Dual-threat quarterbacks give defenses fits in Westmoreland County

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Thursday, October 17, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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If they don’t beat you with their arms, they’ll beat you with their legs.

A number of quarterbacks from Westmoreland County fit the dual-threat description, with the ability to make throws or take off and run with each developing snap.

The measure of the best dual-threat QBs often is the numbers, particularly those who reach 1,000 yards passing and 1,000 yards rushing in a season.

Jeannette’s Kymon’e Brown, Samir Crosby of Greensburg Central Catholic, Raidon Kuroda of Yough and Latrobe’s John Wetzel are nearing that double-dip with two games left in the regular season.

Brown is on the doorstep after a massive performance last week. He completed 21 of 32 passes for 366 yards and four touchdowns and ran for 99 yards on 22 carries and two scores in a 42-41 win over Brentwood.

Brown, who scored a touchdown with seven seconds remaining and ran in the winning 2-point conversion, has thrown for 1,083 yards and rushed for 777. The junior has a pair of 200-yard rushing games.

A wide receiver at the start of the season who was expecting to see packages at quarterback, Brown has played most of the snaps alongside Markus McGowan.

“He makes plays with his feet and has a knack for space,” Jeannette coach Tommy Paulone said of Brown. “He’s a gamer and great young man.

“Kymon’e is hitting his stride in the passing game and this was proven with Friday night’s performance.”

Brown has 14 touchdown passes and scored seven times. He said he is following his coaches’ lead.

“My uncle Fats (Darius Brown) calls some great plays, and coach (Paulone) believes in us,” Brown said. “When the coaches carry that confidence, we play way better.

“My receivers made it so easy for me to read the field and be able to deliver them the ball.”

Crosby, another junior, also has been a one-man wrecking crew at times, leading GCC down the field with big plays. He has 1,004 yards passing and 782 rushing. He ran for 219 yards against Mt. Pleasant. He has 15 rushing TDs and 14 through the air. He is 52 of 93 passing.

“You hear Nick Saban say a lot that they hardest thing to stop is the QB run,” GCC coach JT Thompson said. “I used to be a defensive coordinator at the college level, and he’s right. Samir is intelligent and can really see the field in the passing game. He has really developed into a quarterback.”

Kuroda, a senior, has been a two-way force of late, putting up monster numbers for Yough.

Against Mt. Pleasant, he went 16 of 33 for 238 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 91 yards and a score.

He ran and passed for over 100 yards against Southmoreland. He has passed for 11 touchdowns and run for 10.

Yough coach Ben Hoffer said Tyler Donahue is believed to be the only player in Yough history to run and pass for 1,000 in a season.

Kuroda’s totals stand at 1,108 passing and 798 rushing. His 139 carries lead the next closest ball carrier by 80. Kuroda has 86 completions on 179 attempts.

“Raidon is a very high-IQ kid,” Hoffer said. “He always knows where he needs to go with the play.”

Wetzel has the longest climb to get to 1,000-1,000, although he knows what it is like. Last season, he passed for 1,289 yards and 17 touchdowns and rushed for 1,117 yards and 16 TDs.

This year, he has 778 yards rushing and has thrown for 648.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Greensburg C.C., Jeannette, Latrobe, Yough