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AFM Magazine

AFM Magazine


Rolling to Victory

by: Michael C. Parodi,
Quarterback Coach, and the City College of San Francisco Coaching Staff
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The 1999 season was very successful for the players, coaches and staff of City College of San Francisco. We were fortunate enough to complete our season with a perfect 12-0 record and win the 1999 J.C. Gridwire National Championship and California state championship. We also achieved this same feat in 1994 after completing the season 11-0. In the 90s, we won our conference nine times in 10 years (1990, 1992-1999) and we are three-time defending Northern California champions. In all, we ended the decade with a record of 102-11.

Offensively, we have averaged 490 yards per game over the last 10 years and usually finish among the nation's top 5 in total offense. As a staff, we know that we must work hard and put in many hours to succeed. We expect nothing less from our student-athletes. We are very proud of our success and plan to continue into the new millennium.

Finally, we are most proud of the transfer rate of our student-athletes to four-year institutions. Almost every sophomore - approximately 95% - moves on to a university or four-year college to continue his education and, hopefully, his football career.

The Roll-Out Pass

At City College of San Francisco, the ability to roll out and move the quarterback is very important to our offense. Our philosophy is that any type of quarterback - not just "an athlete playing quarterback" - can roll out. It is something any quarterback can do, if given the proper drill work.

The primary reason we roll out is to attack the defense and to spread and use the entire field. For example, if the ball is on a hash mark and we are in a trips formation, it is obviously a very long throw to the receiver closest to the sideline if the quarterback drops back. But if he rolls out, he moves closer to the receivers, and this gives him the ability to throw to any of his three receivers, not just the two inside receivers.

We roll out to throw the ball, not to have the quarterback run with the ball. Running is the quarterback's last option. Rolling out also gives the quarterback a better look at the receivers and the defense, because there are not as many defenders in his face. It also makes the defenders cover the whole field and slide farther to cover their zones.

We choose to run flood routes - three or more receivers to a side - when we roll out, because there is a better chance to find a seam in which one of the receivers can sit to receive the pass. And by stretching the defense from sideline to sideline, we give our quarterbacks and receivers the ability to find an opening and succeed.

Footwork

We have a couple of rules for our quarterbacks regarding their feet, body and eyes that they must follow when rolling out. Starting with the feet and working upward, here they are:

1) When coming out from under center, they must explode away from the line of scrimmage. The verbal cue we give them is to "fire out." We remind our quarterbacks to push off with their weakside foot and reach out with their strongside foot to get width and depth. It is important to get both wide and deep at the same time so they do not roll out too flat or too deep.

2) The next process is making sure that their first 5-7 steps are quick and choppy - "chop it up" - so that if there is a hot read, they can set up quickly and deliver the ball. If the quarterback comes out with long strides, it will take him that much longer to slow down, set up and deliver. This is very important because if the quarterback needs to throw a 5-yard quick flat, he must be ready to deliver the pass before the pressure gets to him. Once the quarterback has passed the "hot stage," he can return to his normal, comfortable stride so that backside pressure will not catch him and so that he can get closer to his receivers.

3) The last thing you must constantly remind roll-out quarterbacks is to step toward their target when they set up to throw. It is very common for the quarterback not to step toward his target, because he cannot control his body's momentum. He ends up with their foot pointing toward the sideline and throwing across his body, which deters the accuracy and zip on the throw. As you know, balance is very important to making sure the ball goes to its intended target. He should not be falling off to the left or right after he throws. He should work on transferring all of his weight onto his front toe with a nice, complete follow-through. We tell our quarterbacks to take a "crow hop" when they are setting up to throw after rolling out. The "crow hop" is what a baseball outfielder does when he fields a ball and is gathering to throw out a runner trying to score from second base. We remind our quarterbacks to always try to "crow it" when they can. And it is a rule-of-thumb for them to always "set and fire," if they can. This increases their completion percentage because they are balanced and under control. The only time we allow the quarterback to throw on the run is when he is throwing a 5-yard quick flat or when his instincts tell him to do so.

Body Position

The upper body has a lot to do with the throw, as well. The first thing your quarterbacks need to do is use and move their arms when rolling out. Their body and their arms cannot be stiff while rolling out. They should look natural and feel comfortable. You have to sell to them that rolling out is a form of running, and, therefore, they need to use their arms in order to move efficiently. But be sure they do not end up with their arms spread out wide, like chicken wings.

The next issue of consequence is the location of the ball. Because they are using their arms, they need to keep the ball up high and ready to throw. Never allow the quarterback to position the ball below his waist or for him to take a hand off of the ball. This is important because the ball should be at his earhole and in both hands when the quarterback is ready to throw. Following these tips could make your quarterback's release a lot quicker.

