HS QB playing both ways?

We had the same situation this past year. Our QB was 6'2" 225lbs. and could clean 300+lbs. yet we only played him on offense. After seeing him in some defensive drills...that was a good move. Our back up QB was one of our middle linebacker and I am pulling for him to be our free safety. He will be 6'3"/6'4" 200lbs. by the time the season starts next fall.

My QBs have almost always been LB or FS. I once faced a very good QB in the playoffs who also destroyed us from his DE position. He was the best kid on the field on either side of the ball.

I just don't understand the idea that a rb, te, or ol can take the punishment on both sides of the ball but a qb can't. What makes the qb so vulnerable? A rb will usually take more punishment than a qb, but we don't worry about whether the rb can play both ways.

Whenever possible we will not play our QB on the defensive side, not because he is any more vulnerable than anyone else, but rather because of the great impact should he get injured. It does make it easier when he is a DB type kid, as most QBs are. We are more likely to use this type of athlete in a part time role - nickelback, "crunch time", etc. However, I have had a QB who played almost full time at OLB because he was just too good to not have on the field.

We finished the season with 18 players. Our QB is almost always our best athlete. Yes, we play ours both ways. We couldn't afford not to.

We played ours both ways for the 1st time ever. Threw for over 3,000 yards, rushed for 1200 and was the team leader in INT's at CB. I swear it about killed him though, if we had anyone remotely decent to play CB we wouldnt have done it.

Our QB goes both ways. We need to have all of our best athletes on the field regardless of position. I don't worry too much about playing the QB on defense regardless of where they are at. I know a number of teams that have played their QB at LB and they were damn tough linebackers. As a former QB who payed both ways, I was more worried about getting hurt on offense than on defense. You have much more control about how you get hit and where you hit on defense than on offense. On offense you are much more exposed to injury.

I played with a QB that played ILB at 165 pounds, second fastest on the team and could bench almost 300. just depends on the athlete and their maturity if he is young and gets winded on defense his throws are going to sail maybe even decisions. but an older kid can do it.

Do you play your starting tailback on defense? How about your starting guard or tight end? What if they get hurt? Why take that risk? Maybe I am naive, but I just can't see how it is good for the team to send the message that the QB is somehow superior to the rest of the team and we can't risk getting him hurt. I think some of the other kids sooner or later will consider the QB as soft, and who wants to follow a soft kid who can't handle contact?

And what if that guy gets hurt playing offense? Have you still wasted your time?

At my school we have to put the best 11 on the field. We average around 35 players on the team. If we are pretty good about 1/2 of the 35 can play. This year our starting QB was 6'2" and weighed 200 lbs. He was our leading tackler (played oslb) on defense and ran the option on offense. We would rest him on defense when we could or just had to. When we needed a stop he was on the field.

It's probably a great way to prevent getting sued if he tries to tackle (ala Friday Night Lights).

It depends on the kid you have. One year coaching high school we had a converted WR/CB playing QB and he used to play CB on occasion, as well as special teams. He was a hitter and a player and we had to use him. We did have a good (but young) back-up to take his place though.

On other teams I've never had a QB athletic enough to play defence. Last season we just called with a fat kid with an arm

In our situation this year, we actually had our starting cornerback play QB. He is not a QB, but he is dependable and is a good athlete, and we had no one else.

You have to put the best 11 on the field at all times- regardless! I don't believe in worrying about things that are out of your control. Most injuries are out of your control. It is our job as coaches to make sure that our backup has had plenty of reps at practice and can be plugged in during a game at anytime.

Our situation is that the likely QB next season will be a Jr., but he's young, only 15 at the start of the season. He's got a gun, broke 2 fingers/hands last season (1 LB and 1 WR).

The backup is likely to be the Sr., wrestler, baseball, starting DE last season, played RB/FB/QB as well. Issue there is that is he shorter and can't see over the line when he drops to pass. Very well built, smart, has some speed, and we can move him, etc. He doesn't want to play QB but will if we need him to. Runs the option well. So, I don't necessarily see a big drop off if we go to him, other than alterations in the passing game.

I think that our natural hesitation in having the QB play defense is the invenstment cost in getting the QB to be good. The footwork, the reads, throwing the ball, leading, etc. We spend a lot of time working with the QB to ensure that he can do everything as well as possible. To lose that by him stopping an off-tackle run is not what we want to see. It's somehow better to lose the guy making a pass or a pitch rather than a tackle.

Thanks for all the discussion on this. We won't know until we know, but I've got some new items to consider. Please, let's continue this topic.

Casey
IHS Vikings