Quarterback drop and throw

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American football drill · Under-9 and up

A young quarterback who throws off the back foot, or throws late, is almost always doing it because their feet are not finished. This drill gives the drop a rhythm from the shotgun: catch, three steps, set, throw. Two receivers run an out and a hitch so the quarterback has to decide, and the coach decides which one is open.

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Time: 10 minutes
Players: 3 or more: a quarterback and two lines of receivers
Equipment: 4 cones
4 to 6 balls

Setup

Put the quarterback five yards behind the line of scrimmage, with the coach handing or snapping them the ball.
One receiver line 12 yards to the left on the line of scrimmage, and one 12 yards to the right.
The left receiver runs a five-yard out to the sideline; the right receiver runs a six-yard hitch and turns back.
Before the snap the coach points at one side behind the quarterback's back, and the receiver on that side is open.
The quarterback catches the snap, takes three steps back, sets, reads the coach's pick and throws.

Coaching points

Three steps and set. The last step is short and plants the back foot, so the weight can come forward.
Step towards the target with the front foot as the arm comes through. Throwing across the body is how interceptions happen.
Throw it before the receiver turns. On an out the ball should be in the air as the receiver breaks.
Eyes on the receiver until the ball is gone, and finish with the throwing hand pointing at the target.

On the run sheet: Catch, three steps, set the back foot, step at the target and throw before the receiver turns

Progressions

Let the quarterback read it themselves: a coach stands as a defender on one side and they throw away from them.
Add a rusher from seven yards, so the drop and the throw have to fit inside the rush.
In NFL FLAG the quarterback has seven seconds to throw. Count them out loud, then halve them.

How it runs

The quarterback starts five yards deep, catches the ball, and takes three quick steps back before they set their feet. On the left a receiver runs a five-yard out towards the sideline; on the right another runs a hitch, six yards and turn. Before the snap the coach has shown one side, and that is the receiver the quarterback is to throw to. The animation shows the drop, the two routes, and the ball going to the out, landing as the receiver comes out of the break near the sideline.

Keep the routes short. The point of the drill is the feet and the timing, and a long route makes a young quarterback hold the ball and watch, which is the habit you are trying to get rid of.

Why it works

Throwing accuracy at this age is mostly footwork. A quarterback who sets their back foot and steps at the target throws straighter and harder without trying to, and one who is still moving backwards as they throw cannot. A fixed rhythm gives them something to count, and the coach's pick makes them look at the receiver before they throw rather than after.

The mistakes to watch for

Drifting backwards after the third step, so the throw comes off the back foot. Staring at the chosen receiver from the snap, which every defender will read by October. And throwing to where the receiver is rather than where they will be.

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Page updated 28 October 2026 · American football play designer · All drills