Quarterback…the most difficult position in all of sports. The amount of information that a quarterback needs to know, from the time he walks up to the line of scrimmage to the completion of the pass or execution of the hand-off, is staggering! Not to mention, he has to get the play from the sidelines by typically reading hand signals and call that play in the huddle all while conveying an attitude of confidence to his teammates.

Most coaches will tell you that the number one characteristic they look for in a quarterback is leadership. However, it is difficult to show leadership when you don’t know what you are doing! This is why most rookie NFL quarterbacks have a very difficult time absorbing the amount of information they need to know. Besides calling the play and then knowing what all eleven guys in the huddle are suppose to do on that play, here are some other bits of information that an NFL quarterback must know once he walks to the line of scrimmage:

1. What is the down and distance?
2. What is the situation?
3. What is the front?
4. Is that front over or under?
5. Who is the Mike backer?
6. What is the coverage?
7. If it’s a pass, who is the hot if there is a blitz?
8. Is the defense showing blitz?
9. Where is the strong safety?
10. What is the time on the play clock?
11. If it’s a pass, where is his best receiver?
12. Is an audible necessary based on the defensive alignment?

And this is all from the time he lines up under center and must be done in less than ten seconds typically. If it’s a pass play, from the time the ball is snapped to when he throws the ball (all in under 3 seconds) he needs to know:

1. Has the coverage changed post snap (as he drops)?
2. Does he need to alter his drop steps and footwork based on a blitz (blitz steps)?
3. What are the route adjustments if the coverage changes post snap?
4. Does he need to look off the safety based on the play called?
5. How do his four progressions change if the coverage changes post snap?

Post snap he needs to do these while maintaining perfect mechanics and move in the pocket properly in order to avoid a bunch of 250 to 300 pound men who would like nothing more than to knock him unconscious! After the play is over, much of the time, he has to pick himself off the ground, pull sod out of his face mask, re-adjust his jersey, shake the cobwebs out of his head after getting blasted, and then do it all over again thirty or forty times, depending on how many times they throw during the game!

As a high school quarterback do you have the ability to perform everything I just mentioned properly? Do you want to learn how to play like a college or pro quarterback? Do you currently have all the intangibles necessary to take your game to the next level?

The coach who can help you is the My Football Mentor Quarterback Coach, Bill Cunerty. In my opinion, he is one of the top quarterback coaches in the entire country and that includes every level of football. Aside from working with us, he is a coach for Athletes’ Performance Institute, an organization that helps prepare the best college football players in the country for the National Football League Combine. I encourage you to read Coach Cunerty’s profile by clicking here.

You only have seven months to take your game to a new level before the start of training camp 2012. Coach Cunerty is ready to help you do that so contact us ASAP to get started!  See our video sample on what it takes to play quarterback by clicking here.

Coach Van Tassel