Giving Your Quarterback the Advantage

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Quarterback Training & Development’s obligation to offensive skilled position players is to teach them the skills and techniques that give them a chance to succeed against players who are better than they are. We recently received the following email from one of our players: “Hey coach, the camp went really well. We did 1 on 1 drills which built my confidence because I found out that I could definitely play with some of the best.” This is a necessary part of competing at any level. At some point there will be a mismatch and if your player can take advantage of the situation, he can win.

The only things that earn a player’s respect and confidence in you as a coach are teaching him the techniques and skills that work (and give him a chance to win) and making sure he understands why you teach such techniques, skills and decision making.

There are a number of coaching points that can bring about quick and efficient improvement in quarterback play. We deal with them in our training sessions, and we drill each player with enough reps so that the techniques become second nature. We will address a few of the easiest ways the quarterback can gain an advantage with his footwork below.

Note: Please assume a right-handed quarterback in all discussions. Reverse for a left-handed quarterback.

1. Use a staggered stance. Why? Because staggering the feet gives the quarterback the opportunity to get quicker and deeper separation from the line. How? Have the quarterback stagger his left foot 10 to15 inches behind the line upon which the toe of his right foot sits. Stance must be narrow (no more than 7 or 8 inches apart). Why? Wider splits take the quarterback in the wrong direction and shorten the first step of his drop. Please see diagram 1.

Diagram 1

Curt Warner won a Super Bowl using a staggered stance on most plays. The defense was not able to get clues to stop one of the most prolific offenses ever. Remember that NFL players spend at least 8 hours a day on football.

2. On drops, the quarterback should go straight back, not letting his steps cross the midline of his body. Why? The shortest distance between two points is a straight line and this keeps the quarterback from drifting closer to the rush (usually an air rusher) on his blind side. Please see diagram 2.

Diagram 2

3. Another point to remember on drops is that the quarterback should keep his feet as close to the ground as possible without dragging them. Why? Speed: the higher the foot is off the ground, the longer it takes to get it back onto the ground. Lift with the leg, not the knee.

4. Make sure your quarterback knows that 5 and 7 step drops are exactly the same as the 3 step drop except for the number of steps taken. Why? Simplicity. The 5 step drop adds 2 full steps and the 7 step drop adds 4 full steps. The first and last two steps are exactly the same as in the 3 step drop. It is the next to the last step which is the braking or stopping step, so that the last (cheat) step can be put down under control and in balance. Please see diagrams 3 and 4. Hitching, climbing or pattering feet are used only for timing and versus man coverage.

Diagram 3

Diagram 4

5. Take “cheat” steps on the last step of the drop. Why? Cheat steps shorten the distance of the throw, shift the quarterback’s momentum to the direction of the pass (resulting in a quicker release because there is no need to take a hitch or gather step), and make the defender misdirect his path to the quarterback thereby improving protection. How are cheat steps accomplished? Before the right foot is down on the final step of the drop, the quarterback must know to which side he is going to throw the ball. This gives him a choice of throwing high or low to that side or hitching and throwing to his third receiver (check-down) depending on the coverage. If he is throwing to the right, then he should turn his right heel inside (toward the line of scrimmage). His right foot should be 12 to 30 inches to the right of a perpendicular line running back from the line of scrimmage. Please see diagram 5. If the quarterback is throwing to his left, his right heel should be kicked out (away from the line of scrimmage), and that foot should be placed 12 to 30 inches left of mid-line. The left foot should over-frame the target in order to compensate for the ball’s natural drift from left to right. How far should the target be over-framed? This is individual to each quarterback and has to be determined through practice based on the natural drift of the quarterback’s throw. It is important to remember when throwing to the left to not swing the left leg. Why? Swinging takes the quarterback out of a balanced, strong throwing position and has a tendency to cause the ball to sail (which, in turn, takes the receiver into coverage).

Diagram 5

Cheat steps enable the quarterback to make a strong, accurate pass. When all else is equal, the less distance the ball travels, the better chance there is of a completion. In other words, a 12 yard hitch route to the short side of the field is safer than a 12 yard hitch route to the wide side if the underneath coverage is the same on both sides. The less time the ball is in the air, the less time the defenders have to react.

6. The quarterback must be ready to throw on each odd numbered step of his drop. Why? Because with the 5 and 6 man protections seen today, the quarterback has to get rid of the ball quickly in order to account for extra rushers, avoid the sack and complete the play. These are usually “hot” or “site” situations. Please see diagram 6.

Diagram 6

Given the time constraints placed upon both coaches and student athletes today, basic mechanics and techniques are often overlooked during practice, much to the detriment of the team’s success. Quarterback Training & Development is in the unique position of having the time, knowledge, equipment, training aids, patience and space that are necessary to get a player to the next level. All of our programs are designed to enhance and improve each skilled player’s mechanics and techniques so that his movements become second nature. Why? Because this enables you, the coach, to concentrate on beating your next opponent by practicing plays.

John and Leesa McGregor
Quarterback Training & Development
3406 Stonehenge Square
Roanoke, VA 24018
(540) 989-9184
www.qb-training.com
qbtraining@aol.com

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