Discuss: AT MSU, we need a Mobile, Running QB to win SEC Games

[BHildreth3]

We're never going to have the offensive line depth to run over SEC defenses.
We need to have that extra "running threat" at the QB position.
I'm not saying that we always need to have an "athlete playing QB", he needs to be able to throw with accuracy.

This weekend, we're going to find out if #2 is going to give us the best chance to win. If not, then it's time to get #1 ready.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Shapen is plenty mobile. Kamario will have the same problems Shapen is having, he just may be able to take another hit here and there. This offense would to be the same with Kamario as it is with Blake. I think some people think we are going back to the Nick Fitzgerald offense under Dan the minute Kamario takes over. It will not happen.

And I do not disagree by the way that it may be time to give Kamario a look, but people thinking he is going to come in and light the world on fire are setting themselves up for disappointment.

[Pancho]

SEC LB's are as fast as he is. He must be able to assess in his pre snap read first and then slowly go from there. Whether he is QB 1 next year is solely on KT and what he is willing to absorb to be ready. I hope he matures and makes it.

[basedog]

Shapen is plenty mobile. Kamario will have the same problems Shapen is having, he just may be able to take another hit here and there. This offense would to be the same with Kamario as it is with Blake. I think some people think we are going back to the Nick Fitzgerald offense under Dan the minute Kamario takes over. It will not happen.

And I do not disagree by the way that it may be time to give Kamario a look, but people thinking he is going to come in and light the world on fire are setting themselves up for disappointment.

I am not so sure Shapen is "plenty mobile". How bout a little mobile.

[StarkVegasSteve]

I am not so sure Shapen is "plenty mobile". How bout a little mobile.

I'll give you that one. He's more mobile than Will Rodgers. He's probably between Tommy Stevens and Garrett Schrader

[Todd4State]

Quarterbacks have to be mobile enough to avoid pressure and scramble at the very least. That's the way the position has trended since Joe Montana started to have success in the 1980's. Quarterbacks train mobility and flexibility as much as they do throwing.

But the second part of the discussion is this as far as MSU goes. We have to have a QB that is mobile enough to be adequate. We don't have to have Lamar Jackson. But sure it would be nice! But no, it's not a necessity for us to win. We won 9 games with Will as our QB. Matt Wyatt won some big games for us. But I do think that having a QB that can make plays with their legs is an asset and a good thing to have.

My next point and I think a lot of MSU fans miss this. We can't just get a QB and expect them to just win the game by themselves. We need to focus on building a complete team instead of trying to come up with band aids because "we can't recruit offensive linemen and receivers". We need to focus on doing what we need to do to recruit SEC caliber players and build a complete team rather than trying to come to cut corners because "we can't". MSU needs to stop limiting itself and start to buy in to recruiting and then we will have a lot more success. Because yes, we can recruit those types of players that we need to win. But our fans and boosters and athletic dept quit too easily.

[Todd4State]

Shapen is plenty mobile. Kamario will have the same problems Shapen is having, he just may be able to take another hit here and there. This offense would to be the same with Kamario as it is with Blake. I think some people think we are going back to the Nick Fitzgerald offense under Dan the minute Kamario takes over. It will not happen.

And I do not disagree by the way that it may be time to give Kamario a look, but people thinking he is going to come in and light the world on fire are setting themselves up for disappointment.

This. The reality is we are going to have to pass the ball effectively to win in the SEC. Sure, we need to run it too but we can't be one dimensional to the point where we are extremely predictable in this league. When KT is ready our offense is going to look more like Dak than Fitzgerald and that's going to be awesome because it's going to be more deep passing and less QB run centered.

[Todd4State]

I am not so sure Shapen is "plenty mobile". How bout a little mobile.

I mean it's a fine line because we also don't want him getting hurt either. He isn't Vick but he isn't a statue either.

[tcdog70]

I am not so sure Shapen is "plenty mobile". How bout a little mobile.

exactly--Shapen fell down on the goal line.. If anyone thinks Shapen is plenty Mobile they don't know $hit. People have not seen KT throw the ball, yep He can run but what he does best is sling it.

[Coach34]

In today's football- you have to have a QB that can move. End of story. The best QB's are guys that can move and make plays also with their legs from time to time.

[BulldogBear]

For over a decade my position has been this:

If you are not a blue blood that has an all future NFL OL that make a stone wall your QB can stand behind, you must have a mobile QB AND an offensive scheme that includes designed QB runs and/or options, so that the defense must account for the QB on each and every play without exception. Only 3-4 SEC schools each season meet the first criterion. Therefore, if you are one of the other 12-13 schools you only think you have an offense if you do not meet the second. No matter what the stats say and no matter how many yards per game you have. When you go up against an elite defense your "offense" will get the 38-7 #webelieve treatment.

So, to answer the OP. At Mississippi State University if we do not have a mobile QB and an offensive scheme that included designed QB runs and options, we will NEVER get back to Atlanta. NEVER. If there were such a thing as negative percent chance, that would be our chance. We might have some crazy year that we're still 10-2 due to only facing 2 elite defenses, and still end up in the playoff but we will no chance at all to win it.

