2013 LB Drills and SkillsHope College Flying Dutchmen

Step - Gather

Coaching Points

•Basic movement/read step

•Pop feet and step in the direction of back action

•Step and gather, working at a 45 degree angle

•Your initial base will be the same base you end with

EDD’s #1 Shuffle

Coaching Points•Most basic and used movement•Toes pointing Forward•Push off the inside balls of the feet•Shuffle should be “knocked kneed”, create power angles, shift knees inward toward your midline•Feet should be no closer than hip width•Shoulders/Head are level with bend in the ankles, knees and hips

EDD’s #2 stutterCoaching Points

•Movement used to keep base and feet alive as you confirm keys (foot fire)•Toes pointing Forward•Push off the inside balls of the feet•Movement should be “knocked kneed”, create power angles, shift knees inward toward your midline•Feet should be no closer than hip width•Shoulders/Head level with bend in the ankles, knees and Hips

EDD’s #3 2 StepCoaching Points

•Movement used once fast flow is determined•Toes pointing Forward•Push off the inside balls of the feet•Shuffle should be “knocked kneed”, create power angles, shift knees inward toward your midline•Feet should be no closer than hip width•Shoulders/Head level with bend in the ankles, knees and Hips•After two shuffle steps, lateral run, work to keep your shoulders square, after ten yards, burst downhill

Quick HandsCoaching Points

•Begin on your knees, toes in the ground.•Hands up, relaxed, protecting the chest•Go on partners first movement•Snap off a punch (like a jab in boxing)•Aiming point is the numbers striking with butt of the hands (thumbs up elbows in)•You want full arm extension, then quick reload•Repeat, 3x•(Partner should be tall from the knees, and fall forward, stop partners momentum with punch)

Punch and Press

Coaching Points

•Begin on your knees, toes in the ground.

•Hands up, relaxed, protecting the chest

•Partner will take a 3 yard jogging approach

•Snap off a punch (like a jab in boxing)

•Aiming point is the numbers striking with butt of the hands (thumbs up elbows in)

•Want full arm extension, using hips to stop momentum

•Repeat, 3x

•(Partner should stop partners momentum with punch)

Base DrillCoaching Points

•W/ Partner Offset on the midline. Your foot splitting his crotch

•Shuffle step to opposite side (gap resp)

•Punch inside chest and shoulder and Press (same hand positioning as previous drills)

•Feet should be balanced with i/s foot splitting crotch.

•Gap foot should be at instep level

•Must have bend in ankles, knees and hips.

Base Drill W/ RipCoaching Points

•W/ Partner Offset on the midline. Your foot splitting his crotch•Shuffle step to opposite side (gap resp)•Punch inside chest and shoulder and Press (same hand positioning as previous drills)•Feet should be balanced with i/s foot splitting crotch.•Gap foot should be at instep level•Must have bend in ankles, knees and hips.•On extension, rip backside arm and stay tight, settle square ready for potential tackle.

Reduce and RipCoaching Points

•It’s a skill to use when out leveraged from gap

•W/ Partner Offset your inside foot aligned on partners outside foot.

•Shuffle step to opposite side (gap resp)

•Must have bend in ankles, knees and hips.

•Dip, reducing the surface area of the chest

•Rip up and through, settling with a stutter, ready for a tackle.

Steer the Ear

Coaching Points•W/ Partner Offset on the midline. Your foot splitting his crotch•Shuffle step to opposite side (gap resp)•Punch side of the helmet aiming for the earhole with near hand, and shoulder with backside hand•Drop inside leg back to protect feet•Steer the ear (helmet) into the ground •Shuffle through and settle ready for contact.

Drop Drill

Coaching Points

•Start on a line. Pop feet, once pass key is confirmed, drop at a 45 degree angle to between the 2 cones (cones are about 5 yards apart) about 7 -10 yards deep.

•You can shuffle or lateral run to depth

•Settle and work off the QB intentions

•Shuffle off the shoulder key, break/burst on hand off the ball.

