Effective Football Drills: AFM Coaching Articles
Effective drills are the cornerstone of player development, skill refinement, and efficient football practices. Translating fundamentals into game-day execution starts with focused, purposeful repetition. Finding the right drills is essential for coaches aiming to maximize player potential and build a winning program.
This page brings together American Football Monthly's extensive library of Football Drills articles. We've compiled insights, techniques, and innovative drill ideas from experienced coaches across all levels of the game, designed to help you optimize your practice sessions.
Discover a wide range of drills covering crucial aspects of the game, including:
The game is evolving faster than ever. The RPO game that won championships two years ago is old news. The cover-3 beaters that worked last season are now being dissected and neutralized by defensive coordinators across the state. Every coach is watching the same fi lm, running similar base drills, and fi ghting for the same athletes.
DRILLS FOR QUICKNESS - TRENCH TACTICS
How smart, fast and nimble your big guys in the trenches are, the better o you’ll be all season. A good o ensive line keeps coaches employed. Why? Your chances of securing that W vastly improves with a well oiled machine that consistently delivers every week.
Advanced Linebacker Drills
Simulating Game Action with Three Linebacker Drills
Drills Report: Running and Tackling Drills - A Twist for TNT Drills
Three Special Team Space Player Drills –
Drills Report: Tennis Ball Drills for Quickness, Acceleration and Vision
Drills Report: Old School Mat Drills and Team Culture
Drills Report: Defensive Fundamental Drills vs Today’s Offenses By Jeff McDonald Defensive Coordinator, Illinois Wesleyan University
The Drills Report: Fundamental Defensive End Training
T he defensive line is home to some of the knees and hips should be as close to 90-de- largest, most athletic players in sports, gree angles as possible. This ensures that the particularly at the defensive end position. lineman isn’t overextended, which will result in Focusing on the fundamentals of a defensive lose of power when firing out. Once his stance lineman is crucial to properly develop a force is optimized, we then shift our focus to the to neutralize
Locking Down a Slot Wide Receiver
Learning some techniques and progressions on covering a slot receiver will give you a foundation to improve your one-on-one match up in the slot. There are a variety of drills specifically for man-to-man technique that you can practice. Offensive coordinators are placing a premium on using spread systems. Therefore, the DB’s have to possess the skills to cover all types of players all over the field. Covering in the slot is a different facet of their craft and needs to be emphasi
Off-Season Drill Work for Offensive Linemen
The off-season, specifically the cycles around spring football, January through March and May through August, are absolutely vital to the growth and development of an offensive lineman. It is when they make the most significant gains in upper and lower body strength, speed, conditioning and explosiveness as well as continuing to develop and improve position specific technique. We preach the concept of doing it harder and better than it’s ever been done before. It is a constant strain to imp
Leadership Strategies: How to Develop a Steady Stream of ‘Championship Level QBs in Your Program, Part I
There is not much argument in any level of football that to win consistently and compete for championships you need strong quarterback play. So what defines ‘strong quarterback play’ and how do you develop that consistently within an organization? This series of articles will lay out a clear path that can easily be followed in any program given the proper attention. Let’s first discuss what goes into the makings of a great quarterback. From there, you’ll be in a better posi
Drills Report: Special Teams Organization for Competition Drills and Circuits
One of the greatest challenges for coaching special teams at all levels is how to get maximum quality reps in the most efficient manner possible during practice. Teaching multiple skills and techniques to 60+ players takes the combined effort of the entire coaching staff. I rely on all our coaches to help teach our players different aspects of the kicking game. It also takes a great deal of planning and organization so that your time on the field is efficient.One organizational con
Strength Report: Football Specific Conditioning, Part I
Football is an explosive sport requiring power and speed in linear and non-linear sport specific movements. With the average time per play lasting 6 seconds and a 40 second play clock, football is an interval based sport switching from high intensity bursts of about 6 seconds and low intensity active-recovery periods of about 40 seconds. Due to the high intensity nature of each play, one goal of the off-season conditioning program is to train the capacity and efficiency of the short duration,
Speed Report: The Pros and Cons of Speed Training Modes and Their Effectiveness
Speed performance for football is filled with movement requirements of varying magnitudes. Let’s discuss the uniqueness of football speed and movement as it relates to training applications and playing faster as a team. Every program should categorize which speed training procedures are the best suited for producing movements that are fast and controlled. Sometimes we look at the drills and movements and see only relative to the position requirements.What I stress woul
Creating Turnovers Through Ball Disruption
As a head coach for 11 years, I have also worn the title of the offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator, and even though I am an offensive coordinator by heart, I realize more and more in this profession how important your defense is to your program’s success. As a defensive coordinator, one of the things I like to do after every season is review each game film and try to see what made us successful and what hurt us each game. Defensively, the main things I like to focus on while wa
Missouri Protection - Teaching Pass Blocking Fundamentals to Running Backs
Using the right technique, four protection drills will help your running backs protect the quarterback.When we teach protection, there are a variety of drills that I use. I start with the base of the body, which are the feet, and I work my way up to the hands and the upper body. I start with the feet because that is where everything begins. A phrase I use a lot when coaching is get the right “Body Position.” I talk to running backs about blocking the defender with their feet.
Post- Season Priorities - Wrapping up one season and transitioning to the next are critical times for successful programs
When your season ends, do you kick back, relax and get away from the game for a couple months? Of course not. Whether it’s formulating and implementing an off-season strength and conditioning program, ushering in a new group of players and preparing them for the following season or putting together motivational exercises, every successful coach knows that winter presents an opportunity for physical and mental team building.To find out how the best coaches approach the post season
Priorities For a Championship Off-Season
Great programs realize that getting better every single day is a key to winning championships. This is as true in the off-season as it is during the season. Thus, establishing off-season priorities often helps programs move forward consistently. Here are some suggestions for establishing off-season priorities that will help any and every team move forward this off-season.Use Data WiselyLook at your season stats. Where do you want to improve? Create a specific plan for addressi
Linebacker Movement Drill Progressions
When developing drill progressions for your position group, it is important to break down the points of emphasis that you want to develop on a daily basis. Since individual period time is so valuable at all positions, it is crucial to stay organized to maximize the efficiency of the drill work you accomplish with your position group. By breaking down a position through film study we are able to create drill progressions that fit our scheme, personnel, and practice scripts to accomplish proper
Every Program Needs a Speed System Like the One at Southeastern Louisiana
For the past 20 years it has become understood that football speed training is beneficial. However, what’s often missing in speed programs is the lack of a technically sound system. According to the definition of the word ‘system’ it’s “a group of related parts that move or work together.” This is the very essence of what makes a speed program viable. Many organizations throughout the country address the issue of speed training but may not be aware they could be missing the most i
A Quick, Simple, High Rep Progression for Defeating Blocks
Repetitions with four different ways to defeat blocks – the rip, punch, slip and cut techniques – will help improve your overall defense.One of the many great things about being at Butler University is being centrally located and having so many terrific football programs very close to use as professional development resources. Let’s be clear, no one is inventing a new defense. However, there are many different schemes, philosophies, fits, terminology, etc. This is where I think a
Why Coach? Being Compassionate, Optimistic, Attentive, Confident and Humanistic are Some of the Qualities a Coach Should Possess
When I was invited to submit an article to AFM, I figured I would simply put some drills together, share some concepts, propose a few diagrams and maybe even talk about the transition of players from high school football to college competition. After all, that’s what we, as coaches, would need for personal or professional development, right? I shared my ideas with colleagues in the office and even surveyed some young coaches who were helping with our sum
Leadership Strategies: Prima Donna Athletes – Transformational Leadership vs. Servant Leadership
Narcissus, a beautiful youth, glanced into a pool of water. Rejecting the nymph Echo, he fell in love with his own reflection. – Greek mythologyTying Greek mythology to football isn’t really a stretch, given the fact high school coaches are continually faced with one or more players who believe the team is there to serve them and not vice versa. Many coaches label these players as ‘cancers’. Unless, of course, they are clocked in the 40-yard dash under 4.5 or are of behemoth si
Drills Report: Route Running – Improving Your Technique and Speed
There are a number of priorities a receiver should focus on when running proper routes. They include:• Being precise.• Reaching for the toes.• Have the head and eyes up.• Stem – win the leverage battle.• Speed in, burst out of the cut.• Hit your depth.• Arm action.• Footwork – pressure step/foot fire. Included are three different drills – the Clock Drill, Diamond
Quarterback Pulley Drills with Surgical Tubing
By Bill Mountjoy, Retired Coach After stretching exercises, have your quarterbacks execute the pulley drills. There are high pulls, medium pulls, and low pulls. There should be 15 repetitions at each level and the number of reps should be increased by five pulls each week. Here is the complete execution of the drill: · Place the throwing hand in a loop with the hand open and the palm turned in, simulating a grip on the football. · Drape the other end of tubin
AFM Subscribers Ask with Shawn Liotta Offensive Coordinator, Clairton High School (PA)
Shawn Liotta is the offensive coordinator at Clairton High School (PA), a team which averaged 59.9 points per game last season. Clairton also averaged 12.8 yards per play and 510 yards in total offense per game, even though the PIAA Mercy Rule was in effect in the second half of 12 of the 16 games his team played. His offense is aptly named the ‘No-Huddle, No Mercy’ offense.Along the way, Clairton’s quarterback, running back and wide receiver each set school records last fall
Warhawk Special Team Play – Technique and Drills
Special teams are a major determining factor in the outcome of football games at any level. It is fundamental that you stress not only the importance of special teams to your program but also continually drill them and show them the results that you want. This is our philosophy for special teams play:• We use the KISS principle – Keep It Simple Stupid – which allows you to focus on fundamentals.• Give the illusion that you do a lot of different formations, moti
Having a Dominant Defense at the Point of Attack – URI uses a four word progression every snap to maximize the play of their defensive line.
URI uses a four word progression every snap to maximize the play of their defensive line.Coaching a defensive line to be dominant is based on consistency in coaching. The players standard of performance begins and ends with their coach. We believe if players don’t understand their assignments, we need to change the way they are taught. Consequently, if drills aren’t showing up on tape, the drill needs to be adjusted. There is no such thing as “dumb players”, ju
Pre-Season Conditioning and Speed Training – The Good, The Bad, The Indifferent – Part II
We’ve clearly established that you need to consider using the proper energy system that delivers the greatest return for your training investment. I will not argue the choice you make as stated in part one of this article that you should or shouldn’t condition. That’s your choice. However, if you do condition at all, you need to come up to speed by selecting the right system available for your time spent.Anaerobic conditioning is the ability to perform at a rate faster than c
Tackling Drills Without Pads
What can help develop a player to be a better tackler? One thing a player can do to be a better tackler is to know their surroundings. In knowing their surroundings, I’m talking about the scheme, and not only their fits, but the fits of players on either side of them. One of the biggest things we forget as coaches is to teach our players where their help is. Knowing where their help is allows them to play faster and attack in proper angles. Not knowing where your help is creates a slower, t
Developing Physical Linebacker Play
From my standpoint, the greatest compliment our defensive staff can receive is at the end of the game having the opposing coach say how hard and physical our guys played. Playing hard is something that every coach demands from their team. Playing a physical style necessarily is not. If we do not practice being physical, how can I expect my guys to come out on Saturday and play physical? We try and recruit naturally physical kids, but we all know sometimes it does not work out that way. Over t
Explosive Drills for Running Backs
Here are three running back drills that will help players’ overall agility and increase their explosiveness. Each one should be practiced daily throughout the season.1. Jump Cut/Spin DrillI love a running back that has the ability to flow into
Coaching HD – Technology to Prepare Your Team in Camp and During the Season
As another season is ready to commence, now is the time to solidify plans and details, and be sure that you are able to work through the grind of the season in the smartest way possible. Utilizing technology to help you and your staff be efficient will pay dividends in both preparation for each week as well as alleviating some of the stress that comes with the long work day that the season brings.In 2010, huge advancements improved the way we are able to work as coaches. The film r
Coaching the Blitzing Linebacker – Learning the proper progressions, techniques, and then drills for a blitzing linebacker will improve his performance on game day.
Attacking with linebackers and slanting the defensive linemen creates an opportunity to be unique and aggressive. Blitzing linebackers creates opportunities to change the defense into an over or under defense after the snap. When this is done with the 3-3-5 stack alignment, there is flexibility to match offensive numbers or be balanced at all times. What makes a linebacker effective in a swarm and strike defense?Recruiting linebackers to fit your defense takes great atte
We Are The Champions
Earning the state champion title means different things to different coaches.After the Gatorade is dumped, after the trophies are raised, after the last party is over, the coaches of the 300-plus high school state champions have time to reflect on their seasons and what winning the state title meant to them, their players, their schools and their communities.To some, becoming a state champion is the culmination of their coaching career. For others, it’s the continuation of
Turning Up Motivation in the Dog Days of August
If your team is like most teams, you will start August with excitement, enthusiasm, and a drive to get better every single day. Inevitably, your players will tire of doing boring drills against their own teammates, effort will slacken, and practices will get stale. Coaches who can prevent the downturns or nip them in the bud have a great advantage over opponents who stay stuck for longer periods of time. Here are three recommendations for turning up the motivation and effort in the dog days o
Speed Report: The Challenges of Teaching Football Speed
The first step toward teaching football speed is dealing with velocity and angles that change rapidly. Secondly, you must provide a progressive training system that is relative to speed and movement physically, mentally, and technically. The nature of the game provides various challenges to movement speed, angle changes, frequency changes, and rapid acceleration. Your teaching must fit these practicums because, unlike track sprinting, the technical application for football speed is not all li
Interview with Dr. Jared Wood and Jeff Heath, Dallas Cowboys Safety and Special Teams Starter
This past off-season I had the opportunity to interview Jeff Heath, a safety and special teams starter for the Dallas Cowboys. I love getting to interview guys like Jeff because they weren't superstars coming out of high school or college, and yet they are
AFM Subscribers Ask with Mike Golden Director of Sports Performance, University of Massachusetts (Part II)
Mike Golden is the Director of Sport Performance at the University of Massachusetts. Golden has 18 years of collegiate strength and conditioning experience. Prior to UMass, he coached for two seasons at the University of South Florida. He also coached at East Carolina, helping build the Pirates into one of the top programs in Conference USA, winning back-to- back conference championships with Head Coach Skip Holtz. While at ECU, he also trained first round draft pick Chris Johnson who r
A Complete Summer Conditioning Program
Each program has different goals when it comes to strength and conditioning training during the winter months and then in the summer:Winter • Conditioning is not a focal point.• Time to develop size and strength. • Fine tune mechanics and speed and agility (linear and deceleration).Summer• Learn to carry the new weight.• Develop max strength and peak power.• Prepare the athlete to deal with the extremes of
Why We Do What We Do - A Look Inside Clemson's Strength and Conditioning Program.
The foundation of any successful collegiate football program is an understanding and commitment by all who work with the student-athletes to shape them into the vision the head coach has for the team. Head Coach Dabo Swinney has a vision of greatness for our program, which in the past four years, has driven us to two ACC Atlantic Division Championships, one conference championship, a 4-year span of 10+-win seasons, three straight bowl wins over ranked opponents, three straight Top 15 finishes
Are You Short on Big Linemen? If so, you should consider playing a stand-up Will End
Are you like most programs that have a shortage of big players with most of those needed on the offensive and defensive line? Then playing a standup Will End may be something that can help your defense. We have used the standup Will End for over 30 years and the results have been well worth it. Physical Attributes - We used to look at our back-up RB or DBs, but then we realized that there is no definition of who can play this position. It has become a position of its
Go High, Go Low - Attacking Coverages with High-Low Route Concepts
Offensive team “tempo” has pushed its way into the vocabularies of coaches at all levels of football. The emphasis on playing fast, wearing down the defense and running a high volume of plays has become a key aspect in today’s spread offenses. One primary characteristic of high tempo offenses is their reliance on a core set of simple, yet effective, pass game concepts. The “high – low” concept is a staple of many spread offenses. Our version of the “high-low” featur
Drills Report: The Run-Up, Escape Drill
The ‘Run-Up, Escape Drill’ teaches our quarterbacks three important fundamentals – ball security, vision downfield, and launching while trying to escape or avoid pressure. The drills we practice are the drills that we witness our players performing as we watch game tape. The Run-Up, Escape Drill is one drill which we see over and over as we watch game film and then rep daily in practice.We can incorporate under center drops (5 or 7-step) or shotgun drops (3 or 5-step) into th
AEMA Report – The Second Football Season
By Austin Perryman, Student Equipment ManagerUniversity of Tennessee-ChattanoogaSpring football is altogether one of the most memorable seasonal sports to be involved in as both a high school player and a FCS student manager. I’ve been lucky enough to have been involved as both.Just before my last spring at Lincoln County High School in Fayetteville, TN I hurt my back doing hang-cleans. It wasn’t much at first, but as the spring went along, my back sta
Technology Steps Up – Aided by recent rules changes, tech companies now give coaches valuable new tools to analyze games in real time.
