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Letter From the Editor: Intangibles: What Makes the Difference in your Quarterba

by: Rex Lardner
Editor American Football Monthly
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About a month ago, AFM caught up with new Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh as he was driving back home from campus in Palo Alto. Harbaugh led Michigan to three bowl games, played in the NFL for 15 seasons, and just completed an outstanding three year 29-6 run as head man for the University of San Diego, a Division I-AA college in the Pioneer League. The Toreros finished 11-1 in each of the last two seasons.

“You look for accuracy, location, how a quarterback practices from his on the field work during the week to his pre-game demeanor,” says Harbaugh. “You also look for a quarterback that has the confidence and maturity to make quick decisions, make plays on his own, and, at the same time, be physically tough. Can he improvise and get out of the pocket? We look at the team’s record before and after he was the starter and how that’s changed. How are his third down decisions and how effective is he in the red zone? Besides the physical tools what are his leadership qualities and what do his teammates have to say about him?”

While most coaches would concur with this list of the essential qualities necessary with your signal caller, it’s the intangibles that Harbaugh touched on that can make the difference in your quarterback. “Many have the physical tools and can make plays,” says Harbaugh, “but two distinct characteristics separate quarterbacks: character and mental toughness.” More specifically:

Character: “It’s an intangible you see in your quarterback where he’s focused and does not believe in excuses. Does he have the ability to enlist other people to his side and make them better players? Is he a leader on and off the field?”

Mental Toughness: “Can your quarterback play through adversity? Let’s say he’s fumbled on one series and was intercepted the next. What is his mental make-up when he gets the ball the next time? What if he’s sacked two plays in a row and faces third and long? That’s when you see the real person.”

This month’s issue of AFM includes two quarterback-related articles. The Speed Report talks about specific drills to improve your QB’s quickness and Steff Kruck, Co-offensive Coordinator and QBs Coach of the Grey Cup Champion BC Lions, writes a clinic article on pressure technique drills for the quarterback in the Shotgun.

We hope you enjoy this issue of AFM.

Respectfully,

Rex Lardner
Managing Editor
American Football Monthly
rlardner@lcclark.com
561-355-5068 (x 329)





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