QB COACHING TIPS

TODAY'S TIP:

TAKING THE SNAP UP UNDER:

Toes just inside the center's feet, flat back, HEAD UP, hands up under only WRIST DEEP. Feet are placed in various ways now days, with one leg back being the preferred method by some to facilitate a quick escape step. I still prefer the feet parallel. Top hand spread and pressed firmly up under center's butt with middle finger running right along his butt crack, in such a manner as to be able to control the snap of the ball with that hand only. Left hand is what we call a guide hand and can be utilized in different positions as to the personal preference of the QB. The preferred method is to position the bottom hand at almost a 90 degree angle to the top hand with thumbs overlapping to prevent a hard snap from going through the QB's hands altogether.

Coaching Points: coach your qb's to never leave any fingers on their top hand to point downward in a relaxed manner as this is a sure way to break a finger!!! When they step in and place the top hand under the center, BE READY TO ACCEPT THE BALL.

TOMORROW WE WILL DISCUSS THE 3 STEP DROP

Coach Easton

TODAYS TOPIC: PROPER RELEASE POINTS WHEN PASSING


There are 3 proper release points by your QB when he is passing.

1. THE 10:00 O CLOCK POSITION ( EAR HOLE HIGH) IS THE PROPER RELEASE POINT WHEN MAKING THE DEEP THROWS.

2. THE 12:00 O CLOCK (CROWN OR TOP OF HEAD) IS THE PROPER RELEASE POINT FOR MEDIUM DEPTH
ROUTES.

3. THE 2:00 O CLOCK ( THROWING HAND ABOUT A FOOT IN FRONT AND ABOVE HELMET) IS THE PROPER RELEASE POINT FOR THE SHORT RANGE THROWS.

COACHING POINTS- UPON RELEASE OF FOOTBALL, QB SHOULD COMPLETE HIS FOLLOW THROUGH BY BRINGING HIS THROWING HAND DOWN THE MIDDLE OF HIS BODY. I ALWAYS DROVE THIS HOME BY HAVING HIM TOUCH THE INSIDE OF HIS LEFT THIGH WITH HIS THROWING HAND ON THE FOLLOW THROUGH.

MAKE CERTAIN YOUR QB IS KEEPING HIS ELBOW ABOVE HIS SHOULDER ON HIS THROWING ARM. IF HE IS NOT, HE IS NO LONGER THROWING THE BALL AND IS NOW "SLINGING" IT. WHEN HE DOES THAT HE IS SACRIFICING HIS ACCURACY. MAKE SURE HE IS "STEPPING INTO HIS THROW" WHICH ENABLES HIM TO THROW THE BALL WITHHIS WHOLE BODY AND NOT JUST HIS ARM. TIHS RESULTS IN ADDED VELOCITY AND DISTANCE OF THE PASS.

Coach Easton-TIGER ONE

Coach,

Thanks for the valuable tips as they relate to coaching Qb's. At the small school level, I have to coach WR, RB, DB, and QB. I welcome any advice that you are willing to share.

Coach Mitch

TIP # 6

QB/RECEIVER RELATIONSHIP


The relationship between the QB and his receiver corps is probably the single most important facet of the game for a predominately passing team. It is absolutely imperative that the two groups practice together
incessently! In order to establish the primary ingredient of a successful passing attack ( the TIMING ) it becomes a daily part of their regimen, not only during the season but even more so in the off season! The QB's must throw to the receivers they will be throwing to during the season and they must concentrate on the routes and patterns that the OC will be calling the most. DON'T WASTE TIME ON ROUTES YOU WILL SELDOM EVER USE, BUT RATHER CONCENTRATE ON YOUR BREAD AND BUTTER ROUTES UNTIL YOU CAN RUN THEM SUCCESSFULLY AGAINST EVERY COVERAGE YOU WILL SEE. No better time than these summer months right now to accomplish QUALITY PRACTICE . Athletes who are serious about winning, will practice 5 days a week during the summer months throwing, catching, running, and weight lifting.

