Why Kingsbury should not install a package for Jett Duffey

Jett Duffey is not where he needs to be to start as a quarterback, let alone a second string quarterback. But anyone can see he is incredibly gifted athletically. His speed and shiftiness is really something to behold.

This has lead to calls for Kingsbury to install some sort of Duffey package. How the argument goes is that Bowman is clearly your starter, but Duffey should come in for a few plays to change things up and create a mobile threat.

SHUFFLING QUARTERBACKS IS BAD. FULL STOP.

Bowman torched Houston and Oklahoma State, and who knows what happens long term against West Virginia if he did not get knocked out of the game. If he is healthy, he is your starter until he proves otherwise.

Changing quarterbacks for package plays is always a bad thing. Your risk for a fumbled snap is higher, communication is harder, and the defense knows that a quarterback only comes in to do something the starter can’t do. Duffey coming on the field will result in stacked boxes designed to shut him down.

Even worse, it kills momentum. You take the ball out of the hands of your gunslinger, and hand it off to a backup just because you want to get cute.

We have several great running backs to choose from, if you want to run the ball, hand it off to them. Make a defense stay honest and respect your passing game, don’t cram yourself into a box with someone as unreliable as Duffey.

Think about how Texas used Tyrone Swoopes. They lined up and ran power, sometimes it worked but a lot of the time defenses saw what was coming and stopped it. Even the worst Tech defense ever managed to stop the Swoopes package in a short yardage scenario.

I agree, Duffey is a freak athlete. Move him to wide receiver or running back if you want him to touch the field. Even better, continue to develop his throwing ability.

If he ever is needed again, we need him to be far more competent. He managed to do just enough to get this last win, but he put this team in bad spots and really held the offense back.

Duffey could become an all-world quarterback with more time. But for now, play Bowman and don’t hurt this team by shuffling the two for package situations. Bowman will win you games, don’t overthink it.