Sports Psychology And Football: How To Be A Great Quarterback – A Very Important Skill
I have been watching and loving professional football for many years.
I’ve also studied the quarterback position very carefully. This position is quite tricky, and standout quarterbacks do a lot of mental and physical things very well:
They communicate effectively with their teammates, coordinators, and coaches.
They have a great vision.
They read the defenses well.
They have great footwork, agility, and balance.
They can shoot a variety of passes: long balls, short balls, screen passes, and medium-length passes.
They have snap closures.
They are experts in pretending with the ball.
They know how to run the clock.
They avoid making costly mistakes and turnovers.
They can motivate and inspire their teammates.
They have a good sense of talent on their team.
They develop a special chemistry and connection with their receptors.
They can stir when necessary.
They can launch from pocket and on the go.
They sell the running game effectively when they use the action of the game.
They have good relationships with their peers.
They take responsibility for their actions.
They can remain calm, focused and confident throughout the game.
They avoid reaching too high or too low.
They can be resilient when depressed and after suffering defeat.
Football fans love to talk about their best quarterbacks. my favorites are
Joe Montana, Peyton Manning, Dan Marino, Terry Bradshaw, Tom Brady, John Elway, Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger, Troy Aikman, Aaron Rogers, Roger Staubach, Fran Tarkenton, Joe Namath, and Johnny Unitas.
It’s a little early to know for sure, but I think Johnny Manziel may become the next great athlete to play the quarterback position.
One thing great quarterbacks do that younger, less talented players don’t seem to be able to do is fool defensive players with their eyes.
Many linebackers, cornerbacks and safeties like to “read quarterbacks’ eyes.” The best quarterbacks seem to be able to convince defensive players that they are about to throw in one direction. And in a divided stretch they change targets. This ability can give the quarterback and his offense a huge advantage in a game situation.
Conversely, quarterbacks who “lock up” a single receiver tend to be predictable and are more vulnerable to interceptions.
The next time you see Tom Brady or Peyton Manning, notice how good they are at disguising the part of the field where they will eventually throw the ball.
Young quarterbacks who want to play at the college or professional level should start developing this type of disguise and deception early in their careers.