Are there any current or former QB's on board?

[Simon]

I could use some tips and advice on coaching my boy up.

[eball]

Hell, I'd just like to hear one of them fill us in on the great mysteries associated with facing a 3-4 defense.

[BuffaloBill]

I could use some tips and advice on coaching my boy up.

 

 

Let him watch reruns of JP losman as a reminder of how one should not play the position. Then watch Jimbo to see one that shows how to play the position. I know ... that was of huge value to you

[GOBILLS78]

Don't wear gloves.

[K-9]

(sung to the tune of "Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys")

 

Mamas don't let your babies grow up to be QBs

Don't let 'em goose centers or scramble about

And don't bother teachin' to throw the wide out.

 

And now back to our regular programming.

 

My first piece of advice would be to teach him how to keep his feet moving (always up on his toes) while looking down field and then being able to stop, sqaure, and plant so that he learns to throw from a stable platform. He should do these drills while holding a football with the nose close to his ear and with his throwing arm's elbow parallel to the ground. And DON'T let him throw it AT ALL. It'll piss him off but he's GOT to get the footwork down first. Throwing is all about from the feet up, not the arm down.

 

But why do I get the impression you already know all this? Good luck, coach.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[Simon]

(sung to the tune of "Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys")

 

Mamas don't let your babies grow up to be QBs

Don't let 'em goose centers or scramble about

And don't bother teachin' to throw the wide out.

 

And now back to our regular programming.

 

My first piece of advice would be to teach him how to keep his feet moving (always up on his toes) while looking down field and then being able to stop, sqaure, and plant so that he learns to throw from a stable platform. He should do these drills while holding a football with the nose close to his ear and with his throwing arm's elbow parallel to the ground. And DON'T let him throw it AT ALL. It'll piss him off but he's GOT to get the footwork down first. Throwing is all about from the feet up, not the arm down.

 

But why do I get the impression you already know all this? Good luck, coach.

 

GO BILLS!!!

Love the song and agree with the sentiment! When he was littler he had a coach who made him play QB and he didn't take to it at all. Thought we were done with that but he grew about 6" in the last year and now in his first year of middle school ball another coach wants him to run the offense. We were hoping he'd get to play DE, but noooooooooo, it's QB and CB. Actually he's looking more forward to it now so we'll see how it goes; I'm just not sure how to go about helping him on the offensive side.

I was doing almost exactly what you described before I posted the question, although I didn't have him keeping his elbow up (thanx, I'll incorporate that one in tomorrow's lesson about ball security). And he wasn't throwing because with me snapping he had nobody to throw at (and yes I farted on him once when he was under center doing 25 3-step drops to each side:). When I did start running a couple routes for him I had him pretend his foot was his crosshairs (he likes to play some Nazi zombie game on his XBox) and made him always line it up before he started delivering headshots. He seemed to like that one. And I had him run some sprint-out to both sides and practice squaring up before he delivered.

I think we're off to a good start but I could use some more drills and tips if anybody's got them.

And yes I'll move this to OTW after I let it fish in the day shift for a few hours.

Thanks a bunch!

[K-9]

Love the song and agree with the sentiment! When he was littler he had a coach who made him play QB and he didn't take to it at all. Thought we were done with that but he grew about 6" in the last year and now in his first year of middle school ball another coach wants him to run the offense. We were hoping he'd get to play DE, but noooooooooo, it's QB and CB. Actually he's looking more forward to it now so we'll see how it goes; I'm just not sure how to go about helping him on the offensive side.

I was doing almost exactly what you described before I posted the question, although I didn't have him keeping his elbow up (thanx, I'll incorporate that one in tomorrow's lesson about ball security). And he wasn't throwing because with me snapping he had nobody to throw at (and yes I farted on him once when he was under center doing 25 3-step drops to each side:). When I did start running a couple routes for him I had him pretend his foot was his crosshairs (he likes to play some Nazi zombie game on his XBox) and made him always line it up before he started delivering headshots. He seemed to like that one. And I had him run some sprint-out to both sides and practice squaring up before he delivered.

I think we're off to a good start but I could use some more drills and tips if anybody's got them.

And yes I'll move this to OTW after I let it fish in the day shift for a few hours.

Thanks a bunch!

 

Happy to oblige.

 

And you've given a whole new twist to the classic "pull my finger" routine. Poor kid's probably gonna want to play center eventually just to exact revenge.

