Pitchout Help

[Orange 26]

I'm going to be running some pitchout plays and I'm wondering if anyone has a good idea how to implement it. All my qbs tend to do it differently. Even my assistant coach and I have differing ideas.

Here's what I'm doing. QB under center, hb behind. Qb takes the snap and HB floats to the side of the play. QB pitches underhand and back about a 45 degree angle and maybe 5 yards back. A couple of my kids can't pitch like that. My assistant has them pitching almost parallel to the los which has an advantage in that a) the hb is hauling when he gets it and if there is a drop there is little loss of yardage.

Anyone running pitchouts? If so, give me your thoughts.

[Johnp2 21]

We had it in our playbook, but honestly I found it to be more trouble than it's worth so we stopped using. It was a play (IMO) that looked good on paper, but was not affective against a defense.

What we did:

1. 2-Back Formation (two RB to the QBs left hip---3 yards back, MR to the QBs right hip--3 yard back).

2. On snap, QB does a fake hand-off to MR who runs through the 1 hole.

3. QB continues his leftward motion after faking the hand-off, turning 3/4 around and pitches ball to RB who is running. Ideally the RB receives the pitch about two yards to the right of the QB (pretty much where the MR was lined up) and about two yards back. QB pitched it with TWO hands under-handed.

4. I found that for it be effective (at least the way I drew it up), it had to be a single-fluid motion as timing was very important. We got it down pretty good, but then noticed that it didn't really gain us much of anything extra, but had risk in that the pitch could be dropped. Thus I tweaked it a little for the RB to start left, then cut right (counter) and simply take the hand-off.

Can your players block? If so, I would have at least two players pull out to block and screen for him. The downside of the play is that the defense sees it while the player is still behind the LOS so would recommend a fake to the other side first, and the upside is it allows you to set up your blocking.

Regarding the advantage of player momentum (the player "hauling" :-), why would you not just use end-arounds or throw a screen pass? Another advantage to the pitchout, however, is that you can use it a few times to set up a HB pass.

[Orange 26]

We cannot block and we are playing 5 on 5. I have found that getting the hb to the outside as quickly as possible is very effective. A pitch accomplishes that. Against a typical 2 1 2 zone like we run you'll have the hb running at the cornerback who needs to make the play or give up decent yardage. A very fast heads up rusher can cut it off especially if the hb cuts back inside. But getting the hb outside gives him so much more of a chance than just a regular handoff. My kids are just turning 10 and from what I've seen they should be able to execute the pitch, at least some of them can right now.

[Johnp2 21]

That makes sense. Is it simply some of the QBs have a hard time pitching the ball--or is it the timing of the QB and RB you are concerned about? If what you are doing is snapping and then immediately turning either at a 45 degree angle or (as your assistant suggested) pitching almost parallel to the LOS, then I would suggest first picking one (I'd think the former) and then practice it. Practice it some more, then practice it some more. It involves timing, which the kids won't understand until they have performed it a many times--as I'm sure you know. I know a lot of the QBs tend to do it differently, so I suggest explaining to them how you want it done and if some still can't get it, you have a choice to let them improvise or not call that play when they are at QB.

Where is the RB lined up? I'd think the easiest (safest way) would be to have the RB lined up just off the QBs right hip (about three yards back). Once snapped, the QB turns to his right and pitches the ball at about 45 degrees. The RB should already have a step or two by this point, and (hopefully) before the defense gets a good read, he's off to the outside. I assume this is your desire as opposed with having the RB running full speed horizontally behind the QB who has to wait for him and then pitch it to him, which (as I mentioned) is just a variant of an end-around. As mentioned, I think timing is important, and with that only comes practice. A lot of the onus is on the RB, who should be able to adjust in the event the ball is not right where it should be. The thing we struggled with was the height of the pitch. My son started out throwing it about five feet in the air, so his challenge was to learn how to throw a nice easy pitch that the RB can snatch without breaking stride. However, most teams in our league (8 on 8) simply take the sidelines away (as do we). Having extra players on defense like that we can afford to play QBs to the far outside and have outside backers cover inside routes. If it is a running play it is very difficult to get to the outside, which is why we had to work so much on turning up field as most teams stop the outside first and then the inside.

So with all this . . . I certainly think a 10 year old can properly learn how to pitch a football (mechanically speaking), and so now it is just a matter of getting that timing down. Has your season started yet?

[Orange 26]

I agree it's about timing. The hbs tended to get running and were reaching full speed before the pitch which made it difficult for the qb to hit them. If the qb hesitated then the rb would be flying past. I was teaching them to begin to the outside but hesitate until the pitch came. My assistant was working with another group and he had our main qb pitching it when they reached the los on a dead run. But he has better timing than the others. Maybe its like you said, see who can do it and then restrict it to those that can.

I line my qb under center and the rb directly behind him. I may be too cautious but I always think if he shades one way or the other the defense will pick it up.

No, my season has not begun. When I signed up I read something that said they began the second week of September. So I've been practicing for 3 weeks now. Well, now I come to find out that games do not begin until the first week of October. What I read was that teams would be formed and practices would begin the second week of September. I guess we'll be more ready than the rest. That's OK because all but 2 of my kids are 9 and we're playing in a 10 & under league (and those 2 just turned 10 so we're a young team).

[rushbuster70 16]

I did pitches...Basically I taught it by doing a full 360 degrees starting with going the opposite side...It took a lot of work but to be honest with you it was worth the hastle.The kids picked up and after about 4-5 practice of doing it 10-15 mins each practice.We never ever fumbled a pitch and could do it with any kid pitching to any kid because of the timing we taught...

[Johnp2 21]

So I've been practicing for 3 weeks now. Well, now I come to find out that games do not begin until the first week of October.

I envy you, as our league is very particular on when they will release the rosters. Our first game is not until Nov 1st, and I won't get my roster until mid October. If I had it now, we would probably start practicing this week. ;-) I heard from a parent that one of the "powerhouse" teams who knows they will be brining back 90% of their roster is already practicing, which worries me. It would be hilarious if the league threw a wrench into everything and ignored player requests this season. Ha!

[Orange 26]

I did pitches...Basically I taught it by doing a full 360 degrees starting with going the opposite side...It took a lot of work but to be honest with you it was worth the hastle.The kids picked up and after about 4-5 practice of doing it 10-15 mins each practice.We never ever fumbled a pitch and could do it with any kid pitching to any kid because of the timing we taught...

I watched a video online and this is how they taught it. Not exactly 360 degrees but I know what you mean. The qb turns away from the side he is pitching it and spins back around, probably 225 degrees in total. When I watched the video it seemed counterintuitive to me so I modified my own pitch turing towards the hb and the side of the pitch. Then of course I put it to the test in practice. Well, the video was right and I was wrong. I watched some football this weekend and that's how the college qb toss a pitch. Bottom line is that's the best way to pitch it. Two of my three qbs picked up the footwork immediately such that I feel I could run it right away. The third needs practice and my 4th wasn't there. I'll try to dig up the video I saw and post the link if anyone is interested.

[rushbuster70 16]

Orange...

Please post up the link...

Thats why I taught it the way I did...basically going opposite and turning there body's around.It worked great.I'm tellin ya you guys will be fine with it.Its pretty easy and just takes a little bit of time...You'll be fine though.Definitely takes time.

[Orange 26]

Here it is:

http://www.5min.com/Video/How-To-Play-Foot...h-Drill-6184671