Colonial League QBs on nice run
Five of them lead teams in rushing
When Quintin Stephens takes a snap in the shotgun formation, opposing defenses can only guess as to whether the Salisbury quarterback is going to run the ball, take a few steps back then take off, or look to throw to one of his receivers.
Falcons coach Andy Cerco is counting on that uncertainty — and Stephens’ athleticism.
The senior is one of five Colonial League quarterbacks this season wholeads his team in rushing yards.
Coach Chris Walkowiak feels the same way about sophomore quarterback Cole Serfass, who also has more rushing yards than passing yards.
In an era when violent contact often casts football in a negative light, many league quarterbacks are unfazed by the collisions. And coaches realize a quarterback who is as much of a running threat as a passer presents much better odds for that team’s offensive success.
“If you have the athlete, whynot do it?” Walkowiak said of letting your quarterback run the ball. “It presents a lot more problems for the defense.
“A mobile quarterback is a lot more dangerous and harder to prepare for.”
Anyone who has tried to tackle Stephens — who is averaging 11.4 yards per carry — or Serfass, Northwestern’s Justin Holmes, Saucon Valley’s Dante Mahaffey, Bangor’s Erik Striba or Joe Genteel, can attest to the stress an athletic quarterback puts on a defense.
After Palisades’ Mason Smeland and Notre Dame-GP’s Matt Frauen, two of the area’s premier running backs, the Colonial League’s next three leading rushers are quarterbacks.
Even Wilson, which traditionally has a drop-back quarterback, took advantage of Cayden Stem’s versatility. The junior threw the ball more than 30 times in last Saturday’s game against Northern Lehigh and had his first career 100-yard rushing game.
Gone is the guarantee that the trendy no-back, five-receiver sets are pass-only formations. The alignment could be designed to create more running space for the quarterback.
Holmes racked up 414 yards of total offense in Northwestern’s win last Friday at Palmerton, including 152 rushing and four TDs. Stephens accounted for 336 in Salisbury’s victory over Pen Argyl, 173 and two scores on the ground.
Even in an offense like Pen Argyl’s that traditionally leans on a running back, quarterback Gavin Amerman gives first-year head coach Brady Mutton a solid alternative.
“Coaches have a philosophy that you want the ball in the best playmaker’s hands,” Saucon Valley’s Brad Trembler said. “If you can snap it to him, you have a heckuva athlete.
“It’s the evolution of getting that better athlete there [at quarterback].”
Trembler has one in junior Dante Mahaffey, who is learning a new system and working on that fine line of when to run and when to pass — when given those options.
That responsibility requires confidence, instincts and a high football IQ. It comes with experience. The challenges are worth the risk according to even the most hesitant coaches.
“I like [having a quarterback] under center,” Bangor coach Paul Reduzzi said. “But this is what offenses are dictating. It’s a change for me, the reads, the run zones.
“I talked it over this summer and told [my quarterbacks] to not get frustrated if they make a bad read. I told them that if there are 10 plays and you make four bad reads, I might make four bad calls from the sideline, so just run the other half of the read.”
Traditional thinking remains. Palisades coach Ramie Moussa would be foolish not to give the ball to Smeland, whohas 870 yards in five games, as much as possible until opposing defenses show they can stop him.
Phil Stambaugh, a former standout quarterback at Pius X and Lehigh University, continues to develop quarterbacks whocan orchestrate a complex passing game plan at Notre Dame-GP. He also has a durable standout running back in Matt Frauen to create the worstcase scenarios for foes.
Palisades hosts Notre Dame-GP on Friday night in a battle of teams with a combined 9-1 record.
There’s also the lurking thought that having a running quarterback increases that quarterback’s risk of injury, which could turn a promising season into a lost one because of a lack of depth at a smallschool program. However, it is not stopping coaches from doing what is best in the here and now for their teams.
“If you don’t use your best athletes,” Walkowiak said, “you’re only hurting yourself. [Serfass] also plays inside linebacker. We try to spell him there, but he has the makeup of a linebacker and a quarterback.
“So I’m not going to handcuff him when what he’s doing is working for us.”
Morning Call reporter Tom Housenick can be reached at 610-820-6651 or at thousenick@mcall.com