Wide Receiver Fundamentals.pdf - Fast and Furious Football

When catching any pass, especially passes where the receiver is running full speeddownfield, it is critical that he doesn’t reach for the ball too early. This will slow himdown considerably, and will throw off his balance. It is impossible for a receiver to runat top speed with his arms stretched out for the pass. He must wait until the lastsecond before reaching for the football (Figure 1-8).Figure 1-8.• The receiver is running a deep route. It’s veryimportant that he wait until the last possiblesecond to reach out and catch the football.This allows him to keep his speed and runthrough the football.• Catching the ball with palms up increases hisreach.• Putting his hands out too soon will slow himdown considerably.When the receiver runs a curl route, or any route when he is back coming towardsthe quarterback, he should reach for the pass with his hands palms out (except whenthe pass is going to be caught at or below the stomach level). He should reach out forthe football and catch it with his hands. Many times, if it hits his body, it can bounceoff of his pads because he can’t watch the ball make contact with his body, and hispads don’t have any give (Figures 1-9 through 1-11).Sometimes the receiver has to catch the ball in traffic. Maybe he’s running acrossing route over the middle of the field and one (or both) of the safeties is comingup to make the play. In this case he should use his body to act as a barrier betweenthe football and the defender. Then he will reach out and make the catch away fromhis body, and prevent the defender from getting his hands on or near the football(Figure 1-12).Many times the receiver will be in a hurry to make a play and start running beforehe makes the catch and secures the football, resulting in a dropped pass. It is criticalthat he makes the catch first before trying to run with the football. This requiresdiscipline in practice, so it becomes automatic during games. He must make the catchfirst before making any attempt to run downfield with the football.16