How to Time Your Jump for Interceptions in Football

Video Transcript

"Hi, this is Sean Hobson, for Expert Village. We're still talking about interceptions. One thing that's important is when you're trying to make an interception; you have to have a good read on the ball. Especially if you have either a big receiver or a big defensive back. One thing that will come into play is a jump ball situation when making an interception. Especially if you've read the pass and the quarterback throws it a little under. Then you'll have a jump ball situation. There are two things we want to remember. First, we always want to meet the ball at it's highest point. We talked about in a previous clip that you don't want to let the ball come to you. You want to attack the ball. In order to do that you have to set, you have to have a good base then jump up as high as you can and meet that ball at it's highest point. Don't let the ball come down to you. The other thing to make sure you don't do is, if I'm in a jump ball situation with this guy I can't push him out of the way when I jump up to get the ball. That's called interference. The other thing I can't do is as I'm going up I can't hold his hands down from catching the ball. It has to be an even jump ball situation where I go up for it. So, this is our defensive guy, here's our wide receiver and they're going to go out for a few yards and show you what it looks like in a jump ball situation (video demo). In that jump ball situation both of them had just as much right to go up and get the ball as the other one. They didn't interfere with the pass and they met the ball at the highest point. Then it's the best guy comes down with it. That's the way we don't interfere and we go up and meet the ball at the highest point when trying to intercept the ball."