With the mention of the word "quarterback," football fans immediately conjure up images of a slender man shielded from human missiles by a pocket of offensive linemen while he hurls a deep pass to his wide-receiver.
The image might also include actions like scrambling and dodging, but rushing doesn't usually come into play.
Kent State (2-4, 1-2 MAC) has a different perception of a "quarterback," which the UB Bulls will learn when they face Joshua Cribbs and the Golden Flashes tomorrow at 2 p.m. at Dix Stadium.
Cribbs, Kent State's true-freshman starting quarterback, is a candidate for MAC Freshman of the Year. At 6'1", 185 pounds, Cribbs is no Byron Leftwich (who the Bulls faced last week against Marshall), but he leads the Golden Flashes in both passing and rushing yardage.
"Joshua Cribbs is an absolutely dynamic athlete . a runner, passer, and really growing by leaps and bounds as a true freshman in every single game," said Bulls Head Coach Jim Hofher. "It's the third week in a row we will have a tremendous challenge in facing a very good quarterback."
The signal caller's legs are certainly more dangerous than his arm. Cribbs ranks eighth in the MAC in rushing yardage (no other quarterback even made the list) but he has not cracked the top 10 in passing. Kent is only the 11th-ranked pass offense in the 13-team conference.
"What they do the least of is drop-back pass, but they have a lot of moving pass," Hofher said. "They are not even close to being a one-dimensional team."
"We're just going to keep him contained; we can't let him get out," said UB safety J.J. Gibson.
Cribbs will face a UB defense that has improved against the run, as the Bulls now rank seventh in the MAC in rushing defense. Buffalo, however, has fallen from number one in the MAC in pass defense to number six after facing Leftwich and Miami (OH)'s Ben Roethlisberger on consecutive weekends.
At least if Cribbs lights up the Buffalo defense in scoring, the Bulls will have plenty of chances to break one of their longest, most dubious streaks. Kent State is last in the conference in kickoff coverage, and UB hasn't returned a kickoff for a touchdown since Oct. 14, 1989, a streak that spans 127 games.
Offensively, the Bulls will take on one of the MAC's most porous defenses. The Golden Flashes rank near the bottom of the conference in most statistical categories. Still, Buffalo is sure to see several different forms from a defense struggling to find its identity.
"There are times when they are in a three-down scheme, but there are times when a linebacker will play with a hand down," Hofher said. "They are a 3-4 team but sometimes look like a 4-3 team."
UB running back Marquis Dwarte will be back in the lineup for the Bulls. Dwarte missed last week's game against Marshall with a neck injury. His replacement, senior Derrick Gordon, ran for 137 yards on 30 carries, earning himself a place in Hofher's offense.
"With Derrick's performance from [last] Saturday I think it is pivotal that he continue to play that way and block that way," Hofher said. "If we have two guys that can run we will always be fresh."
Expect Dwarte and Gordon to spilt time in the UB backfield as the Bulls try to improve upon a rushing offense that is ranked last in the conference.
"Both Marquis and Derrick are very capable running backs. They are going to hit the holes if they are there," said UB offensive lineman Tim Hedges. "Its our job to make the holes."
"Marquis is a little faster, a little more elusive, while Gordon is harder to bring down, harder to tackle."
Last season Buffalo topped Kent State 20-17 in an overtime thriller that saw the Bulls hit a field goal as the gun was sounding to end regulation, and another in overtime.
