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Post #3 in a Series on QB Development: Ride and Decide Method of Option Mesh

Matt McLeod

Ride and Decide Method of Option Mesh



There are a couple ways to mesh in option football.  Don Watt detailed how he teaches the point method in the previous article and I wanted to highlight the Ride and Decide method in this article.  


There are a couple of schools of thought on the initial steps for the QB to get into mesh with the B back for Inside Veer. Some coaches teach a 45 degree backward (back and out) step with playside foot after the quarterback has ensured the snap and brought the ball into the stomach or belly button (Seated the Ball). This allows the QB to get off the line of scrimmage and get into the mesh with depth and width. Other coaches teach a lateral reach step with the playside foot into half of playside A gap after the QB has ensured the snap. It looks like a quick step-step into ½ of playside A gap.  I have some illustrations below the show the two different styles of steps.

Application

  1. Ensure the snap:

    • QB must know how to take a snap, we teach two different ways. The first is what I call the clam shell. QB aligns his hands with dominate hand on top and his thumbs and heels of the hands pressed hard together. The fingers are relaxed and the quarterback is instructed to press up through the bottom hand to give top hand pressure to the center, so he knows and feels the spot to snap the ball consistently.

    • The second way we teach a QB to take a snap is for those that don’t have wrist/hand flexibility to clam shell. This snap is more of a 90 degree hand placement. The thumbs are pressed hard together but the heels of the hands are left open. Still use non-dominate hand to give top hand pressure to the center.

  2. Seat the ball:

    • We teach the same concepts Don mentioned in the earlier point method article, we tell the QB to tattoo the laces to the stomach to seat the ball. Some coaches teach the QB to stab the back tip/point of the ball into the belly button to seat it.

  3. First Steps:

    • The first steps are practiced with the QB and B back for us in a drill called set drill. We work on frames painted into the practice field so we can make sure aiming points and footwork are correct. We work the first two steps for the QB and the first step for the B Back. We make sure the QB is stepping laterally into playside A gap and pinning his chin to his front shoulder and the B back is stepping with the proper foot and rolling his backside knee to the ground.

  4. Hook up and Rocker:

    • We then progress to a fit with the QB and B back. In this drill the QB and B back are in the very begging fit of the mesh and we walk the B back through the mesh so the QB understands riding from back hip to front hip or back knee to front knee while pinning his chin to his front shoulder. The B back learns to soft fold the mesh and clamp when he gets through the front hip. The last thing we do is teach the QB to give the B back the ball. We teach ball and belly pressure, when its a give and we have the QB tip the ball when he is going to disengage and keep the ball. We then progress to a rocker drill (Detailed in an early blog post by Scott Dieterich) which is quicker than a walk but not full speed yet.

  5. Full Speed Mesh:

    • This is the finished product, we rep the mesh full speed and we introduce a read #1/HOK. A coach represents the read and we work through a particular mesh both ways.

  6. Installation:

    • We always start with Inside Veer mesh, then progress to Mid-line mesh. If we have an experienced QB we may introduce Outside Veer mesh, but typically having three mesh points to work can be really hard for some at the High School level.


  7. Coaching Points related to the Ride and Decide method:

    • Hands have to beat the feet in stabbing the ball back to mesh with the B back

    • Pin your chin to the front shoulder to focus your eyes on the read (#1/HOK)

    • Reach and ride the ball back hip to front hip or back knee to front knee

    • Must have strong hands and must have a violent disconnect if #1 cancels the B back

    • Transfer your weight

    • Replace the Dive Key’s (#1’s) heels

Our next blog post will be the last with an emphasis on QB development. We are excited to have a guest blog by Greg Webster the OC at Springfield College. As always feel free to discuss blog posts or ask questions on our forum page located here: http://flexbonenation.proboards.com/  If you have any questions please feel free to contact me on twitter @runthetriple or @themeshpoint or @flexbonenation and my email address is lafayettefootball1@gmail.com.