Aided by recent rule changes, tech companies now give coaches valuable new tools to analyze games in real time.For many years, technology has been an integral part of coaching. From the advent of game film to the development of sideline communications to the introduction of today’s sophisticated online video services, those in the technology arena have strived to keep up with the needs of coaches and utilize the latest in high tech innovations.Now, by virtue of an importan
Maximizing Your Defensive Circuit Drills – Turnover, tackling, and block destruction drills can improve your defensive play.
Every year we try to create themes for our team that we can use throughout the year to refocus our players no matter how our team is performing. We are also always looking for ways to maximize reps and be more efficient in practice time. One of the ways we do this is our SU Defensive Circuit (See Diagram).
Maximizing Your Offensive Circuit Drills – Overall blocking can be improved with a progression of drills.
Overall blocking can be improved with a progressions of drills.During the football season time to prepare and practice is very precious. We tend to spend all of our time on “scheming” the opponent and very little on fundamentals. Because of the importance of fundamentals, we have decided to build them into our practice schedule. We call them the “Fundamental 5” or “Fun 5” for short. The first one is blocking by the entire offensive unit.Blocking is the one skill
Coach to Coach: Turning Up the Heat – Eight Suggestions for Creating Your Best Summer Ever
While often a challenge, the elements of summer (extreme heat, players not being in school, having too much free time, not having transportation to activities) provide a great opportunity to create a mentally and physically stronger team. Mental toughness is only built when conditions are difficult, and extreme weather, such as summer heat, creates a great opportunity to build mental toughness. Here are some tips for creating strong minds, bodies, and team chemistry this summer.Set Mo
Drills Report: The Wall Punt Return
The Wall Punt Return is easy to install and can vastly improve your team’s return yardage. We make a commitment to our special teams. Five days a week we hold a special teams period in which all of our coaches are expected to coach one aspect of that specialty. Each special team unit is then broken down by position where each coach can work on developing player fundamentals and techniques needed to be successful on that particular special team.General Rules of the Wall Punt Return:
AFM Subscribers Ask with Mike Golden
Mike Golden is the Director of Sports Performance at the University of Massachusetts. He has 18 years of collegiate strength and conditioning experience. Prior to UMass, Golden coached for two seasons at the University of South Florida. He also coached at East Carolina, helping build the Pirates into one of the top programs in Conference USA, winning back to back conference championships under Head Coach Skip Holtz. While at ECU, he also trained first round draft pick Chris Johnson, who recor
Winning the Key Ground with Kickoff Coverage - Each man in kickoff coverage has an assignment ...
Each man in kickoff coverage has an assignment along with a kicker who must be skilled in directional kicking.This is a game of field position and we talk a lot about “Winning the Key Ground.” Below is our philosophy and goals for our kickoff cover unit.Philosophy 1. Cover two-thirds of the field with directional kicks.2. Inside and in front coverage – not lane.3. &nb
Drills for Receivers When You Don’t Have a Lot of Time – Repping fundamental drills with an emphasis on focusing on the proper technique and catching the football will improve the overall play of your wide receivers.
Repping fundamental drills with an emphasis on focusing on the proper technique and catching the football will improve the overall play of your receivers.In spread offenses, the receiver’s play is critical. However, in other style offenses, the receiver gets little attention. These drills are what I use once a week to drill the catching process. It includes hand strengthening exercises incorporated with drills where the receiver will get 46 catches in 20 minutes without using a lot o
Drills Report: Quarterback Drills You Can Use At Any Level
In this Drills Report there will be three different drills for quarterbacks – One Foot Throw, The Levels Drill, and the Quarterback Scramble Drill. Each one is designed to improve a different area of the quarterback’s technique.One Foot Throws Drill (Diagram 1)Object
Speed Report: Visual Cues Deliver Exceptional Speed
Football players must rely heavily on having good field vision in order to play fast and move effectively. It’s a huge benefit having good visual skills which enhances “transition speed”. More specifically, angle and velocity changes executed with maximum velocity. Many athletes are naturally gifted with good visual skills. Unfortunately, many athletes also struggle with this skill. The good news is that you can develop this ability by using designed drills correctly and specific cues a
A Nine-Week Off Season Super-Cycle Strength and Conditioning Program
This article was published in the January edition of American Football Monthly with factual errors. The revised version is posted below. AFM regrets the errors.True developmental training at the collegiate level can be defined as two mandatory, nine-week training phases per year. The remaining time each year could be considered in-season, discretionary or possibly maintenance. The other possibility in the yearly scheme that
From the Coach’s Bookshelf – The New QB Gurus
Most coaches would agree that quarterback is the most critical position in the sport. This past decade has seen the boom of the specialized private quarterback-coach business, transforming the position and the game. Former Super Bowl winning quarterback Trent Dilfer is one of this new breed, running the prestigious Elite 11 camp and starting his own training method. In this excerpt from The QB – The Making of Modern Quarterbacks, veteran sports writer and bestselling author Bruce Feldman gi
Training the Offensive Lineman
Your offensive line is the life-blood of your football team. A strong, quick OL can change the complexion of any football game. Many of our players that went on to NFL careers took a strong interest in the weight room and the benefits it brought them. In this age of fast-paced offensive football, there still comes a time where your OL is going to be asked to put the game away. To accomplish our goal of developing offensive linemen to handle the pressure of a fourth quarter wi
DC Leadership Lessons - Detail is critical in making sure a staff knows the expectations of a defensive coordinator.
As a defensive coordinator, you are the head coach of the defense. That’s the way I approach it every day. Before fall camp and spring ball, I discuss my expectations for each coach and their position group. As the leader of those coaches, I want to make sure we are on the same page. My Expectations -A. No egos. We should all be trying to achieve the same thing.We should all be in this for the kids. If you are in it for any other reason such as money, not
Zoned In - Inside zone drills for covered and uncovered linemen
To get the most out of our O-linemen we use an effective drill called the Board Drill, which is part of our every day drills. We buy into it and start each day on the boards to develop great departure angles, contact, and follow through.The inside zone is the area blocking scheme where the covered lineman blocks on and the uncovered lineman blocks the playside gap often resulting in combinations. The O-linemen must read the near foot of the first DL. Movement is the key. The
Drills Report: Four Running Back Drills for Good Footwork and Instinctive Moves
Running backs need to have great footwork. They also need to be able to make moves as second nature. These are not the only things that we practice. But it is very important to make sure that the running backs get plenty of work on these. With our spread offense, the running backs need to be instinctive. Being able to make moves without thinking is critically important. We work on drills that will help us during game situations. There are four drills that we work on every day
Strength Report: Indiana’s Off-Season Training Philosophy
College football seasons are becoming longer and more physical than ever before. With many college football teams seasons lasting from 14 to 20 weeks, it is critical to use the off-season training weeks as a time to rebuild and retrain in a proper way. In order to start the year off with a proper foundation for the upcoming year, off season training programs can last anywhere from 6 to 8 weeks consecutively, depending on a number of factors - spring practice start dates
MY FOOTBALL JOURNEY: 2014
By Wojciech “Coach Voyt” Andrzejczak This past year has been a blessing in terms of my growth as a coach. For the first time in 10 years, I’ve gave up my New Year’s party to watch Bowl Games. So instead of partying with friends I was enjoying Johnny Manziel’s magic in Atlanta on last New Year’s Eve. In February, I coached at a football camp in Prague in the Czech Republic. Summer gave me the opportunity to teach flag football at Camp Saginaw in the town of Oxford,
Simulating Game Action with 3 Linebacker Drills
We run a 3-4 based scheme, so we need to have quite a few different linebacker drills ready when fall camp starts. To make sure we can cover all of the skills that our players need for the season, I start with a chart. This chart changes slightly from year to year as I adjust what skills and techniques I feel our players need to have. I also add new drills that I see or take out drills I want to get rid of. Ultimately, I don’t want to have so many drills that I don’t hav
Special Teams Winning Edge (Part II)
In the December issue, we discussed the head coach setting the tone for special teams play, the importance of other assistant coaches being involved in areas of special teams, setting goals, and strategy for the punt unit, kickoff unit, kickoff return unit and punt return unit. In this article, we’ll discuss practice efficiency and key points to consider when game planning for your next opponent. Spring Practice Plans Each spring, we evaluate our performance from th
Defensive Backs: Techniques, Fundamentals, Tips and Drills (Part II)
In the December issue of AFM, we discussed tips for defensive backs, basic techniques, backpedaling techniques, and how to change direction. In this issue, we will discuss knowing the interception point, stripping the receiver, playing the ball, playing the blocker on a run play, secondary run support and contain, coverage support and pursuit angles.INTERCEPTION POINT After your defensive backs recognize each pattern, they must learn where the ball will usual
Maximize Practice Time with Special Team Drills
We pride ourselves on having a special team’s identity. It’s consists of pressure, field position, and points. These identities help create tempo and energy throughout practice and games. Our philosophy consists of: Pressure:• We make every effort in every way to apply pressure to our opponent. Field Position:• We either want to flip or win field position whenever possible. Points:• With every special teams unit, we e
Running Ahead of Speed – Technical Foundation, the Heart of the Matter (Part III)
What’s important for enhancing team speed for football? Too often, coaches don’t understand what skills help effectively produce football acceleration, change velocities and deliver burst capability. The essential skills are just that – essential. To produce these skills, you must realize that the bottom line is dependent on a sound foundational movement premise. Foundation simply refers to one fact that overrides all other factors; that is, technical application. Technique must always
Defensive Backs Techniques, Fundamentals, Tips and Drills (Part I)
The defensive back position today is perhaps the most physically demanding of any player. He must be able to tackle much bigger running backs and run with wide receivers that have world class speed and the height of a basketball player. Athleticism, hard work, determination and intelligence must be added to God-given talent and instinct in order to play effectively in the secondary. Here are some tips for defensive backs at all levels that you can share with your athletes.Tips For DBs
Drills Report: Running and Tackling Drills - A Twist for TNT Drills
Similar to other teams, we spend time each week working on tackling and turnover (TNT) drills. In the past, we typically felt satisfied at the conclusion of each TNT drill as our defense seemed to grasp the fundamentals of tackling and forcing turnovers. However, when we reached game day and even team practice scenarios, our drills did not seem to translate to the field. Often, we missed tackles (especially in open-field situations) and our players suddenly lacked focus when it came to
Safety First: Be Safe In Your Weight Room (Part I)
Safety is a critical element at every high school and college weight room. AFM spoke with three strength and conditioning coaches about weight room safety procedures including Jim Kielbaso, the Director of Total Performance Training Centers (MI), Jim McGuire, the Assistant Director of Strength and Conditioning at Merrimack College, and Dan Leary, assistant coach and strength and conditioning coach at Seaside High School (OR).How do you instruct your athletes on safe lifting procedures
Strength Report: Teaching the Clean: From A to Z (Part I)
We are constantly teaching our athletes how to move better and more efficiently. Our whole program is based on the concept of clean movement patterns, which is stability and mobility through the hips, trunk, and thoracic spine. From there, the ability to control your own body in space, then finally strengthening movement patterns that will benefit movements and learning how to generate, apply, and receive force in any way needed to perform better are our goals.Most of us that playe
Erasing A Decade of Disappointment: The Transformation of the Mustangs
A lot of coaches like talking Xs and Os, which is the easy part of coaching. The scheming and game planning is the chess match we all signed up for and love to do. However, as head coaches, we take on a little more than just the scheme these days. When you get your shot to be a head coach, for most of us, we don’t inherit a program that wins and is used to winning. Rather, it is usually a challenging program, one that has not won or doesn’t do so consistently. This p
Updating the Pistol-Flex Offense - Five new enhancements make this offense even more effective.
In our continuing effort to enhance the Pistol-Flex offense, this season we’re adding new plays, variations, drills and pass protection schemes that will, we think, make this offense even harder to stop.One of the improvements in the Pistol-Flex offense is the use of different variations of the base Triple Option play depending on what the defense is showing prior to the snap. An example of this is our “LB” call variation of our Triple play (Diagram 1). The LB tag is called when
Drills Report: Punt Safe: Defend and Return
In certain situations, whether due to field position or when leading in the latter stages of a game, teams will leave their defense on the field to protect against punt fakes and employ a ‘Punt Safe’ scheme. We employ a scheme that first guards against the fake but at the same time will look to block the punt, and if the ball is punted, use a set wall return (Diagram 1).
Speed Report: Running Ahead of Speed - Making it Doable and Challenging During the Season
Making it Doable and Challenging During the SeasonThis is part I of a four-part series entitled, “Running Ahead of Speed.” The objective is to help you build a truly consistent results-oriented football speed and movement program. Like any endeavor that’s year -to-year, it must rely on certain required elements in order to truly maximize training success.We’re all busy, and this can often determine what is done and how it’s done. Just running isn’t speed work. Ru
Letter From AFM: We're Listening
Every good business listens to their customers. Success demands that companies have a good handle on the opinions, the needs and the desires of the clientele they serve. The media business is no exception. “Know your Audience” is rule number one for anyone in publishing.At AFM, we’ve been listening very closely to our readers for 20 years. Whether it’s hearing from the hundreds of coaches who have contributed articles over the years, getting face-to-face with coaches at con
Drills to Develop A Game-Ready Quarterback – Drills that simulate game conditions can help get your QB ready for any situation he'll face on the field.
The quarterback position has long been described as another coach on the field. The qualities of a good quarterback must be fine-tuned from his playing ability to his leadership ability. These qualities must be identified, explained, practiced and developed to their fullest to create a successful and winning quarterback.There must be drills developed and executed that cover every situation that will arise for a quarterback in a football game. But before we ever get to the game, pra
A Complete In-Season Training Program
Our mission as a strength and conditioning department is to develop strong minds within strong bodies and prepare each athlete for the rigors and demands of college athletics. We have three goals we use to summarize the mission:1. Reduce the occurrence of injury2. Improve athletic performance3. Optimize team successWith our football program, I view the in-season as our most important training stage of the entire year. This is the time when the
The Art of the Interception – Proper positioning and anticipation are two prerequisites for making an interception.
Just about every coach at every level will tell you that turnovers are critical. Interceptions, especially, alter the momentum and often change the outcome of a game. What can be done to help your defense cause an interception? What type of preparation is needed so that your defense is ready to anticipate a potential interception?AFM spoke to five defensive coaches whose teams were among the leaders in interceptions last fall. They included four defensive coordinators: Josh Homolka
Managing Your Program: Building a Team – Objectives for Camp
Unity/Chemistry - Establishing chemistry is a big goal for every team in camp. Hopefully, the ground work was established in the off season. No matter how the off season went, camp and the new season have a new dynamic in how the team will interact and work together. It is a time for leadership of the team to really take root. This is an area that can be coached, managed and developed. A good head coach and his staff will see some of the issues that must be worked on during camp so
Drills Report: Kickoff Return – The Alley Drill
Anyone who has coached special teams at any level will usually list three problem areas that can sometimes make it difficult to excel in the kicking game. One is personnel. It is a constant challenge to balance utilizing your roster to the max yet also getting the best players on your team involved in the kicking game. Another is how much time is allotted to special teams practice. If you are in high school or college, your practice time is often limited. Unless you have a head coach who real
Speed Assistance and Resistance - Good or Bad for Football?
