Making yourself a great quarterback is like making soup for yourself. If either are going to be good, the right ingredients are important. Unlike going to store to pick up your ingredients for soup, you have develop yours. The great thing is, you can. One of the ingredients you should start with is ingraining an a effective thought progression. The following four steps will give you direction when you drop back for a pass. These steps will help you be a productive quarterback, and help you avoid panicking when a situation breaks down.
Step One: Completing the Pass
Take your appropriate drop and deliver the ball to an open receiver if possible. In this part of the progression, you should work to develop your pocket mechanics. This will help you find throwing lanes, escape pressure, and sync up your timing with receivers. If a receiver is not open, avoid forcing the throw. Instead, move on to step two.
Step Two: Attacking the Line of Scrimmage
When you can not find an open receiver, begin to attack the line of scrimmage. While you run towards the line of scrimmage, keep your eyes and the ball up to watch for receivers to break open down field. You can easily drill this step in practice by scrambling left and right and delivering the ball to an open receiver. If no receivers break open by the time you reach the line of scrimmage, tuck the ball and continue to gain yards with your feet. If you are unable to reach the line of scrimmage and no receivers are open, move on to step three.
Step Three: Avoiding a Loss
If you are not going to make it past the line of scrimmage, safely throw the ball away. Aim to throw the ball over the head of a receiver down the sideline, or just below the feet of a nearby receiver. You won’t get a penalty if you throw the ball while you are outside of the tackles, the ball crosses the line of scrimmage, and/or there is a receiver is in the area. If you can not safely discard the ball, move on to step four.
Step Four: Taking a Loss
When you can’t gain yards or safely throw the ball away, take a loss. A loss is a lot better than a turnover. Live to fight another day.
So your progression in a nut shell is Pass, Run, Discard, and Take a Loss. Becoming efficient in this process will help you remain calm and cool in pressure situations. Your results will improve, and you will avoid making silly mistakes. The best way to get better at this process is to practice it. Before long, the progression will be ingrained and your productivity will be better than ever.
Easton Multi-Sport Training Net (www.amazon.com) This heavy duty training net is perfect for target throwing, especially if your are all alone.
Nike Air Zoom Vapors (www.amazon.com) You have to look good play good, and you’ll be looking dang good in these.
Cutters Football Quarterback Gloves (www.amazon.com) Designed specially to give quarterbacks the extra grip they need on the ball.
Power Balance (www.amazon.com) Its worth the $10 if it works.