Fouts Field

[untbowler]

I posted this in another thread, but thought I'd put it over here with the rest of the updates on practice:

I have another Tid Bit to share about practice. As I've said before, TD spent just about the entire time working with the QB's and to a lesser extent the WR's. I was impressed when he took 2 of the QB's aside (they did rotate the other 2 to work with him later) and ran a drill that I've never seen.

There is a screen/net that they pulled out that had 3 holes in it at various heights. (The whole thing is probably 4 feet long and 3 or 4 feet high, but it's on wheels so the holes are at about shoulder height). Dodge sat at the base of this thing with a stack of small orange cones (the kind you'd use to set up running routes or something). He'd have the QB start with his back to the net, walk away from it until Dodge said "hut", then the QB would turn around, and Dodge would have thrown one of the cones at the QB. The QB, would etiher duck, bend, or jump out of the way, and then throw the ball through one of the holes in the net. They'd do this several times and then Dodge would stand up and show the QB, different ways of moving to keep his posture ready for throwing immediately after moving. They all seemed to get something out of the 1 on 2 training.

While TD had 2 of the QB's off to the side, the other 2 QB's were throwing balls to the receivers.

I'm sure it's a good drill, but I sure thought it was funny the first time I saw TD, squatting down in front of the net with holes, and then chunking an orange cone at the QB......sometimes the throw would be high (head/chest area) and sometimes it'd be low (feet/legs).

Very interesting drill, but that is why TD is such a QB guru. Next year should be fun to watch.

[Will to Win]

I posted this in another thread, but thought I'd put it over here with the rest of the updates on practice:

I have another Tid Bit to share about practice. As I've said before, TD spent just about the entire time working with the QB's and to a lesser extent the WR's. I was impressed when he took 2 of the QB's aside (they did rotate the other 2 to work with him later) and ran a drill that I've never seen.

There is a screen/net that they pulled out that had 3 holes in it at various heights. (The whole thing is probably 4 feet long and 3 or 4 feet high, but it's on wheels so the holes are at about shoulder height). Dodge sat at the base of this thing with a stack of small orange cones (the kind you'd use to set up running routes or something). He'd have the QB start with his back to the net, walk away from it until Dodge said "hut", then the QB would turn around, and Dodge would have thrown one of the cones at the QB. The QB, would etiher duck, bend, or jump out of the way, and then throw the ball through one of the holes in the net. They'd do this several times and then Dodge would stand up and show the QB, different ways of moving to keep his posture ready for throwing immediately after moving. They all seemed to get something out of the 1 on 2 training.

While TD had 2 of the QB's off to the side, the other 2 QB's were throwing balls to the receivers.

I'm sure it's a good drill, but I sure thought it was funny the first time I saw TD, squatting down in front of the net with holes, and then chunking an orange cone at the QB......sometimes the throw would be high (head/chest area) and sometimes it'd be low (feet/legs).

Yes, I could barely hear TD. He was trying to explain to the QB's "not" to take thier eyes off the target (net). As soon as a QB looked away while TD was trowing the cone; TD would stop and coach them to keep thier eyes on target.

[NT80]

Yes, I could barely hear TD. He was trying to explain to the QB's "not" to take thier eyes off the target (net). As soon as a QB looked away while TD was trowing the cone; TD would stop and coach them to keep thier eyes on target.

It sounds like he is trying to teach them to multi-task with their eyes and bodies, as if a defender is rushing at them but to still maintain their focus on the receiver and be in correct posture to complete a pass. Very interesting, thanks for the observations.

[MeanGreenPOP]

It sounds like he is trying to teach them to multi-task with their eyes and bodies, as if a defender is rushing at them but to still maintain their focus on the receiver and be in correct posture to complete a pass. Very interesting, thanks for the observations.

Yes, that is correct....I have seen this drill before...the idea is for the QB to completely ignore 300+lb lineman coming at him at the killing speed and stand in the pocket and feel the pressure using a sixth sense to avoid the rush while not taking his eye off the receiver throwing the ball just as the heat is burning his skin

Edited March 16, 2007 by MeanGreenPOP

[footballmaniac]

Yes, that is correct....I have seen this drill before...the idea is for the QB to completely ignore 300+lb lineman coming at him at the killing speed and stand in the pocket and feel the pressure using a sixth sense to avoid the rush while not taking his eye off the receiver throwing the ball just as the heat is burning his skin

That is why you have to have faith in your offensive line to keep them off you long enough to throw. Without that confidence it makes it difficult to perform. As to the plays being called in by hand signals there are many high schools that do that these days and the players are use to that. It makes it easier for those players to transfer into college. For example one particular high school that does that is the Boyd Yellowjackets. They have been doing that for a long time and it has worked well for them. They have a no huddle offense and had a quarterback who broke a school record of over 3000 yards. That is also including the only quarterback from Boyd to make it into the NFL, Billy Joe Tolliver. That says a lot for their offensive line.

[footballmaniac]

you have to be smart to be dyslexic...or to learn to deal with dyslexia and overcome it. kids that are sometimes diagnosed with dyslexic tendencies aren't allowed into the dyslexia program because of a lower ability to learn...ie their iq... j-mo's a smart dude!

Most people who are dyslexic are usually very smart, math in particular. They just have to work harder in English than others and usually do very well in school.

[MeanGreenPOP]

Most people who are dyslexic are usually very smart, math in particular. They just have to work harder in English than others and usually do very well in school.

In a biography I read on Albert Einstien they thought he was dyslexic when he was a child...that would back up your statement.

[SilverEagle]

It sounds like he is trying to teach them to multi-task with their eyes and bodies, as if a defender is rushing at them but to still maintain their focus on the receiver and be in correct posture to complete a pass. Very interesting, thanks for the observations.

This is very interesting, because one of the things that I've always looked for in a QB is a "presence" or "confidence" in the pocket. To me, one of the main indicators of "presence" and "confidence" was when the QB seems oblivious to the fray going on around him while he was focusing on identifying his receivers and completing (or attempting to complete) his pass. The natural QB's ignore the fray and only move enough to get out of the way and complete their task. In doing that, they're using their peripheral vision to help them avoid the rush. During that whole time they're never actually looking at the rush, they're keeping their focus on their goal. These QB's are often still looking down field at a target while they are being tackled/sacked. Their whole body language conveys focus and confidence.

The no-so-natural QB's change their focus to the rush and get happy feet. Their whole body language says "holy $hit! I've got to get out of here!...abandon ship! abandon ship!.

It'll be interesting to see how well this drill/technique works. Because if a QB's natural inclination is to get "happy feet" when someone is within a few yards of him, then it's going to take a lot of drills to change that.

Edited March 18, 2007 by SilverEagle

[DeepGreen]

Because if a QB's natural inclination is to get "happy feet" when someone is within a few yards of him, then it's going to take a lot of drills to change that.

Or, get another QB that is accustomed to the rush, yet focused on his target(s).

[SilverEagle]

Or, get another QB that is accustomed to the rush, yet focused on his target(s).

Hopefully the drills mentioned above will sort out the "unfocused" or "abandon ship!" QB's by the end of spring practice.