Conditioning: The Quick Jump

Football is all about action and reaction, and those that practice reacting quickly in a variety of directions will dominate the field. This drill will help players quickly change directions on the field. It starts by placing players in a small four square box. The drill starts by having a player stand in one area or box, and has them jump diagonally, laterally, frontwards, and backwards from one area to another. Coaches should encourage one foot jumping to increase further strength and reactions on the field.

Proper Catching Leads to Great Ball Security

Catching the football properly and effectively is fundamental to a strong offense. A great catch can be broken down into three steps: First, keep your arms extended out in front of your body with your hands out forming an imaginary triangle with your fingers and thumbs. Second, keep your eyes on the ball through the entire catch. Third, secure the ball tight and high against your ribs, forearm, and biceps. Bad habits can form easily as many receivers look away mid catch to scan the field for defenders. Taking your eye off the ball increases incomplete passes, fumbles, and turnovers. In order to increase catching and ball security effectiveness have two receivers pass to each other, when one of them catches the ball make sure that they slow the motion down pausing when they catch, follow through, and secure the football.

Line of scrimmage tactics

In various plays whether you are on offense or defense you will want to have a strategic advantage over your opponents. A great technique that will give you an advantage on the line is double team blocking. In essence you take two blockers or linemen and have them go after the same person. This technique is effective for punching a hole through the line and getting a running back through, or it also works great on a defensive blitz. The basics are simple for this technique: First, both players will need to step together, and put their hips together. They form a wall that the opponent cannot break. Concentrate on this wall so that the opponent cannot duck around or go through the double team. Also, this maneuver needs to happen quickly and efficiently.

A great Handoff Drill

Running backs should constantly practice the hand off. A simple drill for a hand off is to line up all of your running backs in two lines facing each other in what we will call line A and Line B. The player from line A leaves the line with the football running towards line B. In sync with that first player, a second player leaves line B, when they meet player A passes to player B. At the point of the hand off another player leaves line A and runs towards player B, who hands off the ball to the new player. This drill should perform in a seamless motion. Practice this drill every day to ensure that your running backs are effective on their hand offs.