Beginner QB Fundamentals Practice Plan (90 Minutes)

Start on the goal line with space between players. No balls in hands until you say so.

Jog to the 10 and back, then high knees, butt kicks, side shuffle, and backpedal. Finish with 10 arm circles each way and 10 trunk twists.

• Cues: “Two-arm distance.” “Eyes up when you backpedal.” “Freeze on the whistle.”
• Common issue: players start tossing balls early. Fix: stop immediately, collect balls to one coach, and restart with: “Ball is live only on my clap.”

Quick safety note: no crossing throws through lines; all throws are down their lane only.

QBs in a line with a center (or coach) 5 yards away. Put two flat discs where the QB’s feet should start (shoulder width, toes slightly in).

Work: stance set → receive snap (or simulated) → bring ball to chest plate with off-hand on it → freeze for a 1-count → reset. Then add one quick hitch and freeze.

• Watch for: ball stays tight to the body with two hands until the throw phase.
• Cues: “Feet under hips.” “Two hands, chest plate.” “Freeze your finish position.”
• Common issue: QB turns sideways to catch the snap. Fix: physically square their toes to the target line and have them repeat 3 perfect exchanges before moving on.

Adjustment: if you don’t have centers, coach stands in front and uses a short underhand toss as the “snap.” If you do have centers, rotate them every 3 reps so nobody gets stuck.

Set a cone as the “top of drop” landmark at proper depth. QBs start on a disc. One coach is the target straight ahead at 10 yards.

Run it in waves: on your clap, QB takes 3-step drop, hits the top balanced, replaces front foot, and makes a firm throw to a stationary partner. Reset fast and go again.

• Cues: “Push, don’t step.” “Hit the top—no bounce.” “Replace and rip.”
• Common issue: drifting backward or sideways. Fix: put a second cone behind them as a wall; if they touch it, rep doesn’t count.

To keep reps high, run two lanes if you have space: one on each hash with a coach controlling tempo.

Same setup, but move the top-of-drop landmark deeper. Add a second disc one step up to represent the hitch step.

Sequence: 5-step drop → hit the top balanced → one hitch up (not sideways) → plant and throw. Partner catches and immediately flips the ball back so the next QB is ready.

• Watch for: eyes up at the top of the drop, not down at the feet.
• Cues: “Big to small.” “Hitch up, not out.” “Plant and drive.”
• Common issue: extra shuffle steps before throwing. Fix: require a loud “SET!” call at the top—if they can’t say it balanced, they’re not balanced.

Adjustment: if throws are wild, shorten the throw distance to 7–10 yards so they can keep mechanics while learning footwork.

Water fast, then meet at the board. Keep helmets on and players standing—this is a quick reset, not a lecture.

Draw slant/flat and stick. Explain the QB’s job in one sentence each, then immediately quiz them.

• Cues: “Feet match the concept.” “Read a defender, not a jersey.” “Say it out loud: Cover 1 or Cover 3.”
• Common issue: players nod but don’t understand. Fix: cold-call: “You’re the QB—what are you reading and where does the ball go?” If they can’t answer, redraw it smaller and run it on air next.

Ball on the 25, one throwing lane on each hash. WRs split to the numbers; the RB/slot aligns 2×2 and works the flat; the stick lands at 5 yards, one yard inside the numbers. QBs rotate every 2 throws. Cones mark the break point (3-step timing) and the stick spot.

Script: 6 reps slant/flat (3-step), 6 reps stick (3-step), then 4 reps 5-step into quick hitch and throw (same concepts, just different rhythm).

• Watch for: ball out on the last step/replace—no holding it to “see them open.”
• Cues: “Catch—rock—throw.” “Shoulders stay level.” “Throw to the landmark.”
• Common issue: receivers drift on slants or round breaks. Fix: put a cone at the slant angle; if they don’t cross it tight, they redo immediately before the next rep.

Adjustment: if timing is late, shorten the routes (5-yard slant/flat, 4-yard stick) so the QB learns rhythm first, then you can stretch it later.

Last 60 seconds: reset cones and move bags for the next period while the final group finishes its reps.

Set an offense on one hash with two receivers and a RB/slot. Put 4–5 defenders out there: one high safety, two corners, and one underneath defender (add a second underneath if you have it). You’re creating pictures, not playing live.

Show Cover 1: one high safety, corners tighter, underneath defender inside leverage. Show Cover 3: one high safety, corners deeper/outside, underneath defender widening to the flat.

• One rule each: Cover 3 = corners off — the quick out/flat is there now. Cover 1 = tight man — expect the slant window inside.
• Cues: “Count safeties.” “Find the flat defender.” “Confirm on step one and two.”
• Common issue: QB guesses without looking. Fix: make them point: “Point to the deep safety. Point to the flat defender.” If they can’t point, they don’t throw.

This period is here so the QBs have a language for what they’re seeing before we speed it up in 1v1 and 7v7.

Create a pocket box with 3–4 bags/shields: two edges and an inside lane. QB starts at 5 yards depth with a coach as the target. One coach flashes pressure with a hand shield from left/right/center.

QB takes a 3-step drop, then reacts: climb if pressure is off the edge, slide away from inside flash, then reset feet and throw. No running yet—just movement and reset.

• Cues: “Climb, don’t drift.” “Two hands in the pocket.” “Move—reset—throw.”
• Common issue: QB turns shoulders and throws falling away. Fix: stop them, walk them back into the pocket, and require a full reset: shoulders square, front toe to target, then throw.

Adjustment: if they’re overwhelmed, slow the pressure flash to one direction only for 3 reps, then mix it back in. If they’re handling it, add a second flash so they must move twice before throwing.

Last 60 seconds: reset cones and move bags for the next period while the final group finishes its reps.

Keep it to one lane: WR vs DB with two QBs alternating every rep and a coach spotting. Run slant and quick out/flat only. Start at the numbers so spacing is clear and there is nothing to set up between reps.

QB takes a 3-step drop and must throw on rhythm. The DB plays honest—no jamming if the group isn’t ready for it yet; we want clean releases and realistic windows.

• Watch for: QB throws to a spot before the WR is fully “open.”
• Cues: “Win with timing.” “Throw it where he’s going.” “Miss safe—away from leverage.”
• Common issue: QBs double-clutch and take sacks in their head. Fix: if the ball isn’t out by the end of the third step, whistle it dead — freeze it, coach it once, and move on to the next rep.

Time control: cap the period at 6–8 total reps in 8 minutes. One rep at a time, next pair steps in as the previous rep ends. This period exists to show the QBs what real coverage looks like before 7v7 — quality over volume.

Half-field only, with personnel pre-set and aligned before the period starts — the offense walks straight from 1v1 into its spots. Offense runs slant/flat and stick only. One QB takes every snap this period (your starter or the QB who earned it in 1v1) — no QB rotation, so the operation never resets.

The defense pre-huddles once per look, and we only show two looks all period: Cover 3 for the first three snaps, Cover 1 for the last three. Each snap: QB says the coverage pre-snap, takes the correct drop, and throws on time. Keep a coach behind the QB to enforce pocket rules.

• Cues: “Call it.” “Feet match it.” “Ball out.”
• Common issue: QB scrambles at the first color flash. Fix: whistle it dead and coach it between snaps: climb once or slide once before any escape.

Time control: 6 snaps total in 8 minutes — coach-spotted ball, no huddle. No redo reps — freeze it, coach it once, and move on.

Competitive target: 4 clean snaps where the QB’s call, drop, and timing are all correct.