For starters #5: Playing the quarterback position
By Rodrigo Verney, August 21 2023—
Football is one of the most beloved sports in North America. The famous Super Bowl continues to reign as one the most celebrated events in the world — gathering masses each year to witness the best of the best challenge themselves and fight for a place in history while inspiring many generations in the process. We all desired to throw in that Green Bay Packers-worthy hail mary to win the game and make the confetti rain on the field.
Unfortunately, one can’t just go out into the field and know exactly how to throw a perfect clutch alley pass before knowing what any of that means first. The knowledge necessary to be a quarterback is a vast and expanding sea, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t possible to break down some of the basics to help you on your road to the Super Bowl. To help you on your journey, here are some ideas and some tips to give you the rundown on how to organize your team, make plays efficiently and understand the role you will be expected to fill.
Before we get to the hard work, here is some background knowledge that you are expected to have. You must be somewhat familiarized with how to throw the ball, the basics of the game and the name of the general positions in football. As discussed, there are many things to discover in the game before you assume the role of the centrepiece. This article won’t go to deep into concepts but a general knowledge of the game would help you situate yourself a lot easier. With that out of the way, it is possible to understand the concepts that will be presented.
The general, the brains and the captain are some of the names that are shouted at the quarterback. It is not only about being the doorway between the coach and the play, it is a promise that you will have the best interest of the team in mind at all times. They will be waiting on you for everything. Most importantly, they will be counting on you to deal with every significant adjustment, every play and every down. They will be the reason that you won and you will be the reason that they lost. Hence, the first tip is to work on the mental aspects of being a leader. Every decision will require your thumbs up, so have a broad shoulder. You will have to carry the burden of the loss just as much as they will gladly carry you around when you add another year to their banners.
The second aspect necessary to any quarterback’s tool book is to work on concentration. The importance of knowing when and how to make plays is based on the many aspects of the game. Work on your mindfulness and decision-making. Playing a successful play is one step of the process. It will most likely never work twice. Adjust to how the defence is setting themselves. See how the density of the defensive line shifts. If you made a play focused on a specific player, see if the defence is focused around that player’s spot. Tell him to move. Does the defender move to where he is headed? These are just some of the thoughts that have to go through your head. Your thought process should be centred around three pillars: Analyze, Interpret and React.
The next aspect is often overlooked in movies and other media in general but is something that every athlete must know about the most sought-after position in football. The idea that you are not the main athlete on the field. You have to trust your team just as much as they trust you. A great quarterback plays blindfolded. Work on setting opportunities for others, not yourself. Don’t look for runs unless absolutely necessary. Avoiding a pass because you are uncertain that said player can catch it means that there is a problem with you and your team. If you believe someone isn’t capable of performing in the position that they are in, it is your job to maximize their potential on a joint effort between you and that player.
Football is also one of the most inclusive sports out there. It encompasses multiple attributes, styles, and body types. It is a game that no matter your background, there is a role for you. So feel free to jump in and play around with it. It has a way of pulling you in that few spectacles can. There is a lot of room to improve here. You can learn and develop plays that are unique to you and your team and leave coaches puzzled as they try to cope with the new player that you became.