Quarterback Drills - Preventing Fumbles

There's nothing worse for a quarterback than fumbling the football. When a quarterback consistently has problems maintaining control of the football a team can lose confidence in their leader and it can ruin the tempo of a game. As a quarterback, you have a responsibility to your team to prevent fumbles so that you can get the ball into the hands of your play makers and win games. Here are some grip drills to help you prevent fumbles.

Drop and Catch

This drill is simple but highly effective. Start by holding the football below you as you bend over at the waist. Drop the ball and immediately grip it again before it hits the ground. You can continue with one hand and switch to the other or quickly drop with one hand and grip with the other. For more difficulty, stand up and move the ball out in front of you. The longer you let the ball fall, the harder it is to re grip.

Tip Flip

Another simple drill you can do while talking to your buddies or waiting for practice to start. Simply grip the tip of the ball on the bottom so it is pointing up and flip the ball 180 degrees to catch the other tip. Soon you will learn how to flip the ball in any direction and quickly without even looking at it.

Wet Toss

A common way for quarterbacks to fumble the football is by letting it slip out of their grip while throwing. This tends to happen when the ball is slick for rain, snow or sweat. The easiest way to prevent this from happening during a game is to practice throwing a slick ball. Soak a towel and put it in your belt before tossing the ball. Then before every throw wet your hand on the towel. Because you are doing it in a relaxed practice, you will focus on maintaining grip and control on the release. Soon you will be able to wear your towel during practice to simulate a wet ball during a rainy game. You will gain confidence in your ability to pass during any weather conditions and make yourself more valuable to your team.

Other ways to help prevent fumbles during games are to practice taking snaps with all of your centers, not just the starter. Practice good form receiving the ball and practice griping the ball before stepping back away from center. Other common fumbles happen during the hand off so practice solid hand offs and know where each of your backs likes to receive the ball. Don't slam the ball into them as it could bounce off but don't hand it off so lightly that it slips out of your hand before they get it either. Practice these drills to get strong hands and increase your confidence during wet conditions to prevent fumbles and win more games.