Roulette is a game of chance with high risk and high reward.
Football with a running quarterback is, too.
Few plays in football are more exciting than a quarterback running downfield with frustrated defenders in pursuit.
Yet, few plays could be more devastating than the play where that quarterback sustains a serious injury.
It’s football roulette. Sometimes the risks are greater than the reward.
Case in point: Texas A&M’s Trevor Knight suffered a shoulder injury at the end of a 19-yard touchdown run against Mississippi State in 2016.
The Aggies were 7-1 and positioned fourth in the initial College Football Playoff rankings. But with Knight sidelined after the first-quarter injury, the Aggies lost 35-28. A week later, they fell to Ole Miss, 29-28.
Lindsay Caudle, TexAgs
Trevor Knight’s lingering shoulder injury hampered the Aggies’ 2016 season.
A national championship contender before Knight’s injury, A&M eventually finished 8-5.
Maintaining quarterbacks’ health has always been vital. Yet, in recent years its become even more important.
Indeed, a healthy quarterback is arguably the biggest factor for success in college football today.
R.C. Slocum, the winningest football coach in Texas A&M history, achieved most of his success with a philosophy that relied heavily on a strong running game and stout defense.
But even he acknowledges that’s no longer the best approach to win championships.
“Several years ago, the single most important thing to winning, I’d say, was to have a good defense,” said Slocum, who also served on the College Football Playoff committee in 2020. “Now, the single most important factor is explosive offensive plays.
“In reality, most good teams have good enough defenses. Sooner or later, before (an opponent) can drive the length of the field, they will screw it up with a penalty, a turnover or a missed block.
“Nowadays, you’ve got to have explosive plays. To do that, you’ve got to have your quarterback.”
Numbers support Slocum’s theory.
Over the last six seasons, the majority of teams that played in the national championship game were among the leaders in explosive plays from scrimmage.
Last season’s national champion, Georgia, ranked tenth with 233 plays from scrimmage that covered at least ten yards. The Bulldogs had 80 plays of at least 20 yards.
Georgia defeated Alabama, which was second in the nation with 257 plays of at least ten yards and 92 of at least 20 yards.
“In reality, most good teams have good enough defenses. Sooner or later, before (an opponent) can drive the length of the field, they will screw it up with a penalty, a turnover or a missed block. Nowadays, you’ve got to have explosive plays. To do that, you’ve got to have your quarterback.”
- Former A&M coach R.C. Slocum
In 2020, national champion Alabama ranked first with 268 explosive plays from scrimmage. National champion LSU ranked first with 303 of ten yards and 113 of 20 yards in 2019.
Clemson ranked fifth in 2018 with 256 long plays from scrimmage. The Tigers won the national championship game over Alabama, which was ranked first.
National champion Alabama ranked 14th in long plays from scrimmage in 2017. National champion Clemson ranked first in 2016.
Those championship teams had starting quarterbacks who missed little or no time with injuries.
In comparison, Texas A&M ranked 57th in explosive plays last season. A catalyst for this stat was Haynes King sustaining a season-ending injury in the second game of the season.
“More and more, that (quarterback) became so important that a lot of (coaches) were not designing runs for quarterbacks to run downfield,” Slocum said. “One time, it was not manly to slide. Nowadays, coaches do a great job coaching the slide.
“Quarterbacks can run some, but you don’t want them running through tackles.”
Whether it’s sliding, discouraging or limiting runs or just putting more emphasis on pass blocking with linemen and backs, quarterbacks must be protected.
That’s especially the case with the current transfer rules because holding onto a talented backup isn’t easy.
Of course, all of that is obvious. What may not be so obvious, though, is Texas A&M, historically, might have been victimized by quarterback injuries as much or more than any other college football program.
No doubt, there are other programs that suffered more notable quarterback injuries than A&M.
An injury to Dennis Dixon might have cost Oregon a national title in 2007. Tua Tagovailoa’s dislocated hip likely kept Alabama out of the 2019 playoffs. Colt McCoy’s injured shoulder definitely hurt Texas’ chances of winning the 2009 national championship.
A&M’s own national title hopes might have been compromised by quarterback injuries. Starter Mike Jay was injured in the undefeated Aggies’ 20-10 victory over Texas in 1975.
David Shipman, who had been a starter earlier in the season, started a week later in a 31-6 loss to Arkansas that ended A&M’s national title bid.
Almost five decades later, most may have forgotten the Aggies did not have their starting quarterback in that game.
Unfortunately, there are many other instances in which A&M has suffered from quarterback injuries.
1984: Kevin Murray shatters an ankle in the third game of the season. The 3-0 Aggies then lose five of their next six games. They finish 6-5.
1991: Bucky Richardson is hurt in a season-opening victory over LSU. Backup Jeff Granger starts the next week in a 35-34 loss at Tulsa. It’s the only Aggies loss in the regular season.
2002: A week after coming off the bench to lead a 30-26 upset of No. 1 Oklahoma, freshman Reggie McNeal was injured early in a 45-22 loss to Missouri. Slocum is eventually fired.
2017: A&M leads UCLA 41-10 midway through the third quarter when starter Nick Starkel sustains an injury and is replaced by freshman Kellen Mond. The Aggies lose 45-44. Coach Kevin Sumlin is fired at the end of the season.
2021: Haynes King breaks a leg early in the first quarter against Colorado. Backup Zach Calzada struggles, but the fifth-ranked Aggies eke out a 10-7 victory. Calzada also struggles in consecutive losses to Arkansas and Mississippi State. The Aggies finish 8-4.
Meredith Tabor, TexAgs
LSU transfer Max Johnson brings starting experience to the table could challenge Haynes King for the job.
“It was one of those freakish things when Haynes King got hurt,” Slocum said. “He wasn’t running downfield. He fell back into a tackle. It was one of those strange kinds of plays.
“That can always happen, but you can’t live in fear.”
A&M doesn’t figure to have as much to fear in 2022.
King has recovered from the injury and is healthier than ever for spring drills.
Further, Max Johnson — LSU’s starting quarterback in 2021 — has transferred in.
Class of 2022 signee and five-star Conner Weigman enrolled in January.
They have talent and depth at quarterback. They also have a more experienced offensive line.
“Haynes has had an outstanding offseason. Running, jumping and doing everything,” A&M coach Jimbo Fisher said. “Max Johnson has been outstanding. So has Conner Weigman. All three of those guys.
“You’re going to get a fight, man. You’re going to get competition. It’ll raise the level of play, which is very exciting for us.
“Those three guys have really excelled from day one. Right off the bat, they jumped on it. They’re pushing each other, which is what you want.”
King passed for 300 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 24 yards before his injury.
Johnson passed for 2,814 yards and 27 touchdowns last season.
Weigman was the nation’s top-rated quarterback prospect.
The Aggies also have an influx of big-play receivers, as well as the return of Devon Achane. There is the potential to dramatically increase the Aggies’ big plays from scrimmage.
A lot of those big plays might even come on quarterback runs.
With that kind of talent and depth at quarterback, the reward might just outweigh the risk.
