C.J. Brown: Maryland QB’s rushing skills outweigh his passing flaws

Maryland beat Iowa on Saturday, despite a lackluster aerial attack. The Terps nearly lost a three-possession lead late in the game, but held on for a 38-31 victory.

Maryland quarterback C.J. Brown threw for just 120 yards, and completed slightly more than half of his passes. Brown also threw two interceptions.

It wasn’t all bad for Brown, though, as he ran for 99 yards on 21 carries. He leads the team in rushing, and has five touchdowns on the ground this season.

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Brown’s passing has been poor all season, and Saturday was no different. But, his prowess running the read option and his ability to scramble out of trouble probably won the game for Maryland.

This begs the question: Does Brown’s ability to run outweigh his subpar passing skills?

Maryland has Perry Hills behind Brown, who has experience starting and is the better passer of the two. Hills played for most of the third quarter against Iowa after Brown injured his back, but Brown returned in the fourth quarter. Hills threw for 86 yards and a score in limited action.

Still, I think Brown is the better option.

Hills actually looked pretty good, but his stats were inflated by a long run after the catch by Stefon Diggs. He doesn’t have Brown’s rushing chops, which allows defenses to drop more guys into coverage.

Brown gives the offense an added threat, and the possibility of him tucking it and running opens up lanes for the running backs. He is necessary for Maryland’s success, and gives them a chance to compete against the top teams in the Big Ten.