It is entirely possible that somebody at some times said, "Hey, if they lose power, they can steer off the runway." I'm not convinced how good an idea that might have been, but somebody may have proposed it.
The T-38 was the hottest jet I flew, I can only imagine what an F-20 might have been like. The air-to-air guys I have spoken with say that the F-5 Aggressor may not be the hottest thing in the air, but the dang thing is almost impossible to spot. That alone makes it a deadly fighter. I was only taught air-to-mud so I can't vouch either way. Pugs and Jorge certainly can.
