The JJ Factor(long)

EricB, this is just for you.  

There's a reason why Miles, and many other coaches in the unproffesional levels, absoloutely love to have a dual threat qb.  It opens up a whole new method of attack on the defense, both with the rushing attack, and through the air.  Lets examine some of the core advantages and disadvantages.  

For one, any defensive coordinator will tell you they have nightmares about defending dual threat qbs.  Lets say, for example, that LSU comes out in a 4 wr set, with trips right and Ware to the left of JJ on the weakside.  The defense comes out in a dime package, cover 0 under with 2 safeties over the top.   The play is our patented read option.  JJ reads weakside defensive end.  Lets say he crashes down.  JJ pulls and heads off tackle.  Now the problem for the defense becomes who takes him.  The MLB is more than likely going to follow the RB(assuming that they shift the other nickle over to cover the slot instead of walking the LB out).  Now that means the defensive coordinator has to either drop one of those safeties down off weakside tackle to fill the gap, ala Monte Kiffin, or have the MLB fill backside off all read action.  Either of which causes problems if it's play action.  The dual threat qb forces the opposing defense to play closer attention to who has the ball.  

Now lets say it is a pass.  Straight up 5 step drop, no PA.  How do you stop JJ.  Do you bring a blitz and go 0 coverage behind it?  Do you sit back in zone and hope your front 4 can get enough pressure to disrupt him. Do you take one of your best tacklers out the equation and assign him to spy.  Either way, you are opening up something.  Or you can run the risk of not accounting for JJ, and levy that against him taking off and getting the first with his legs as we have seen so many times.  

JJ also has an effect on our downhill rushing attack because not only does the defense have to acct for Ware. But also the play action pass, and the naked bootleg.  Lets also not forget that having a running qb like JJ is even in a 5 wr set, we still have a back in tbe backfield.

There's a reason why the qb position in cfb has become more than just throwing the ball around.  Its all about maximizing the athletes you have on the field, and eliminating  the 11 on 10 natural advantage that the defense has.  

Now i know, just like any other sensible Tiger fan, that he has to improve on his pocket passing and reads. This is more on the fact that he's never had proper coaching about his motion(which he is receiving now). We know he has the arm, he had 2100 yards in 09. It's not to unreasonable to think we might get a 2000-500 type year from Jefferson.

:nb4tldr: