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The quarterback is a crucial player in the game of football. He handles the ball in every offensive play. He gets more than his share of glory in a win and much of the blame in a loss. Memorable quarterbacks, such as Joe Montana, Joe Namath, Tom Brady, and John Elway, have such a mystique about them that it’s easy to believe that great quarterbacks are born, not made. Bob Johnson and Bret Johnson believe differently. The father-son coaching duo runs Camp Quarterback at Mission Viejo High School during the spring and summer. They also work for the EA Sports Elite 11 Quarterback Camp in San Juan Capistrano each July. This family knows the steps that a quarterback should take to rise to the next level. Bret and his brother Rob have both played pro football. They learned the game from their father Bob, who played quarterback at Fresno State. In recent years, quarterbacks who have come under the tutelage of Bob and Bret Johnson include Matt Leinart (Heisman Trophy winner at USC) and Carson Palmer (quarterback of the Cincinnati Bengals and a former Heisman winner). The Johnsons’ latest pupil to hit the big time is Mark Sanchez, quarterback of the undefeated CIF champion Mission Viejo Diablos, and heir apparent to Leinart at USC (see the Cover Story, this issue). Leinart was an Elite 11 camp attendee who only visited the Camp Quarterback a couple times; he was never a “project” for the Johnsons. However, both Palmer and Sanchez spent many summers at Camp Quarterback. Palmer was a 6-year attendee and Sanchez is featured in the Camp Quarterback training videos. Difference between Elite 11 and Camp Quarterback “The Elite 11 camp is an unbelievable opportunity to work with the country’s top quarterbacks,” says Bret Johnson. “My dad travels the country to select the best quarterbacks. The Elite 11 camp belongs to EA Sports but we’ve coached since its inaugural year.” On the other hand, Camp Quarterback belongs to the Johnsons. “We get the guys at Camp Quarterback who didn’t start as a freshman and want to get better. Or players who are just trying their hand at quarterback for the first time. Or eighth-graders who want to play high school football.” As to why both Camp Quarterback and EA Sports Elite 11 camps are held in Orange County, Bret said, “You always get good weather here in the summer, compared to most other places in the country. Plus, there are usually no less than two or three elite quarterbacks from California, so having camp here means that they don’t have to travel so far. Also, for both Camp Quarterback and the Elite 11 camp, you need lots of receivers and defenders to work the quarterbacks. By holding the camps locally, we are able use the Diablos receivers and cornerbacks, which is great practice for them.” Developing young quarterbacks “We have a formula that we use,” says Bret. “We go into the classroom and we watch video with the kids, and we study why the ball is thrown to a certain spot. We go out on the field and work on throwing drills. The key is how we incorporate the classroom with the fieldwork, and the way we keep the number of camp attendees low. Whether we’re coaching the Elite 11 quarterbacks or the kids at Camp Quarterback, we coach the same way.” What other lessons are the Johnsons teaching quarterbacks? No. 1 on the Top 10 Tips for Quarterbacks list is, “be a leader.” Also on the list is, “have a good attitude.” “If you’re a quarterback, your overall attitude is not going to be developed at Camp Quarterback. It’s been developed your whole life. But we do emphasize good behavior. We tell quarterbacks not to show up their receivers, and not to be a big shot when mom and dad come down out of the stands. A good attitude means being humble. Having a good attitude makes everybody want to work harder for you.” Other tips for quarterbacks: be strong, be quick, and practice gripping the ball. The rest of the tips (see the 10 Tips for Quarterbacks below) are more technical and deal with issues such as elbow positioning and throwing accuracy. Who is the next Mark Sanchez or Matt Leinart going to be? Bret responds, “I’m not saying there won’t be some talented quarterbacks in Orange County next year, but I don’t think we have an Elite 11 quarterback locally. I don’t see another Mark Sanchez right now.” (Sanchez was MVP of last year’s Elite 11 camp.) The coach hears from many parents who feel that their child is not being given enough of a starring role in football games. He cautions those parents to be realistic. “Ask your kid if he’s being played enough, and he’ll tell you the truth. The players know, but parents don’t always see it. It’s all right to let your kid dream of being a great player maybe he’ll make it someday. But just because he hit a double to right field doesn’t mean he’s ready to bat against Randy Johnston.” Lots to think about A good quarterback has to be smart enough to memorize plays and read defenses, tough enough to take a blindside hit, and respected enough by his teammates to be followed through thick and thin. It’s not the football position for everybody, but if your son is willing and able, Bob and Bret Johnson can make him a better quarterback. “If Joe Montana had a son, he wouldn’t necessarily be a great quarterback,” says Bret. “Pro quarterback is one of the hardest jobs in the world. Great QB’s are made more than born. My brother and I never just rolled out of bed and played in the NFL. It took a lot of time working with our dad to get us there.” Information: www.campquarterback.com or 800.889.5575. David Kries writes from Mission Viejo. 10 tips for quarterbacks Here is a condensed version of Bob and Bret Johnson’s advice for quarterbacks. 1. Be a leader: Make good decisions, motivate your team mates, be passionate, have a great work ethic and character. 2. Keep your throwing elbow up: Keep it above your shoulder and don’t throw sidearm. 3. Practice accuracy: Be precise and hit your target. 4. Have quick feet: Work at jumping rope and other drills that enforce nimble footwork. 5. Strengthen the core: Exercise abdominal muscles, lower back, legs and hips. 6. Have a good attitude: Respect everyone, be positive, accept criticism, and act like a winner. 7. Keep head steady and eyes focused: Zero in on your target when you throw. 8. Explode away from the center: When dropping back to pass, practice moving away from the center with speed and purpose. 9. Warm-up gradually: Move your elbow and shoulder slowly and with control until warm and loose. 10. Improve your grip: Practice grabbing a football and releasing it. |
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