[Coach34]

Since 2011- the only 2 NFL MVP's that couldnt move were Matt Ryan and Brady. The rest have gone to guys that can move. Even Rogers who is a dropback guy is known for being somewhat mobile and his escapability

Peterson is the only non-QB to win in that time frame.

[Coursesuper]

In today's football- you have to have a QB that can move. End of story. The best QB's are guys that can move and make plays also with their legs from time to time.

The Veer and shoot is all about putting defenders in a bad spot, we know this. The program is still a work in progress. When we have that QB like that, that is fully ready to operate the offense, it opens up the playbook just that much more and that much harder to defend.

[Coach34]

The Veer and shoot is all about putting defenders in a bad spot, we know this. The program is still a work in progress. When we have that QB like that, that is fully ready to operate the offense, it opens up the playbook just that much more and that much harder to defend.

Yep and we feel we will have that guy in 2026. Too many people are being impatient and think we should just go ahead to pull the trigger. Thats just not how it works. Keep getting him exposure and reps and the time will come

[Coursesuper]

Yep and we feel we will have that guy in 2026. Too many people are being impatient and think we should just go ahead to pull the trigger. Thats just not how it works. Keep getting him exposure and reps and the time will come

Exactly, we can win some more games this year with what we are currently doing. But if we change we have to pare down the offense, that make us more predictable on that side of the ball, that's not a recipe for success.

[Todd4State]

exactly--Shapen fell down on the goal line.. If anyone thinks Shapen is plenty Mobile they don't know $hit. People have not seen KT throw the ball, yep He can run but what he does best is sling it.

Shapen is mobile enough. He can scramble and he runs fine. The guy slipped near the goal line. It happens. No, he's not Steve McNair but he is adequate. Again- and this was said all offseason- we don't want him running a ton because of his injury history. But that's a durability issue- not a mobility one. It was a big emphasis with him this offseason- learning when to get an extra yard and when not to.

[Todd4State]

Exactly, we can win some more games this year with what we are currently doing. But if we change we have to pare down the offense, that make us more predictable on that side of the ball, that's not a recipe for success.

Exactly. Defenses are too athletic and too football intelligent. If we're predictable we're screwed. And then our fans will say that KT is a bust because he isn't Superman as a freshman.

[basedog]

Shapen is mobile enough. He can scramble and he runs fine. The guy slipped near the goal line. It happens. No, he's not Steve McNair but he is adequate. Again- and this was said all offseason- we don't want him running a ton because of his injury history. But that's a durability issue- not a mobility one. It was a big emphasis with him this offseason- learning when to get an extra yard and when not to.

He is ok with straight ahead runs, not so much on getting to the outside. He isn't quick and he also doesn't read defenses that good or at least getting rid of the ball. He needs to pick up the secondary receiver much quicker.

I'm not saying to pull Shapen, I'm saying let's get our freshman in some snaps, let him get a fill for the game.

Lastly, our OLine is not very good good with drop back protection as we all see. I haven't seen us run screens or if so not many.

[JimBobDawg]

Shapen is mobile enough. He can scramble and he runs fine. The guy slipped near the goal line. It happens. No, he's not Steve McNair but he is adequate. Again- and this was said all offseason- we don't want him running a ton because of his injury history. But that's a durability issue- not a mobility one. It was a big emphasis with him this offseason- learning when to get an extra yard and when not to.

I noticed that Shapen slipped on a couple other cuts during the game also. The equipment manager needs to find him some different shoes.

[R2Dawg]

In today's football- you have to have a QB that can move. End of story. The best QB's are guys that can move and make plays also with their legs from time to time.

Yep this is the one reason Ole Miss is doing what they are doing. The great equalizer is a running QB. Just what everyone preaches MSU must do because we don't have as much talent. A running QB with even Leach's system would have been dangerous. That was the only thing Leach needed to do to compete in today's football.

[cheewgumm]

We have our/

[CaptainObvious]

With Leach we had 17 receivers and a lead footed QB. With Lebby, we have 2 receivers who can actually get separation from their defenders and a offensive line who cannot protect long enough so Shapen can find any of the other receivers who might kick up and have their friendly defender fall down.

[tcdog70]

Shapen is mobile enough. He can scramble and he runs fine. The guy slipped near the goal line. It happens. No, he's not Steve McNair but he is adequate. Again- and this was said all offseason- we don't want him running a ton because of his injury history. But that's a durability issue- not a mobility one. It was a big emphasis with him this offseason- learning when to get an extra yard and when not to.

3 was wide ass open when he slipped.

[Hot Rock]

Yes, mobile QBs are always better if everything else is equal but that is rarely the case. Accurate with all throws, short, intermediate and long, leads the player to the open spot to make YAC, on-time throws, quick and decisive decisions, understand defenses so they can make the right read, quick release, work ethic, pocket awareness, gets them out of bad plays pre-snap, leadership, mobility, size and just runs all aspects of the play book. Sure Mobility is good but it's not worth anything if they can't do the others.

Mobile QB? Yes please, I want one and what's great, all three of our QBs are mobile. One is clearly more mobile but you don't just put in a guy because he can run, an offense thrives on everything clicking and having every option available to the play caller. One either trusts Lebby to make the right decision or you don't.