Understanding the concept of your play and its strengths/weaknesses is extremely important if you’re trying to be a great quarterback. By concept, we mean something like smash, dagger, mesh, etc. Each concept has strengths and weaknesses. Understanding these will help you capitalize on the good looks and salvage the bad looks.
Here’s a scenario: The play call is dubs right, 4 verticals, with a tailback swing route out of the backfield. The defense is in a 2 safety alignment with corners at 10 yards– a pretty clear cover 4 look.
When you snap the ball, the DB’s all drop and remain in cover 4. The average quarterback will try to throw one of the go routes and make a big play. The smarter quarterback will quickly throw the tailback swing to try and get a few yards. The play call was not great against a cover 4 look, but this play is salvageable with a smart quarterback.
Another scenario: You’re in a trips closed formation (with the tight end attached) and motion your running back out to flank the tight end. He’s running a go-route. The defense is in a 1-high alignment.
When your tailback motions, the mike backer follows him out. You know it’s man coverage. The average quarterback knows that the slant route on his front side is a good man-beater, which it is. The smarter quarterback knows that the tailback vs. a mike linebacker is a great matchup and will take his shot downfield with that matchup.
The next time you call a play in the huddle think to yourself “Do i understand the strengths and weaknesses of this play?” If the answer is no, then you’ve got some work to do. Again, the point of knowing these strengths and weaknesses is to capitalize on good looks and salvage bad ones.
What challenges are you working on with your mental game? Let us know in the comments below or email us at [email protected]
Brendan Beresford
Founder, QBIQ
Brendan Beresford is the founder of QBIQ. You can reach him at [email protected] or on Instagram at @QBIQapp