Since speed and movement and movement control are the most sought-after athletic qualities, coaches and trainers are always looking for ways to help athletes improve in these areas. Let’s look at the topic of loading and assisting and try to sort out the good from the not so good. Coaches constantly ask me about load speed work and assisted speed work. For football, it’s a controversial subject. First, coaches place too much value on it and, in most cases, use it improperly. Of
Carmel High School’s Game Week Preparation Model
By John Hebert, Assistant Coach, Carmel High School (IN) The Carmel defensive system currently in place has many influences. Through external benchmarking visits, (2005-Colerain High School in Cincinnati; 2008- Air Force Academy; 2010- Naval Academy; and 2012 Grand Valley State) we have become committed to a one ga
A Question of CHARACTER
The NFL High School Player Development Program presented by the National Guard helps thousands of high school athletes develop strong character.From an athletic standpoint, the hundreds of camps of the NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard help thousands of high school student-athletes refine their football skills using drills developed by a collegiate coaching staff. From a competitive standpoint, HSPD organizes the nation’s largest 7-on-7 tourna
Pressure Defenses, Part II: Having the proper angle for each player is crucial in pursuing a ball carrier in space.
Last month’s issue included our defensive alignment and strategy as well as our different fronts and coverages. This month, we feature three different defensive pursuit drills.A crucial period of practice for us is our pursuit drill time. The focus is on getting aligned, proper communication, correct angles, and great effort. This drill sets the tempo for the rest of practice. Going hard every time and sprinting to the football is a point of pride for all of our players.
Complete Package: Becoming a complete wide receiver includes becoming a better downfield blocker.
Blocking is critical to becoming a complete wide receiver. Blocking as a receiver is about effort, position, and leverage. A complete receiver always puts as much effort into blocking as he does into catching passes. It is great if you have what it takes to run clean routes to get open and catch the football, but what if the play that’s being called is a running play? Will you do your part to ensure the play is a success and that a teammate has a great opportunity to score? Or, will you jus
Big D: Defensive Line Philosophy and Daily Drills for an Aggressive Front
One key to a strong defense is that each position group develops the fundamental skills required to consistently execute their individual assignments. Here is our defensive line philosophy and an outline of the daily drills we utilize to help our players compete at a high level. Defensive Line PhilosophyWe pride ourselves on being a fast, aggressive front that plays with exceptional fundamentals and discipline. We prepare, practice, and compete with tremendous energy and
Drills Report: The Down Block
If you are a tackle or tight end and you can down block, then you will play. We have reminded our players of this for the last twenty years. The down block is the most important block in our offense.There are four phases to the proper execution of the down block. The first phase is footwork. To be a good down blocker you have to bring your feet to the block. The first drill that we do every day is “One-Step Bird Dog.”FOOTWORKStart all offensive linemen in a stan
Coaching American Football Overseas
By John Trana, American Football Coach in Russia and Croatia American football’s popularity is growing quickly all around the world. It is opening up new avenues for players and coaches to continue their football careers. There are over 700 teams in Europe alone playing American football. The quality of football can vary drastically with the top teams playing at a low college level. As the NFL continues to expand overseas, so will the popularity of American foo
Your Take: Expanding Your Coaching Network
We all have a stack of business cards, or an inbox full of messages from other coaches throughout our network. When was the last time you reached out to one of those coaches to discuss a concept or to share a scheme? Have you applied or inquired about a job at a school where you did not know anyone on the current staff? Is there a chance that one of those contacts in your file has a connection to use?The concept of increasing value and depth to your network is one that should not b
Pressure Packed – Game-like drills will help your quarterback make good decisions.
In today’s offensive game plans, most teams have a spread attack that works out of the shotgun set. Teams run 60-65 plays per game with the quarterback in a drop back technique for most of the passing plays. Out of the number of passing plays called, at least 12-15 plays – on an average – force the quarterback out of the pocket or to retreat back into the middle of the pocket. This means at least one fourth of your pass plays have a QB making a decision to either run or pass while
Put the Block On – Block circuit drills and one-on-one punt rush drills can increase your chances of blocking a punt.
Blocking punts takes not only personal belief and courage, but training and a good scheme to get the right player free to the punter. We teach the techniques necessary to properly block punts. We also practice different drills to train players to use those techniques plus a few scheme adjustments to try to get players free to the punter. I always tell the players that I want volunteers, not mercenaries. Mercenaries are people you hire to do a job; volunteers do it because they love it. Pu
Pressure Defenses (Part I) – Specific stunts and gap exchanges – when coordinated correctly – can improve team defense.
The Peru State defense played with relentless effort last season and finished sixth in the nation against the run and second in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) in total defense. A big reason was our defensive philosophy and how we align with our various packages.Bobcat Defensive Philosophy• Focus on effort and attitude• Play hard every play and play with great enthus
Teaching the Inside and Outside Zone Using 3-Person Groups
O-Linemen need to determine their defender’s alignment so they know if they are a covered or uncovered lineman.This topic is about teaching the inside and outside zone using 3-person groups during your individual periods.Before getting into the actual drills, a few things must be understood. The two plays are based on the teaching that in any inside or outside zone play, there are “covered” and “uncovered” linemen. Covered linemen are those that have a d
Summer Priorities – What should be your priorities heading into the summer months?
The summer months bring about a number of challenges for every football coach. Staying in contact with players and parents without school every day can be difficult. Similarly, coordinating staff meetings and giving players and coaches the needed time off before the grind of a new season begins can also be taxing.What should be your priorities heading into summer? What are the most effective ways to communicate with players and coaches? How important are strength and conditioning p
Managing Your Program: Creating the Installation Schedule for Fall Camp
Recently, the three-day installation has become a popular topic. It seems the challenge is to see how fast you can install your offense, and the process is repeated with deeper levels of understanding being developed in each repetition of the installation. This is something Dana Holgersen made popular at West Virginia. While I have implemented the three-day initial install, I extended the total install out to seven days with a layered approach. Each subsequent day adds layers to the initial i
Drills Report: The Wall Return Drill
One of the most exciting plays in football is when a punt returner is able to sprint around the edge and make use of the “wall” on an outside return. At Illinois, we rely on a drill installed on day one of our fall practices for our punt return team.An important phase of the return is having initial landmarks for the wall blockers (Diagram 1). When the ball is on a hash and a wall return is called to the wide side of the field, the wall blockers use the far hash as a landmark.
FREE FORM - Running Back Drill and Technique Checklist
Drills and coaching techniques are a part of every spring practice. The Running Back Drill and Technique Checklist is a form that is helpful to every coach. It includes ball protection techniques, body control and agility drills, and timing, blocking and passing drills.
Major Undertaking
Behind the scenes at a successful football skills and character development camp of the NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard.As you would expect, managing the largest football skills and character development camp program in the world is a massive organizational challenge. With nearly two hundred camps across the country involving thousands of high school athletes, the NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Gua
Your Take: Win The Offseason: Organization Matters
Organization isn’t the sexiest topic to talk about, but if you’re serious about improving as a coach, it takes more than how-to videos and watching game tape. Reviewing your notes and processes can help save time and energy, while also allowing you to tackle your goals of molding your athletes into better players and people.Being disorganized can mean the difference between winning and losing. Even the smartest coaches need to be reminded of old plays and schemes that could hel
BOTTLING UP THE RUN Complete D-Line Drills to Eliminate the Middle Running Game
We run the Virginia Tech G defense as our base. We have melded that into the 4-2-5 and added 3-4 to our schemes. However, the G is where we start everything. Everything builds on the G. Our league has not made the transition to the spread offense, so we are part of a Delaware and I-zone league. We are not stopping the run on the way to the quarterback; rather, we are a read and react defense. Trends will change and we have adapted some new things to defend the spread offense. But, in our basi
BE SPECIAL By committing to better special team practice organization, your units will create more explosive plays.
Special teams are an important part of any football game. They are the first play of every game, and many times the last and decisive play in a game. During every special teams play, one of these situations occurs – a large field position exchange, a change of possession, or a scoring opportunity. Frequently, two of these situations take place on the same special teams play. By their very nature, special teams plays are “special” and have a big impact on the outcome of the game.
UPSET SPECIAL Give your underdog team a shot with these strategies.
Nearly every coach has entered a game week knowing that the only people picking his team to win are on his staff or inside his own locker room.These situations can be an opportunity to galvanize a team by instilling an us-against-them world mentality; freeing the underdogs to play loose and pulling off an upset.No one knows that more than George O’Leary, the head coach at the University of Central Florida. The Knights pulled off the biggest upset in BCS history by beat
Athletic Body Control The Movement Training Correlation to Football Speed
Before we move to the details of movement training, let’s clarify what is football speed – the velocity and control by which variable movement patterns are executed efficiently without velocity loss. Most of the time it’s far easier said than done. My term for this activity is “Transition Speed.”The second area to clarify is Athletic Body Control (ABC). The term “Athletic” means athletes and the exercises practiced by them in a sport that requires physical skill or st
Cougar Defensive Line Drills part II
Last month, our defensive line drills included the use of agility bags and a variety of cage drills. This issue includes the use of post mount sleds, hoops, two-man pop ups and tite bags. We practice a number of these drills daily, which we believe improves both the agility and quickness of our D-linemen.#1. Post Mount Sleds
Maximizing Spring Agility Drills
If every athlete used the spring to improve their speed and strength, summer conditioning would be really simple. Everyone would be faster and stronger than before, and with a couple of weeks of basic conditioning, you’d be ready for football practice. Unfortunately, things never seem to turn out that way, so you need to have an effective plan in place.It’s important to analyze the metabolic requirements of football and design conditioning routines that train the proper e
Solid Foundation
The NFL PREP 100 Series presented by Under Armour and the National Guard gives elite high school student-athletes meaningful lessons in football and in life.The NFL gives back to the high school community at large through its High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard. Free football skills and character development camps are conducted nationwide along with the HSPD Leadership Program and the National 7-on-7 Tournament – together
Rowan University's Special Teams Philosophy and Punt Team Techniques
We think our approach to special teams is very sound. We utilize all players, both starters and reserves, on special teams and use players from both sides of the ball. Also, we will reward certain players for outstanding play by allowing them to participate on special teams.We identify every player’s strengths and incorporate them into special teams. We cannot afford to spend an inordinate amount of time teaching skills that players have already mastered. We keep the schemes rela
U-TURN How Southern Virginia University went from 3-8 to 8-2.
On February 9th 2009, I agreed to become the head football coach at Southern Virginia University. At the time, the SVU football program faced several obstacles both on and off the field. They included a low team grade point average, discipline problems, and recruitment and retention problems. In addition, they had embraced a mediocre mentality from a losing record.When I accepted the head coaching job, SVU had only had one winning season in school history and had averaged just two
Cougar Defensive Line Drills
We believe that constant drill work for our defensive line makes them better players. We have a variety of drills for our D-line that feature four different agility bag drills including two in a hole, a lateral run drill, and a cut drill. There are also four different cage drills that we practice on a regular basis – get offs, fast feet, the lateral shuffle, and the L-step. In part II next month, we will include drills such as post mount sleds, pop up bags, and tite up bags. # 1.&n
Thoughts from an HSPD Veteran
Craig Jacoby, who is the site manager for the Rockland, New York, HSPD camp, has over a decade of experience with the program and has seen first-hand how it has benefitted hundreds of high school athletes. We asked him about the camp experience for athletes and the value of the DVD to coaches.AFM: How do HSPD athletes respond to the college-level drills at HSPD camps? Jacoby: In my experience, the players who attend HSPD are getting a training experience that can’t be d
Practice Priorities - All high school coaches benefit from the practice plan developed for the NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard
What are your priorities when designing an early-season practice plan? Do you try to build a collection of proven drills that safely and efficiently teach fundamentals while challenging your players? Do you incorporate teaching techniques that you may have learned from a top college coach at a clinic session? Do you have printed materials and video that every member of your staff can use to gain a thorough understanding of your drills and how to conduct them?If you’re a coach at
AFM Subscribers Ask with Joe Willis (Part I) Head Coach, Cedar Park High School (TX)
Joe Willis is the head coach of 2012 State Champion Cedar Park High School (TX). A defensive specialist, Coach Willis uses multiple looks in his 3-4 defense to slow down an up-tempo offense. Cedar Park calls their defense like they call their offense – marrying the front and coverage calls together and using disguises pre-snap on every play. They use a combination of slants, stunts, and blitzes to help defend the no-huddle offense. Coach Willis answers your questions.How do y
A Different Read on the Zone Option
Selective adjustments in the zone read – such as keying on the inside linebacker – can add to your offensive production.Like many coaches, I spent a great deal of time in December and January watching the college bowl season and the NFL playoffs. Armed with my DVR, I couldn’t help but notice that a majority of teams ran some variation of the “zone read.” Many of them dressed the play up with different formations and motions, while some added another element to the play to mak
Defensive Back Attack Force
Three different techniques – Shoot the Hip, Glove, and Catch-Hit – can help your defensive backs attack the football.A DB has three things he can do when breaking on the ball – intercept the pass, knock the pass down, or make the tackle. We teach defensive backs three different ways of attacking the football when a wide receiver is being thrown the ball – “shoot the hip”, “glove”, and “catch-hit.” Each of these techniques can be taught whether your DBs backpedal, cr
Systematic Innovation: The No-Huddle, Power Pistol Offense
For Head Coach Robbie Owens of Grand Junction High School (CO), the system’s the thing. He believes offensive innovation is important, but without a system that is simple, adjustable and easy to install and teach, the value of innovation can be diminished.Owens’ system has proved itself over multiple seasons of high-octane offense. By combining the pistol formation with a punishing running attack and an up-tempo, no-huddle pace, Owens’ Grand Junction teams have produced proli
Samson Equipment’s Strength and Conditioning Coaches of the Year
NFL: Luke Richesson Denver BroncosBackground - Luke Richesson began his coaching career at his alma mater, the University of Kansas, in 1997 after a four-year career playing safety for the Jayhawks. After one season as a strength and conditioning intern, he spent the next season at the University of Wyoming and the following two at Arizona State University as a graduate assistant before becoming the performance team direc
Drills Report: Fumble, Strip and Interception Drills
As I watched bowl games in December and January, it amazed me how many errant passes were dropped by defenders and how many lost fumbles ended up going just past or through a defender’s hands. It reminds me of the old saying, “If your defense caught all of the dropped interceptions during a season, you would lead your league in interceptions every season.”We all work on creating turnovers during the pre-season, but during the season, it can be difficult to find time. Th
Coach to Coach: Thanks for the Memories
In 2010, I wrote my first article for American Football Monthly. In that article I told the story of how Hall of Fame Coach George Allen returned to coaching at the age of 72 to coach my college football team at Long Beach State University. The experience of writing that article and the positive response that I received from coaches around the country far exceeded any expectations I may have had about the joy of writing and sharing my ideas. What was supposed to be one article has turne
Speed Report: Can You Improve Your Quarterback’s Speed?
My goal each month is to deliver information useful for all aspects of football. This month, Cree Morris, a long time quarterback training specialist, discusses the topic of improving a quarterback’s speed. What is the difference between football speed and football quarterback speed? Better technical applications produce more efficient movement, which creates effective speed. That is usually the requirement it takes for the QB to avoid a sack or make a play. I will give some spec
Shining Stars
Top NFL and college players honed their football skills and grew as individuals through the NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard.When high school football players attend the free camps conducted by the NFL’s High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard, they improve their football skills and also learn valuable life lessons in character development sessions. All participating athletes gain from their HSPD experie
Out in the Open - Live tackling drills can improve your team’s open field tackling.
As today’s game stretches laterally to encompass the entire width of the field, the ability to open-field tackle is at a premium. One of the most difficult skills to acquire as a defensive player is the art of open-field tackling. Even elite athletes need to improve and sharpen their skill sets.How do you enhance those abilities and replicate them at game speed? The answer is simple – live tackling, offensive skill vs. defensive skill. At the University at Albany, Head Coach Bo
Drills Report: Pursuing Perfect Ball Security
While blocking and tackling are commonly seen as the two key building blocks of any football program, the most important fundamental of offensive football is ball security. Without possession of the ball, the offensive unit is not on the field. While that may seem like a simplistic and obvious statement, the importance of securing the football is at times an overlooked fundamental in today’s game. Ball security in its basic form is preventing and eliminating fumbles by ball carriers.
Speed Report: The Virtues of Off-Season Conditioning - Is It Good for Football Speed?
