This college football season has given us a new standard for the quarterback position. No longer is the prototype quarterback a big, tall, slow moving, straight drop-back passer. Many teams are changing to a more mobile QB who can scramble, run the option, and have a cannon for an arm. The teams with such talent at QB are having great success.

Many teams in the top 25 have switched to the athletic quarterback. Kansas State, Tennessee, Missouri, and Tulane are all premier teams in college football who have benefited from this change. Tennessee, for example, was led last year by NFL 1st draft pick Peyton Manning, but fell short of a championship. Tee Martin, an inexperienced black quarterback, was expected to lead the Volunteers to a satisfactory bowl bid and maybe a crack at the top 10. However, Tee is leading his team to an undefeated season and a great shot at the championship, something Manning could never accomplish. What makes the difference? Martin is an improviser. When under pressure, he can scramble and make something happen. Sure, Manning is the better passer, but that means nothing when four 300-lbs. defensive linemen are right in your face trying to tear your head off. Manning would throw the ball away in this situation but Martin, would either scramble and run for some yardage, or throw on the run for a big gain. These are the types of plays that need to be made in the college game for championship success.

Why haven't many of these new-breed quarterbacks gotten recognition before? This is a good question. In the past, blacks who played quarterback were frowned upon. Race was always a big factor. The so-called experts thought that blacks could only run the ball or engage in the physical parts of the game. To an extent, this was true but only because they were never expected to or given the chance to throw the ball. Today, one of the nation's best passers is black in Kansas State's Michael Bishop. He has the strongest arm at the college level and an uncanny ability to read defenses. Not only that, he can run the ball as good as any running back in the country. Along with Martin, Bishop is vying for a national championship. It would be a treat to see these two remarkable athletes in the Fiesta Bowl competing for the title.

In conclusion, more and more schools will see the success of these quarterbacks and they will go out and recruit their own. College football is going through a "Renaissance". This period of time provides for many exciting football games. Hopefully, the NFL will pick up on this new trend also.

if you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for the author, please e-mail us

Connection
sign guestbook
view guestbook
get.a.pal