Does your Starting QB play defense too?
Several youth football coaches I spoke with recently do not allow their starting quarterback to play defense more than just a few plays a game, if that. I do not allow my QB to play defense but maybe a few plays in a game now and then. I also do not allow live hitting on my QB during practice scrimmages or certain live hitting drills. I do this because my High School starting QB broke his collar bone in a practice scrimmage my junior year. He never played QB again, he was gun shy. Rice University even offered him a scholarship to play football, but he declined and took the academic scholarship.
My reasoning for not playing my QB on Defense, is to lose a the starting QB is so devastating to the team it is not worth the risk. Plus, during the defensive series, we can talk to the QB about what’s happening with the offense. My defensive coordinator disagreed with me last year because he thinks the kids are so young they should play offense and defense. There’s definitely merit to his argument. Plus our QB is my son, and I would like him to learn to play linebacker like his dad. 🙂
I would like to know what you think! Please vote here and let me know if your starting QB also plays defense.
Good luck this season. Play for Fun and Winning is Funner!
Coach
It just so happens that my starting QB is by far my best all around player on the team. but i have a hard time keeping him off the field. In the past i would only use him at safety in key situations but this year i’m going to let him go and just pray he doesn’t get hurt. I’ve talked it over with him and his parents and he promised me he would tell me if he is hurt. He is just that big of a play maker that i feel by not letting him play D would stunt his growth as a player. So you will see on the side lines this year clinching my teeth allot.
Steve
Let them play both ways if they can. They might not get a chance to play defense at the higher levels of football.
I would say let the kids play….speaking as a former football player I enjoyed having the opportunity to play multiple positions.
Kids want to be on the field however they can…
At this age, I feel strongly that players get experience of playing both offense and defense. As mentioned above, once they get to high school they may not have that option. What if high school has a better QB and move the player to defense, not playing him will have robbed him of valuable development time. And most of all – at this age the boys just want to play! My son has played QB on all his teams, one year they didnt allow him play defense for fear he’d get hurt (understandable concern) but being a kid he wanted to play football – not just one position. Imagine telling a youth baseball player he can pitch but never gets to hit.