The quarterback's hips and shoulders are probably the most important part of passing the ball. We tell our quarterbacks that their shoulders must be closed and facing the target when they are rolling. We use the term "closed" to explain that their shoulders must be facing upfield, not toward the sidelines. Explain to your quarterback that he needs to rotate at the hips. The shoulders and hips work as a unit. Therefore, if the shoulders are closed, the hips will rotate, as well, allowing the quarterback to roll to a side while still facing upfield.

It's easier for quarterbacks to do this when rolling to their throwing side, so there are some additional coaching points to consider when they are rolling to the opposite side:

1) The quarterback must exaggerate closing the shoulder when going to his opposite side. The best way to explain this to your quarterback is reminding him to square up his shoulders with those of the flat-responsibility player. Both you and the quarterback must be mindful that they are in an attack mode and must be ready to hit a hot receiver, if needed. If their shoulders are facing 10 yards backfield, it will be hard to read the hot receiver, let alone hit him. This is a tough concept for quarterbacks to pick up, whether they are new to the position or just new to rolling out.

2) The final important point regarding the upper body is the follow-through. The quarterbacks must follow through! Whether they crow hop or throw on the run, they need to follow through to increase the possibility of success. A lot of quarterbacks short arm the throw and do not follow through when rolling out because they either rush the throw or are uncomfortable with the process. You can tell if they followed through properly by watching the path of the ball. For example, if a right-handed quarterback is rolling to his right and short arms the throw, the ball will sail high and to the right. Drill work is absolutely necessary to perfect this.

Reads

The final key to rolling out - or playing quarterback, for that matter - is having your eyes in the right place and looking at the right thing. When our quarterback is rolling out, we tell him to look at the defensive player who has flat responsibility. This is the same player he is trying to square up with. Make sure that whomever you have your quarterback looking at, he does it consistently and that he makes his reads.

Verbal Cues

To put it all together, here are the verbal cues that you should use to remind your quarterbacks of what they must do - from the first step to the last:

• Fire Out
• Close it
• Use your arms
• Chop it/hots
• Read it
• Crow it
• Set and fire
• Follow through

Drill Work

As mentioned before, any quarterback can roll out if given the proper drill work. We have many drills that our quarterbacks perform to improve their rolling out. Here are some of the drills that we do everyday. The first step in performing the drills is setting up the cones as they appear in Diagram 1.


Diagram 1

Cones A and D should be 18 yards apart on the line of scrimmage. Cones B and C should be 5 yards deep and lined up behind the outside leg of the tackle, or about 4 yards from Cones A and D.

The quarterbacks will always start at Cone A or D. They will line up as if they were taking a snap from center. (You can either use a ball snapper, a real center or just have the quarterback simulate a snap.) We do these drills without throwing to get increased repetitions.

Drill # 1 - Get Boxed

When we say, "get boxed," we are referring to possible pressure off the corner by a corner blitz or a wide-contain rush that does not allow us to continue to roll out past the tight end.

The aiming point for the quarterback is Cone B. Have him follow all of the rules mentioned earlier: fire out, take quick and choppy steps, close his shoulders, use his arms, and then set. Use all of the verbal cues, as needed. These drills should be done at 75-100% of full speed. Roll to the right six times (A to B) and roll to the left six times (D to C).

Drill #2 - Get Corner

To "get corner" means that our tight end and/or back was able to block the edge effectively enough to allow the quarterback to proceed with a roll outside and get to Cone C. This is the same as Drill No. 1, but the quarterback proceeds to Cone C and then adds a crow hop to help gather his feet. Have him again follow all of the rules mentioned earlier: fire out, take quick and choppy steps, close his shoulders, use his arms, and then crow hop. And use all of the verbal cues, as needed. Again, this drill should be done at 75-100% of full speed. And again, roll to the right six times (A to C) and roll to the left six times (D to B).

Drill #3 - Circle Drill

This drill uses the same concepts as No. 1 and No. 2 but adds throwing the ball. It does not require much setup. Have a wide receiver stand on a landmark and not move at all. The quarterback will run circles around the receiver (see Diagram 2).


Diagram 2

While circling, the quarterback will simulate rolling out and will now throw the ball on the run. This drill is a great tool to help quarterbacks practice hitting a target while rolling.

A right-handed quarterback will start jogging to his right and then increase to game speed when he is ready to throw. When at full speed, he will step toward his receiver with his right foot and throw the ball while still rolling. If the ball sails, the quarterback is not following through. The receiver will then throw the ball back to the quarterback, who is still jogging around in a circle. When the quarterback gets the ball back, he'll do it again. Have him follow all of the rules mentioned earlier: fire out, take quick and choppy steps, close his shoulders, use his arms, and then fire. Use all of the verbal cues, as needed. This drill should be done at full speed. Again, roll to the right six times and roll to the left six times.
Several former CCSF QBs and WRs have taken their skills to the next level including 2000 Hawaii QB recruit Nick Rolovich, NCAA record-setter WR Manny Hazard (Houston) and NFL WR James Hudon (Bengals).






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