I am so sick of the Trent hate when he hasn't properly been used in the correct offensive system except some elements here and there. To figure out what kind of system is proper for Trent, I ask Der Jaeger to critique this post.

Trent's biggest strength is his accuracy and quick release. He is a Bill Walsh style West Coast Offense guy all the way. Except for this preseason a few times, he has rarely been used in this way. He is not a spread QB which seems to be in vogue as of late, he is a timing, rhythm, and throwing to a spot on the field where the receiver will be coming out of a break to take advantage of his accuracy.

The WCO is all about short passes that hit runners in stride for maximum yards after catch. The QB is mostly under center unless it is 2 or 3rd down and10 or more.

A typical west coast offense play uses a 3-5 step drop.

The first read is step 3 of the drop to your primary receiver where you think you have a mismatch (1 yard or more of seperation coming out of the break)

If you have this seperation, you set your feet and fire the ball to the spot on the field where the receiver will be coming out of the break 3-5 yards from the line of scrimmage so it hits him in stride and hope you get some YAC.

If you don't have the seperation on your first read, you continue on to your second read and set your feet and check for your 2nd receiver who will be running a 5-10 yard pattern off the LOS. If you have the seperation you fire the ball to the spot where the receiver comes out of the break that hits him in stride for YAC.

If the second read is not there, you step up in the pocket and look at your 3rd read, which is your deep route (10-20 yrads), and fire if it's open.

If that isn't open, then you checkdown to a swing pass to a RB or someone else running a zone breaker if it's zone coverage.

Trent is NOT a spread QB, he is a WCO offense one, just once I would like to see him running a WCO. The pistol is for a spread QB, That is why the use of it infuriated me so much.

These are Trent's strenghts and weaknesses by my assesment, go back and look at the best games he ever had.

He plays much better under center than out of the shotgun.

My theory is when he is under center, he can't see the pressure coming and will progress through his reads.

When he is in the Shotgun, If he sees the outside pressure of the edge, he will instinctively move away from it and lock on to receivers

He will be a much better QB under center using a WCO than trying to make him run a spread attack.

If you try to make him run a spread attack, he will always be a round peg in a square hole.

That is my assessment and I would love to hear what you think Der Jaeger, because you seemed to understand from previous articles you wrote, this would not only hide the OL weakness, but play to Trent's strengths.