Miami football: QB Jarren Williams comfortable under center or in shotgun

Quarterback Jarren Williams had not been under center since he was six or seven years old until he became the starter for the Miami football team this season.

Speaking after practice last week, redshirt freshman quarterback Jarren Williams told reporters that he had not been under center since he was six or seven years old until he was named the starter for the Miami football team for 2019. Williams stated to reporters that he is comfortable under center or in the shotgun.

Williams has greatly improved the quarterback play for the Miami football team from 2018 to 2019. The redshirt freshman QB has completed 73.3 percent of his pass attempts in 2019 for 1,027 yards, 8.9 per attempt and 10.1 yards per completion. Williams is 18th in the nation and second in the ACC with a 166.13 passer rating.

Manny Navarro of The Athletic examined the Hurricanes success running and passing out of the shotgun and under center in 2019 in his report card for the Miami football team after the end of the first trimester of the season.

Navarro reported that according to Sports Info Solutions Williams is 55-77 passing from the shotgun in 2019. Williams has thrown for 706 yards and five touchdowns out of the shotgun. Under center, Williams is 30-40 for 321 yards and two touchdowns.

Miami has run the ball better when Williams is under center. Navarro noted that the Hurricanes are averaging 4.2 yards per carry with Williams under center and 3.6 in the shotgun.

David Wilson of the Miami Herald quoted Williams discussing his history of being exclusively in the shotgun for the majority of his experience playing football, his comfort in being either under center or in the shotgun and the responsibilities that both require.

"“It was something that I haven’t done in a while…I haven’t been under center since I was like six, seven years old, but getting back under there and getting comfortable with it, I like it. I like being in the gun and being versatile.When you’re under center, you’re making that play fake and you’re turning your back to the defense, so it kind of just trains you to, once you make that play, snap your head around, find your movement guy — you know, the guy you’re supposed to be reading — and read the defense properly.It was challenging. Still, it’s challenging, but it’s something that I’m still trying to get better at, just making those good ball fakes and getting my head around quick, finding the guy and getting him the ball. It’s something that I enjoy doing. I can take off, use my legs a little bit more instead of just staying in there all the time.Sometimes you’ve got to be an athlete and be able to extend plays, so I feel like I need to start using that part of my game a little bit more,” Williams said. “I feel like it’ll put a lot more on defense. Instead of just dropping eight and just covering the pass, they’ll have to worry about me, that I can run.”"

With Williams leading the Hurricanes offense it has improved significantly in 2019. Miami has improved its first downs from 17.1 in 2018 to 22.3 this season and their points from 28.8 in 2018 to 31.3 in 2019. Despite those numbers, the Miami offense still has a long way to go to be elite.

Seven of Miami’s last eight games are against Power Five teams. In their two games against Power five teams, this season, Florida to open the season and North Carolina in week two the Hurricanes are 45th in total offense. Those numbers have not been broken down by the shotgun or under center.

The Miami offensive line has been one of the worst in the country this season. It has been over documented this season that the Hurricanes are 128th allowing 4.5 sacks per game on offense. Ten of the 18 sacks allowed by the Hurricanes offensive line came against Florida. Miami did not allow any sacks against FCS Bethune-Cookman.

The Hurricanes have not been good run blocking this season either. The stuff rate for the Miami running game is 33.7 percent. That is 127th nationally. That means that a third of Miami rushing attempts have been stopped for zero to one yard. Miami has to consider using double tight ends for more than a threat in the passing game.

Miami has five scholarship tight ends. Brevin Jordan and Will Mallory can be two of the best tight ends in college football. Brian Polendey is regarded as a good blocker and Michael Irvin II and Larry Hodges can give the Hurricanes quality snaps. The Five Rings Podcast last week proposed keeping two tight ends in to block.

It is time for Miami football head coach Manny Diaz and offensive coordinator Dan Enos to consider that. If not opposing defensive coordinators will continue to game plan to overwhelm the Miami offensive line.