•Catch the ball

Seek and SearchCoaching Points

•Start on a line. Pop feet, once pass key is confirmed, drop at a 45 degree angle to between the QB and the WR.

•You can shuffle or lateral run to depth

•Maintain peripheral vision on the QB and WR, with a dominate eye on the WR.

•Settle and break (in or out) off the wr. Work dominate eye on the QB intentions.

•Break flat out, or open up (zone turn) to qb breaking flat.

•Stay between the ball and the wr

Seek and Search Collision

Coaching Points

•Start on a line. Pop feet, once pass key is confirmed, drop at a 45 degree angle to between the QB and the WR.

•You can shuffle or lateral run to depth

•Maintain peripheral vision on the QB and WR, with a dominate eye on the WR.

•Settle and collison any wr in your path.

•Snap eyes back to QB just after contact, settling in our zone based on coverage

Box TackleCoaching Points

•Can work from a head up or leveraged position•Start from a good body position•Approach ball carrier closing the space between you and him•Keep feet alive slightly wider than hip with, no wider.•Allow BC to make his cut and lateral step, working to stay square on him.•Once his direction is declared, “shoot your guns”•Work eyes across the body, hitting on the rise and grabbing cloth, punch far shoulder to square up BC and run feet on contact.•Key is to be able to gauge distance keeping eyes up and maintaining a good body position at contact.

Box Tackle w/EscapeCoaching Points

•Can work from a head up or leveraged position, punch and Press working an escape move from partner.•Start from a good body position•Approach ball carrier closing the space between you and him•Keep feet alive slightly wider than hip with, no wider.•Allow BC to make his cut and lateral step, working to stay square on him.•Once his direction is declared, “shoot your guns”•Work eyes across the body, hitting on the rise and grabbing cloth, punch far shoulder to square up BC and run feet on contact.•Key is to be able to gauge distance keeping eyes up and maintaining a good body position at contact.

Mirror Cross FieldCoaching Points

•Used to teach leverage•Start on the 15 yard line (or15 yards in length)•LB start at the top of the numbers, BC on the sideline•BC will burst for 5 yards, settle, burst for 5 yards, settle, and burst 5 yards settle.•LB must work down hill closing the distance between him and the ball carrier remaining on his back hip. If he is able to close early, just shuffle and leverage until the 15 is complete and finish tight off backside.•BC can cut back as a change up.

Shuffle/Burst

Coaching Points

•Movement working a lateral run and shuffle

•Maintain leverage on ball carrier

•Work to keep shoulders square to the LOS in the lateral run

•Keep good body position while moving

Vice TackleCoaching Points

•Tackling drill to develop an understanding of leverage and help defense•Approach BC (Sprint), when you are within 2 yards, (Sink) throttle down feet and near foot shimmy (foot closest to BC).•Near foot (shimmy) is a staggering your inside foot to the bc/target, keep feet alive (foot fire).•Striking the ball carrier with near shoulder/foot. (Partner will approach the same way and engage or look to strip.•Sprint/Sink/Shimmy/Strike•Inside foot is up to open hips in case BC looks to cut outside, you can burst/spring and cutoff his angle.

Popsicle Short Stop

Coaching Points

•Punch and engage like in base drill, jab, extend, rip.

•Attack tennis ball like a short stop

•Perif ball, scoop with 2 hands while continually moving forward (1 fluid movement)

•Working on getting low to take on another block or make a tackle.

Box DrillCoaching Points

•Agility Drill to develop COD and process information at the same time (quickly)

•4 cones each are numbered

•Order the numbers in any way.

•Start in the middle and always work back to the middle.

•As players enter the box, identify numbers quickly.

•Coach calls out number of where you want the player to go.

•Variation – You can stay at a given cone and work lateral run, shuffle, and BP movements.

3 on 1 KeyCoaching Points

•Develop peripheral vision of keys and OL

•Teaching a LB to see his window

•Teach understanding of block schemes

•Can be used as a back key or a Line key

•Can use cans or just linemen depending on numbers