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By MARK EMMERT
Des Moines Register
They're young, fast, elusive and in the process of restoring the shine to two storied college football programs this fall.
Quarterbacks Denard Robinson of Michigan and Taylor Martinez of Nebraska have shown an extra gear while becoming two of the nation's leading rushers, accelerating the heart rates of fans and opposing defensive coordinators alike.
And they've done so while showing they can pass well enough to keep defenses honest.
Whether they are prototypes of a new style of dual-threat quarterback or doomed to flame out as the hits keep coming is a compelling storyline for football observers.
"This whole stuff starts with all of these 7-on-7 drills and camps that everyone goes to now," said Gil Brandt, the architect of the Dallas Cowboys from 1960-89 who is still an NFL scout. "So these running quarterbacks, it teaches them how to throw the ball. I think the 7-on-7 has been the biggest thing in developing quarterbacks coming into the NFL."
Iowa gets its first look at Robinson, a sophomore who played sparingly last year, Saturday in Ann Arbor, Mich. He is second in the nation with 991 rushing yards, but also has thrown for 1,223 for the 5-1 Wolverines.
"It's sort of what football is turning into," Hawkeye defensive back Shaun Prater said of the challenge. "Knowing that he can run, he can also pass. He has the threat of, if you get up there and try to cheat, he can hit us over the top with a long pass."
Martinez, a freshman, has been just as electrifying, vaulting the Cornhuskers into the top five heading into Saturday's showdown with Texas in Lincoln, Neb. He is fourth in the FBS in rushing while averaging an eye-popping 10.8 yards per carry.
Twice, Martinez has sprinted for 80-yard touchdowns.
"He's faster than anybody that's chasing him," Texas coach Mack Brown said. "I mean, they have 17 touchdown drives of five plays or less this year. He's a guy that scares you to death. Every time he touches the football, he has a chance to score. ... Our defensive coaches are pulling their hair out this week."
College football fans have seen this before, of course. Quarterbacks that can win games with their legs have been common, especially at Nebraska (Turner Gill, Tommie Frazier, Eric Crouch).
But translating that success to the NFL has been rare. It is telling that the player Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz compares Robinson to is former Indiana quarterback Antwaan Randle El, who has enjoyed a nine-year NFL career - as a wide receiver.
That, however, may be changing.
"When it comes to the NFL, we tell our guys at every position, if you're good enough, they'll find you," Iowa State offensive coordinator Tom Herman said. "Some guys get labeled 'system guys' by the media. But we tell people that ask us about recruiting quarterbacks, we still want a passer first. We want a guy that can make quick, accurate decisions.
"We don't want a running back or receiver playing quarterback that can just throw it a little bit."
Brandt, too, senses a shift in how running quarterbacks are perceived.
"It almost takes an athlete to play quarterback now because people are blitzing more than ever before," he said. "It's kind of interesting. Vince Young (of the Tennessee Titans) actually has a better quarterback rating than Tony Romo (of the Dallas Cowboys). And I would say that Vince is a run-around quarterback. There is no more (Norm) Van Brocklins in this league that would just stick around in the pocket."
Traditional dropback quarterbacks, like Iowa's Ricky Stanzi, still flourish. And no one raves about the mobility of Indianapolis Colts' NFL star Peyton Manning.
But Ferentz acknowledges athletes like Robinson can provide a distinctive edge.
"Basically, they have an extra man on the field," he said. "It really makes it challenging for a defense."
The biggest drawback for dual-threat quarterbacks is durability, Brandt said. Robinson (6-foot, 193 pounds) and Martinez (6-1, 205) will have to prove they can absorb the punishment defenses are sure to administer.
If history is any guide, Brandt said, they'll decide that suppressing the urge to run at every opportunity is more conducive to longevity. He points to a legendary quarterback he worked with as an example.
"Roger Staubach was strictly a scrambler (at Navy), and he still was a scrambler when he came to us (in 1969)," Brandt said. "But he scrambled and got hit and had a shoulder injury (in 1972) that made him miss nine or 10 games. And I think that's what made him think twice about scrambling."
