Snap and handoff
Ready when: Throw with a spin (b2) done.
What you are learning
How a play starts: the centre snaps the ball back to the quarterback, who hands it to a running back by pressing it into their cupped arms. A dropped ball at the start loses the play.
Words on this card Down, Huddle, Down, set, hut!, Centre, Quarterback, Running back, Handoff, Fake handoff, Drop
- Down
- One play, from the snap until the ball carrier's flag is pulled or the pass falls.
- Huddle
- The team standing close together before a play to agree what to do.
- Down, set, hut!
- The call that starts a play.
- Centre
- The centre passes the ball back between the legs or from the hands to start a play; that pass is the snap.
- Quarterback
- The player who takes the snap and throws or hands off the ball.
- Running back
- A player who takes the ball from the quarterback and runs with it.
- Handoff
- The quarterback giving the ball straight into a running player's arms.
- Fake handoff
- Pretending to hand off, then keeping the ball.
- Drop
- The quarterback stepping back after the snap before throwing.
Set up
A ball, a line; centre, quarterback, running back.
Weather: dry ground
Show it first for the one teaching
- The centre holds the ball on the line; the quarterback stands just behind with hands open and together.
- On "hut!", the centre passes the ball back firmly into the quarterback's hands.
- The running back runs past with one arm up and one low, making a pocket; the quarterback presses the ball into it.
Your part while they practise
Call "Down, set, hut!" after a short huddle.
Step by step
- A short huddle.
- The snap from the centre to the quarterback just behind, hands open and together.
- The handoff to a moving running back, the ball pressed into cupped arms.
- Swap roles.
How much: 8 each role 10 min a session 2 days a week
Say one thing Pick one line from "What you will see" for today and say only that.
The game: Handoff relay
The running back runs a zigzag after the handoff and hands the ball on at the end.
Who plays: 2 teams of 3 against each other, or one team against the clock.
How to play, turn by turn
- Turns
- Each team lines up: centre, quarterback, running back; a zigzag of 4 cones in front
- On "hut!", snap, hand off, and the running back runs the zigzag
- At the end, the running back becomes the new centre; everyone moves up one role
- 3 full turns each
- Fair play
- A team with a grown-up does one extra turn.
- Points
- 1 point for each clean snap; 1 point for each clean handoff; 1 bonus point to the team that finishes first.
- Fouls
- No points for that turn
- A dropped ball
- A snap tossed wildly above the head
- Moving before "hut!"
- Winning
- The most points after 3 full turns.
- 3 points for 1 star
- 5 points for 2 stars
- 7 points for 3 stars
Easier or harder
A standing handoff.
A fake handoff.
What you will see, and what to say
- the ball is fumbled at the exchange
Cup your hands, press it in
The ball goes into the pocket. - the snap is tossed wildly
Short and firm, into the hands
A short, firm pass back.
Self-check
8 of 10 snaps and handoffs without a drop.
Stop and get a coach when
A finger is hurt in the snap.
Fitness for this
Warm up first: how to warm up, at workonfitness.com. For strength and stretching, its exercise library shows each exercise step by step, with an easier version.
This card trains snapping, handoff.
awiseathlete.com/sports/flag-football/flag-football-i1