Quarterback Drills

Learning effective quarterback drills is a crucial component of any QB’s practice regimen. Regardless of the player’s age, ability or long terms plans for the sport, the right QB drills can result in vast improvements on the field. While the personal QB coaching that takes place in our camps is the best way for a young quarterback to improve, you can start on your own by using some of Steve Clarkson’s best QB Drills. We assume that the quarterbacks that we work with have a good understanding of the fundamentals of how to grip a football, throwing motion and general quarterback mechanics these drills are going to increase the effectiveness of each quarterbacks unique skill set.

We are going to walk through a few of Steve’s best quarterback drills so that you can get the most out of your game even if you aren’t able to join our quarterback camps.

The Brady Quarterback Drill

With the “Brady Drill” you will be working on your movement in the pocket, your footwork and using your eyes to find your best target. Pocket movement is essential to success at high levels of quarterback play since the defense gets more aggressive, faster and starts to bring different types of blitzes that require quick thinking and pocket movement that allow the qb to escape but also maintain a strong base to throw from.  You will also see that the more you follow your qb workouts routine, the easy it gets to quickly move and create a powerful platform to throw from.

The Brady quarterback drill consists of a drop, plant, hitch and shuffle that will allow the quarterback to continuing surveying the field while evading defenders.

The Sudden Change QB Drill

Pushing back to the side while keeping your eyes downfield will help you to dodge a attacker coming right up the middle. This is an alternative to hitching up when there is pocket pressure. It’s important to get your footwork perfect on this drill since you will be pushing back and want to end up on your plant foot directly after the shift. This is going to give you the fastest transition and speed up the release time. Steve takes into account the small details that are needed at the highest level of the game where tenths of a second are the difference.

The Ultimate Reverse QB Drill

Steve implements a drill that tests a quarterback’s ability to quickly identify their target. In the game of football, fractions of a second can make a huge difference. By practicing drills like this one, a young QB can tremendously sharpen their decision-making skills.

This is going to test hip flexibility, ability to quickly determine your target and to hit them in stride. Practice this consistently to improve quick reads, footwork and accuracy under pressure. Line up your receivers in spread positions behind you and start with a 5 step drop. Turn the hips and flip 180* as your target puts up his hand. You should keep a stable base and sound footwork as you crack the whip from your hips to your torso and through to your throwing arm resulting in a quick read and strong release.

Perfect the Quarterback Drop Drill

“The Drop” is one of the absolute most important drills for a quarterback to perfect. This takes place on most passing downs and can make the difference between a decent high school quarterback and a D1 scholarship quarterback. Watch how Steve ingrains the footwork of the drop, the position of the hips throughout it and gets his student’s to excel at this important aspect of quarterback play.

It helps to have strict rules in place and to make sure that the students know when they are nailing the drop and when their technique is getting sloppy. Use this drill to get comfortable with your drops and get to the best position to see and hit your receivers on the move.

Youth Quarterback Camps

High School Quarterback Drills

The majority of drills taught by coaches at public schools simply aren’t enough to help a promising QB unleash his full potential. In fact, many school teams don’t offer separate instruction for quarterbacks at all. They just lump it all in with the regular team practice that all the other players take part in.

While team practice is very important, quarterbacks MUST devote separate time to perfecting the techniques and strategies that are vital to their position.

Here’s why:

1. QBs must have a precise understanding of timing during plays, in a way that’s different from every other position.
2. It’s not just about how well a quarterback can throw a football, or how far. It’s how he throws it, how he holds it, how his feet are positioned, when the ball is released, and how he moves the rest of his body depending on the exact play and position on the field.  A good plan is going to focus on the QB’s throwing mechanics from head to toe.
3. Most school coaches provide the most basic tips for QBs, which they learned when they played in high school themselves – or from watching on TV. But for players to really shine, they need to learn and practice the quarterback training drills that the pros use.
4. Even if the team practices the same plays, over and over again, the quarterback would benefit much more from running specific QB drills that are designed to help him throw from both feet, improve his timing, targeting, speed, coordination and more.
5. More experienced coaches may know about common youth quarterback drills like the “one knee” and “two knee” warm ups, and various “sprint and throw” drills.

These can be very effective when implemented correctly, but they are only a few in a long line of advanced drills that every quarterback should be practicing. This is where a quarterback camp can be extremely beneficial.

High School Quarterback Camps

Football Drills at Quarterback Camps

Attending an off-season high school QB camp is a great way for youth and high school quarterbacks to learn and practice the drills that can significantly enhance their gameplay.

While your local recreational league may offer a summer football camp, you’ll want to look for a professional quarterback academy if you want to get truly valuable instruction.

Here’s what to look for:

• Quarterbacks & receivers only

First and foremost, you’ll want to make sure the camp is designed only for QBs (with the option of bringing their own receivers). These highly specialized training programs enable players to practice the most effective quarterback drills, many of which are used in the NFL.

• A focus on throwing, footwork and much more

Make sure the program covers all aspects of the QB position. Quarterbacks should learn more than just the best throwing techniques, but also footwork, movement of the hips and body, timing, chemistry and endurance-building drills, among others.

• Professional instructors

You can often judge the quality of a football camp by the instructors who run it. Look for programs taught by professionals: those who have played or coached (or both) at a professional level, and those who are widely regarded as the best at what they do.

• Recruiting process education

Elite QBs who have their sights set on a successful career in football should look for camps that teach more than just quarterback drills. If you want to know how recruitment works, on the college or professional level, then you’ll want a camp that provides education on this process and on how players can get noticed.

• National exposure

Very few training camps have the honor of receiving coverage from top sports media outlets like ESPN, Sports Illustrated and HBO Sports. But if a player is serious about making a name for himself and being recognized on a national stage, then these are the programs you need to pursue.

Elite Quarterback Retreats

Learn quarterback drills from the best

Steve Clarkson Dreammaker is known worldwide for its prestigious football camps for quarterbacks.

Offering more than just quarterback drills, we help youth and high school QBs unlock their talent through hands-on training with professional coaches and former players. Our camps are based out of Southern California, consistently featured in top sports news media, and attended by young athletes from all over the United States.

Led by former NFL player Steve Clarkson – who has been labeled by ESPN as “the most powerful QB coach in football” – our programs provide intense mental and mechanical training on and off the field. Our camps, including the Clarkson Field Generals, Super 7 Maui and Santa Barbara QB Retreat, are widely recognized as the best training programs of their kind.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE QUARTERBACK DRILLS AT OUR ELITE CAMPS, CONTACT STEVE CLARKSON DREAMMAKER TODAY.

QB Training Contact