(03-16-2018, 12:56 PM)Bullseye Wrote:

(03-16-2018, 12:44 PM)OklahomaAviator Wrote: Good questions. 

Comparisons between Pistol and Under Center Formations regarding footwork:

Yes, they are very similar in terms of mechanics.  Let's talk about the Pistol formation for a bit.  The Pistol was popularized out of Nevada and picked up and adapted by our coaching staff in 2010.  Calling it the Diamond Formation, the QB lines up closer to the line of scrimmage flanked by TEs and was used to introduce a power run game to an offense designed to run out of the shotgun formation and to help set up the play action pass.  What this does is get the ball to the QB quicker post-snap (versus a traditional shotgun formation) and allows the TEs to lead block for the RB, or gives the defense time to read the run and bite on play actions.  Now it's similar to a regular, under center approach, due to the QB having to turn his hips and drop back regardless of whether he's going to throw the ball or hand it off.  While the number of steps needed to get to depth are obviously different between the two, mechanically speaking the QB still has to rotate his hips and shoulders in the same way whether he's operating out of the Pistol or under center.  From a footwork point-of-view, it should be a smooth process, but the biggest concern will be the mechanics of snap from under center.  On that, I really can't say how well he will do.  I honestly think he ran less than 10 plays under center throughout his career at OSU.

Quick reads:

Yes, he excels at getting rid of the ball quickly and that is a major function of the offense he ran at OSU.  The offense here is predicated on Run-Pass Options (RPOs) as well as the receivers reading the defense and choosing a route from their route tree.  What this means is that Rudolph often knows where he's going to go with the ball before the ball is even snapped.  Before the snap, he accounts for the alignment of the defense and determines whether or not he will hand the ball off (do the numbers favor my blockers or not?), and if the numbers favor him throwing the ball he will look at the alignment of the secondary.  If the Safeties are shadowing a certain way or the CBs are playing outside or inside, he's making notes of that and anticipating his receivers will run the part of the route tree that exposes these holes in the defensive alignment.  This results in the ball getting out of his hands quickly and allowing our receivers to get YAC, or he knows that he will have to wait a little longer because he is anticipating his receiver will get open on the deep routes. Ideally, he will not have to go through his progressions but sometimes that is required based on what the defense does post-snap.  Now, like I said before, he does seem to get flustered if the defense is able to get to him and it doesn't just affect his footwork but also causes him to go through reads too quickly or even lock in on one particular receiver.  While most QBs have that problem, he will need to work on that as he goes through his first year or two in the NFL.  While NFL offense are generally more structured than what he had at OSU, many NFL offenses are employing RPOs (see: Philly this last year) and I think Rudolph will do well in offenses that use them.

Thanks a million for the responses!  Quality stuff!