Coach Easton-TIGER ONE

kr7263,

Coach, RELEASE POINT becomes super critical in the short game. Two things to consider;

1. OVERSTRIDING AS YOUR QB STEPS INTO HIS THROW WILL CAUSE THE BALL TO SAIL ON HIM.

2. RELEASING THE FOOTBALL TOO FAR FORWARD OF THE 2:00 O CLOCK POSITION WILL CAUSE THE BALL TO DIVE ON THE QB WHEN THROWING SHORT.

3. WE DO NOT AIM THE BALL, HOWEVER WE DO HAVE BODY POINTS TO THROW AT IN THE SHORT GAME.
THE INSIDE ELBOW ON THE SLANT, THE NUMBERS ON THE HITCH. SOUNDS KIND OF AMBIGUOUS
BUT WE FREE WHEEL THE BALL, WE DON'T AIM IT.

IT IS LIKE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SHOOTING A DEER RIFLE VERSES A SHOT GUN. WE AIM A RIFLE,
WE POINT A SHOT GUN.

CORRECT TIMING CAN ONLY BE ACHIEVED BY REP AFTER REP AFTER REP! TEACH YOU QB'S TO THROW
THE QUICK OUT FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN THE RECEIVERS BACK IS STILL TO HIM. WHEN IT IS DONE RIGHT, THE INSTANT THE RECEIVER BREAKS HIS STEM AND TURNS HIS HEAD TO THE BALL, THE BALL SHOULD SPLIT HIS HANDS! OUTS SHOULD BE THROWN TO THE LEFT, IN BREAKING SLANTS, ETC. TO THE RIGHT.

Coach Easton-TIGER ONE

TIP # 7

LAYERING" OF RECEIVERS


A great way to assist your young QB who is getting ready for his first year of Varsity competition learn to read defenses is to "layer" your receivers on the same side. By doing this you have reduced his reading of the entire field to 50% in the PSL. Further, if you have tagged a route, you have reduced it to 1/3 of a read. "layering" consists of placing receivers in the pattern at all 3 depths, deep, medium, short on the same side. Teach your QB's to read from top to bottom, inside out or outside in depending upon the route.

Coach Easton-TIGER ONE

TIP # 9

STEPPING INTO THE THROW


As your QB learns to throw on rhythm, he will soon discover just how important part the hips play in this facet of the game. As he hits his brake step in the drop, he must be ready to deliver the football to the correct receiver he has chosen to get the pass, as he has done his post snap reading while taking his drop.
The rule of thumb is that he should always throw to the FIRST OPEN MAN IN THE READ PROGRESSION, BE THAT IHS FIRST READ OR HIS LAST READ.

A famous NFL personality coined the phrase that a QB's hips have to be "LIKE A WELL GREASED ROUND TABLE." meaning simply that he must make a smooth fluid rotation of his hips as he steps into the throw.
The hips drive the legs that initiate the process and it can't afford to be herky jerky. The QB throwing a crossing route is a good example of what I am trying to convey here today. As he rotates his hips SMOOTHLY and steps so that his left foot will frame his receiver as he steps into the throw and keeps the receiver "sighted in" between his left arm( stabilizer) and his right arm as he delivers the pass, he insures that he will have a good chance of a completion. But, if his hip rotation is jerky in nature, he will end up behind the receiver targeted and that is not what you ever want to happen. This example is of a receiver running a crossing route from right to left, of course.

Coach Easton-TIGER ONE

TIP # 11


HANDLING THE BLITZ


Teach your QB's that when they read blitz coming in the PSL, it is not the time to panic with thinking like
" WOW! Here comes a blitz and I'm going to get creamed again!" but rather the time to remain POISED AND CONFIDENT that "here is our chance to make a big play".