To every football coach, the word conditioning means getting fit to play or producing stamina for performance situations. Conditioning is, in reality, a performance trait, most useful during the season. It can cut into your periodization schedule in the off-season, when in reality, it’s not relative to development for that time frame.You should center your off-season training on speed and power, not on conditioning. Your skills, speed, flexibility, and athletic movement speed and
Strength Report: Writing the Winter Off-Season Strength and Conditioning Program, Part I
I enjoy my profession of strength and conditioning coaching because it allows me the opportunity to choose and to create the tools that can then be used by our athletes to improve their athletic performance. After 30 years of writing strength and conditioning programs at the Division I level, my approach has evolved into a systematic methodology of program design that fits my overall strength and conditioning training philosophy. Virginia Tech Football Strength and Conditioning
Going Camping
Sending your players to the free football camps offered by the NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard is a win-win for you and them.Football camps for high school athletes are big business. Dozens of for-profit camps, costing hundreds or even thousands of dollars to attend, are offered to high school students who want to hone their skills over a period of days or weeks. But only one football camp program offers proven instruction methods a
Drills Report: Complete Special Teams Drills
Kickoff, kick return, punt return, field goal, and field goal block teams all need specific drills.Special teams is the most overlooked facet of the game. Drastic improvements can be made if you are willing to put the time into improving your kicking game. There are plenty of drills out there and you may already use some of them that are not mentioned here. The most important thing is that you set aside time for practice and film study.Kickoff Drills We teac
Strength Report: Develop Complete Athletes – Liberty Universitys Unique Strength Program
Building true strength and power on the football field has less to do with fine tuning minor details and more to do with building more horsepower in the “engine” of an athlete. From there, details can be modified to turn the advanced athlete into an elite athlete. The process of creating more horsepower in the athlete is more methodical than most think and we use methods that are not practiced on a large scale. Last year, we had over 82 football players clean at least 300 pound
Speed Report: Is Your Speed Training the Real Deal?
Have you analyzed why you use the methods and teaching applications for football speed training? Have you just borrowed available concepts and plugged them into your program? Are you just covering bases or do you really feel you’ve reached a high level of knowledge and are satisfied with your results? Where did you get what you use today and is it working? Why did you choose to incorporate it into your program? Did you get your material from a friend, a colleague, a relative
Fantastic Finish
The National Lineman Challenge was the first event of its kind ever conducted.The NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard capped off another successful year with two thrilling events.Throughout the late spring and early summer, the focus of the NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard is the nearly 200 multi-day camps that are conducted coast to coast and managed by local coaches. High school football players i
Back to School - 2014 Coaching Clinics
Now is the time to make yourplans for coaches clinics in 2014. Here is a listing of four premier organizations that will be conducting clinics across the country during the winter and spring months of 2014.Nike Coach of the Year Clinics The 2014 Nike Coach of the Year Clinics will feature the nation’s top coaches speaking at 17 locations in every corner of the nation. Many of the clinics will feature special lectures for youth league coaches. Most also wil
Get Your O-Line In The Zone
Teaching the Square Drag, Square Drag and Skip, and the Brace and Skip Technique in Zone Blocking – Some Do’s and Don’tsTwo key elements in proper zone blocking technique are keeping the shoulders square and using lateral steps to close in on the defender. In coaching the offensive line at the collegiate level for the past 23 years, I have learned that we have to adapt our teaching methods and techniques to our players. Rarely do we come across a player who has size, strength, at
Get Strong – Four Proven Off-Season Strength and Conditioning Programs
BISHOP GORMAN HIGH SCHOOL Las Vegas, NevadaHead Coach –Tony SanchezEnrollment – 1,200 students9-12 Football Program – 160-180 athletesFour consecutive Nevada 4A Championships, Nationally-Ranked ProgramSean Manuel serves as Head Strength and Conditioning Coach and also coaches the offensive line at Bishop Gorman. When he joined the Gorman staff in 2010, he completely revamped the outdated strength and conditioning facility.The FacilityOur w
Strength Report: Wyoming’s Winter Player Development Program
Much like a football game has four quarters, the Wyoming football player development program is broken down into four distinct phases. Winter training, spring football, summer training and the competitive season make up our yearly training calendar. The Wyoming player development program has a structured plan during each of these phases and is built around landmarks found in the student-athletes academic calendar and competition dates. Each phase has very specific goals and intended outcomes.
Drills Report: Conditioning Cadets
The phrase “off-season” has a little different meaning at the United States Military Academy than it may have at other colleges. In fact, the Sprint football team likes to use the term “out-of-season” since cadets are never truly “off”. The combination of 20 credit-hour academic loads per semester, mandatory physical fitness participation, and rigorous military training keep the cadets at USMA continuously moving with little time to spare. Football’s out-of-season training regim
Speed Report: The Off-Season - Preparing for Advanced Level Training
When you begin the off-season with speed training, one of your major challenges will be organizing and periodizing your product. Obviously your periodization scheme stretches over many months. Your design is critical to the success of the progression you expect to gain during the year. One area that can be a little tricky and can have a distinct affect on your development for team speed is working with large numbers of players who are at two different levels of ability. My experien
Letter from AFM - Getting Stronger
Now that your season has ended, it’s time to focus on what you can do to strengthen your program during the off-season.Last year in our December issue, our “panel” of eight legendary high school coaches covered a variety of topics related to off-season priorities including player and staff evaluation, working with graduating seniors and methods to keep your team involved and motivated during the winter and spring months. You can access the article, “Building Blocks” and h
AFM Subscribers Ask with Joe Daniel Defensive Coordinator and Offensive Line Coach, Prince George High School (VA) – Part I
Joe Daniel has more than ten years experience coaching on the high school and college level. In 2009, Daniel began building a website which includes more than 300 articles on defensive coaching – www.Football-Defense.com Daniel is also the host of The Football Coaching Podcast and has written several eBooks, including Coaching Football’s 4-2-5 Defense, Installing the 4-3 Over Defensive Front, and Dominating Football Defense with the Zone Blitz. A frequent contributor to b
Circuit Drills Emphasize Repetition, Range of Motion and Reaction to Improve Your Special Teams Play.
Our staff at Central Washington University understands the importance and value of the kicking game in each contest. We treat each special team’s preparation with the same enthusiasm, intensity, and creativity as our offense and defense. To do it right, we must train our special teams players in the same way. Preparing players for their special team roles, however, presents some unique challenges. Consider the following:1. Getting Enough RepetitionsAlmost all of our playe
Drills to Perfect Your Pursuit of the Screen Pass.
Relentless hustle and pursuit, along with proper angles and leverage, are keys to successfully defending the screen. We stress the importance of 11 players giving maximum effort running to the football every play. Accountability and repetition are keys to be successful in this point of emphasis. All 11 players are graded every game or scrimmage play to be held accountable. Our coaches confront and demand hustle and pursuit in practice repetitions.We invest time prior to our individ
Multiple Looks from a 3-4 Defense to Slow Down an Up-Tempo Offense
When we played Lake Travis High School four years ago, Chad Morris – now the offensive coordinator at Clemson – was the head coach. That year we had a short week of preparation for his up-tempo, no-huddle offense.After a relatively good start in the first quarter, our defense broke down after a turnover in the second quarter. Their fast-paced offense began to take its toll on our defense as we struggled to line-up before the snap, became confused with the offensive packages the
Drills Report: The Reach Doug Down Drill
I believe that the most important element of our football team is our offensive line. This is not to demean the other positions, but it is what I believe and preach to our players. If the defense gives up 50, then we must score 51. We will not score 51 points if we do not get it done up front. That means a hat on a hat at all times. We know that we will not always have the most gifted skill guys on the field and our quarterbacks might not always make the best decisions, but we can never be me
Strength Report: In-Season Training Considerations
One of the most common questions that a strength and conditioning coach will be asked is “what is your program”? The answer to this question could be extremely complex if you were to take all of the components of a coach’s program – volume, rest, time, conditioning protocols, speed work, agility drills, quickness training, reps, sets, progressions, strength development, power development, periodization models, etc. As you can see, this would be a long article! Instead, the short versi
D-Back Run Stoppers Both the Key Read Drill and Block Escape Circuit Drill will improve defensive backs’ recognition of the run.
Stopping the run is one of the main priorities of any defense. In order to accomplish this goal, the defensive secondary must be active against running plays. It is important that all members of the secondary are equipped with the skills to recognize the run and then be able to execute techniques to disengage blocks. Your secondary can sharpen their eye discipline, footwork and hand placement/combat skills by recognizing the intentions of the End Man on the Line of Scrimmage (EMOL)
D-Line Rules vs. Outside Zone and Zone Read
Following the playside and backside rules is critical to stopping the outside zone and zone read.We try to keep our D-line rules and principles the same with outside zone and zone read as well as other plays and concepts. When we speak about outside zone, we break into halves, especially what side the offense is on in pre-and post-snap. We use strength and if the quarterback is under center or in the gun to determine the run strength of this particular play. Otherwise, we may use the t
Human Shield: The shield punt formation maximizes protection and coverage.
Protection is the most critical piece to a punt unit’s success. In pre-season camp, protection is the first area that is addressed. It is emphasized in every meeting, film session, and drill period, because there are few occurrences more deflating to a team than a blocked punt. The shield formation itself creates advantages, because it lengthens rush lanes and handicaps angles for the defense. The three-man shield, when executed properly, serves as a deflector for the block point that elimi
Developmental Tackling Part II: Hashmark-to-Boundary Drills and Pursuit Drills to improve overall tackling
The safety considerations and progressive skills emphasized in part I of Developmental Tackling must be maintained and re-taught as you move from individual skill areas to group skills and game preparation. Nothing can impact your season more than great defensive play exemplified by great tackling skills, team pursuit and rallies to the ball. In film review, we always count the players who swarm to the ball carrier and address the responsibility of cutback and backside pursuit. ON
Drills Report: Defensive Backs: Footwork, Block Protection, Tackling, and Ball Skills
Our focus on drill work for defensive backs has played a role in our success and paid dividends in the fall. At Villanova, our base defensive front is a 3-3 stack. With five defensive backs on the field in varying roles, we focus our teaching on a select number of skills to best prepare the entire group within our time constraints. Our goal is to spend at least five minutes each practice developing four specific skill categories: footwork, block protection, tackling, and ball skills.F
Speed Report: Fast Twitch for Football Speed - Can it be Produced?
Muscle fibers are made up of two different types of fiber composition, slow twitch fibers and fast twitch fibers. Skeletal muscles are made up of numerous individual muscle fibers called myocytes. Each myocyte contains many myofibrils, which are strands of proteins that can grab on to each other and pull. This shortens the muscle and causes muscle contraction. Of course, contraction can be very fast and dynamic or slower with endurance capabilities. When we think about football speed we natur
CONCUSSIONS IN YOUTH FOOTBALL – ARE WE THINKING CLEARLY?
By Rey Hernandez Former Head Coach, LaJolla High School (CA) The current legislative proposals seeking to limit full contact in high school practices raise some tort liability issues that to date have not made it into the national concussion saf
AFM Subs Ask With Curtis Tsuruda Strength and Conditioning Coach • East St. John High School (LA)
Coach Curtis Tsuruda, has over 30 years of experience as a strength and conditioning coach. He has worked at Tulane, LSU, Hawaii, and Mississippi State and is currently the strength and conditioning coach at East St. John High School in Reserve, Louisiana. He was featured in AFM Subscribers Ask in May and now responds to more of your questions.What methods do you use to train young high school athletes to successfully rack the bar on the power clean? How many days do you fe
Inside Zone Variations
The proper adjustment to what the defense shows gives the quarterback specific options in running the inside zone.While some elements of the spread offense have been seen for some time, there are many variations of the spread offense that utilize different personnel groupings and formations. But the one constant in any spread offense is the inside zone running game. I’ll examine the inside zone and its variations from a 10 personnel grouping.Inside Zone - 10 Personnel
Three Pillars of Defensive Prep
Three important items in game planning include practicing proper tackling, studying your opponent’s big plays and those your defense has given up, and focusing on turnovers.We are always looking for a defensive edge on game day. However, with the unpredictability that game day brings, it is very difficult to predict or prepare for every scenario that might present itself. That is why it is important to use Monday through Friday to put the odds of victory as much as possible in our fa
Developmental Tackling, Part I – Effectively using the shimmy technique can help ensure the safety of all defensive players.
Without question, teaching safe tackling skills and drills is one of the most demanding tasks every coach in the country must master. In my 54 years of coaching varsity football, nothing gave me more concern than the idea of a collision with a player’s head down, chin on chest, and the resulting straight line spinal column hit with the top of the helmet. That is almost always the primary cause of paraplegic injury. That is why so much emphasis is placed on converting the speed run of pursui
On Top of the World – AFM’s Annual State Champions Survey and Profiles
State champion coaches share their secrets to winning it all. The results may surprise you.Most high school coaches would agree that their ultimate goal is winning their state championship. Taking home the trophy after the punishing regular season and pressure-filled playoffs is the pinnacle for the 300+ teams that annually achieve that goal.But do coaches agree on the best methods to use to reach that mountaintop? What offensive, defensive and special teams strategies give
Speed Report – Dynamic Relaxation – The Misunderstood Nugget for Speed and Quickness
When we think of the word relaxation it doesn’t suggest a very aggressive picture in our mind. Whenever I mention the term “Dynamic Relaxation” to coaches, they’re momentarily puzzled. They are searching their thoughts for where this picture fits football, a sport that delivers aggressive action every play.Football movement is not naturally linked to relaxation when the game is all about contact. Having a consistent forceful mindset week to week is what every coach desires.
Drills Report – Techniques to Prevent Blocks
When a player is blocked, it is commonly due to two things. He has concentrated solely on the ball carrier and not the individual who is coming to block him, giving him little chance of success. Or, his attack and body position taking on the block doesn’t allow him to use any power. Without enough power, you are unable to gain advantage or leverage on a blocker. When you have proper position and use power, you are able to strike and neutralize the opponents’ power to maintain your gap of
A Complete Strength and Conditioning Program for Offensive Linemen PART Two
The strength program is designed as a four-day split. The base spilt is Monday-Tuesday-Thursday-Friday. Other day combinations can be used as well. Recovery must be factored in and tailored to the split chosen. For example, a condensed split does not allow great recovery between workouts during the week. This requires volume to be reduced in workouts one and two to allow for recovery by workouts three and four. However, since three days of recovery exist with this approach, the lat
Taking the Lead
As part of their sponsorship of the NFL’s High School Player Development program, the National Guard is taking an active role in the HSPD Leadership Program.When most people think about the National Guard, they envision “Weekend Warriors” devoting several days each month to military training and, if necessary, participating in disaster relief or serving overseas. But in reality, many of the Guard’s activities revolve around the com
Summer Speed Work – This 8-week speed conditioning program will have your athletes primed and ready for August camp.
If your program is like most, you have an extensive pre-season strength training program designed to ensure your players will be in their strongest physical condition when your camp practices start in August. They’ll certainly be strong, but will they be fast? Will they have had the necessary training to execute the fast-paced offenses that so many teams employ today?To achieve a balance between strength and speed, consider implementing a structured speed conditioning program to
Speed Report - Football Speed Information: Good News or Old News?
I have been writing AFM’s Speed Report for 6½ years and have traveled the country for 30 years engaging with coaches who want to learn “thorough and complete football speed training”. Not second-hand information that isn’t football speed specific. More specifically, lineal track techniques. Coaches should understand that these particular techniques don’t provide movement skills needed for football speed and/or transition speed that’s required to play fast and stay in control.
