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Photo by Brian Bahr Getty Images |
Drill: Quarterback Focus (Three Steps Throwing to Right)
Drill: Quarterback Focus (Seven Stops Throwing in Center)
Drill: Ball Reaction
When linebackers become more proticient at reacting to the pass, the distance between the two receivers can be widened. The drill should be set up in different positions on the field, giving the linebackers a chance to see the ball coming from different angles.
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If linebackers concentrate on the quarterback, they can react when the ball is thrown and either intercept the pass or at least deflect it, causing an incomplehon. As far as the defense is concerned, an incomplete pass has the same result as a running play that is stopped for no gain.
After determining that it is not a short pass, the linebackers should get their necessary width and, as they start their backpedal, they should once again focus their attention on the quarterback. When he stops getting depth, the linebackers know that they also must stop getting depth and prepare to react either to the right or left. Before passing the ball, the quarterback will step to his right or left, or straight ahead. The linebackers then should break, as a unit, in the direction of the quarterback's step.
"Play Football The NFL Way" is the first Instructional Manual for Football Players and Coaches ever published by the NFL. It is the ultimate position-by-position guide of techniques and drills for Offense, Defense and Special Teams. Author Tom Bass is a former NFL coach with more than 20 years of experience with the Cincinnati Bengals, San Diego Chargers, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Watching the Quarterback
In this drill, two receivers align themsbives in a stationary position, six yards on either side of the linebacker and 13 yards from the line of scrimmage. The quarterback does not drop back, but lines up at seven yards. The linebacker takes his position between the two receivers, but only 12 yards deep, and starts running in place while focusing his attention on the quarterback. When the quarterback sees the linebacker is concentrating on him, he will step directly at one of the receivers and throw the ball to him. The instant the quarterback steps to throw, the linebacker should roll over the foot in the direction of the pass and attempt to deflect the ball.
The objective of this drill is to force the linebackers to focus their attention on the quarterback and to move to the correct side of the field as he steps to throw. The drill is run with four linebackers, plus a defensive player acting as the quarterback. The coach calls the defense, determines that all the linebackers know where they are going, and then tells the quarterback to start his drop, either a three-step (used for short passes), a seven-step (used for medium pass patterns), or a nine-step (used for deep passing). As the linebackers begin to drop to their zones, they should watch the quarterback his first three steps to make certain that he is not throwing a short pass.
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