Happy May, Coaches! The end of the school year is right around the corner…hang in there! This month, I’d like to move on with my “3 Quick Drills” – this time focusing on some things I use to work on including both run fits and techniques in the run game.
Seen It All
If you’ve read some of my blogs, you’ve probably figured out that I’m a big believer in drills which are multi-faceted. I like to work on as many different skills as possible, within the confines of a single drill. In this particular drill, the LB will face 3 separate blocks, and then get a fit tackle.
The LB will align in his stance. There are three blockers aligned equidistant from each other, with the first one 3-4 yards from the LB. On the whistle, the LB will simulate getting an outside flow read. As he works toward the ball carrier, he will encounter three different block techniques. The first block he will face is a reach block, attempting to pin him inside. He will take on and shed this block. The next blocker will attempt to base block him. I want him to aggressively “butt” this block and accelerate his feet. The final blocker will attempt a cut block. The LB will take on the block, defeat it, and work over the top. Finally, he will fit up a tackle on the RB, focusing on staying inside-out to the ball, and getting his eyes across the ball carrier. The emphasis here is to focus on footwork and technique. Slow the drill down as much as you need to.
I don’t start the RB until the LB reaches the cut block. Obviously, you’ll want to work the drill in both directions.
Have a Fit
This drill is a quick and easy way to look at flow reads, and the LBs fit on those reads. I set it up using 5 barrels (or cones, or anything else you can get your hands on). Get two LBs lined up, and two RBs in the backfield. I stand behind the LBs and give the the RBs non-verbal directional instructions. On the snap, the RBs will simulate the flow direction provided (full flow, split flow, inside flow, outside flow, etc.). The LBs will take the read steps (we call them “zit steps”), and fit their gap. When possible, I like to involve the DL so that the LBs will get a clear picture of where everyone else is fitting. I like this drill because you can get a ton of reps in a very short amount of time, and while it is simple, it also gives your athletes a good understanding of their responsibilities.
Open Field Box
The final drill for this month’s post is a drill I use to emphasize our technique in the open field. Again, it is a relatively simple drill, but I’ve found it to be very useful. I set up four cones in a 5 yard x 5 yard box. A LB will start on one cone, and a RB will start on the cone facing the LB. For the RB, the rules are simple: break the opposite end line of the box without stepping out of the sides of the box. The LB needs to use his feet to get in a good position to make a chest-on-chest tackle. A point of emphasis is for the LB to utilize the boundary to his advantage, much like you would use the sideline on a full field. He needs to close down the distance, and make the RB go where he, the LB, wants him to. As simple and logical as that sounds, we are constantly reinforcing it – and we’ve got some darn good ones! As a change up, I’ll occasionally have the LBs put their arms behind their backs. This forces them to get into position with their feet, as they are unable to reach and grab the ball carrier.
I have found these three drills to be useful to my guys, as a means to work on some of our run game fundamentals. Hopefully, something in this post can be useful for you as well. Thanks for reading.
As always, I can be reached at wrussel1@norwich.edu.