CJ Stroud reveals what he looks for during pre-snap progressions

To play quarterback at the level Ohio State’s CJ Stroud does on a weekly basis doesn’t come easy. The amount of schemes and pre-snap fundamentals Stroud has to visualize before each snap to set his team up for success is something high-level quarterbacks don’t often speak on, but Stroud shared some insight on what goes through his mind before every snap.

First, Stroud explained that he examines the “roof” or the safeties regarding deep throws. If one or both are high, he has to respect it and find somewhere else to throw. He darts his eyes toward the linebackers, and then to the “front” or the defensive line.

“Just trying to see where’s my protection, what my tools are in my toolkit that I have — the 60-50 protection,” Stroud said. “I’m trying to see who’s telling if it’s zone or man, trying to see if there’s pressure, zone fire, or if it’s a man blitz, so I’m just trying to see different things like that so I can go to my readings and post-snap, I’m confirming all that.

“I don’t really try to look at the line of scrimmage honestly because I think that’ll get you caught up trying to see that, so really seeing safety coverage and just trying to go from there.”

Having the wherewithal pre-snap to read the defense and find the open target as an incoming redshirt sophomore is something that worked out tremendously for Stroud during his freshman campaign, including two jaw-dropping performances against two formidable opponents.

Stroud was the star of this year’s Rose Bowl, completing 37 of his 46 passes for 573 yards, six touchdowns and one interception. He hooked up with Jaxon Smith-Njigba 15 times for 347 yards and three touchdowns. Both performances are Rose Bowl records. Ohio State would take the victory and the Rose Bowl trophy back to Columbus after a 48-45 shootout against Utah.

Two games prior, Stroud had a performance that was just as impressive his one at the Rose Bowl. He went 32-35 for 432 yards, six touchdowns with zero interceptions in an even more impressive 56-7 rout of then-No. 7 Michigan State.

This extended knowledge of the game is keep Stroud looking sharp heading into a sophomore season with Heisman hopes and College Football Playoff dreams on the line for a Buckeyes squad looking to claim its ninth title in program history.