Drills Report – The Run-Up Escape Drill

The Run-Up Escape Drill which teaches our QBs three important fundamentals – ball security, downfield vision and launching the ball while trying to escape or avoid pressure. The drills we practice are the drills that we witness our players performing as we watch game tape  The Run-Up Escape Drill is one drill which we see over and over as we view our game film.

We can incorporate under-center drops (5-step/7-step) or gun drops (3-step/5-quick) into the drill. We start by placing targets downfield (you can use your favorite pattern progressions as you can see in – Diagram 1).

Diagram 1.

Sometimes I will grab a kicker or manager to help if we are low on numbers. We also place two edge rushers on each edge of the pocket. If the rushers contain, we simply run-up and throw to whichever target the coach points to pre-snap (Diagram 2).

Diagram 2.

The target is to raise his hand when the QB runs up. If one of the rushers forces the QB to escape the pocket laterally, we tell the QB to escape and throw to a specific receiver (Diagram 3).

Diagram 3.

When the QB escapes to his off-hand side (a right-handed QB escapes to the left side) we incorporate the 10-yard rule (Diagrams 4 and 5).

Diagram 4.

Diagram 5.

The 10-yard rule means while the QB is escaping from the pocket to the off-hand side, he sprints 10 yards to separate (if there is no pressure) and then throws the ball to a specific receiver (Diagram 5). If the QB feels pressure when escaping the pocket, he stays on the run and, again, throws to a specific receiver (Diagram 4).Have a third defender in the drill to the QB’s off-hand side to simulate pursuit (Diagram 4) – or no pursuit (Diagram 5) – so the QB can feel whether or not to stay on the run.

The main coaching point we stress throughout the drill is ball security. The QB must maintain a throwing grip having two hands on the ball until he separates to release the ball. We may use bags to try and jar the ball loose as the QB runs up or attempts to escape.

As the QB turns his body to escape, he must make sure he keeps both hands on the ball. This is often difficult to develop in QBs because the natural inclination is to hold the ball with one hand because it feels more comfortable trying to escape. As the QB runs up in the pocket, we teach him to put the ball up on his front number in order to secure the ball as the DE reaches to strip from behind.

I believe this drill teaches the QB sound fundamentals in order to secure the ball, see downfield/feel pursuit, and throw from awkward launch points.

About the Author: Mike Yurcich recently completed his second season as Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach at Shippensburg University. After installing Yurcich’s passing offense for the 2011 season, Shippensburg set five offensive single season school records. This past fall, all five were broken again – 609 points, 83 total touchdowns, 1,033 total plays, 352 first downs, and 6,904 yards in total offense.

Yurcich previously spent six seasons at Edinboro University as Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach. He also coached at St. Francis (IN) and was a graduate assistant at Indiana University. A 1999 graduate of California University of Pennsylvania, Yurcich was a three-year starter at quarterback.