Drills Report – Advanced Wide Receiver Drills, Part II
Last month’s drills for wide receivers included five different drills intended to make players concentrate on catching the ball and improve their route running. The six drills included this month are more detailed with an emphasis on proper technique (In each drill, ‘C’ refers to coach and ‘R’ for receiver).Chute DRILL (Diagram 1)
Strength Report – A Complete Strength and Conditioning Report for Offensive Linemen, Part I
It is my belief that all strength and conditioning programs grow from a very specific set of needs and circumstances that differ from team to team. Every situation is different, so a program influenced by principles rather than copied verbatim is needed.From years spent playing offensive line then beginning my coaching career coaching it and finally working as a football strength coach for the past 25 years, I have gained perspective into the needs of offensive linemen. The princip
The Competition Heats Up
The NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard adds a new Lineman Challenge to complement its nationwide 7-on-7 competition.Of the dozens of 7-on-7 events that have appeared on the high school football landscape in recent years, none have been more successful than the National 7-on-7 Tournament conducted by the NFL High School Player Development program. In terms of number of participating teams, overall caliber of play and the prestige of their Nati
Running the Triple Option in the Pistol
Using the triple option with the pistol offense is a natural fit and can improve both your running and passing game.Like Army and Navy, we have been a traditional triple option team and have experienced success because our offense gave us a way to compete against superior talent. While we have had a potent rushing attack, when teams put nine or ten players in the box we didn’t have an answer. Last season, we decided to experiment and add the pistol to our offense. Adding the pistol t
Emphasizing Ball Security – Mastering the five points of contact will help keep your runners from fumbling
Mastering the five points of contact will help keep your runners from fumbling dropping the ball.When teaching ball carriers about ball security, we talk about the five points of contact. The first point relates to our nickname which is the Eagles, so I use the term “Eagle Claw” for the point of the football. The second point of contact is the forearm and the third is the bicep. Both are used to secure the outside part of the ball to the middle of the body which leads to the fourth
High Roller! – Since Tony Sanchez was named head coach, Bishop Gorman has won four consecutive Nevada State Championships and posted an overall 56-4 record.
“Live well.” The words are simple; however, what they entail for those associated with the Bishop Gorman High School football program is anything but. Serving as the mantra which internally defines Bishop Gorman football, “live well” is part of an overall philosophy which has contributed to the school capturing the last four 4A Nevada State Championships.There are six identifiable components one can link to the culture of success that is Gaels’ football. These six charact
Drills Report – Advanced Wide Receiver Drills, Part I
I am always looking for effective drills that my receivers can use to make them better. I think it’s important to think through drills before you use them and make sure they reinforce the technique utilized in a game and the technique utilized within your offense. Your players will be able to tell you how certain drills reinforce situations that come up in a game. That’s when you know you are using the correct drills.I always try to get as much out of a drill as I can. When we
Strength Report – 10 Common Errors in Football Strength & Conditioning
The profession of strength and conditioning coaching was formally established in the United States 35 years ago with the formation of the National Strength & Conditioning Association. The aim of the NSCA was to merge science and practice to legitimize our roles and to separate us from other fitness-related “experts.” After all this time, one would expect an evolution in the quality of programming and coaching but it isn’t evident in the practices of many strength and conditioning co
Camp Season
- The NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard conducts free camps for high school players that combine football skills teaching with character development lessons.Summer is right around the corner, and that means that it will soon be time for football camps for high school athletes to begin. Camps have become a popular way for high school players to get meaningful instruction and work on their fundamentals in the months leading
Managing Your Program – Spring Practice: Make it About the Details and Development
As we head into spring practice, now is the time to set a focus that will carry the team into strong summer preparations and camp, eventually leading up to the 2013 season. For many areas in the country, a spring game against an opponent is not part of the equation. This is a time that will end in an inter-squad game, or for some, no game or scrimmage at all. This is true at the NCAA Division III level, where we cannot even put on pads. However, this is still a great time to make progress and
Developing an Efficient Kickoff Team – Following a detailed teaching progression for your kickoff team will maximize their potential.
There are many factors that contribute to a successful season on special teams. The most important factor is the strong support and focus of the head coach to ensure that players and coaches are committed to this phase of the game. We always begin our practices with special teams and then break to offense and defense. That goes for installation meetings, film review and practice. We start with 20 minutes of special teams and end practice with a field goal or punt. The importance of special te
Tackling Drills Without Full Contact – Tackling progressions for both the head-up and profile tackle can be taught to emphasize safety.
Concussions continue to dominate our discussions about football injuries. Coaches have to find ways to teach the solid fundamentals of tackling, yet protect their players from preventable injuries.We have to contend with a small squad (usually less than 50 players) and often we have undersized players. Traditional tackling techniques are not just enough for us. We have to give our smaller players a chance to tackle without “ramming their head” into a ball carrier. Over the year
Inside Linebacker Reads in the 3-4 Defense – The 3-4 defense gives the inside linebackers a read on the uncovered guard through to the fullback.
The 3-4 defense gives the inside linebackers a read on the uncovered guard through to the fullback.The 3-4 defense, or Okie front is very flexible and multiple, which is needed against today’s spread offensive attacks. The 3-4 defense has the ability to blitz any of the four linebackers, and, in the 3-4 secondary, a team can play multiple coverages, from zone to man.This old school Okie defensive front has a built-in advantage for the inside linebackers.The adva
Drills Report – No Pads, No Problem: Five Drills to Improve Your Defensive Line Without Using Helmets and Shoulder Pads
It’s that time of year when coaches are attending clinics and analyzing film from the 2012 season to improve individual and overall team performance. I’ve learned some training season drills that can improve your defensive line play in between strength and conditioning sessions. These are everyday drills that I use to improve get-off reaction, hand speed, separation, leverage, and pass rush without the use of helmets and shoulder pads. Whether you’re training inside during the winter or
Strength Report – Creating an Edge in the Off-Season
Football players are getting faster. The process of increasing speed is two-fold. You must perform sprints as you would on game day, but you also have to increase lower-body strength and power. If you are looking for an edge this off-season, or just trying to add a new dynamic to the predictable programming, maybe it is time to revisit what you are doing in the weight room and during your conditioning sessions. Many programs across the country base their strength
Tools for Success
The NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard worked with Al Golden and the University of Miami to produce the 2013 practice plan and DVD – benefitting every high school program in America.When it comes to supporting the nation’s high school football coaches, no program can match the NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard. Not only does HSPD provide coaches with the opportunity to give bac
FREE FORM - Quarterback Drill and Technique Checklist
FREE FORM - Quarterback Drill and Technique ChecklistThis detailed form includes specific drills to improve your quarterbacks stance and snap technique, his ball handling ability, and passing drops. There are also eight different throwing drills listed including the Hitch Drill, Quick Release Drill and a Pass on the Run Drill.
Maximizing Special Teams Practice Time – Circuit drills for both kickoffs and punt units can help improve special teams play.
Anyone who has coached special teams knows that there never seems to be enough time to teach the proper techniques as well as implement your systems. Even at a school like Norwich, we end up trying to get more done, in less time.A strategy we’ve used, which has benefitted us greatly, is to set up a circuit of drills for each individual special teams unit and have all of our players rotate through this circuit. This allows us to get a lot of quality, technique-specific work done,
Zone Blocking, Part III – Proper Stances and Footwork
It doesn’t matter what scheme you run if your line isn’t fundamentally sound. In Part III of this series, we will cover the stances we use to develop our offensive linemen. As we master our techniques, the stance is the foundation we build great blocking on. STANCE You cannot overestimate the importance of the stance. A poor stance equals a poor start. Key Components We use both the three-point and two-poi
Samson Equipment’s Strength and Conditioning Coaches of the Year for 2012
NFL: Chris CarlisleSeattle SeahawksBackground – Chris Carlisle began his coaching career at Dodge High School (NE) in 1985. After continuing to coach on the high school level and then as an assistant at the University of Arkansas, Carlisle joined the staff at Tennessee in 1998 under John Stucky. He then became USC’s head strength and conditioning coach in 2001 when Pete Carroll called Stucky and asked for a recommendation.
Drills Report – The Run-Up Escape Drill
The Run-Up Escape Drill which teaches our QBs three important fundamentals – ball security, downfield vision and launching the ball while trying to escape or avoid pressure. The drills we practice are the drills that we witness our players performing as we watch game tape The Run-Up Escape Drill is one drill which we see over and over as we view our game film. We can incorporate under-center drops (5-step/7-step) or gun drops (3-step/5-quick) into the drill. We start by pla
Safety First – Contact In Practice – Is It Worth It?
Football is changing. With the game under great scrutiny from a player safety perspective, those in and out of football are questioning long-held practices that may put players at greater risk of injury.One of those is full contact in practice. The old belief that contact drills and hitting are necessary in practice is giving way to a more restrained approach that limits or even eliminates contact in the interest of player safety. Rockhurst High School (MO) Head Coach To
USING THE iPAD AS A COACHING TOOL
Whether on the field or off, the IPad can be a major part in helping your players improve and communicate the weekly gameplan. Our student-athletes are so used to technology, it is the way they are taught in classroom and it was what they use outside the classroom. Give your student-athlete an IPad and they immediately feel comfortable as they swipe through pages or watch video. After receiving an IPad for my birthday last offseason I started searching for wa
AFM Subscribers Ask with Mike Cieri Special Teams Coordinator, Montclair State University
Mike Cieri recently completed his 41st year as a football coach, the last 12 as Special Teams Coordinator and Defensive Line Coach at Montclair State University. He also coached at Boonton High Since 2003, his special teams have scored eight touchdowns on kickoff and punt returns and blocked 58 kicks – on punts, extra points, and field goal attempts – scoring a total of 72 points in the process. Cieri has also authored the book, 101 Winning Special Team Drills and produced a five-s
Defending the Power Game with the Stack Defense – The stack defense allows players to be aggressive and limit adjustments against either a spread or a power offense.
One of the primary benefits of the stack defense is its ability to line up against any style of offense and be very effective. With the emergence of the spread offense, the stack gives defenses a great opportunity to not only match up with the spread but also attack it. While this is a great benefit, the primary strength of the stack defense is its ability to stop the run. Throughout the course of a season, we will defend shotgun-spread offenses mainly running out of 10 and 11 personnel as we
Out With the Old, In With the New – Today’s tight ends have become an integral part of every offense.
Today, tight ends have become a fusion of a wide receiver, running back, and offensive tackle. Due to their athletic limitations, the old-school tight ends were always attached to the offensive line with their hand on the ground. The defense knew this and could call defenses accordingly. The new school tight ends are lining up in the backfield and flexing out both as slot and outside receivers to cause matchup issues. Many teams are now doing this with two or more tight ends in the game at th
Zone Blocking, Part II – Footwork and Blocking Scheme
Proper footwork and technique are critical for an offensive lineman.In Part I of this three-part series, we introduced our offensive line philosophy, the basics of the zone offense and key offensive line coaching points. In Part II, we will discuss the footwork, co-op blocks, and schemes of the zone game. FOOTWORKThe footwork is different for the zone play than most other offensive plays. The first step is a directional step. The second step is a p
AFM’s National and Regional High School Coaches of the Year
Gary Joseph Katy High School Joseph led the Tigers to one of the most dominating seasons in Texas football history. A last-minute playoff loss ended the Katy Tigers’ 2011 season. It marked the second straight season the Tigers had been close, but were unable to finish. Head coach Gary Joseph was determined not to let that happen in 2012. “We had been competitive, but hadn’t finished. This year, we were going to become a more physical football team that w
AFM’s College Coaches of the Year for 2012
AFM’s FBS Coach of the YearBrian Kelly Notre DameAfter decades of frustration, Kelly led the Fighting Irish back to national prominence.It was not a pleasant environment, but Brian Kelly had been there before. He knew what to say.In 2001, Kelly led Grand Valley State to an undefeated season and its first appearance in the Division II championship game. It was also Kelly’s first national championship game as a head coach, and it would end in heartbreak.
Managing Your Program – Avoid a Quarterback Controversy – An Objective System for Grading Your Quarterbacks
In the spring and fall of 2010, we had a heated battle for the starting quarterback position. Our three-year starter was graduating and we had three freshmen battling to be in the number one spot at the beginning of their sophomore year. That year I used three criteria to help me objectively distinguish the starter from the back-ups. After doing that, I realized I could develop the criteria further to not only slot each quarterback in a position, but also give the posit
Drills Report – Blastoff! Using the Blaster to Create Physicality in Your WR Corps
As a former wide receiver, one of the hardest things for me as a player was to catch the ball when a big hit was coming. Now, as a coach, I have noticed that my players also struggle with securing the catch when being hit, or having to fight through contact. Wanting to be able to practice for this difficult situation, I was forced to examine the drills we do in practice. Most of our drills are traditional “ball” drills that focus on the different aspects of the catch, as well as the tuck
Strength Report – A Year Round Strength and Conditioning Program, Part II
Last month’s Strength Report included a training program for the post-season, the off-season and the spring season. As part of a year round program, this article will include a strength and conditioning program for both the pre-season as well as an in-season schedule.PRE-SEASONThis is the phase that is probably the most important part of all the training phases we use. During this time, we must build a conditioning foundation that will allow our athletes to make it through p
Speed Report – Elite Training Facilities and Apparatus: Are They the Answer for Football Speed & Movement?
By Dale Baskett • Football Speed SpecialistMike Johnson • Sports Science ConsultantWe looked at sprint assisted and resisted aids in a past article. In this article I’ll discuss a few of the other popular training aids and whether or not they are a good resource for enhancing speed and movement in your program. Since speed and movement can be enhanced through training, entrepreneurs and manufacturers are attempting to make it easier for coaches and trainers to g
Student of the Game: Using Academic Resources To Enhance Your Program
Volume 3: The 10,000 Hour Rule, Athlete-Controlled Feedback and Inside-Out Circuits by Jack Byrne, Defensive Coordinator, Windham High School (NH)
Giving Back
Two Regional Directors of the NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard discuss how coaches everywhere can give back to the game.Most successful coaches recognize that they are fortunate to have made a career out of football. That’s what motivates so many to give something back to the game by participating in activities that can make a difference – using football to be a positive influence with youth in their communities.Hundreds of coach
Zone Blocking, Part I – Philosophy and Concepts
It is important for offensive linemen to learn to block through a detailed progression so they understand the overall concepts of the position. The zone blocking concept is an important element of Grossmont College’s running attack. In part I of this three-part series on our zone game, we will introduce our offensive line philosophy and the basics of the zone offense, emphasizing coaching points for offensive linemen. OFFENSIVE LINE PHILOSOPHYThe succe
Thunder Storm – Trine University’s tackling and turnover circuit covers all the essentials of effective defense.
There is little doubt that great tackling and creating turnovers are the two most important things a defense can do to help its team win. We have employed a tackle and turnover circuit that we believe not only teaches our players to tackle with great technique, but also teaches an understanding of how to create turnovers when given the opportunity. As a result, we have been at or very near the top of the turnover margin statistics for our conference over the past few years. We led all of Divi
Legendary Leader – John Gagliardi retires after 64 years, 489 wins and countless changed lives.
Amos Alonzo Stagg coached college football for 57 years in the first half of the 20th century, winning a then-record 314 games. Bobby Bowden tallied 377 wins in his 44-year coaching career at Samford, West Virginia and Florida State. Eddie Robinson coached Grambling for 55 years and won 408 games.John Gagliardi bettered them all. In a coaching career that spanned 60 seasons at the helm of Division III St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota, and four prior sea
Drills Report –Improving Your Quarterback’s Throwing Mechanics
Here are a number of coaching points and drills to help improve your quarterback’s throwing mechanics.THE THROW (BODY)• The QB should be in a fairly narrow position (feet under the arm pits) to eliminate over striding. He should stand tall with a slight bend in both knees.• Proper “transfer of weight” is crucial for the QB to throw with velocity.• The QB pushes off the back foot (which should be perpendicular to the target); he takes a sho
Speed Report – Is Your Off-Season Football Speed Training on Track?
If you have been reading my articles over the last six years, you know that I try to point coaches in the right direction for true football speed development. My hope is that you will apply useful teaching methods that are currently not available. The first step is having an open mind for learning new concepts. Whatever you have chosen to use as a method for speed development requires time to install. Time is the greatest commodity in life. We only have so much time to utiliz
Get Educated 2013 Coaches Clinics
Now is the time to make yourplans for coaches clinics in 2013. Here is a listing of four premier organizations that will be conducting clinics across the country during the winter and spring months of 2013.Nike Coach of the Year Clinics Last year, almost 13,000 high school coaches attended 21 Nike COTY clinics. In 2013, many of the clinics will include special lectures for youth league coaches. Most clinics will also include demonstration periods of technique and
LINEBACKER TACKLING DRILLS AND TECHNIQUES
One of our defensive coaching guidelines is that we will get what we demand or allow. If we do not emphasize what we think is important to our defense or if we do not hold our players accountable for what our expectations are, then we are held responsible for the lack of production on the field. This definitely applies to tackling. We demand to be 90% efficient in all tackling opportunities and we do not want to allow poor practice habits or a lack of emphasis on the right things to adversely
Keeping Score - Ways to Keep Your Off-Season Strength Program Competitive
Maintaining a competitive mindset is a priority in the off-season at successful programs. From live player drafts to team-building exercises, creative coaches are constantly coming up with ways to keep their strength and conditioning programs competitive. “You want to train the mental component of competitiveness year-round. That’s a critical piece,” said Maine Strength and Conditioning Coach Dan Nichol. “You don’t want that competitive aspect to go dormant.” AFM talked to
Building Blocks – The day your 2012 season ends, your 2013 pre-season begins. Now is the time to build the foundation for your team’s future success.
