Something I Hope Our QBs Are Working On

[10yrProject]

Something I would hope RL and all our QBs are working on is what I'd call their realease point, coupled with what I'd also call touch on the ball.

By release point I mean are they releasing the ball at the top of their arm extended rather than down at cheek or forehead level.

By touch I mean not throwing a 102 mph fastball to a guy who's only 4-7 yards away from you.

Using the "if I their coach" approach (which I have never been at the college level), I'd have all of the them throwing over something stretched out across in front of them at a height of 6' to 8.5' feet and approximately 6' in front of them, with their target being between 4 to 8 yards as the primary with other normal break distances added but with the primary work being focused on the near game throws.

Have more but you get the drift. If we're going to attempt to run multiple screen plays we'd best practice throwing the ball over some d-lineman. A lot...!

And in response to the first smart aleck who reponds to this in a DWS fashion asking if I don't think we already do this: I say: clearly not enough, if at all, as evidenced by the Utah debacle of what had to be some sort of IU record for knocked down passes at the LOS...

//By the way, I don't think my practice idea above is any earth shaking, bolt from the blue, stroke of genius. That "throwing over something" is as JV, Jr High kind of practice stuff as it gets but that said it still needs to be worked on if you are clearly missing that skill set...//

 

[i'vegotwinners]

Something I would hope RL and all our QBs are working on is what I'd call their realease point, coupled with what I'd also call touch on the ball.

By release point I mean are they releasing the ball at the top of their arm extended rather than down at cheek or forehead level.

By touch I mean not throwing a 102 mph fastball to a guy who's only 4-7 yards away from you.

Using the "if I their coach" approach (which I have never been at the college level), I'd have all of the them throwing over something stretched out across in front of them at a height of 6' to 8.5' feet and approximately 6' in front of them, with their target being between 4 to 8 yards as the primary with other normal break distances added but with the primary work being focused on the near game throws.

Have more but you get the drift. If we're going to attempt to run multiple screen plays we'd best practice throwing the ball over some d-lineman. A lot...!

And in response to the first smart aleck who reponds to this in a DWS fashion asking if I don't think we already do this: I say: clearly not enough, if at all, as evidenced by the Utah debacle of what had to be some sort of IU record for knocked down passes at the LOS...

imo, throwing motion is somewhat over rated.

imo not that many balls get knocked down at the los that a 2 inch higher release point would have made any difference on.

the biggest advantage to being a tall QB imo, is way more about line of sight.

all that said, imo the throwing motion that enables a QB to best throw the ball, velocity, accuracy, quick release, is the one he needs to go with, even if it's not optimal from a point of release pov.

accuracy, range, and quick release on every throw, trumps one or maybe two extra knock downs a game at the los.

one of those "don't over think it" things.

 

[Harrell]

I think this came out only vs Utah and we only saw it from one player. Maybe it was something the staff tried to change during the bowl game practices. But over the years, it was only very apparent in one game, with one player.

 

[10yrProject]

What both of you (IGW & H) are saying may well be true most of the time..., however, its clear that release point is one of the weaknesses of our current QB.

If you're going to attempt to run multiple screen plays, one best learn how to drop the ball over the arms of a oncoming D-lineman.

The way I recall doing it was by releasing the ball at the very top of the throw and just adding a wrist flip to gain an exaggerated arc over the D-linemans arms and into the hands of your RB.

Using the same throwing motion that you would on a slant route will get the ball knocked down at best, tipped and intercepted at worst...

 

[i'vegotwinners]

i agree that QBs need touch and to be able to lob the ball when needed.

when you brought up "release point", i thought you were referring to something else.

 

[Courtsensetwo]

I have never coached FB, so something I will definitely look for. Thx.

 

[waynoforiu]

Something I would hope RL and all our QBs are working on is what I'd call their realease point, coupled with what I'd also call touch on the ball.

By release point I mean are they releasing the ball at the top of their arm extended rather than down at cheek or forehead level.

By touch I mean not throwing a 102 mph fastball to a guy who's only 4-7 yards away from you.

Using the "if I their coach" approach (which I have never been at the college level), I'd have all of the them throwing over something stretched out across in front of them at a height of 6' to 8.5' feet and approximately 6' in front of them, with their target being between 4 to 8 yards as the primary with other normal break distances added but with the primary work being focused on the near game throws.

Have more but you get the drift. If we're going to attempt to run multiple screen plays we'd best practice throwing the ball over some d-lineman. A lot...!

And in response to the first smart aleck who reponds to this in a DWS fashion asking if I don't think we already do this: I say: clearly not enough, if at all, as evidenced by the Utah debacle of what had to be some sort of IU record for knocked down passes at the LOS...

 

[waynoforiu]

Also, add looking off receivers.

 

[Walt542]

I would generally agree with this for our current QB. I would add that I think he tries to throw the ball too hard and this is most of the inaccuracy problem. It is like when I try to over-swing the golf club, the ball might end up going anywhere, but when I keep it under control I can keep the ball in play. He just needs to get the ball to the receiver and not try to throw it quite so hard.

BTW, I'm not a FB coach and only a fan that loves to observe.

 

[10yrProject]

Although it may sound like I'm trashing RL above I actually think he's good enough to win a lot of football games if his supporting cast just does their job.

In my opinion, ill timed dropped passes, fumbles, missed blocks & boneheaded special teams plays cost us more W's than Lagows INT's and LOS knocked down throws did.

We've got 7 months to change all that but it'll take a serious across the Team effort to get it done.

If our Team simply thinks that because they have a high number of returning starters back that they will suddenly win more football games they'll be sorely disappointed.

Let's hope they're all focused on fixing all of the above ( dropped passes, fumbles, missed blocks and bone headed Special Teams play).

If they go the low, easy route and scapegoat their QB they'll have the record they deserve and it won't be a good one.

 

[DANC]

Although it may sound like I'm trashing RL above I actually think he's good enough to win a lot of football games if his supporting cast just does their job.

In my opinion, ill timed dropped passes, fumbles, missed blocks & boneheaded special teams plays cost us more W's than Lagows INT's and LOS knocked down throws did.

We've got 7 months to change all that but it'll take a serious across the Team effort to get it done.

If our Team simply thinks that because they have a high number of returning starters back that they will suddenly win more football games they'll be sorely disappointed.

Let's hope they're all focused on fixing all of the above ( dropped passes, fumbles, missed blocks and bone headed Special Teams play).

If they go the low, easy route and scapegoat their QB they'll have the record they deserve and it won't be a good one.

I think Allen's forte is stressing the details. Some of what you're talking about I would expect to see cleaned up.

WAY too many dropped passes the last couple years. Some good ones, but too many easy ones dropped.

 

[Harrell]

Also, add looking off receivers.

Hate to pile on, but we saw one QB this year. What we saw was not Nate. There are things that QBs work on, and our weaknesses this year seemed to be pocket presence, mobility, and reading coverages.