Fundamentals of Wide Receiver Play and Reading Coverages

By PJ Fleck, Wide Receivers Coach Rutgers University PURPOSEFUL “TEACHING”    I was always told that I was the “King of the TOO’s” (too small, too slow, too short).  I heard all the time, “GET OUT OF THE BREAK, DROP YOUR WEIGHT, CATCH THE BALL, GET OFF THE PRESS.”  “Catch the ball” might be the most over-used ineffective term used by coaches across the country.  Do we actually think that young man tried to drop that ball?  Be careful with what you say to them.  Use an expression like; “Try not to stop the ball with your hands, attack it!  Or, “have your elbows tucked in more, BIG HANDS, STRONG HANDS.”  Again, teach them HOW.  I used to slip out of cuts because I never kept a true center of gravity.  However, I was always told to “DROP MY