When looking for special team players one of the main skills you are looking for from your players is their ability to make open field tackles. One thing that I have learned over the years as a specialty teams coach is that you cannot hide players on these teams that do not have the ability to make open field tackles otherwise you are setting yourself and the player up for failure.
Usually failure on a special team results in giving up a touchdown.
When you consider that the opposing punt/kick-off returner is probably their best and fastest athlete you need to counter on your special team with your very best athletes and tacklers. Not only are they solid tacklers but they are also smart football players that know how to contain and tackle the opposing returners. One of the things that good special team players do when pursuing the returner in the open field is to take away one of his running options. They will do this by breaking down on the returners inside shoulder as they meet in open field and only giving the returner one option and that is to go outside.
A lot of times you'll hear the term in special teams to" use the sideline as your friend". In other words you take away the inside cutback of the returner by shading inside and push the returner hard to the sideline where you either run him out of bounds or force him to turn North /South as he approaches the sideline, right back towards your player where he has the advantage of making the tackle. Simply by being smart and using the sideline boundary to his advantage the player is able to effectively tackle a more agile athlete by taking away the inside cutback and forcing him to the sideline where he has to turn up field and either runs out of room or is tackled.
Cheers!
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Monday, May 9, 2011
Linebacker Keys: Footwork Drills
Effective linebacker play means that you have to be athletic, agile, and quick in order to tackle the opposition's best athletes. One of the main linebacker keys is to practice footwork drills daily as part of your football practice plan.
Linebackers not only have to be athletic aggressive tacklers they have to be able to move quickly to the football. An effective practice plan for linebackers should include agility and movement drills that emphasize quick explosion and movement out of stance as well as drills that emphasize change of direction on the fly. These types of footwork drills should be done daily for 10 -15 minutes. A linebacker that cannot move will be exposed against an athletic running back as well as a solid offensive line.
Effective linebacker footwork drills will enhance your linebacker's ability to get to the ball, avoid blocks by being quick and agile, get to the ball and be able to tackle the ball carrier. Effective linebacker footwork drills done daily will make your athletic linebacker even more agile and quick. It's a good investment of practice time!
Linebackers not only have to be athletic aggressive tacklers they have to be able to move quickly to the football. An effective practice plan for linebackers should include agility and movement drills that emphasize quick explosion and movement out of stance as well as drills that emphasize change of direction on the fly. These types of footwork drills should be done daily for 10 -15 minutes. A linebacker that cannot move will be exposed against an athletic running back as well as a solid offensive line.
Effective linebacker footwork drills will enhance your linebacker's ability to get to the ball, avoid blocks by being quick and agile, get to the ball and be able to tackle the ball carrier. Effective linebacker footwork drills done daily will make your athletic linebacker even more agile and quick. It's a good investment of practice time!
Friday, May 6, 2011
YOUTH FOOTBALL CAMP DRILL PLANS
There's a lot to consider when planning football drills for a youth football camp. As a position coach my drill plans not only have to be effective but have to consider the age of each group that rotates through as well. Consider that with all the various age groups from Mosquito football players to High School, my practice plan for each specific football groups will have adapt in order to reflect the age and maturity level of each group that rotates through my station.
There are drills that I have planned for High School players that I know are not suitable for Mosquito or Atom level players so my practice plan will have to reflect this and adjust to each level that rotates through my station. My main goal for this regardless of what drill I am running and what age group is running through is that they have good form and technique. In other words, they must do each drill with a purpose and not just for the sake of filling in time getting them to do something.
I will emphasize form and technique even in the simplest drills.
So my practice plan will involve all drills starting in their position stance followed by a lot of movement and change of direction drills all the while emphasizing good form, technique and body position. I plan on having an assistant coach run the drills while I observe each player. This will allow me to talk to players individually without stopping the drill and coach up and correct their form if necessary!
Cheers!
There are drills that I have planned for High School players that I know are not suitable for Mosquito or Atom level players so my practice plan will have to reflect this and adjust to each level that rotates through my station. My main goal for this regardless of what drill I am running and what age group is running through is that they have good form and technique. In other words, they must do each drill with a purpose and not just for the sake of filling in time getting them to do something.
I will emphasize form and technique even in the simplest drills.
So my practice plan will involve all drills starting in their position stance followed by a lot of movement and change of direction drills all the while emphasizing good form, technique and body position. I plan on having an assistant coach run the drills while I observe each player. This will allow me to talk to players individually without stopping the drill and coach up and correct their form if necessary!
Cheers!
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
FOOTBALL TIPS : DEFENSIVE BLITZ
A carefully planned defensive blitz attack by an aggressive group of football athletes can throw a wrench into the offence and make the playing field a little more even against teams that are superior in talent and strength. One of the thrills of being a football defensive co-ordinator is the excitement of blitzing your opponent, pressuring the quarterback, and forcing a well oiled offensive machine into turn-over's and mistakes.
But it can certainly be your downfall as well!
Blitzing is like rolling the dice play after play, it's a gamble that you take, it can be a lot of fun when you get on a roll, sack the quarterback and create a turn-over. But, from time to time, like any gamble, you're going to roll "snake eyes" and pay the price It won't take too long for a well coached team to take advantage of your blitz attack, expose its vulnerabilities, and move the football. The better teams know that by being patient when under attack and figuring out where and what players are blitzing that they can expose these players and take advantage of the space they vacate in order to blitz. How many times have you watched NFL teams blitz and sack the quarterback in the first quarter and then get ripped apart in the second quarter?
There are some keys to consider!
Be patient in your blitz. Don't fire the guns play after play and become predictable. Be aggressive, and then back off. Blitz different personnel. Show blitz, get them to audible to another play, then drop into coverage. Keep the offence guessing. As the game moves along, perhaps you'll expose some weakness or flaw in their schemes. Take advantage of it but be patient with it as well. If you find they are having a hard time with it turn up the heat slowly and be cautious of not being placed in a position where you can be exposed and give up a big play.
There will be times that team's will not be able to stop your blitz pressure. But at the same time the better teams will be able to expose this pressure so it's best to be patient with your blitz and be smart with it as well!
Cheers!
But it can certainly be your downfall as well!
Blitzing is like rolling the dice play after play, it's a gamble that you take, it can be a lot of fun when you get on a roll, sack the quarterback and create a turn-over. But, from time to time, like any gamble, you're going to roll "snake eyes" and pay the price It won't take too long for a well coached team to take advantage of your blitz attack, expose its vulnerabilities, and move the football. The better teams know that by being patient when under attack and figuring out where and what players are blitzing that they can expose these players and take advantage of the space they vacate in order to blitz. How many times have you watched NFL teams blitz and sack the quarterback in the first quarter and then get ripped apart in the second quarter?
There are some keys to consider!
Be patient in your blitz. Don't fire the guns play after play and become predictable. Be aggressive, and then back off. Blitz different personnel. Show blitz, get them to audible to another play, then drop into coverage. Keep the offence guessing. As the game moves along, perhaps you'll expose some weakness or flaw in their schemes. Take advantage of it but be patient with it as well. If you find they are having a hard time with it turn up the heat slowly and be cautious of not being placed in a position where you can be exposed and give up a big play.
There will be times that team's will not be able to stop your blitz pressure. But at the same time the better teams will be able to expose this pressure so it's best to be patient with your blitz and be smart with it as well!
Cheers!
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