 

I DO hope he decides to play DE. So much more fun. But the QBs always get the girls.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[San Jose Bills Fan]

Simon,

 

Here's an instructional video for Pop Warner and up players. It's by Bob Toledo who is coaching Tulane now but had a very good run at UCLA...probably their best coach since Dick Vermeil...or maybe Terry Donahue.

 

http://www.video-line.com/p-74-quarterback...bob-toledo.aspx

 

I never played organized football but had a few friends who played HS quarterback. I also got to know a few UB QBs when I went to school there and covered the team.

 

Seems like you're on target using the basic fundamentals and hammering those home. The next step of training might include a few of these drills I picked up along the way from former QBs.

 

For developing arm strength, throwing from the knees is a good drill. As in all sports movements, the feet and lower body rule but to isolate the upper body and throw is very useful in increasing velocity. QBs don't play in a laboratory. You won't always be able to step into throws and sometimes the QB has defenders draped on him as he throws. Thus the importance of this drill to increase isolated arm velocity.

 

Another drill which increases arm strength and underscores the fact that the QB cannot always use a textbook delivery is the drill where the QB throws completely across his body to a target for numerous repetitions (for a right handed quarterback, having his left shoulder square to the line of scrimmage) and then turn 180 degrees and throw an equal number of repetitions that way. In other words, in the second part of this drill a right handed quarterback would face his right shoulder to the line of scrimmage and practice throwing towards the line of scrimmage that way (not throwing across the body). This drill is helpful for the old running left and throwing upfield throw. Ideally the QB turns his body for this throw but there's not always time to do this completely.

 

Hope this helps and good luck Simon.

[AF88Bills]

- Show him, don't tell him

- Gotta teach him to throw with his legs, hips, and arm...an instructional video should help. I remember being told to point my non throwing elbow at the target...forces you to rotate the upper body

- Playing QB is just as much about knowing the plays, leading the team in the huddle, and timing more so than being physically talented...so he needs to know how the patterns fit together on the field when the plays are called, and how to time getting the ball to each of the recievers

[gmac17]

have him sit around the locker room playing video games and eating hard boiled eggs.

[lacoy38]

Simon,

 

Here's an instructional video for Pop Warner and up players. It's by Bob Toledo who is coaching Tulane now but had a very good run at UCLA...probably their best coach since Dick Vermeil...or maybe Terry Donahue.

 

http://www.video-line.com/p-74-quarterback...bob-toledo.aspx

 

I never played organized football but had a few friends who played HS quarterback. I also got to know a few UB QBs when I went to school there and covered the team.

 

Seems like you're on target using the basic fundamentals and hammering those home. The next step of training might include a few of these drills I picked up along the way from former QBs.

 

For developing arm strength, throwing from the knees is a good drill. As in all sports movements, the feet and lower body rule but to isolate the upper body and throw is very useful in increasing velocity. QBs don't play in a laboratory. You won't always be able to step into throws and sometimes the QB has defenders draped on him as he throws. Thus the importance of this drill to increase isolated arm velocity.

 

Another drill which increases arm strength and underscores the fact that the QB cannot always use a textbook delivery is the drill where the QB throws completely across his body to a target for numerous repetitions (for a right handed quarterback, having his left shoulder square to the line of scrimmage) and then turn 180 degrees and throw an equal number of repetitions that way. In other words, in the second part of this drill a right handed quarterback would face his right shoulder to the line of scrimmage and practice throwing towards the line of scrimmage that way (not throwing across the body). This drill is helpful for the old running left and throwing upfield throw. Ideally the QB turns his body for this throw but there's not always time to do this completely.

 

Hope this helps and good luck Simon.

starting at ucla going to tulane, sounds like jp!

[Chandler#81]

Love the song and agree with the sentiment! When he was littler he had a coach who made him play QB and he didn't take to it at all. Thought we were done with that but he grew about 6" in the last year and now in his first year of middle school ball another coach wants him to run the offense. We were hoping he'd get to play DE, but noooooooooo, it's QB and CB. Actually he's looking more forward to it now so we'll see how it goes; I'm just not sure how to go about helping him on the offensive side.

 

The BIG key is WANTING to play QB. It's obviously unlike any other position in all sports. While unfair, he'll get all the glory or all the blame. He'll handle the ball on every play. The opposition will move and sway with every movement of his body -faking or not. He'll have to drill a lot on ball handling for handoffs as well as play action and hiding the ball. Embracing the position will go a long way towards his committment to developing the required skills.

