Scoreboards

• Quarterback drills should emphasize proper footwork and throwing mechanics.
• It is efficient to have a quarterback practice with another quarterback, as they can take turns serving as each other’s receiver.
• The book Offensive Drills published by the American Football Coaches Association has a chapter on quarterback drills created by assistant coaches at top college programs.

Footwork Drills

Veteran offensive coordinator Mike Dunbar designed a footwork drill to help quarterbacks work on their dropback techniques. The drill takes the player step-by-step through the dropback. For example, for a five-step drop, the quarterback begins with his weight on the foot that is opposite his throwing hand, with the foot slightly farther back than the other foot, which takes the first step. This first step is a backward step during which the player pivots on his other foot so that he goes from facing the center to facing the sideline. During this step the player leans back so that it appears he is almost in a sitting position, which increased his backward momentum. His second step is a crossover step, quick and straight back, during which he brings the ball into throwing position. The next thee steps are also crossover steps. During the third step the quarterback must drive hard with his knee to take a long step back to get the proper depth in his drop. The fourth step is a shorter step during which the quarterback begins to stand up straighter to get the proper balance for throwing. During the fifth step, the quarterback shifts the weight from his toes to the balls of his feet so that he can stop and change his momentum from backward to forward for his throw. Another quarterback can serve as the center for this drill, and the players can switch positions every few reps.

Another footwork drill has the quarterback sliding sideways to avoid a pass rush. Veteran offensive coordinator Woody McCorvey sets up two tackling dummies seven yards apart, with both facing inward, a few yards behind the line of scrimmage. The quarterback drops back between the dummies, and a defender lined up at the tackle position is instructed to rush either to the inside or to the outside. For an inside rush he cuts in front of a tackling dummy, and for an outside rush he runs behind the tackling dummy. For the outside rush, the quarterback steps up to avoid the defender and throws the ball from the “pocket” between the two dummies. For an inside rush, he steps toward and around the rusher. The quarterback resets and releases the ball as the defender goes by.

Throwing Mechanics Drill

North Carolina assistant coach Steve Hagen designed a throwing drill in which two quarterbacks play an enhanced game of catch. The players stand 15 yards apart and attempt to aim the ball so that the forward point of the ball is pointed toward the other player’s nose when it is caught. When throwing a pass, a quarterback should cup the ball in his hand and have his shoulder perpendicular to the line of scrimmage as he begins the throw. By the end of the throw, the player’s shoulders should have rotated 180 degrees. The throwing elbow should be at or above the shoulder but no higher than the ear. These steps comprise the basics for how to throw a football.

Additional quarterback drills can be found in Offensive Drills, published by Human Kinetics Publishers in 1998.