When they learn not to panic and keep their cool, they will soon discover, to their liking, that the defense has become very vulnerable by counting on the fact that they can reach him before he can get the ball off. We do not use HOT receivers very much at all to beat the blitz, as they are not as open as one thinks because in a good defensive scheme they are accounted for also. But, rather I train them to remain poised, pick out the NEAREST OPEN RECEIVER and get him the ball. The nearest receiver is always a high percentage throw, and the quickest verses the blitz, in my opinion.

If you are a gun team here is an excellent drill I devised long years ago that really helps build your QB's confidence level when it comes to beating the blitz.

Take the 0 line, with the exception of the center, and tell them to hit the sidelines and watch! Then put the D line and LB's in all the fronts that you will most likely see in a game. THE CENTER IS TOLD ONLY TO SNAP THE BALL, DO NOT BLOCK!!! Align your receivers as you would when running your passing attack. THEN, ON THE SNAP TELL THE DEFENSE, ALL OF THEM, TO COME WITH THEIR EARS LAID BACK!
THEY COME ON THE SNAP, NO DELAY! The snap must be in the qb's hands no later than .03 of a second!
THE QB MUST BE AT 7-8 YDS DEEP AND NOT 5 YDS. His job then is to get the ball off before a defensive guy can tag him, or touch him in any way! When he becomes proficient at doing this, then put the 0 line back in their normal spots and run the drill again WITH THE LINE BLOCKING FULL TILT. The QB thinks he has died and went to heaven, as it will appear to him now that he has all kinds of time and there is no need to panic!!! GIVE IT A TRY, IT IS A GREAT DRILL.

Coach Easton-TIGER ONE

TIP # 13

IT ALL STARTS WITH FOOT PLACEMENT


A bad pass, almost 100% of the time, is the result of poor FOOT WORK by your QB. He must be coached in the proper mechanics of making his original escape step thru his break step, a hitch step or two if that is required on that particular pass, disecting or framing his target receiver (whichever that pass calls for)
as he steps into his throw on rhythm and releases the football.

If he is a gun passer as my QB's are in the 3 x 2 offense, he must work relentlesly on the proper foot work of throwing on the run without the necessity of pulling up, planting, and then making the throw.
It all begins with the feet and I like to say it ends with it too!!!

Coach Easton-TIGER ONE

TIP # 15


TEACHING YOUR OPTION QB TO READ THE VEER OPTION


When teaching your new QB's to read the Inside and outside veer, I recommend always starting him off by teaching him the double read required on the inside veer. If he is reading the ISV against a 50 front,
or any front really, the rule of thumb is that he read the first man outside the B hole. If he does not give to the dive back, he then proceeds to his second read, the DE. Once he masters this, the single read on the last man on the end of the LOS required in the OSV becomes a very simple thing to teach.

Teach him that there are only three things a DE can do to you: He can play HARD and make you pitch right now. He can play SOFT and string you out. He can go to the pitch man.

Teach him as much as you know about reading the option, because the man who reads it best always won my starting QB job!

Coach Easton-TIGER ONE

TIP # 17


BUILDING A TEAM LEADER


ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ATTTRIBUTES THAT YOUR CHOICE OF WHO IS GOING TO BE YOUR QB IS HIS ABILITY AS A TEAM LEADER!!!

Instill in your QB candidates that THE MAIN JOB OF ANY QB IS TO WIN!!! PERIOD!!! In order to win, he must be the sort of guy who earns the respect of his team mates. He must lead by example, not with his mouth. He must instill a winning attitude into the entire team, not just the offense.

I always suggest that if you can locate a good leadership camp during the summer months, by all means see that he attends!

