How to Throw a Shuffle Pass

The shuffle pass--or shovel pass, as it is also called--is a great weapon to get a receiver the ball with blockers in front of him, giving him a chance to gain yardage while minimizing the chance of an interception. While most shuffle passes are basically glorified running plays, the result still goes toward a quarterback's passing yardage and the recipient's receiving yardage. Here's how to execute the play.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Football
• Teammates

1. Keep it tight. A shuffle pass is a short pass that only covers a few yards in the air. Therefore, the receiver needs to either be a running back who darts in front of the quarterback to catch the ball or a wide receiver/tight end who crosses in front of the quarterback to catch the ball. In order to make the play effective, the receiver needs to get into position quickly in order to catch the defense off guard. It may help to bring the shuffle pass receiver in motion, or line the receiver up just to the outside of one of the offensive tackles so that they can get into position quickly after the ball is snapped. Keeping the formation tight and throwing the pass quickly will allow your offensive linemen to start pushing defenders down field, opening holes for the pass-catcher. Offensive linemen can't legally cross the line of scrimmage until after a pass is completed.

2. Have quick feet and a quick mind. Shuffle passes put pressure on the quarterback, as he has to be able to drop back quickly after receiving the snap (usually no more than three steps) and toss the ball to the receiver who is running by him in stride. However, while being quick is key, knowing when not to throw the shuffle pass is even more important. The quarterback needs to be able to recognize a defender breaching the line and make a snap decision on whether or not to throw, as that defender could blindside the receiver and force a fumble, or even intercept the pass.

3. 
   Saskatchewan quarterback Kerry Joseph

   Executing the throw. The shuffle pass can be thrown a few different different ways. While longer passes will almost always be thrown overhand, most shuffle passes will be executed more like throwing a chest pass in basketball (though only using one arm in this case). The quarterback will usually hold the ball mid-chest and extend his arm straight out to release the throw, generating a soft-yet-quick toss that's easily handled by the receiver. Quarterbacks can also throw the ball to the receiver underhand if they like. Whatever style you choose, the key is to get the ball to the receiver quickly, but in a manner where they can easily catch it while preparing to navigate through a crowd of blockers and defenders.

4. Practice a lot. A shuffle pass requires so many elements to go correctly that a team won't be able to execute it well without practicing. While the quarterback and the receiver play the most important roles, the play won't work if the offensive line doesn't provide an initial push to free up an area for the receiver to run through. Also, the team's other eligible receivers who don't get the ball will need to block down field in order to free up space for the pass-catcher if he can clear the first wave of defenders he'll encounter closer to the line of scrimmage.

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