John Madden's 3 QB offense

[Randal7]

"If you have two quarterbacks, you've got no quarterbacks"
-Bill Parcells

While some view the 3 QB offense as something akin to a 3 ring circus, the most enlightened among us (myself) was interested in the historical precedence of such a dramatic situation whereby a team not only played 2, but 3 QBs in games, by design!

Exhibit A is from 51 years ago...the OAKLAND RAIDERS, with none other than JOHN MADDEN as skipper.

That season, the Raiders had 2 QBs on the roster:
1) Daryle Lamonica
2) Ken Stabler

AND

They had a kicker who could chuck the pigskin in George Blanda. Yes, at 44 and in the league for 20+ years he stepped in to play QB on occasion (seemingly randomly, when Madden wasn't happy with Stabler or Lamonica)

How did the stats break out?

Individually, here was the situation:

No.	Player	Age	Pos	G	GS	QBrec	Cmp	Att	Cmp%	Yds	TD	TD%	Int	Int%	Lng	Y/A	AY/A	Y/C	Y/G	Rate	QBR	Sk	Yds	Sk%	NY/A	ANY/A	4QC	GWD
3	Daryle Lamonica	30	QB	14	13	7-4-2	118	242	48.8	1717	16	6.6	16	6.6	67	7.1	5.4	14.6	122.6	66.8		18	172	6.9	5.94	4.40	1	2
16	George Blanda	44	qb	14	0		32	58	55.2	378	4	6.9	6	10.3	37	6.5	3.2	11.8	27.0	58.6		2	26	3.3	5.87	2.70	2	1
12	Ken Stabler	26	qb	14	1	1-0-0	24	48	50	268	1	2.1	4	8.3	23	5.6	2.3	11.2	19.1	39.2		4	37	7.7	4.44	1.37
	Team Total	26.3		14		8-4-2	174	348	50	2363	21	6	26	7.5	67	6.8	4.6	13.6	168.8	61.0		24	235	6.5	5.72	3.70	3	3
	Opp Total			14			184	359	51.3	2609	15	4.2	23	6.4		7.3	5.22	14.2	186.4	62.3		32	223	8.2	6.1	4.2

Now the major question: did it work?!

 

[Randal7]

Incredibly, YES! It did work.

The offense scored 24.6 points per game, good for 2nd in the league AND the raiders finished 8-4-2.

Is this simply an anachronism?

Was it an insane scheme concocted by a coach who was too trigger happy, over thinking it and who couldn't help himself?

OR

Was this a stroke of genius implemented by one of the most enlightened football leaders of our time?!

 

[brgRC90]

It looks like they did pretty well but offense has changed so much since then it's not very applicable to today's game.

 

[e5fdny]

And we have FOUR guys to work with!

We should kill it.

 

[rurichdog]

I thought this was going to be a discussion about the A-11 Offense.

 

[mildone]

There are no rules when it comes to stuff like how many QBs play. Each situation is unique and must be considered in it's full context to truly understand it all. And fans never have that full context due to their limited insight into what took place in the locker room or back offices that went into these decisions.

 

[e5fdny]

There are no rules when it comes to stuff like how many QBs play. Each situation is unique and must be considered in it's full context to truly understand it all. And fans never have that full context due to their limited insight into what took place in the locker room or back offices that went into these decisions.

Well, when there is a true #1, talent wise and result wise (which at this point we don’t have), there is a pretty good idea who is going to play.

Might not call it it a postulate but you could say it’s a theorem.

 

[ruinac]

Plenty of college teams have used multiple QBs. But they aren’t running multiple QBs in on every series.

 

[mildone]

Well, when there is a true #1, talent wise and result wise (which at this point we don’t have), there is a pretty good idea who is going to play.

Might not call it it a postulate but you could say it’s a theorem.

There are pros and cons to both approaches. But for sure, the one QB approach is more likely to succeed simply because it's pretty unusual to have multiple great QBs on a single team. It's also unusual to have players who can perform at their peak despite getting fewer practice reps.

But it doesn't mean that that team with one QB would always outperform a team in which 2 or 3 experienced QBs, who are all equally good but with different strengths, play regularly. If the multi-QB team has the right personnel, the right OC, the right system - then I would argue that it has a higher potential than the single-QB team.

