Mobile quarterback a fad that won’t last

Every few years something new and exciting surfaces in the NFL only to disappear years later as a fluke or fad.

Fans saw an example of this in 2008 when the Miami Dolphins popularized the Wildcat formation. The brainchild of a Washington state high school football coach, the Wildcat made its way through the football ranks to reach the pro level. However, the fad soon disappeared almost as fast as it appeared, not long after many people began to refer to it as the future of the NFL.

 This season fans witnessed what may be the newest fad—the new strain of NFL quarterbacks. With the rise of quarterbacks such as Denver Bronco's quarterback Tim Tebow and Carolina Panther's quarterback Cam Newton, many have begun to speculate whether or not the NFL should expect a new offensive trend—one that highlights a mobile, college-style quarterback.

It didn't take long for thousands of fans across the nation to jump onto the Tebow bandwagon, and Newton is the unanimous favorite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year. So why do I believe this trend will disappear? Because when it comes to NFL offenses, only the proven techniques will survive.

The reason the Wildcat formation, or any other flash-in-the-pan formations, has worked in the past is because it has taken NFL defenses by surprise. Each week defenses game plan for certain formations, rarely surprised with the looks they see across the ball. So when an offense presents something a defense has never seen before, it's natural for the defense to lag in defending it.

The same can be said about this season's featured mobile quarterbacks. The NFL has witnessed very few quarterbacks with the skill set of these two men, the exception being Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick. He was a phenomenon when he entered the league and soon solidified his status as a pioneer for the mobile quarterback. The one criticism of Vick has always been his knack for injury, which has plagued him.

This is one trend I foresee being an issue for the mobile quarterback era. Quarterbacks are trained from a young age to have a certain posture when in the pocket. Traditionally, quarterbacks stand tall in the pocket, keep steady feet and look downfield for their best options. Running backs are trained and bred to be agile, keep a low center of gravity and absorb hits, which is an entirely different set of skills than the traditional quarterback. It's natural for a quarterback to resort to his training when he decides to run, which leaves him vulnerable for injury or at the very least a turnover.

Furthermore, quarterbacks often wear red jerseys in practice to symbolize they are not to be hit. This is done to preserve the quarterback and his unique skill set. Running backs, on the other hand, are put through rigorous training, often taking part in hitting drills and full-speed scrimmages. How can a player who doesn't take a hit in practice, be ready to take hits in a game on a daily basis?

Call me old-fashioned, but I have always been an advocate for the traditional pocket passer. Watching a quarterback stand in the pocket and make pin-point throws to carve up defenses is something to be admired in my opinion, and is the only proven style of quarterback play to stand the test of time.

For every mobile quarterback, there will always be 10 pocket passers because coaches aren't going to begin training quarterbacks differently, or changing playbooks to accommodate a new style of quarterback.

If you want proof that the pocket passer is the most successful style of quarterbacking in the league look at the teams still playing in this season's playoffs. The last 10 Super Bowl quarterbacks and eight of the last 10 MVPs have been pocket quarterbacks.

Although the mobile quarterback seems to be the flashy and exciting new trend in the NFL, it has been my experience that flashy and bright tends to fizzle out, and the real marvels are the consistent and excellent exhibits that last a lifetime.