So I've been poring over some of this past year's stats — including rushing in short yardage scenarios — and it got me to wondering about this question.
There was a time not that long ago when it seemed nobody would ever think to use the backup/3rd stringer in short yardage situations, e.g., 2nd or 3rd & inches, goal to go from the 1 (or 2 or maybe 3) and such plays. It seems the starter would generally stay in, no matter what until he was either injured, deemed ineffective, or the game was basically decided.
The way I recall it is that a little while after WB's arrival in BC, we began to hand these assignments to the 3rd stringer — at the time this would have been Spergeon Wynn, Casey Printers, etc — although it seems he rarely if ever did it in Cgy (I could be wrong about this). Initially it seemed to raise some eyebrows as an unusual tactic, but it seemed to be successful and could be rationalised as a way to protect your starter from getting injured in the pile. We've always had our share of trouble in the WB era keeping our QBs healthy (which has been discussed to death here, so let's not derail things by going off on that tangent). Plus it offers the coach a way to help keep his backup QB's head in the game and perhaps help his development/confidence with some high percentage assignments. It would also give the coaching staff a chance for extra communication with the starter on the sidelines in the middle of a drive.
Now over a decade later it seems everybody in the league does it, and has been doing so for years to the point where we take it for granted that any time a measurement comes up short, that's the backup's cue to come in for a play. It seemed initially that the backup would draw this assignment only with a yard or less to go on 3rd or perhaps 2nd down, but has evolved even beyond this to now include goal line situations as well. There are numerous examples one could cite but most recently we saw this in the Grey Cup when Drew Tate, backup to Bo Levi Mitchell, had a pair of 1yd rushing TDs in the 1st half, and another 1st half rush for 1yd to convert a 3rd & 1 scenario.
I *think* we were the ones, under WB, who started using this tactic but not absolutely sure. Anyone else with a better memory care to comment?
Also, I haven't watched much US football in the time that this has become the trend in our league, but this strikes me as something that wouldn't have caught on in the NFL or NCAA since with the D lining up only the length of the ball away from the O, they would rarely gamble on 4th down no matter how few inches there were to go. Wonder what someone like Jeff Tedford who's been coaching stateside all this time but with previous CFL roots would make of it.
Did we start the trend of 3rd string QBs in short yardage?
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Sports can be a peculiar thing. When partaking in fiction, like a book or movie, we adopt a "Willing Suspension of Disbelief" for enjoyment's sake. There's a similar force at work in sports: "Willing Suspension of Rationality". If you doubt this, listen to any conversation between rival team fans. You even see it among fans of the same team. Fans argue over who's the better QB or goalie, and selectively cite stats that support their views while ignoring those that don't.
No, we did not start the trend of having the third string quarterback take the snap on short yardage. Montreal did.
"When I went to Catholic high school in Philadelphia, we just had one coach for football and basketball. He took all of us who turned out and had us run through a forest. The ones who ran into the trees were on the football team". (George Raveling)
I know the Lions used Antonio Warren in short-yardage plunges, who was automatic in 2004/05. He was released during the 2006 season with J. Jackson having 46 rushes with a 3.0 yd avg. that season...so 2006 looks like the first year the Lions.
Here are some other backup QB's in 2006 with short yardage:
2006
JACKSON, J...BC 46 137 3.0
WYNN, S......TOR 16 55 3.4
BRADY, M.....MTL 13 45 3.5
GREENE, N...MTL 12 35 2.9
BISHOP, M....TOR 21 31 1.5
In 2005 there was only 1 QB with short-yardage stats, K. Jones with 4 Td's rushing. So he was likely used as the option on the goal line, but not necessarily the 3rd-down plunger. There were no Montreal or B.C. backup QB's with short-yardage stats in 2005.
2005
JONES, K HAM 16 41 2.6 12 4
Going by these numbers, it looks like B.C, Toronto and Montreal first used backup QB's in short-yardage in 2006. Which one was first? If Blitz says it was Montreal, I'd go with that!
Here are some other backup QB's in 2006 with short yardage:
2006
JACKSON, J...BC 46 137 3.0
WYNN, S......TOR 16 55 3.4
BRADY, M.....MTL 13 45 3.5
GREENE, N...MTL 12 35 2.9
BISHOP, M....TOR 21 31 1.5
In 2005 there was only 1 QB with short-yardage stats, K. Jones with 4 Td's rushing. So he was likely used as the option on the goal line, but not necessarily the 3rd-down plunger. There were no Montreal or B.C. backup QB's with short-yardage stats in 2005.
2005
JONES, K HAM 16 41 2.6 12 4
Going by these numbers, it looks like B.C, Toronto and Montreal first used backup QB's in short-yardage in 2006. Which one was first? If Blitz says it was Montreal, I'd go with that!