As we all are in the midst of the season and we are focused on teaching our players about our opponent and the specific schematic things that we will implement during the practice week to take away what they do best, it is imperative to remember that fundamental/technique/schematic skill maintenance and, hopefully, development continues through the last week of the year. What follows is our weekly plan. I have also attached a scan of our defensive practice plan from last Wednesday to show the level of detail that we are attempting to weave into each session, especially on our “heavy” days of Tuesday and Wednesday.
SUNDAY – Players Off
-If they come in voluntarily to the meeting rooms after treatments to review the video, then we steal some talk-through/step-through time in the classroom about any technique deficiencies from the day before. For meetings in general, we keep poly-spots on hand so that we can distribute a formation and hit movements, blitz paths, pressure tracks, run fits, etc..
MONDAY – Short Helmets Practice
-We use this day at every position to correct the ONE or TWO major deficiencies from the previous game and to loosen them up generally/check off ONE or TWO every day drills. On the defensive line we always works GET OFFS and HAND PLACEMENT whether for run or pass.
TUESDAY and WEDNESDAY – 2 Hour Full Padded Practices
-At least 20 minutes of Individual time. Each position group is responsible for checking off their most important areas as we are now crunched for time and some of this 20 minute period will get used for group work. This is in addition to the already built-in cross-over competition group work (run and pass emphasis) every day.
We don’t necessarily do the same “every day drills” as we believe in attempting to be more differentiated than that. In the following order, here is what we schedule:
1 – Physical practice that comes directly from our base technique board put together in the summer. For the defensive line, the progression of “cloth-separate-escape” is drilled. However, what worked best is something that is going to be checked off every week.
2 – Physical practice “fixes our problems”. For example, if we are consistently playing too high, then we will try and plan to do every drill inside of the chute.
3 – Schematic teaching toward their top plays. We will break down their top plays into their most crucial parts and drill only that. On the defensive line, if their number one run is Power then we will work the frontside and backside blocks of HOW THEY run power in pods.
4 – Common plays run fit/teach. Because we know that all good defenses attempt to cancel their run first, we will almost without fail do a group period of all of the common run plays (tailored to that opponent) at least once per week.
2014 YALE WEEK WEDNESDAY PRACTICE PLAN
*Between Tuesday and Wednesday as a DEFENSIVE UNIT we will make sure we check-off the fundamental maintenance of: swarm (pursuit), block destruction, tackling, ball disruption, and takeaways AT LEAST ONCE. We try to incorporate a ball disruption with every individual drill.
THURSDAY – Short Helmets Practice
-Kicking game emphasis/specific play necessity on offense and defense. We will do extra detailed work with the particulars on beating any problem or special plays as well as their top pass protections. The specific timing and details via offensive indicators for pass rush games, run stunts, pressures, etc. They are usually “run-through” at full speed on air versus barrels.
FRIDAY – Shorts and T-Shirt Walk-Through
-No skills and drills on this day other than going through schematic points through the walk-through, on the video, and in the classroom.
SATURDAY – WIN THE GAME