I am no QB expert but I do try to analyze and break down QB mechanics through observation and to note differences. Observing the truly great QB's, it appears to me that they all throw a football a little like great Dart players throw a dart. A quick, whip-like action with great coordination between elbow and shoulder. The ball comes off the ear and, with the great ones, the ball is often a tight or near-tight spiral. While the throwing motion is a little different, this dart-like, whipping action coordination between elbow and shoulder is apparent in great baseball pitchers as well. In football, this quick, whip- dart-action is what's described as a quick release. Best ever examples are Joe Namath and Dan Marino but literally all the great NFL QB's have it (Aaron Rogers, Tom Brady, etc.). Ironically, Shane Boyd had the quick release motion I'm talking about but he struggled with accuracy. And this, I believe, is the mechanical change that Towles went to California to try to affect.
I have not seen Drew Barker play in a college football game. But I have observed him in a few practices and have watched him warm up during games. His motion does NOT seem to me to be what I'm struggling to describe above. Rather, Drew's motion seems to be (and this is an exaggeration) more of a wind-mill. His arm seems more stiff through the elbow and he just seems to more like come over the top. Towles does not have a quick release by any means but his motion seems a little more like the classic dart-throwing motion. I know the reason the NFL prizes this motion is that decisions have to be made quickly and the fraction of a second longer that more "roundhouse" motions require often mean the difference between a completion and either a sack or interception.
Anyone else observe this in Barker's throwing motion? Where am I wrong?
I have not seen Drew Barker play in a college football game. But I have observed him in a few practices and have watched him warm up during games. His motion does NOT seem to me to be what I'm struggling to describe above. Rather, Drew's motion seems to be (and this is an exaggeration) more of a wind-mill. His arm seems more stiff through the elbow and he just seems to more like come over the top. Towles does not have a quick release by any means but his motion seems a little more like the classic dart-throwing motion. I know the reason the NFL prizes this motion is that decisions have to be made quickly and the fraction of a second longer that more "roundhouse" motions require often mean the difference between a completion and either a sack or interception.
Anyone else observe this in Barker's throwing motion? Where am I wrong?
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