In today’s ultra-competitive football environment, there’s no such thing as a true off season. The coach who leaves the game behind after the last items of equipment are stored for the winter is the coach who falls behind his peers.Between post-season evaluations of players and coaches, planning and implementing special activities and training programs and working with seniors who want to play at the next level, coaches’ plates are full. To successfully navigate the challenge
Banner Year
The NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard achieved record-setting participation in 2012 and concluded the year with its largest National 7-on-7 Tournament ever.However you measure it, the 2012 NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard was a resounding success. The HSPD camps experienced dramatic growth in bo
10 Ways To Maximize Press Man Coverage
There are a number of ways your players can reach their potential as cornerbacks in press man coverage. After playing in college, nearly a decade in the NFL, and coaching at both the college and professional level for 28 years, I have learned a number of things that should be helpful in improving your players’ press man techniques. Here are some tips and coaching points to share with your cornerbacks:1. Attitude – The corner must be ready, relaxed, and supremely confident wh
Secure the Future by Playing it Safe
By the time you read this article, your 2012 football season will most likely be over. I hope that it was a success for you and your team. Some of you are enjoying the holiday season with the satisfaction of winning a championship while others are already charting a course of action that will result in more success in 2013. Regardless of how the 2012 season finished, the winter months will provide all of us the opportunity for some much needed rest and a time to reflect on a
Quickness Drills - Essential for Quickness Development
Every coach wants players to play fast and quick. Can quickness be developed or is it just left to those who are genetically blessed. When I started speed training in 1979, every coach said you can’t teach speed. Today we’re talking about quickness, which is an aspect of speed. What if moving with electric transitions and ballistic quickness on the football field could be trained? I can’t say that every athlete on your team will be quick just because you trained them. I
Sometimes the Best Strategies do Not Win Games
If you read American Football Monthly and Gridiron Strategies you can't help but be impressed by all the articles dealing with different offensive and defensive strategies. It is impossible to not be left with the impression that the strategy employed by the football coach is the key to
Subscribers Ask - With Tony Sanchez Head Coach • Bishop Gorman (NV)
Coach Tony Sanchez took over as Bishop Gorman’s Head Coach in March of 2009. The results over three seasons have been spectacular. The Gaels have won three straight state championships with records of 15-0, 13-2, and 16-1. Last fall, Bishop Gorman played three ranked top 25 teams – Chaparral (AZ), Armwood (FL) and Servite (CA). Their only loss was to Armwood, 20-17.Sanchez believes in playing the best teams he can schedule each year. “It was tough to lose the game to Armwood
The Speed Report - Combination Movement Skill Drills FOR THE SECONDARY
What do I mean by combination movement skill drills? Combining position speed skill movements that you might do as one activity only – such as backpedaling – into two or three types of movement changes in the same drill. You will wind up incorporating several skills needed into a non-stop high-intensity and kinetic learning experience.Obviously, an athlete in the secondary must be adept at multi-movement skills, which are why they are practiced so frequently. My idea of doing t
Student of the Game: Using Academic Resources to Enhance Your Program: Part I The Tactical Games Approach and Open Field Tackling
The purpose of this series of articles is to provide ideas for improving various aspects of your football program using academic resources and studies. If you are anything like me, you are the type of coach that wants a reason and a purpose behind everything you do for your program. Anecdotal evidence can be useful, but is often unreliable and even harmful (if you don’t believe me, think about what would happen if we took everything from an internet forum, Wikipedia, or a TV infomercial as
Preparing Your Punt Teams
Getting your punting and pressure/return special team units prepared to meet the challenges they’ll face on game day can be the difference between a win and a loss.Successful coaching requires attention to detail. This is never truer than in special teams, especially in preparing your punt and punt pressure/return units. Punts and punt returns hold opportunities for positive, momentum-changing outcomes but they also have the potential for disaster. Of all the plays in football, the p
Drills Report Bonus - Improving Your Offensive Production
In our offense that we call the “truck and chuck”, we borrow academy-style option principles, implement them from a normal five-yard depth in the shotgun, and then throw as much play-action as we can into it. Like any offense, there are countless ways to practice and prepare our players to execute our style of play. However, when we think about drills and teaching methods for our offense, we stick to a few basic principles:#1 Big/Little/Big - Give the players the big picture (the
Drills Report Virginia Tech Running Back Drills
We have an unbelievable tradition of running back play at Virginia Tech. Our running backs understand the number of great players that have come before them. Since 1980, we have had over 30 running backs sign NFL contracts. That includes David Wilson, a first round draft choice this year and Ryan Williams, a second round draft choice last year.We use four core drills to work on footwork, pass protection, pass catching and overall toughness. Footwork/ball security will be drilled ev
Who is the Typical AFM Reader?
At AFM, we like to think our readers are the smartest coaches in the game. They’re the ones who understand that coaching requires a lifetime of learning. They also know that the best way to be a smarter coach is to take every opportunity to learn from other successful coaches who are wiling to share their schemes, plays, drills, strategies and personal experiences. That’s what they look to AFM for and that’s what we try to deliver in every issue.The more we know about our rea
Wide Receiver Play Base Fundamentals vs. Press Coverage
The proper technique for hand releases and quick feet are critical for the wide receiver in defeating press coverage.We spend a good amount of time in practice working on individual skills. One of our focuses in practice is releases vs. a hard corner. We work on many different releases, with a goal for our players to develop a repertoire. We spend a great deal of time breaking down each individual skill so it will become a habit for them.We break the skill of releases down i
Tide Talent Search
From HOW THE SEC BECAME GOLIATH by Ray Glier. Copyright © 2012 by Ray Glier. Reprinted with permission from Howard Books, a Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.In essence, what Saban did at LSU and what he is doing at Alabama is not about collecting talent. Not even close. He is building a team. He does not start with players, he starts with definitions of players just like the Cowboys and Browns did. When Alabama goes recr
Strategies to Overcome a Poor Start
Football season is finally here.By the time you read this column, your team might have already played several games. Hopefully, the start of your season has been successful and is full of promise. The reality is, however, that each week 50% of all teams, coaches and fans suffer through a defeat. In my 20 plus years of coaching football, I have been a part of teams that started great and I have been part of teams that have struggled mightily out of the gate. Both situations can pres
The Safety Rulebook
While coaches can take an active role in injury prevention by coaching safer tackling and blocking techniques, football’s governing bodies can have a lasting impact for all teams by tweaking rules designed to ensure player safety.Governing organizations – including the NCAA, the National Federation of High Schools, and Pop Warner – have instituted new rules that go into effect this fall to help ensure the safety of players.NCAAThe NCAA approved a number of new
EXTENSION PLANTS The Key to Football Speed Transition
All movement requires force application but transition speed is what makes plays happen fast. The key to playing the game fast is due in part to the ability to plant well when directionally displacing momentum. Pure speed lineally is useful in smaller dimensions than we think when evaluating speed traits. The forty-yard dash as a measurement that forecasts speed is the wrong tool. Playing speed should not rely on the forty as a pure indication for playing fast. The game is played on your feet
Expanded Special Teams: Kickoff and Punt Returns
One of the biggest areas for hidden yards in a football game takes place in the return game of special teams. Making blocks in open space is critical to field position. Technique, fundamentals, angles, and field awareness must be emphasized to be successful. With the motto “every yard counts” players must understand that working to be at the correct landmark can be the difference between a game-changing return and a penalty. Here are drills that we practice:Illini Kickoff Retu
Big Man on Campus
On April 27 last year, a massive EF4 tornado ripped through Tuscaloosa, Alabama at 5 PM. The storm skirted the University of Alabama campus and narrowly missed hitting Bryant-Denny Stadium, home of the Crimson Tide. The funnel cloud could be seen from Head Coach Nick Saban’s office. The tornado missed Saban’s home by a few yards.The destruction was devastating. Over 5,000 buildings in Tuscaloosa were either damaged or destroyed. Over 50 people lost their lives. The city was plu
FREE FORM - General Practice Plan Form
With pre-season camp coming soon, the General Practice Plan Form is a must for every coach. This form details priorities before practice as well as providing a comprehensive guide in five-minute increments – period by period – of a complete two hour and 15 minute practice. Specific practice drills are also included for all positions.
VIDEOTAPING FOR AUGUST TWO-A-DAYS
The key to having productive video sessions during August two-a-days and the regular season is being completely organized. Some questions you ought to ask are:
Complete Cornerback Coverage Techniques
The proper technique for backpedaling is a key to maximizing a cornerback’s coverage.As with any technique in football, there are a number of ways that standard defensive back techniques can be taught. The core fundamentals of backpedal, break, and bail are often articulated in very different ways. While it is important to put some of your best athletes at the cornerback position, there are always times when you will need to adapt your personnel and teach a corner how to play the pos
Inside and Outside Zone Blocking
Inside zone blocking helps create double teams while outside zone blocking is intended to stretch the defense.Zone is different than other offenses because there is no specific point of attack. As a result, the whole defensive front will be stressed. Inside and outside zone is not a man blocking scheme, but rather an area or zone blocking scheme. However, on inside zone you must block the first level first by getting vertical movement on the down defender to a second level defender.
That Championship Season – AFM’s 2011 Survey of 334 State Champions
Winning a state championship is the pinnacle for most high school teams. Learning from the experience of championship coaches can help in your quest to hoist the trophy.Hard work. Dedication. Leadership. Commitment. Focus. Team chemistry. These are the common themes that emerge when you talk to high school coaches that won their state championships in 2011.But there is also great diversity among the 334 teams that raised the state championship trophy last season. There are t
Safety First – Teaching safe tackling technique can reduce head and neck injuries and help protect the game’s future.
In the past 35 years, two-thirds of football-related catastrophic injuries have occurred while making a tackle, according to the National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research at the University of North Carolina. Most of these were caused by helmet-to-helmet contact. “This is a major problem,” said Fred Mueller, Ph.D., director of the NCCSIR, which has collected data and published annual reports on catastrophic football injuries for 48 years.Dr. Mueller said head-to-he
Drills Report – 13 Advanced Punting Ideas and Drills
Punting is one of the most difficult and least acknowledged skills in the game. Coaches expect punters to punt well every time, but one bad punt or a botched snap can result in a serious conversation from a coach or, even worse, a loss of a game. Punting can be a big momentum changing play for you or the other team. Here’s a list of coaching points and drills that can help with this position and make it a more positive part of your program.1. Punter Stretches• Make ea
Speed Report – Useful or Useless Speed and Movement Applications
To bridge the gap between knowledge and application begins with having knowledge on the subject. Many football coaches have a limited knowledge of football speed. That’s not a positive for the athletes they train. However, that can be changed. I’m not trying to be negative or flippant, but I’m offering a challenge. A challenge to spend more time looking outside the box with the methods you’re providing. They may look fine to the untrained eye, but are they really sound for addressing
Strength Report – Seven Phases
Sam Houston State’s Strength and Conditioning ProgramTRAINING PHILOSOPHYThe goal for our strength and conditioning program is to improve each player’s athleticism using a variety of different training methods. Our approach is to implement a simple and effective, yet sound program. A program that relies on hard work, focus, and determination as its main ingredients for success. This approach is not only successful, but is complementary to Head Coach Willie Fritz and his staf
Coach to Coach – Summer Session (Part II)
Using the summer months to organize and articulate your coaching philosophies and methods.In part two of using the summer months to organize and articulate your coaching philosophies and methods, I want to share with you a few methods and strategies in developing your game week schedule, practice preparation, organizing your game day, halftime responsibilities and addressing parent concerns.Game Week Schedule and PreparationsAt Foothill, we play our games on Fr
Powerful Partnership
The National Guard’s Citizen Soldiers contribute to the success of the NFL High School Player Development program on many levels.What does it mean to serve in the National Guard? It means that you’re part of the oldest established branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, dating back to 1636. It means that you can be called upon to provide relief to those that have suffered from natural disasters in your home state. It also means that you could serve overseas, if needed, as part of America
Using the 3-5-3 to Stay One Step Ahead
Over the years, offensive coaches have used different techniques to attack the 3-5-3 defense. They will use formations, motions, and plays to attack certain areas of the defense. I often see offenses that want to attack the edge of the defense at the “C” or “D” gap. They are trying to put pressure on the ‘Dog Safeties’ and cornerbacks or the defensive ends and ‘Bat Linebackers.’
Uphill Battle – Grambling’s ‘Back to the Basics’ strength and conditioning program challenges an athlete’s body as well as his mind.
With the end of the spring semester, our players understand that it is only two-three weeks before we begin our summer workouts. With the start of those workouts, they also understand that we are officially preparing for the upcoming season. Since we are a BCS program, we are financially restricted in terms of paying for our athletes to attend both summer school sessions but they are at least able to attend the second session (late June – late July). For those athletes that are fortunate en
Reloading at Rockhurst – Tony Severino, the head coach at Rockhurst High School for 29 years, believes in keeping his players busy in all aspects of their lives – not just on the field.
It was near the end of an hour-long interview when Tony Severino was asked a question that he has fielded numerous times in recent years. “How much longer do you think you’ll coach?”His answer is the same every time.“I get asked that every day. You’re the second one today that’s asked me,” said Severino, who will turn 64 in September. “I’ve been saying, ‘five years’ for the last 10 years. I have such a good time doing what I do. When I don’t, I’
Drills Report – Linebacker Progression Drills
Coaching linebackers is an ever-evolving process. With today’s offensive schemes becoming more and more complex, we must ask more of our defensive players. I ask our linebackers to read keys, be aggressive run stoppers in the box, defeat blocks, get to the ball using a specific technique, tackle the ball carriers, find receivers and cover them up in zone concepts as well as cover backs and receivers man-to-man. While doing all this, I also expect them to know the game plan, call the defense
Speed Report – Execution in Football and In Football Speed
In football, execution is a key component to winning, performing consistently, confidence, attitude, focus enhancement, skill development, and a commitment to excellence.As Vince Lombardi said, “The quality of a man’s life is in direct proportion to his commitment to excellence, regardless of his chosen field or endeavor”. Lombardi believed in the premise of having pride in execution to the maximum degree. His premise in the world of football speed is absolutely paramou
Coach to Coach – Summer Session
Using the summer months to organize and articulate your coaching philosophies and methods.Being a head football coach is a job that requires a multitude of skills. The coach that is successful over a long period of time has learned to master the art of the “tions” – motivation, delegation, innovation, articulation, dedication – all the while maintaining the most important element – passion. In order to become efficient in all of these areas, a head coach must know and be able
Philosophy of Pass Protection
Being both the OC and OL coach allows us to have a “Protection First” view to the offense. I always stress two things to the offensive unit – first, we must protect the QB at all costs, and second, if you cannot protect the QB, you will not play. This philosophy has been a big part of our success in protecting the QB over the past several years. Over a three year period from 2008-2010 our
FREE FORM - Conditioning Evaluation Form
With summer coming, the Conditioning Evaluation Form is a great way of determining the strength, speed, endurance and agility of your players. For evaluating strength, performances for the bench, squat and hang clean are listed. For speed and endurance, times for both the 40-yard dash and 300-yard shuttle run are included. Time for the pro agility drills is measured for an athlete’s overall agility. Exclusively on www.AmericanFootballMonthly.com
AFM Subscribers Ask with Pulaski Academy (AR) Head Coach Kevin Kelley
As AFM reported in April’s cover feature, “Mad Genius”, Coach Kevin Kelley of Pulaski Academy (AR) has an unorthodox approach to the game. His team never returns a punt, they almost never punt themselves, they kick off onsides virtually every time and they usually go for a two-point conversion. For Kelley, the unconventional strategy has worked with a 49-7 record over the last four years and multiple state championships. Many AFM subscribers had questions for Coach Kelley about his unus
Special Teams – Practice Schedule, Goals, and Critique
Our players understand the importance of special teams because of the amount of time that we put in coaching them. Starting in the spring, we spend a minimum of 10 minutes per day on the “big four” – punt, kickoff, kick return and punt return. We also put in extra point/field goal work in every day. We keep it fresh by changing up drills as much as possible.We run a traditional punt formation and we changed our scheme slightly and spent a lot of time in the spring on punt. It
Punch and Move - Pass Protection Drills for Offensive Linemen
There are many factors that go into keeping your quarterback upright and healthy throughout the season. We teach that it takes “ALL 11” to effectively execute the passing game. Every position on the field has a job to do, from running backs’ blitz checks, quarterbacks throwing the ball on time, hot routes being run with precision and timing and, of course, the line handling their responsibilities.Varied schemes and launch points are a great way to keep a defense off balance.
