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Webb/Pick at QB - To Rotate Or Not?

This is being discussed in the Roundtable post, but the following is a bit long for a comment there--

Webb looks to have taken the reins as starting QB, but Pick is apparently still seeing action in some change-of-pace sets. Is this a good idea? Here's a list of Pros and Cons.

Pro - Gives defenses a different look and something else to prepare for.

(On the other hand, teams already prepare for Wildcat sets.)

Pro - Gets Pick's athleticism on the field.

(But does this do more harm than good?)

Pro - Instead of just a "Wildcat" ("Wild-Hawk", if you ask me), Pick can actually throw, unlike most Wildcat backs.

(Or can he? The coaches don't seem to trust him - neither Gill nor Mangino.)

Pro - The backup QB, Pick, has more in-game experience should anything happen to Webb.

(Yes, but his experience will be primarily in the Wildcat, as far as we can tell.)

Pro - Webb gets to take a step back and have a different point of view from the sideline, which can help from a teaching standpoint.

(Teaching points are fewer if the only plays he's seeing from the sideline are Wildcat plays.)

Pro - Gives Pick a chance to improve with experience, instead of just putting him on the shelf for three years.

(Who cares about this Pick guy anyways? -- Not really -- but while Pick's improvement as a player is a good thing, his development is secondary to getting better results for the team on the field.)

Con - Might disrupt Webb's rhythm.

(If you can give different running backs more snaps depending on the respective strengths/weaknesses of an opponent, is it really that different for QBs? They're already going on and off the field all the time, what's four or five more times per game?)

Con - Two voices in the huddle from possession to possession.

(The punter/kicker calls plays, and that doesn't seem to incite mad chaos.)

Con - The Wildcat has been found out and is not really that useful anymore - it's too predictable and teams already have planned/schemed for it.

(But maybe not if KU is running the Kale-Pick-Wild-Hawk specialty version that involves some passing.)

Con - The regular offense is just fine, there's no need for gimmicks like the Wildcat.

(Well if we knew this to be true, we could put this whole thing to rest; but we don't - is this a versus-GT offense or a vs-UNDS offense.)

Con - Rotating QBs is a sign of weakness and never a good plan.

(Ask Chris Leak and Tim Tebow if they minded the QB rotation on the way to the NC.)

In case you couldn't tell, I'm in favor of at least giving the Wild-Hawk a try. I'm less a fan of it if the plan is only to run - it needs to involve Pick throwing passes (and keeping defenses uncertain) if they want to stay ahead of the curve. It also seems prudent to have Pick come in at the beginning of a possession rather than start with Webb in, then he comes out for Pick, then Webb goes back in, then.... But all in all, I see two QBs with different skill sets and they can each contribute accordingly - if the team leaves Pick out of the offense without experimenting at least a little, then that's a missed opportunity.

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