Coaching the inexperienced QB.

Ever go into your preseason with a quarterback who took only two or three snaps the year before? It happened to me (Pravata) in 1992. Returning to Kings Point for my second year as head coach, I had some very good players, but also a huge question mark at quarterback - a player who had completed only three of his 16 passes in 1991.

We actually began preparing for 1992 the winter before, starting with a breakdown of our team strengths and weaknesses:

Strengths: offensive line, running back, good receivers, punting game, solid defense.

Weaknesses: QB, place-kicking. Obviously, the quarterback position gave us small cause for comfort. Our decision was to compensate for his inexperience by working on our strong points. We would:

1. Run the ball.

2. Go to two-back sets.

3. Trim the passing game (pass routes, etc.).

4. Never put the QB in bad situations.

About No. 4: If the QB wasn't going to win games for us, we wanted to make sure to do everything possible to keep him out of situations where he could lose games for us.

And so we revamped our offense, going to two-back and tight-end sets and running the ball. That meant we'd have to incorporate a lot of play action in our passing game and:

1. Throw to our backs out of the backfield.

2. Expand our screen package.

3. Continue to use shovel pass and draw.

4. Schedule large blocks of time to blitz pickup.

Maybe it wasn't inspiring, but at least it gave us a direction.

Our next step was to meet with our captains and seniors - our team leaders - and address the emotional condition of our QB. We told the captains that if we were to have any chance of winning, we would have to work on the QB's psyche - let him know we liked him and had confidence in him. We would support him, encourage him, believe in him.

I then met with the coaches and told them the same thing. I didn't want to establish any phoney friendships, but to develop an interaction of a positive nature.

Any reprimanding would be done by me and me alone, but it would be very important for all of us to be on the same page with the QB.

After a full off-season of preparation, we ushered in August with a meeting of the entire squad. We started by telling our QBs exactly what the coaching staff wanted from them:

1. No turn-overs - to avoid taking 30 to 35 yards away from our offense.

2. No forcing of our passes.

3. No looking for big plays.

4. Taking a sack rather than throwing an interception - remembering that we had a great punting game and defense.

5. Handing the ball off and getting out of the way!

We coached our No. 1 QB very hard on game situations, our audible system, and keeping out of bad plays. None of these things required a great deal of talent - just a good work ethic and some study time.

We then had each QB jot down his strengths and weaknesses. We weren't surprised to discover that the QBs were much more critical of themselves than we were. We rated our starting QB as follows:

Strengths: good arms, student of the game, good work ethic, very confident.

Weaknesses: not a good runner, not a leader, not physical, inexperienced.

We then outlined what our QB would have to do to be successful - the things that were within his range of ability.

1. Know all the formations.

2. Know motion, cadence, audible system.

3. Know the differences between even-front and odd-front.

4. Know pass coverage.

5. Know areas we wish to attack on each play.

6. Know routes of all receivers.

In order for our QB to accomplish all this, we had to equip him with a daily and weekly plan.

Beginning in camp, we studied the QB drill tapes with him every day, focusing on just one coverage per day. We progressed from the very simple to the complex. We also trained with a medicine ball twice a week, and with a heavy ball five minutes a day.

We worked on the basics every day: throwing, footwork, steps for the running games, etc. Within our drills and throughout the practice, we stressed the mental aspects of QB play.

QB FOCUS POINTS

1. Be a leader; never lose your poise.

2. Know down & distance - it will tell you whom to throw to.

3. Always make a pre-snap read.

4. Always make a post-snap read.

5. Reaction on blitzes: 3rd and 10, 2nd and 10, and 4th and 10.

6. Use aiming points:

* on out routes - outside hip.

* post-corner routes - outside to sideline.

* fades - long to upfield shoulder.

* post - always overthrow.

* option right over middle - belt buckle.

* good ball-handling - "a good fake is like a block."

* after handing the ball to the ball-carrier, don't look back at him.

We put all of this into a simple audible package and had the QB learn what we wanted him to do with his audibles: "Get out of bad plays."

7. In our two-back sets, we always have a back for the QB to throw to when our wide outs aren't open.

8. We have to cover the following on a weekly basis: red zone, two-minute drill, goal-line, back to wall, play action, and check-with-me session.

Coaches must always remember the physiological approach is as important as the physical. Coaching points:

1. Quarterback is a high-risk position and he is going to make mistakes. Coaches have to learn to live with them.

2. Whenever you have an inexperienced QB, you have to be careful about his psyche.

3. You have to be positive with him and assure him that he is your No. 1 man and that you are not going to lose patience with him.

4. Let him know that whenever he has a bad game, he is not going to be replaced.

5. Correct him, but constantly tell him he is still No. 1.

Our 1992 season turned out to be a record-breaker in most total yards in a season, most yards in a game (average), most points per game, and school record for wins (tie).

That was not the last time we used this approach. Last year (1996) we had to begin the season with a sophomore QB who had never taken a snap,... and we went on to win seven of our games!