Pro-style QBs come back in focus

[Auggie]

Commentary by Gregg Easterbrook | ESPN.com

Once upon a time, NFL scouts wanted college quarterbacks who played in a pro-style offense. The theory was no one could learn to read pass coverages after arriving in the NFL: a player needed years of practice using NFL-style tactics. Quarterbacks who had been great runners in college offenses, such as Eric Crouch of Nebraska, were poison to NFL scouts.

Then about a decade ago, the spread offense arrived in Texas prep football. NFL teams of the Lone Star State may be struggling, but Texas high school football remains the sport's leading indicator. With the spread, suddenly quarterbacks didn't need a sophisticated understanding of defenses because everybody was open. About five years after that, the zone-read offense arrived. Suddenly running quarterbacks also had passing stats. The 2011 Alamo Bowl -- 777 yards of offense by Baylor, 620 yards by the University of Washington -- was thought the bellwether for the NFL. Insistence on quarterbacks from a pro-style offense seemed passé.

San Francisco at Washington on "Monday Night Football," the traditionalist scouts had their revenge. There's a reason they liked pro-style quarterbacks, who now may make a draft comeback.

In the game, Niners zone-read quarterback Colin Kaepernick struggled against one of the league's worst pass defenses, often sailing the ball where no receiver awaited. Lead by a highly drafted, magazine-cover, college-style quarterback, the Niners are last in the league in passing.

MORE: http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/10037207/as-robert-griffin-iii-colin-kaepernick-struggle-focus-shifting-back-pro-style-qbs

I think Kaepernick looked better against Washington than games past. He still telegraphs many throws and his ability to read the complete field is debatable. The lack of healthy wideouts on the S.F. roster and a cumbersome playbook hasn't helped him either.

However … the guy is technically completing his first full season in the NFL. I've said it before -- it wasn't too long ago when rookie QBs underwent two to three years warming the bench as backups, watching and learning from the starters. Remember how long Aaron Rodgers backed-up Brett Favre? That worked out pretty well in the end.

I'll counter Easterbrook by predicting we'll see the mentoring approach come back into focus too -- teams won't be so fast to start rookie QBs, spread offenses or not.

[trumad]

1. Kap has a problem finding his receivers.

I think he'll fix the problem.