It's rare to find that circumstance, obviously. But not entirely out of the realm of possibility or, apparently given the OP, not entirely without precedent.

I figure it's sort of like when a team regularly plays 2 excellent RBs for a thunder and lightning approach. It can help prevent the D from getting comfortable by constantly changing the pace and style of the attack.

For RU at the moment, we don't have the luxury of even a single great QB. So the question is moot for us.

Perhaps GW will become that guy. Who knows, maybe he'll come out and totally light it up on Saturday, if he plays. This could be his breakout game.

 

[Randal7]

Plenty of college teams have used multiple QBs. But they aren’t running multiple QBs in on every series.

3? Give me an example

 

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

Michigan is a 2-QB team this year.. and last, right? McNamara got dinged up mid-September Looks like McCarthy has won the job.. awesome stats

2021 Passing

1 Cade McNamara 14 210 327 64.2 2576 7.9 8.0 15 6 141.9
2 J.J. McCarthy 11 34 59 57.6 516 8.7 8.9 5 2 152.3
3 Alan Bowman 2 2 4 50.0 9 2.3 -9.0 0 1 18.9
4 Dan Villari 4 1 3 33.3 26 8.7 8.7 0 0 106.1
5 Donovan Edwards 11 1 1 100.0 75 75.0 95.0 1 0 1060.0

2022 Passing

1 J.J. McCarthy 7 111 144 77.1 1297 9.0 9.6 9 2 170.6
2 Cade McNamara 3 14 25 56.0 180 7.2 6.2 1 1 121.7
3 Alan Bowman 3 6 7 85.7 60 8.6 11.4 1 0 204.9
4 Davis Warren 3 3 6 50.0 70 11.7 11.7 0 0 148.0
5 Brandon Mann 1 1 1 100.0 7 7.0 7.0 0 0 158.8
6 Alex Orji 3 1 1 100.0 5 5.0 5.0 0 0 142.0
7 Andy Maddox 1 1 1 100.0 4 4.0 4.0 0 0 133.6

 

[Randal7]

2 QBs happens a lot. 3 is rarefied air

 

[LotusAggressor]

That Raider team had 3 QBs that ranged from very good to at least professionally competent. RU has 1 QB that can't throw, 1 inexperienced QB that has yet to learn accuracy, and 1 who consistently throws the ball to the wrong team. Shuffling 3 QBs with glaring weaknesses in and out of the game while being oblivious to their limitations and strengths results in the offensive shitshow that we've been witnessing so far.

 

[e5fdny]

That Raider team had 3 QBs that ranged from very good to at least professionally competent. RU has 1 QB that can't throw, 1 inexperienced QB that has yet to learn accuracy, and 1 who consistently throws the ball to the wrong team. Shuffling 3 QBs with glaring weaknesses in and out of the game while being oblivious to their limitations and strengths results in the offensive shitshow that we've been witnessing so far.

That’s the word we need to hear about from someone in that position group.

Once we get some who does that on the + side on a regular basis we’ll be okay.

 

[BROTHERSKINNY]

And we have FOUR guys to work with!

We should kill it.

And we will! I believe in todays football game you have to have a minimum of 3 serviceable QB's. The game is so physical these days that one hard hit to a QB can take him out for a few games or a season. There is a method behind Schianos madness. Now, If we have a QB who stands head and shoulders above the others that is a different story. Gregs, Mantra has ALWAYS been that he wants to win RIGHT NOW! He said in his last presser he is going to play whoever, at any position that gives the team the best chance to win!

 

[ruinac]

3? Give me an example

Off the top of my head, in OSU used Barrett, Haskins and Burrow. Because Burrow broke his hand late in summer practice.

Using 3 QBs every game isn’t a good strategy and I don’t think RU should be doing it. But having 3 QBs get meaningful playing time over the course of a season does happen in college ball.

 

[Randal7]

Off the top of my head, in OSU used Barrett, Haskins and Burrow. Because Burrow broke his hand late in summer practice.

Using 3 QBs every game isn’t a good strategy and I don’t think RU should be doing it. But having 3 QBs get meaningful playing time over the course of a season does happen in college ball.

Did all 3 play? If so that’s a very good example

 

[ruinac]

Did all 3 play? If so that’s a very good example

Yep. Burrow missed a lot of the early season due to the injury