Inside the Quarterbacks Meeting

At our house, football season begins in July. Long before the first game or the first day of practice, Coach goes to work. And so do his QBs. Only, this work doesn't happen on the field. It's in the classroom.

Each year that Coach has worked with the quarterbacks, he's had them come in an hour before everyone else reports for summer workouts in July. It is in these meetings that the QBs build their play books. They literally draw out each play, making note of things like read progressions, drops, etc. This year, these QB meetings have been especially rigorous due to the time constraints. Coach has to teach a brand new offense to his new QBs. And he has four meeting dates before they go to passing camp. And game 1 is only seven weeks away.

I had the privilege of sitting in on one of these meetings last Thursday. That day, there would be no workouts. The team had the day off for the 4th of July. Not the quarterbacks. All three of them were there, right on time, and ready to get the rest of the plays in their books. They know how much they have to learn. They know how important it is. They know on whose shoulders the responsibility rests. You've got to admire high school quarterbacks.

It looks like Coach has a good group of young men to work with. I watched them as they worked during the meeting. I could tell that they are eager to learn and excited about the upcoming season. It doesn't matter to them that Coach came from Woodland or that they barely know him at all. They didn't care that they were in the fieldhouse while their friends were off doing whatever they wanted. They want to win ball games.

I watched Coach teaching those guys. And I know that a few lazy people have given coaches a bad reputation. But, in truth, good coaches are exceptional teachers. They teach all the time. In their classrooms and on the practice field. I enjoyed seeing him show the guys not only what to do but why they do it. I hope they could sense his enthusiasm. I hope they understand that they aren't just Ranburne's quarterbacks; they're his. And he will do everything possible to prepare them and help them be successful, from this point on. If they don't know that yet, they will.