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Posted on Monday, 09.14.09

DOLPHINS BACKUP QUARTERBACKS

Miami Dolphins No. 2 quarterback Pat White used sparingly

In an odd move, the Dolphins designated Pat White as the No. 2 quarterback, then only used him for three plays.

Miami Dolphins quarterback Pat White tries to run from the Wildcat formation during the second quarter against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2009 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

JOE RIMKUS JR. / STAFF PHOTO

Dolphins at Falcons | Sun., Sept. 13, 2009
Photo

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WEB VOTE What went wrong for the Dolphins on Sunday against the Falcons?

BY DAVID J. NEAL

dneal@MiamiHerald.com

ATLANTA -- Once the Dolphins designated Chad Henne as the third, emergency quarterback, thus making Pat White the backup to Chad Pennington for at least the first three quarters, it seemed something just didn't fit.

The Dolphins used White, an adept runner and a mediocre passer, for only three plays -- a sweep left by White out of the spread formation that he ran at West Virginia; a play-action deep pass to Ted Ginn Jr. that White overthrew; and an end-around option pass on which Ginn wound up reversing field and running for a 1-yard gain that would have been a loss without a White block.

If that seems light usage of White, well, Dolphins coach Tony Sparano admitted it was. The Dolphins have a spread offense-like package to make use of White's running and passing abilities. That's not to be confused with the Wildcat package in which running back-by-trade Ronnie Brown takes the snap like a quarterback or single-wing tailback.

``There were some things we were trying to get to, but the bottom line is we didn't for some reason or another,'' Sparano said. ``I thought Pat White did fine.''

Henne and White marched in time with the tune played by the coaching staff. When asked about it in the postgame locker room, Henne shrugged it off while White repeated often, ``I've just got to be ready when my name is called.''

White also criticized himself, saying ``I didn't make any big plays.''

Henne, a more traditional dropback passer who was Pennington's backup last season, said, ``They brought Pat in for a reason to mix some stuff up. As for me, I've got to sit back, and if they're going to throw that package in, I've got to wait my turn.''

Under the emergency quarterback rule, if the player designated the third quarterback enters the game during the first three quarters, the other two quarterbacks on the roster can't return. In the fourth quarter, there are no restrictions on use of quarterbacks.

Contrary to popular belief, neither of the other two quarterbacks needs to be injured for the third quarterback to be employed. So, if the coaches felt Pennington needed to get the hook before the fourth quarter, they could have put in Henne but couldn't have returned Pennington or White to the game.

The last time White dressed, but wasn't the starting quarterback, he was a redshirt freshman at West Virginia. And the last time Henne wasn't even the backup quarterback?

``I wouldn't say I'm not the backup,'' Henne said quickly.

OK, the last time you were the quarterback who knows he'll likely be used only in case of emergency?

``I've never been in that position,'' Henne said. ``It's all in what we do each week and different packages. It's up to the coaching staff.''

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