s a dicbe. but one has to live by: Stay cool, calm, and collectetl.

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Mechanics of the Forward Pass

By Bob Frala, Former QB Coach at Missouri University (Under Dan Devine, 1970)
ood forward passers are either born or made. And you have to pay the pricework hard at it (very chauce yoti get. The best sinj^le tbinjf you can do is "a lot of throwing." You must also realize tbat you are going to get slammed down on the seat of your pants from time to time, and you have to he prepared for it. Hut there isn't much to fear. Your l)all-carriers get whacked down almost

are jndged more hy their interceptions than ihcli <oriipletions. You inusi always sj>ol tlir defensive men in the area of your receiver and always lluow to the opeji side lo diminish ihc chance of an interception. U ever iu doubt ;iboui wbeiber lo tlirow, ditu't\ Kal tlie ball and lig for yardage. Once you have ui tun wilb it, don't cliaugc your mind. Rmniing wiili the ball is very effective and is acttially a play in itself ibal prevenis interceptions. Stay in your pocket and trust your protectors. Stay in the pocket Ititerccplious occur whenever you ;ue rushed lo throw before you're ready, or whenever you are forced to throw of(-l)alance. Always fight to keep your balance. Whenever you're intercepted, you have one responsibility: You are tbe salety man. You nuist prevent a run back. There is only one rule of thiunl)no inteneptiotis. Always cover the pass. (Yell "{^overl" for the linemen.) 2. A passer is 90% head aud 10% arm. You throw with your head much more than with your arm. 3. You have one objective and that is to put the ball down at the right place at the rigbl time. Never be concerned about bow the hall Iook.s in the air (spiral (r wobbly). Tbrow ycjur natural way. And reniembtir, for tbe pass to be completed, it must be caught. So make it as easy to catch as possible. 4. Always strive to keep the point ol tbe ball up or parallel, never down. When the point is up, it becomes softer and ea.sier to catch. You can keep moving tbe point up by moving the index finger larlher back loward the rear of (he ball. In college, however,

every time they carry the ball. You liave to avoid becoming gun shy. Just don't tbrow tbe ball because you bave to. Hold it until your receiver gets open or tuitil you feel safe ctilting it loose, even tbougb a t;u kler is ready to hit you. You can throw ihe ball right up to tbe point tbat you are knocked down. So don't riLsh. It's .simply a case of mind over matter, and there has probably never been a great passer wbo lacked the confidence or courage.

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FOOTBALL Mechanics of the Forv\/ard Pass

you have'to rifle the ball because the defenders arc .so good. 5. Passing yardage is made hy the receivers mnning with the ball after the catch, not by how far the bail Is traveling in the air. The moral is: Throw the short one! A lot of passes are worthless hecause the throwers are alwa\'s looking for the long one, while the defenses are doing everything to stop it. If they are willing to give you tlic short, take it. "The long ones are for show, the short ones for dough." Pick your receivers. Choose the receivers who can do something with it after they get it. 6. Clood passers will complete better than 50%. On dropback passes, set up fast and deep (8 yds). Work forward as yoin- biockei"s block men out. Duck under a hard rush, as defenders are taught to tackle QB.s high. Passers who set up deep are harder to get to. 7. Rifle the short ones and loft the long ones so that the receiver can run under them. 8. It is always better to overthrow your receiver than to und^thrtrw him. The only time you will ever hear the QB coach complain about an incomplete pass is when you under throw (short and behind). Your receiver hasn't a chance on an undertJirown hall. We'd rather have you over throw five yatds than imderthrow one yard. You can't wait until a receiver is completely clear. You have to anticipate. Concentration is absolutely imperative. Focus completely on your receiver. Ignore the rushers. 9. Always complimem receivers alter a catch oi^ a good U'y. Never criticize if they drop one. Compliment your linemen on good protection as they will be taking .i lot of bumps and bruises for you. They are your bread and butter. 10. Following are some checkpoints to guide you in your natural way of throwing: Cirip the way it feels best for you. Mosi passers place their fingertips across the laces and control and feel the ball with them. The hand should never be snainrd. TTie index finger is your direction linger and should be the last one to leave the ball. Spring otit iis quickly as possible. On action passes, look u|} the defense as quickly as possible. Be collecled! This means both feet comfortably spread under you with the weight on the balls of the feet and on balance. Hold the ball with both hands up by the shoulder. (Keep hoth hands on the ball until the last possible instant before throwing.) Stay

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alive by bouncing a litiU- on ibe balls of your i'ecl. As you .stari to throw, shift all your wfigbt over the rear foot and lei your front loot l>ecoinf the directional foot. Step directly at your target, pointiiif; the loe straight al it. (Dt)n'l lake too long or too sbort of a stride.) Your knees should always be bent sligbily and never stiff. Use a boxer's slide to put your body into the Uirow. Don't just throw with your arm. Ii is good to bop into your llirow by getliiig your body to move forward. The longer the throw, ihe more body you put itilo it. On real long tbrows, you can actually run into it. Use your left arm to help wliip your body around. II. I_t everything follow tbrough naturally, wilh tbe back foot always leaving the ground on the follow through and youi aim sweeping down across in front of your body for protection.

12. It is more like a catcher's snap to second witb no wind up. Your wrist should never turn out as it does when tbrowing a curve ball. It is best for the wrist to turn in or straight down with the palm finishing up facing down. Always throw at a target when warming up or regardless of what type o[ throwing you are doing. Your target sboiild always be tbe receiver's head. Don't try to aim or gtiide your throw. Just look at your tai^et and let it go. Tbe ball should come in head high and in Ironi ol the receiver. 13. Never jump in tlie air to throw; you will lose your accuracy. Always warm up well before starting to throw to receivers. Jtist play catch and gradually loosen up. As you wai m up, review (he mechanics of throwing as these nmst become habit. Study your receivers and know all you can aboul them, such as speed, peculiarities, types of patterns be

runs best, etc. 14. Know all you can about pass defense, as that is what you are trving to beat. You luust be able to read ibe defense. If the coach picks a specific receiver on a given play, look him up Hrst, but only throw if be is open. 15. Read tbe defender, as you now know wbat your receiver isgoitig to do. The defender's reaction will tell you wbetber he can cover or not. Example, il'your receiver is doing iui "out," the defender is not backing off much and staying outside. Forget this receiver and go tt> another. If, however, the deepback is giving ground fast, your "out" man will be open. You must wat( h the linebackers too. Stay away from throvring to anyone who is being double covered.
Never throw into a crowd. Always

tbrow to tbe side of your receiver away from the defensive man.

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