Quarterback Blitz

The Edmonton Journal has been running a series on the lack of Canadian quarterbacks in the CFL.  I've always said that there is not nearly enough quality and quantity of training available for Canuck QB's to compete with our American counterparts.  But isn't that true for lineman, receivers, linebackers, etc?

People throw around such phrases like "The QB is like the coach on the field" or "QB is the most important position" or whatever meaningless statement about QB's you want to toss out there.  While reading the above mentioned articles, it struck me that many people state things like this, but really don't know the complexities of the position and the thought processes involved.  Whether or not QB is the most important position in football, sports, or whatever...I don't really care.  But I would argue it is probably the most complex position in team sports.

Picture this...


Whistle blows.

The previous play was an utter failure leaving the qb's team at 3rd down with 9 yards to go.  His team huddles while he looks towards the sidelines for the signal of what the next play is.  Since it's the fourth quarter, the qb knows he's supposed to get the signals from the third string quarterback and ignore the signals coming from two other players who are decoys.  After observing the complex hand movements of the third-stringer, the qb deciphers the specific passing play he is to run and heads to the huddle, remembering the specifics of the play and deciding upon a snap count in the process.  In the huddle, he relays the play to his teammates and answers the inevitable question of "what am I supposed to do" posed from at least one of the members within this tight circle.

The huddle breaks with everyone hurrying to the line.  The qb strolls to his spot on the field, surveying the defense's initial alignment to his team's current formation.  He checks the number of safeties, linebackers, and defensive backs, what their relative positions on the field are, which way their hips are facing, and where their eyes are looking.  The qb guesses at what defense they are likely playing and what the coverage might be.  Since the play has option pass routes for the receivers, he guesses which route the receivers may choose and which player will most likely be open.

The qb reaches his offensive lineman and readies himself to receive the snap.  With his eye still on the various defenders, he decides whether or not he should change the play at the line with an audible.  His mind works through the various plays that are available to him, but he decides to stick with the called play.  He begins calling out the cadence which includes a fake audible call.  With the start of the cadence, the defense begins to shift its alignment - various linebackers move up, safeties alter their relative positions and defensive backs press up close to the receivers.  The qb can still call an audible but decides to continue sticking with the called play, instead adjusting his assumptions about the likely defense and coverages, and how the receivers option routes will change, and finally who will most likely be open.

He reaches the snap count, the ball is snapped and chaos begins all around him.  Immediately stepping back on a five-step drop, the first two steps back reveal the actual defense that is being played - a linebacker on the right blitz's, one of the safeties move up to fill, the second safety moves to the center and the corners drop back deep and sit...a cover 3 zone with a blitzing linebacker.  Step 3 of the drop back and the qb has probably decided on an area of the field where he is most likely to make the pass and is determined the proper option routes for the receivers in that area (and hoping they have made the appropriate read as well).  With his fourth step back, the qb decides which receiver is open, ensuring to look generically down field so that defenders can't read his eyes.  Finally, with the completion of his fifth step, the qb shifts his weight forward and uses all of his muscle memory to launch a perfectly tight spiral, not to where the receiver is but to where the receiver will be based on an instinctual computation.

First down.  Whistle blows. Roughly 30 seconds to do it all over again.