Tackling - Still the Key to Successful Defensive Play
At every level of football and in every historical era of the game, tackling has always been, and will always be, the most important skill for defensive players to execute. Like all defensive coaches, we have several tackling drills in our arsenal.Before these three drills are described, it will help to describe the basic components of the tackling technique that we teach.Basic components of tackling technique:Leverage – the tackler takes away one direction for th
Eyes Up – Quarterbacks Coach Terry Shea has devoted more than 40 years of his coaching life to the development of the position including the training of elite players like Robert Griffin III.
Terry Shea knows quarterbacks. In addition to quarterback coaching stints in the CFL, college, and the NFL, Shea has helped prepare future NFL quarterbacks for their professional careers. Among others, he has tutored Matthew Stafford, Sam Bradford, and most recently, Robert Griffin III. When elite quarterbacks want the best in personalized instruction, they call Shea.The compilation of his 40 years as an expert in coaching quarterbacks is now in his recently published book, Eyes Up
Drills Report – Ball Security – 4 Running Back Drills to Prevent Turnovers
Offensive coaches would agree that turnovers often are a deciding factor in the outcome of a game. They provide a huge lift for the defense and can create an emotional letdown for the offense. Given all of this, it would seem to make sense to spend a portion of practice emphasizing the need for proper ball management. We begin each practice with a five minute period focused on this issue. We point out that losing the ball provides the opponent with a twelfth man, the implica
Speed Report – Multi-Dimensional Movement Speed Before the Season Begins
The essence of football speed is velocity with control. Many sports require movement changes. However, football is more challenging than other team sports due to the amount of contact during practice and games that other team sports don’t have.Football has multiple requirements. Add the speed and movement factors involved and movement becomes challenging. Good movement positioning and control is the backbone of performance. What makes for an outstanding performance is not solely
Developing Footwork for Your O-Linemen
An offensive lineman has always had the advantage of knowing the play and the snap count. How he uses those pieces of information once the ball is snapped will determine the quality of the player and the overall unit. He must be able to move forwards, backwards, and laterally while driving an attacking defender in the process. He must accomplish this moving comfortably from what most would call an uncomfortable position. This is why nothing is more important than developing good solid footwor
Your Take: Review What You Do
Self-analysis is critical to year-to-year improvement.It doesn’t matter if your team won 12 games last year or 2 – the winter off-season period is the time to review what you do. Every aspect of your offense should be critically reviewed, from the individual drills your position coaches use to the plays you call and why you call them. Here is the process we use to critically analyze who we are vs. who we think we are.Our offensive staff establishes scheme go
Lafayette’s “Fourth Quarter” Off-Season Strength and Conditioning Competition
In strength and conditioning, well thought out plans backed by scientific research have proven effective in real world situations. They usually work best when trying to get our athletes in optimal playing shape. But there are times we need to forget about the science and just see what our team is made of.At Lafayette College, we want our athletes to be comfortable and calm in stressful situations, so they can proficiently process information. That is our reasoning behind our off-season
Winning the Turnover Battle - Three drills that will help your defense recover fumbles and make interceptions.
At the conclusion of each season, we evaluate how effective we have been in various areas. Then we decide what we can do to get our players to be more effective as it relates to our defensive philosophy (See Chart). Although we recognize there is always room for improvement in every area, we ask ourselves what did we do well, and what do we need to emphasis more? We have seen great improvement in the last two years has been point four “Create turnovers and big plays – SCORE!” Our defens
Advanced Spread Punt Team Drills
After more than four decades of coaching, I have been exposed to a lot of great information from many outstanding coaches. I have taken ideas and concepts from each source and adapted them to what we do now at Sacramento City College. We are always open to new ideas in our efforts to keep improving. Here are our thoughts on the most critical play in football, the punt, and how we teach its execution.To convey the importance of the punt team, make sure our players understand that a
Advanced Secondary Drills
Over my coaching career, I’ve accumulated a number of effective secondary drills that can be used at any level. They include drills to improve hip rotation, change of acceleration, and leverage angles with receivers. I’ve included both points of emphasis and what is the projected result of each drill.
Dynamic Relaxation, Rhythm, Intensity – Learned from Drill Applications
There are three main components for sprint speed – relaxation, rhythm, and intensity. Connotations of the first two components – relaxation and rhythm – don’t sound like normal football terms when you think of the mental mind set. Relaxation is an uncompromising term in the football world. When players walk on to a football field they don’t think of relaxing. They don’t even begin to think that it’s a good idea.Rhythm is a term that you hear sometimes in football. It
Love the Grind: Summer Football Strength and Conditioning Program
At Fruitland High School, we refer to our football program as the “Biggest Small School Football Program in the State of Idaho.”Our athletes pride themselves on their off-season work ethic or what we like to refer to as “The Grind”. For our program, we run six-week strength and conditioning classes Monday-Friday leading up to the start of our double day practices. Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays are lift days; Tuesdays and Thursdays are agility and conditioning days.
Your Take – Get the Head Out of Football
At every level of football, greater awareness of the dangers of head injuries and the role that helmet-to-helmet contact often plays in them has led to rule modifications and, in many cases, a greater effort by coaches to minimize the risk of head injuries by incorporating blocking and tackling techniques that take the helmet out of the game. It is critical that this continue to help ensure safety of players and protect the future of the game.Since being taught the proper blocking
6 Rules for Beating Press Coverage – Are your receivers getting stuffed by the press? Here’s how to get them freed up.
One of the most difficult things for my players to do is beat press coverage. Since we run a double wing offense at John Carroll, defenses will often pack the box with defenders and lock down on the outside. By playing press man, defenses try to disrupt the timing of pass routes by jamming receivers at the line of scrimmage. If successful, the defense has a greater opportunity to sack the quarterback since teams often blitz when playing man coverage. However, when a receiver beats press cover
Run Stoppers – Improve your defense with Princeton’s schemes, adjustments, and drills.
Your defensive structure must be simple, it must allow your players to play fast, and it must be adjustable to multiple schemes and sets that offenses present. Our base fronts and coverages are based on the personnel that we have in our program at the present time. Therefore, what works with one group, one year, might not with the next year’s group. We are constantly assessing and reinventing to get better as a defense. With that said, we have installed and implemented a foundation of core
7 Steps to Dominance - Building Dominant Linemen in the Weight Room and On the Field
Too many football strength programs train their linemen the same way as everyone else on the team. If your offensive and defensive linemen are doing the exact same workouts as your quarterbacks, they’ll never reach their full potential.First, what makes a good lineman?Qualities of the Ideal Lineman:• Extremely strong• Quick• Explosive• Fast for 5-yards• A master technician• The best conditioned playe
Advanced Tackling Circuit Drills
With the ever increasing use of spread offenses at all levels, and the emphasis of getting offensive players in space to make plays, proper tackling has never been more important. Correct tackling skills and mechanics will keep players safe and allow them to make a play when in position. These are very important factors when we introduce and talk about tackling to our student-athletes.The number of missed tackles over a course of a game should not reach the double digit mark. If an
The Challenges of Teaching Football Speed
The first step toward teaching football speed is dealing with velocity and angles that change rapidly. Secondly, you must provide a progressive training system that is relative to speed and movement physically, mentally, and technically. The nature of the game provides various challenges to movement speed, angle changes, frequency changes, and rapid acceleration. Your teaching must fit these practicums because, unlike track sprinting, the technical application for football speed is not all li
Drills Report – Getting Open: Drills to Make Your Wide Receivers Great
The most important part of any passing game is the ability of wide receivers to get open. Your type of passing system will determine what types of routes are run, but the ultimate success of the passing game will be based on your wide receivers abilities to get open at the right time for the quarterback. Over the years, I have coached some outstanding receivers, and all the great ones had the ability to get open. The key is practice repetition. We work on a grid square every
Strength Report – Maine’s Winter Strength & Conditioning Program, Part II – February and March
February TrainingFebruary training concentrates on speed development and maximum strength training. We implement our speed development program on Mondays and Thursdays which are divided into linear and lateral PAL mechanics training. Linear speed is performed on Monday and lateral speed on Thursday of each week. Linear and lateral speed development exercises progress from mechanics to acceleration to top speed. We will utilize a distance of 10-20 yards for accelerati
Speed Report - Movement Skills – Critical for Drill Effectiveness
Using drills for teaching and developing football movement is certainly not uncommon. However, breaking down the drills analytically is not the most common practice. Most drills are performed to provide reinforcement for certain football movements, usually relevant to a position. The movement patterns are supposed to create better agility and speed of movement with the use of cones or other equipment creating a challenge for player agility. Although there’s nothing wrong with that, there’
AFM Subs Ask - with former NFL special teams coach Mike Sweatman
Mike Sweatman coached for 23 years in the NFL, primarily with special teams. He began his NFL career with the Vikings and later coached with the Bears, Patriots and Jets and had two stints with the New York Giants. Sweatman coached under Bill Parcells when the Giants won the Super Bowl in 1990 and later, Coach Tom Coughlin hired him as Special Teams Coordinator in 2004. His career included three Super Bowl appearances and two championships. He answers your questions about special teams
Protecting the Passer – Key Elements
Pass protection is perhaps an offensive lineman’s toughest challenge. It is a skill that is acquired through many hours of hard work and dedication. To be an effective pass blocker an offensive lineman must take pride and have the confidence in his ability to protect the quarterback. All pass blockers need to trust their technique. As long as they are sound in their fundamentals and technique, it should not matter what the defender does.There are four ways to measure the success
Drills Report – EXPANDED – Special Teams at South Dakota State
I have had the opportunity to work as the special teams coordinator at South Dakota State for the past two seasons. During that time, I could not be more pleased with our success. In 2010, we ranked No. 4 in FCS net punting, No. 4 in punt return yardage defense, No. 9 in kickoff returns, No. 1 in kickoff return yardage defense and No. 37 in punt returns. We accomplished these numbers without placing one single player in the top-20 of any category. I truly believe we achieved that success beca
Speed Report – The Off-Season is Back – Time for Foundation Speed Drills
If you’re not moving forward each year, you’re standing still. If you wish to grow, you need to review what you’ve been doing and challenge yourself to do more. I’ve spent 32 years adding something that improves my program to better levels than they were the year before. Sometimes it’s a new system or just tweaking the old one a certain way. Whatever your situation might be, it can always be better, especially when it comes to speed. I will give you a few thoug
Learning to Read the Defense
By John Groll, Assistant CoachBedford High School MI) Football has been a part of my life for more than 30 years. Over that time, I have coached or played ever position except quarterback and defensive line. Under a new coach last year, I became the new defensive line coach in our 4-3 defense. I would like to share with you how we teach our defensive linemen to read various blocks.
COACHING FROM THE HEART
by Marc Sites, Assistant Coach Liberty High School (CO) List any great team or dynasty in the history of sports and every team had a great coach. John Wooden at UCLA, Bill Walsh with the 49ers, Phil Jackson with the Bulls and Lakers, Red Auerbach with the Celtics and the list goes on and on. On the flipside, there have been plenty of talented teams in sport that were never champ
Point Counterpoint - Stopping the Air Raid
Spread Stoppers - Defending the Zone Read, Bubble Screen and Four VerticalsTrying to defend the spread includes being creative and mixing defenses but pressure on the quarterback and aggressive open-field tackling are critical. The evolution of the spread offense has defensive coordinators longing for the good old days when defending the triple option meant accounting for the fullback, quarterback and a pitch man. But these days the third option might just a
Drills Report – Expanded – Advanced Defensive Line Play Techniques and Drills
At Kutztown University, we believe in an aggressive, attacking style of play from our defensive line. Here are seven coaching points and seven drills to help your defensive line improve every day. Coaching Point #1 – We use this acronym every day.SACKERS - Stance (balanced and coiled)A - Alignment (See foot and shoulder)C - Concentration (What are you looking at?)K - Keys (mirror feet)E - Evaluate (what do you see?)R - Res
Speed Report – Bring Your ‘A’ Game Each Day
Many coaches do not consider speed and movement training to have a critical impact on their players on a daily basis. As a result, they fail to give it the same attention and focus that they give to other areas of practice and training.Most great coaches would consider attention to detail and good time management as cornerstones of their success. Why, then, do so many coaches fall short when it comes to using speed training to develop their athletes? Why do they not apply the same
Letter from AFM - Happy Holidays
As we conclude another football season, our thoughts move ahead to next year and the things that we hope will be different and better for ourselves and for the game. We are thankful for the support of our subscribers and advertisers and especially for the generosity of those coaches that are willing to share their plays, strategies, drills and coaching advice with AFM readers. Without them, we would not have been able to serve the coaching community for over 15 years.
FREE FORM - Defensive Line Grade Sheet
This form includes a complete grading system for your D-linemen on every defensive call. Such categories as alignment, techniques, pass rush, plug hole and defeat block are listed with a key for grading players. Other categories include pass sack, pursuit path, solo or assisted tackle and missed tackle. Total points are then added for the overall grade.FREE for Subscribers.NOT A SUBSCRIBER?American Football Monthly provides more X’s
Ten Tips to Help Every Youth Football Coach Be the Best They Can Be
By Harold “Bud” Boughton Senior Consultant and Assistant Coach, Franklin College Two years ago I was asked to be a guest speaker at two USA Football Coaching Schools. I knew right away what I wanted to talk about. Drawing on my coaching experience at both the college and youth level, I created a presentation entitled, “Coaching is T
Get Educated 2012 Coaches Clinics
Now is the time to develop your game-plan for the 2012 coaches clinic season. It’s your opportunity to pick up philosophy, techniques, drills, and the latest in offensive formations, defensive schemes and special teams play from some of the game’s most successful coaches. Here are four premier organizations that will be conducting clinics scheduled during the winter months in 2012.Nike Coach of the Year Clinics There are 20 nationwide Nike COY clinics in 2012. Most of the clini
Playoff Prep – Good strategy during the season can increase your chances of success in the post-season.
How do you prepare now to for maximize your playoff run in November and December? There are many reasons why some teams are strong playoff performers and some are not. Some of those reasons are controllable, and others obviously are beyond the coach’s control. Some teams experience regular season success, but those accomplishments don’t continue through the playoffs. For others, advancing week-after-week is a tradition. What are the critical elements – physical, psychological and strate
The Power Run Game and the Spread Offense – Can They Co-Exist?
Since the popularization of the numerous forms of the spread offense in the late 1990’s and now into the new millennium, many coaches have seen a drastic change in the way they attack today’s defensive structures and coverage shells. As a coach who has always favored the power and lead-back run plays and series, I am constantly researching methods of running the Isolation Play (See Diagram 1), the Blast Play (Diagram 2) and the Power Off-Tackle Play with a gap down, pull, kick-out blockin
Father Figure – In his celebrated career, Houston’s Ray Seals became much more than a coach to many of his players.
Twenty-three years ago, Ray Seals decided to change his coaching legacy. It wasn’t going to just be about football anymore.Seals arrived at Madison High School (TX) in 1988 to find a program full of kids from low-income families. Some came to practice with no clothes; some hadn’t eaten. His players were foul-mouthed and disrespectful. They weren’t college material. “I said right then that when I became head coach, that wasn’t going to happen to my kids,” said Seals.