 

Tell him QB's get all the HOT chicks!

 

Best wishes, coach!

[cmjoyce113]

I coached QB's at the freshman level, if you have particular questions shoot me a pm.

[34-78-83]

Simon, my younger boy is 9 and his arm was "discovered" his 3rd day in of football practice (1st year of playing) by his coach and now he is being groomed as a backup QB this year and they hope him to start some next year. He's playing safety for his other position.

 

Any how, we do a lot of work in the back yard with having him call the play out in the "huddle" (which is really just him and I and his brother) and get up to the line and check over his alignment and then execute whatever the play was. A lot of the work is making sure he turns the right way after the snap if it's a running play, making sure he readies the ball quickly for a dive play, takes two steps out to the running back for say an off tackle play, etc... For passing plays we try to make sure he holds the ball up high, often with his second hand helping secure the ball as he scans the field for his receiver. We try to make sure he doesn't get his feet too grounded as he looks things over from the 3 step drop, so he can "snap" into the throw.

 

Sounds like your guy might be a little further along than this but any time I ask the coach what to work on with him he goes back to these fundamentals like his positioning for the snap and making sure he checks the backfield and player alignments pre-snap, making sure his loud and clear in the huddle, knows the plays inside and out, etc. We haven't progressed to looking off the safety yet, lol.

[BUFFALOTONE]

Happy to oblige.

 

And you've given a whole new twist to the classic "pull my finger" routine. Poor kid's probably gonna want to play center eventually just to exact revenge.

 

I DO hope he decides to play DE. So much more fun. But the QBs always get the girls.

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

Hey whats wrong with center?

 

Any who Simon, I was never a QB but played center for 4 years and I can tell you one thing, the QB has to be a leader. He has to be the toughest guy on the field. He is the guy that the other 10 players are going to lean on when the sh-t hits the fan.

 

As far as fundamentals go, do something that 90% of the coaches never do, teach him to read a Defense. That in itself will make up for any physical shortcoming of any QB. Another is footwork, teach him how to shuffle his feet, also to run with the ball and be ready to throw at anytime. Coaches love that sh-t.

 

He probably already knows how to throw it, but that's not a perfect science. It's like a golf swing it doesn't have to be perfect just work.

[ans4e64]

If the kid was in high school, I think drills would be important. But since he's a bit younger, and new to the position as well, mechanics is what you should really be focusing on at this point. Once he's got that down and feels comfortable with the ball and at the position, maybe in a year or two you can move on to drills. Correct me if I'm wrong, but teams that young tend to run the ball on almost every play, right?

 

This is for a few years down the line, but if he's in high school and still sticking with QB, have him wear a dark visor on his facemask. For the life of me, I can't fiqure out why QB's in college and the pro's don't do this. I did it in high school and it was the best thing I could have done. Linebackers and safetys (who are taught to read the QB's eyes) couldn't see mine and had no idea where I was looking or where I would be throwing. Try being a single safety in high school with the WR on each end running a bomb and trying to figure out which one to cover when you can't see the QB's eyes! Made my job a lot easier.

[Simon]

Just wanted to thank y'all for a lot of great ideas, many of which I will be using.

'Preciate everybody's input!

[tennesseeboy]

Never played QB but had dinner in Albany on Sunday and Eli Manning was at the next table! Good luck to your kid and hope he has a lot of fun!

[Thoner7]

Assuming he is right handed:

 

His grip on the ball should be mainly with fingertips only. There should be a gap between the Ball and the palm so that you can see light while looking in between the thumb and index finger.

 

When he throws, his throwing (right) hand should turn over and end up so that his thumb is in his left front pocket (if he were wearing pockets). Its hard to explain in text, but put you right thumb down your left front pocket, thats how his arm should be after he follows through.

 

good drills for hands are to pass the ball around his waist in a circle from hand to hand and around his legs in a figure eight pattern. Go in both directions. Another is to hold the ball between his legs, with one arm in front and one behind, then drop and catch the ball again before it hits the ground while switching the arm from the front to the back and vice versa.

 

AS far as throwing goes, have him first kneel on his right knee and threw the ball about ten yards to a partner for a few reps. Then switch to his left knee and do the same. Make sure he is torquing his body around to the right enough on the throw. Lastly have him jog along a line with a partner about 10 yards away jogging parallel. Have him make throws across his body and turning his body back for the throw.

 

There are just a few basic ones but should be enough to get started. I wish the best for your son.