Taysom Hill makes a two-quarterback system plausible

This may be an oversimplification, but here it goes.

The late LSU coach Charlie McClendon loved the two-quarterback system, and Saints head coach Dennis Allen should now embrace it.

After Taysom Hill’s three-rushing-touchdown, one-passing-touchdown performance against Seattle, there is no other way.

Start a throwing quarterback – either Andy Dalton or Jameis Winston – and bring Hill in for a considerable amount of snaps.

Just ask a redhead.

“He’s a weapon,” said Dalton of Hill after the Saints’ 39-32 win over Seattle.

Hill gashed the worst rushing defense in the league for touchdown runs of 8, 9 and 60 yards.

And, when the Seahawks crept up on the line of scrimmage, he threw 22 yards to tight end Adam Trautman for a touchdown.

The two-quarterback system can work. It worked at LSU for McClendon.

There was Steve Ensminger and David Woodley. And, Bert Jones and Paul Lyons.

Woodley, ironically, was known as the running quarterback. But, he had an accomplished NFL career. In 1982, he was then the youngest quarterback, at 24, to start in a Super Bowl.

Bert Jones was the first pick in the 1973 NFL draft, but he split time with Lyons, who at times performed superbly.

In 1971, in a 38-28 win at Wisconsin, Lyons ran for three touchdowns and passed for another. He set an LSU total offense record with 304 yards. Lyons had touchdown runs of 38, 11 and 3 yards. The Tigers had 31 first downs and punted only three times.

Jones was later the second pick in the NFL draft in 1973, ironically a pick acquired by the Baltimore Colts from the New Orleans Saints (in one of the most lopsided trades in NFL history).

But, Charlie Mac was never afraid to go to Lyons, who often rewarded his coach with stellar play.

Like Hill did on Sunday.

And, the Saints have paid Hill handsomely. He signed a four-year, $40 million deal with the Saints before the 2021 season, with $21 million guaranteed.

In 2022, Hill will be paid a base salary of $1.1 million and a restructured bonus of $9 million, according to the website spotrac.com.

The move of Taysom Hill to tight end before the start of the season was an intriguing idea. Hill, theoretically, would be a matchup nightmare for linebackers and safeties.

But, not anymore.

The Saints should do the following moving forward: Have their starting quarterback throw it 22 to 30 times a game. And, save 12 to 15 snaps a game for Taysom Hill.

When the Saints needed a win to avoid their first 1-4 start since 2015, Hill delivered.

His days as a tight end should be over.

Ed Daniels is sports director at ABC26 WGNO. He can be reached at [email protected].