Quarterback Play: Finding Ways to Complete Passes in Critical Situations

Drop and throw, drop and throw, and again, drop and throw. There is no other position in sports that demands such commitment, discipline, and practice. Playing quarterback and more importantly, having the extraordinary opportunity to lead a football team into competition, requires an understanding of not only the position and its necessary skills, but a knowledge of each and every player on offense, and the entire team. How do we train the quarterback to reach a level of play that elevates each player playing beside him? Clearly, when a coach begins to train a quarterback, he does not begin with the 5-step drop. After honing his footwork, body balance, and mechanics of the passing motion, the quarterback will begin to develop his ability to throw from the pocket at the three-step, five-step, and roll out levels. So then at this point, what separates the best from so many others trying to play the position? I am convinced that aside from the quarterback traits of mental toughness, leadership, physical ability, and the intangibles that coaches so thoroughly try to teach, it is the passes quarterbacks aren’t forced to make until game day, that if able to complete in a game, will be the difference between an inconsistent offense and an offense that is able to sustain drives, convert on third down, and eventually score more points. 

In the winter and summer months, when quarterbacks make the daily choice to become great, they spend hours lifting weights, running, and throwing. What percentage of that time is spent discussing and rehearsing the offense on what exactly the quarterback will see when he positions his hands under center or prepares to receive the ball in shotgun? The game is too fast at any level to drop and throw, expecting to make the right decision post-snap. We must train the quarterback to have a strong idea of where the football is going prior to the snap. By the play and the defense, your quarterback must know where he wants to go with the football. This training can only happen when the ins and outs of each play is discussed with the quarterback. Do the plays cater to his abilities? What exactly will he see downfield with a rush? Does he feel comfortable with each play that you call? Is he able to rep that play in practice enough to feel comfortable? Meeting with the quarterbacks prior to the game after a week of practice will help you identify what play calls he feels most comfortable with on 3^rd and 8 or in the red zone at a critical point in the game. He must have a mental picture of what he wants to do as soon as the play call comes in and, if he hesitates, his teammates will know immediately. Again, as a coach, we cannot just train our QBs to just drop and throw. Find a way to incorporate mental visualization during drills and water breaks by verbally rehearsing a two-minute drill or third down situation. Your chance of success is much higher when he feels confident in his ability to make the right check and deliver the football on time and in the right spot.

Once he understands the offense and what exactly the play feels like, the quarterback is then able to practice the throws we witnessed Aaron Rodgers and Ben Roethlisberger make all season long in order find a way to move the chains and win. In practice, especially during individual time, we must force the quarterback to be uncomfortable. He must drop with a coach or the other quarterbacks crowding him. He must practice stepping up in the pocket, bailing right or left, and then finding the tailback for a dump pass over a linebacker that could sustain a drive on game day. He must side-step a blitzing coach and then deliver a pass over the middle into the void. He must practice scrambling to score. These drills will create an upbeat and competitive individual period  and your quarterback will begin to complete more of the awkward throws than ever before.   The quarterback coach can create these situations.

When the quarterbacks throw routes versus air, then they will have time to focus on straight drops and timing of the play. According to a study mentioned in the Sports Illustrated article written by Tim Layden entitled, “The Art of the Pass,” less than 25% of all pass plays over the course of a season allow the quarterback to just drop and deliver the football. When a quarterback is ready to take the next step, it is at that point that he must practice the throws in the off-season and during fall practice that will somehow show up on game day. That is, right at the critical moment when your team needs it most and when your quarterback must find a way to complete the pass.