Coach Easton-TIGER ONE

TIP # 19


HELP YOUR QB BY SPREADING OUT THE DEFENSE



DIAGRAMMED BELOW IS OUR REGULAR ALIGNMENT OF THE 3 X 2. YOU WILL NOTICE THAT IN MAN COVER SCHEMES, WHICH IS THE BEST WAY TO DEFEND IT, IT PUTS THEIR DEFENDERS ON AN ISLAND
WITH LITTLE OR NO HELP AND MAKES IT A GAME OF YOUR BEST VERSES THEIR BEST. I TEACH THE QB'S TO STAY WITH THE TRIPS SIDE AS LONG AS IS POSSIBLE BECAUSE YOU HAVE MORE TO WORK WITH OVER THEIR. I ALSO FLIP MY X AND Y ENDS AS I WANT MY BEST RECEIVER (X) ON THE SIDE WHERE MOST OF THE ACTION IS GOING TO BE TAKING PLACE AND IT GIVES HIM A CHANCE TO BE IN ON A BIG PLAY FOR US. THE QB KNOWS THAT HE HAS A PROGRESSION TO READ, REGARDLESS OF THE COVERAGE BEING ZONE OR MAN. HIS INSTRUCTIONS ARE TO GET THE BALL TO THE FIRST OPEN RECEIVER IN THE READ PROGRESSION.


OUR REGULAR 3 X 2 ALIGNMENT VS. MAN FREE



..............................................FS.................................................................................


C................W................5...2......2..7.............S..........SS..............C.................................
Y....................................T..G..C..G..T.........................................X....................................
.................C.................................................B............A....................................................

............................................QB.......................................................................................

*** WITH THE BALL IN THE MOF, THE X AND Y ALIGN 7 YDS FROM EITHER SIDE LINE. THE A RECEIVER IS 5 YDS SPLIT FROM THE X AND 1 YD DEEP OFF THE LOS. THE B RECEIVER IS SPLIT 5 YDS FROM THE A
RECEIVER AND 1 YD DEEP OFF THE LOS. THE C RECEIVER SPLITS THE DIFFERENCE FROM THE Y AND THE BACKSIDE TACKLE.

Coach Easton-TIGER ONE

TIP # 20


IMPORTANT QB PSL DECISION


In relation to the other reads your QB makes in the PSL, one of the most important he will make is to have an idea where he wants to go with the ball. I teach that he is to locate the FS first as he exits the huddle, and then starts to read the coverage from there. We will cover those reads as we go along but today I want to emphasize the importance of him getting an idea very quickly what receiver he wants to get the ball in the post snap. The first and most obvious is the one that is uncovered. My rule has always been if a defender is 7 or more yds off the receiver, then he is to be considered uncovered and that is where we want to go with the ball. HOWEVER, IT MAY ALL CHANGE IN AN INSTANT AS THE BALL IS SNAPPED AND THE DEFENSE STEMS TO ANOTHER COVERAGE SCHEME. SO, THEREFORE, WE MAKE NO "SET IN CONCRETE" DECISIONS AS TO WHERE WE ARE GOING WITH THE BALL IN THE PSL. YOUR QB ONLY ARRIVES AT THAT DEFINITE CONCLUSION AFTER GOING THROUGH HIS READ PROGRESSION IF THE PSL RECEIVER IS TAKEN AWAY. IF HE IS NOT AND IS STILL OPEN, THEN BY ALL MEANS GET HIM
THE BALL AS EXPEDIENTLY AS POSSIBLE.

Coach Easton-TIGER ONE

JUST A FAN,

Your question refers to the "POINT METHOD" THAT I HAVE UTILIZED FOR 20 PLUS YEARS NOW, VERSES THE "RIDE AND DECIDE" METHOD WHERE THE QB AND THE DIVE BACK BOTH HAVE THEIR HANDS ON THE BALL.

I have posted a ton on the forum here in the last 4 years about the mechanics and advantages of the point over the ride and decide. Many coach's have given it a try and would never go back to the other method.

Please check the archives of the forum ( most posting's on this topic I put under OPTION THREADS).
YOU SHOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM FINDING THEM. Please let me know if you do.

Coach Easton-TIGER ONE