The forward pass in football

by Elmer Berry

It seems a very simple matter to say that the receiver should be called before the pass is made to him. It seems so simple that time is rarely spent in practicing it. It is assumed that it will be done, but in reality it is not done. The usual thing is for the passer to hurl the ball into the air and yell “ball.” Let any coach actually insist once on his passer calling his man before he passes to him and see what happens. And yet this is exactly the thing that will change the forward pass game from a happy-go-lucky chance into a mathematical probability. When the passer calls his man before he passes he knows what he is trying to do, the team knows, the receiver is given more time to get into position, he is then given a better chance to catch the pass and the rest of the team are given a chance to form interference. It is a small thing to count as heavily as it does, but it is one of the small things that make success.

Know Where the Receiver is to Go.

Have it clearly worked out on every pass play where each eligible man is to go. This is equally true in fact for every man on the team, for every man on the team has something to do on a forward pass. It is just as important on a forward pass play that each eligible man know where, when and how he is to go as it is on running plays for the interference to know whom they are to take. This is where the mechanical part of the “choice” method of passing comes in. To a surprising degree this can be almost the same on all plays. It will of course vary somewhat with the style of defense met, but again surprisingly little.

The eligible man should seldom go directly to the spot where he will receive the pass if it comes to him. At the proper instant, which should be pretty definitely timed for everybody on each play, and always at the call of the passer, the receiver should turn and race to the spot where he knows the ball will be thrown. This spot should have been previously worked out so that the passer “leads” the receiver, the latter being in better position to catch the ball and on the dead run. This should also be so worked out and the preliminary run of the eligible man such, that the receiver will get the ball with his body between the ball and his covering opponent. Receiver and opponent should never be crashing together when struggling for a ball. It is not only dangerous but poor strategy.

In working out the above possibilities some eligible men may often be used simply as decoys going perhaps almost straight toward the defensive halves and forcing them to cover them, making other eligible men more surely available for the pass. In case the defensive halves, however, refuse to cover these decoys, they should immediately be given the pass. Between combinations of this sort and the problem of determining whether a pass or run is in process, the position of defensive half in modern football is one compared with which the “dizzy corner” in baseball is a bed of roses. The fact is that a team with anything like a mechanical perfection in the passing game, and any ability to select its men as above indicated, simply cannot be stopped in mid-field. The greatest single fault and the one thing that stops most teams, outside of mechanical failure, is the failure of eligible men to spread widely enough. Too often two or three eligible men go to the same zone or area and a pass to any one of the three can be covered by a single defensive player. Instinctively every man on the offense tries to be where he expects the ball to go. It must be drilled into the players that their “business” may be decidedly elsewhere.

Interference.

Finally, plan definitely for interference after the pass is completed. This is particularly true for the shorter passes. Insist that every man is in every pass play. There is great temptation for linemen to “take a day off” when a long pass is called in which they are not likely to figure. But they should either be protecting the passer, making it possible for him to better choose his open man, or down with the eligible men in the shorter zones ready for immediate interference in case that pass should be elected. This should be definitely mapped out with each formation and the receiver should know where to find interference behind which he can dodge the instant he has received the pass.

Interception.

The danger of interception, though much over-rated by many, should be carefully guarded. The interception of a long pass often means nothing worse than punting to the other team would have meant. Possession of the ball does not count for as much as in the old game. It should never mean worse if the danger of interception is properly guarded. Too often, however, it means a touchdown for the defense.

In the first place when the receiver has been called every other man on the offense should instantly become alive as a possible interferer or possible protector in case of interception. It is a preparedness, mental and physical, that is desired that in itself would probably prevent half of the touchdowns now made by interception. A pass doesn’t finish a play, it simply starts it—and it may start it either way.