Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

JohnTurney wrote:

JeffreyMiller wrote:Somebody please explain to me what a "system quarterback" is.

In theory, the term used to be a QB who had a system built for his specific skills and that he couldn't prosper outside that system. All systems now are hybrids and the teams try to get a QB "who can make all the throws"

Back in the day, some QBs, again in theory, couldn't do that. Some systems, like Coryell or GIllman, required bigger arms than the Walsh system. i.e. again in theory, Montana couldn't have done as will in the Coryell system because they couldn't call all the plays because his arm was not a cannon.

Virgil Carter, it could be said was system QB. Ken Anderson wears that tag, but he had a very good arm, he just never played in a system that required the so-called "big arm" so I don't buy it for him.

JeffreyMiller wrote:

JohnTurney wrote:

JeffreyMiller wrote:Somebody please explain to me what a "system quarterback" is.

In theory, the term used to be a QB who had a system built for his specific skills and that he couldn't prosper outside that system. All systems now are hybrids and the teams try to get a QB "who can make all the throws"

Back in the day, some QBs, again in theory, couldn't do that. Some systems, like Coryell or GIllman, required bigger arms than the Walsh system. i.e. again in theory, Montana couldn't have done as will in the Coryell system because they couldn't call all the plays because his arm was not a cannon.

Virgil Carter, it could be said was system QB. Ken Anderson wears that tag, but he had a very good arm, he just never played in a system that required the so-called "big arm" so I don't buy it for him.

Exactly! The argument that so-and-so is a "systems QB" holds very little water for the most part. The cream will almost always rise to the top ...