by Morgan Johnson

Created on: October 24, 2008   Last Updated: October 28, 2008

Sports announcers and writers talk about a "strong arm" when describing a quarterback capable of throwing the football a long way. However, to throw the ball effectively the quarterback needs to use most of his body. Surprisingly, throwing a football requires good vision, a flexible back and strong legs.

The process of throwing a football begins with the feet and ends with the index finger of the throwing hand. The throw will miss the mark if the flow of power is interrupted at any point between.

The first step in throwing a forward pass is proper grip. A football is fat around the middle and pointed at both ends. Grip the ball near the center with the tips of the two center fingers on the stitched seam. This makes it easier to make the ball spin when thrown. The tip of the index finger should be as close to the tip of to the ball as possible.

The next step is the drop back. The quarterback takes the ball under center to begin the play. Most plays call for a five-to-seven step drop. A quick drop is as few as three steps. That gives the quarterback a cushion from the defense to throw the ball.

The Quarterback attempts to locate a receiver with enough free space to permit the ball to arrive safely. The passer has to see the receiver, his cover man and any potential defenders in the area. If that were not enough, he has to throw the ball where the receiver is going not where he is.

Once he has made the decision to throw the ball he cocks his arm. At this point, the ball is cocked behind the ear pointing away from the body. The elbow is high and the non-throwing arm is also up, elbow bent.

The back foot is planted behind the quarterback to stop his backing movement and to begin generating power. Turning the toe in starts power movement up through the hips. Turning the hips pushes the power up. Sweeping the off arm across turns the upper body adding momentum to the pass.

At this stage the football is thrown across the line of the body in an arc. The natural motion of the hand causes the ball to begin to spin. A spinning ball will travel farther, faster and in a straighter path like a rifle bullet.

The final position of the body will always reveal the fundamentals of a quarterback's passing form. The back leg should be extended with the toe down. The other leg should be bent under the torso supporting the weight with the toe pointing towards the target receiver. The off arm is back while the throwing arm is extended across the body.

Provided all the elements of the pass are executed fluidly, the pass now has the best chance of going where the passer intends. A good quarterback makes this complex process seem easy and it is, with practice!

Learn more about this author, Morgan Johnson.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.