear to notice but at the pro level everyone seems to be of equal talent and skill.
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