Drills Report – Building Pocket Awareness
We believe that pocket awareness is one of the most important quarterback skills to develop. I did say develop. We don’t believe that most people are born with the ability to stand in the pocket and wait for people to run into them. We spend fifteen minutes a week during the season working on pocket awareness. On Monday, we spend five minutes re-enacting the pocket awareness situations that the quarterback should have handled more efficiently from the previous game. On Tuesday, w
Speed Report – Quick Feet – A False Read for Speed
Yes, a false read. The feet are not the focal point for speed and quickness or quick movement. I install speed training programs in the football world year in and year out with coaches and players. Every time I go in with my football speed development training series, the subject of quick feet comes up. It is always the same – the realization that the foot is not where you should be looking to gain insight into real quickness, or its potential. Coaches commonly use the term good feet an
Strength Report – The Friday from Hades
When we came to PV a few months ago we found a downtrodden, used to losing group of young men. There was no pride in the program, nothing but “Hey, we tried”. The words compete, fight, and adversity were not in the vocabulary of these young men. We had to shock the system and change a lot of things. The first thing we changed was the strength and conditioning program.We are together Monday through Friday. Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday are scheduled lifting sessions in which we use
Letter from AFM - Award Winner
There may be a coaching award that Ray Seals hasn’t won, but we’re not aware of it. Seals, who is the subject of this issue’s cover feature, retired from coaching prior to the start of this season, which would have been his 24th at Madison High School in Houston and 47th overall. Ten times he was named Coach of the Year for the Houston school district. He was awarded Coach of the Year honors from the Houston Touchdown Club in 1997 and Houston Texans in 2001. In 2008, he was n
Overcompensate in the Coop - Drills to Improve Your Defense
I have come to realize that it doesn’t matter what level of football you coach - fundamentals are the most important aspect. At Catawba College, our defensive philosophy is to keep things simple so our athletes can perform at the highest level. Fundamentals are of utmost importance. A phrase that is used many times, like a broken record, is “lower your pad level!” But what does this mean and how can I get this accomplished without repeating myself over and over? I will explain some dri
Defensive Backs: Drills to Maximize Press Man Technique – Reaction of the hands, eyes, and feet can make the difference between a big play and shutting down a WR.
In today’s college football, wide receivers and quarterbacks are just too good for a defensive back to sit back and play just one technique or alignment against them all game. Offensive coordinators have become very creative with the variety of passing attacks complemented by the running attacks, or vice-versa. Defenses need to bring a mixture of coverage, disguises and techniques to challenge the offense and create confusion. Most of your success will depend upon your ability to disguise y
Drills Report (Expanded) – ‘The Six Pack’ Concept: Keeping Linebacker Fundamentals Strong All Season Long
During pre-season camp, individual periods tend to be much longer, which gives the position coach ample time to work on the fundamentals that are essential to linebacker play. As coaches, we become spoiled with all of that individual time. Once pre-season camp ends, so do the long individual periods, as the focus turns to preparation for upcoming opponents. This can drastically shorten the amount of time that you can truly devote to working on fundamentals. But, it is important to
Speed Report – Doing What’s Best for In-Season Speed Training
Playing football is not kind to football speed during the season. While off-season work must focus on mechanical execution and coming into camp running fast, as was covered in our article last month, speed maintenance is the focus for in-season speed training.Football is a game that is played the best when each athlete can move aggressively fast. That benchmark should have been established in the summer speed sessions. Once the season begins, the objective is to maintain the speed
Strength Report (Expanded) – Position Performance Training: Defensive Line
When it comes to performance training for linemen, the common thought is to have them lift as much weight as possible. On the surface, this might seem to make a lot of sense due to the fact that linemen have to move heavier loads at the point of contact in most cases. But what’s going to affect the point of contact most is the movements the linemen go through before contact. Factors such as how one comes out of his stance, his body positioning, and the efficiency of his steps prior to conta
Quarterback Play: Finding Ways to Complete Passes in Critical Situations
Drop and throw, drop and throw, and again, drop and throw. There is no other position in sports that demands such commitment, discipline, and practice. Playing quarterback and more importantly, having the extraordinary opportunity to lead a football team into competition, requires an understanding of not only the position and its necessary skills, but a knowledge of each and every player on offense, and the entire team. How do we train the quarterback to reach a level of play that
Leadership in Football
What do the names Lombardi, Landry, Walsh, and Dungy all have in common? They are the names of football coaches who were innovative in implementing and teaching new strategies and tactics but they were also great team leaders. What was it about their attention to the details of the game that required hard work, dedication and focus that led them to some of the best winning percentages in the history of the National Football League? In their own way, each one of these coaches truly cared about
Drills to Develop Complete Backs – Maximize the effectiveness of your running backs through ball security, blocks and pass receiving.
Maximize the effectiveness of your running backs through ball security, blocks, and pass receiving.At Nicholls State University, we run a multiple-pro style offensive system. For our system to be successful, we ask our running backs to be involved in a variety of ways. We place value on our running backs becoming what we call “complete backs.” We define a “complete back” as a running back that runs the football with violent intentions, executes blocks in the ru
Q & A with Bill Ramseyer
Keys to Successful August PracticesBill Ramseyer has a reputation for turning programs around. While head coach at Firelands High School in Ohio, his teams finished with a 24-2 record for a school that never had a winning season prior to Ramseyer’s arrival. After becoming head coach at Wilmington College, Ramseyer amassed a 114-58-4 record over 19 seasons. Before his arrival, Wilmington had only 28
Drills with a Purpose Practice Systems That Match Your Defensive Objectives
Whitworth practices 11-player drills that match the goals of their defense – pursuit, interception, and two-minute drills.Most coaches understand the importance of drilling with a specific purpose in mind. Most educators have stressed the importance of teaching toward a specific objective. However, not all coaches align their drills with their team’s main objectives. We have intentionally aligned our practice drills to match, teach, and reinforce our main defensive
Graduate Course How does a high school coach fulfill a dream of advancing to the college ranks?
In every profession, it’s natural to want to advance to the next level. Greater prestige, higher compensation and job security are all potential rewards of a promotion within an organization or a change of employers. In football, you would naturally assume that many successful high school coaches would aspire to become college coaches, and that may indeed be the case. But even the best high school head coaches have struggled to succeed as head coaches in college football, at leas
Tackling Fundamentals Teaching Progression And Circuit
Vince Lombardi once said, “When a man is running down the street with everything you own, you won’t let him get away. That is tackling.” At Albright College we believe that the success of our defense rests on fundamentals. The five fundamentals of alignment, tackling, block destruction, pursuit and creating turnovers will determine the success of any defensive football team regardless of scheme. We spend a large amount of time on each of these five areas and have a plan and teaching pro
Summer Speed Training - Finishing on Par
Summer is the home stretch for football speed development. We must be sure that when we report for in-season practice that we‘re speed ready. That means we have our power, plyos and techniques in alignment for playing at a maximum level when the bell rings. Hopefully, you have spent sufficient time to progressively develop the skills of mechanical execution so that you can use the summer to heat up the nervous system with fast aggressive speed work. To improve
Letter From The Publisher
Moving up the Coaching Ladder Part of the fun of being with an organization that has chronicled the successes of football coaches for over 15 years is following the careers of coaches that we featured in AFM years ago. It’s great to see a coach like Gary Patterson, for example, who we put on our “Hot List” of up-and-coming coaches in 2004, achieve such great success at TCU and become AFM’s FBS Coach of the Year in 2011. While we’ve worked
The Scrape Tackle Drill
By Ross Pennypacker, Linebackers CoachBucknell University There are a lot of answers to the question of what makes a good linebacker? One may answer that a good linebacker must be able to run well. Another person may answer that a good linebacker must have the ability to diagnose plays. Another may answer that a good linebacker must be able to have the strength to defeat blocks. All of these answers are correct, but I find the best linebackers are usua
Tiger Training – Missouri’s 10 Key Defensive Line Drills and Techniques – How you can fortify your pass rush.
The key to any defensive pass rush is putting pressure on the quarterback. Missouri conducts drills daily to accomplish just that. At the University of Missouri, I have been very fortunate and blessed with defensive linemen who have and are embracing this attitude. In my time here, we have increased our sack total each year. We have had many players go on to All-Conference honors. We have had players lead the Big 12 in sacks and in tackles-for-loss. We have had a defensive lineman
Steuerwald’s Rules – A coaching legend shares his guidelines for designing and implementing an effective pre-season practice schedule.
In sixty days or less, your 2011 team will be assembled for pre-season practice. They’ll be pushing themselves to achieve peak physical condition, battling each other for higher spots on the depth chart and, in most places around the country, struggling to get through practices in oppressive heat and humidity.
Drills Report: The Pipe Drill for Offensive Linemen
We use the Pipe Drill on a regular basis with our offensive linemen. The objective of the drill is to teach O-linemen the proper footwork in five blocking techniques versus air. There are five phases to the pipe drill: 1. Bucket step 2. Lateral jab step 3. Down block 4. Trap-pull 5. Drive block
Speed Report: Teaching Drills Properly – the KEY to Playing Fast
We all like drills. The correct speed drills are the KEY for the best player development. When we arrange drills weekly and monthly for a speed development program, we must have a plan. That is, a plan that puts drills in an arranged order. This is a must for progressive skill development. Without it, you are working in vain. All learning skills and especially running movement skills must be taught in a progressive order. This is because the skill applications for running are constantly activ
Strength Report: Fairmont State’s Summer Strength Program
Breaking down each seasonal phase of your strength and conditioning program throughout the calendar year is a must. But before we outline the entire year, let’s devise a plan for summer workouts. Here’s a complete plan divided into two phases for your summer workouts.
8-Week Summer Strength & Conditioning Chart
This is an eight-week summer training program for football, incorporating lifting, conditioning, speed and agility drills. It is a comprehensive plan of attack intended for all high school programs, and will be successful if carried out to its entirety. Everything in this program is designed to work together. Switching up days/workouts is not recommended. Please Log in to download the chart
Get The Most Out Of Your Practice
By Don Tyre • Assistant Coach • Our Lady of Mercy High School • Fayetteville, GAIf you want to enhance the productivity of your football team, where can you find time to do it without making practice longer? Use your imagination to change the pace of practice. Don`t waste time. Practice what you are going to do in a game. Do you run sprints in a game? A fast pace in practice is vital and a fast pace in a game is advanta
From the Coach’s Bookshelf – Winning Football
In his new book Winning Football, Bill Ramseyer provides a blueprint for coaching success. Based on lessons he’s learned from his decades in coaching, the book is a complete handbook that examines all parts of the game. Here is an excerpt from his opening chapter.Elements of Success Success can be measured in many ways. If you are a coach, perhaps you measure success by the positive influence you have on the lives of the players you coach – the attitudes
8-Week Summer Strength & Conditioning Program – A FBS strength & conditioning coach gives you a complete and comprehensive lifting and running schedule for high schools with detailed workout charts.
This is an eight-week summer training program for football, incorporating lifting, conditioning, speed and agility drills. It is a comprehensive plan of attack intended for all high school programs, and will be successful if carried out to its entirety. Everything in this program is designed to work together. Switching up days/workouts is not recommended.Training Philosophy: First and foremost we believe in perfect technique. Players must perform all movements correctly, with spe
Being a Complete Running Back – Running with the ball is only one aspect of being a complete running back.
As coaches, we are constantly evaluating our players. And our players are constantly evaluating themselves. How many times have you had a player come to you and ask, “Coach, what do I need to do to get more playing time?” or “What do I need to work on?” At Sacramento State, we emphasis ownership. We ask them to be accountable for themselves and their performance both on and off the field. On the field, we ask the running backs “2B A PART”.
5 Keys to Running a Successful Youth Camp
Thinking about the annual obligatory youth camp stirs up mixed emotions among coaches across the country. On one hand, they are excited to teach their sport to future players. On the other hand, many see this camp as just another time consuming activity taking time away from their varsity teams and their families during the summer months. Unfortunately, not all coaches take advantage of these camps as an opportunity to build their program from the ground up. Instead, these camps often become
Drills Report: Advanced Linebacker Drills
In today’s game, players need to be more athletic than ever, especially at the linebacker position. The game has evolved quickly over the past 10 years. Offensive schemes have become more advanced and complicated. To combat this offensive growth, defenses have also advanced. In order to be a great linebacker, you need to be a well-rounded player – and today’s linebackers have to be strong against the run, while having the athleticism to cover the passing game. &nbs
Speed Report: Football Movement and Speed Skills – Combining Linear Speed with Movement Speed
Summer is coming soon and spring is a perfect time to improve the skill-set of your players to increase their playing speed and confidence. Often, we work on linear speed and movement speed independently. Why not combine the two? That’s what football requires – speed and movement. I thought this month would be a great time to add some playing speed skills for your team. Some years ago I began combining movement drills with linear speed work, all during
Strength Report: Developing Functional Strength and Conditioning
Over the past five decades, the physical requirements and the tactical and technical sophistication of football have increased drastically. Preparation of athletes for specialized demands requires that strength and conditioning programs be position-specific. Conditioning The initial task is to identify the physical demands of the game. Football is an intermittent sprint sport. It demands a series of explosive maximum efforts with relatively full recover
Tackle Safe – Bobby Hosea’s pioneering tackling technique protects players from devastating head injuries.
As a coach, what are you doing right now to make the game safer for your current and future players? Could you be doing more to ensure head-to-head hits are eliminated from the game? Bobby Hosea can help you answer those questions. Hosea, a former UCLA cornerback who played professionally in Canada and in the USFL, has emerged as a passionate and authoritative voice in the movement to change the violent tackling culture in football. He enlightens coaches, parents
Drills Report: Tight End Run Blocking – The Reach-Scoop Drill
At Texas State, we utilize the tight end position in a pro style offense featuring multiple formations and personnel groups. We are committed to establishing our run game to open up our passing game. I believe that an effective offense must establish the run and that the tight end can be a key component in this. Due to our commitment to the run game, I am going to focus on one run blocking drill: the Reach-Scoop Drill. Our offense features three types of run block
Strength Report: Ohio University’s Spring Conditioning
At Ohio University, we go through a systematic approach to enhance speed, agility and football specific conditioning during the spring. We have four weeks to train in May after spring practice is completed. We then have a three week discretionary period due to finals and the break between spring and the summer quarter in June. Our main focus in May after practice is on linear speed – both acceleration and max velocity for skill players and just acceleration for
FREE FORMS -Conditioning Evaluation
Chart the strength and conditioning of every one of your players with his form. Strength is divided into performance for the bench press, qsuat, and hang clean. Conditioning evaluation is for time in the 40, endurance Through the 300-yard shuttle run and agility drills.
Balancing Act – Focusing on Quarterback Balance and Rhythm in Pass Drops
Most emphasis on a quarterback’s pass drop is placed on depth from the line of scrimmage and the timing of the throw in conjunction with the receivers’ routes. Although these elements are vital, not enough emphasis is placed on the quarterback’s balance and rhythm within the drop. Balance is vital because we want the QB to throw as consistently as possible. Having good balance is the best way to create consistency and the right habits. Rhythm is neces
Drills Report: Wide Receiver Stalk Blocking
Statistically, we had our best offensive season in decades, if not ever, at Indiana State in 2010. Our scoring average improved from 9.0 points per game to 31.9 points per game. A major factor in the increased production was our efficiency in the running game. In 2009, we averaged just 97 yards rushing per game. Compare that to the 193-yards rushing per game we had this season. Getting receivers to buy into their importance in the run game can sometimes be challenging.
Speed Report: Football Coach or Football Speed Coach –You Can Be Both
You don’t have to be apprehensive when you think about football speed development. You don’t have to feel incompetent when it comes to developing team speed. That is, if you have a certain knowledge of the subject of football speed. If you don’t, you might feel uneasy about teaching it. My quest in this article is to provide you with perspective about football speed and how you can feel more comfortable with what it takes to do it right – right according to the scientific knowledge th
Strength Report: Samford Football – The Ironman Classic
A team and individual competition to develop mental toughness and promote unity.Toward the end of the spring semester, when spring ball is over, often it’s hard to keep the attention of the players. One way I’ve found to combat this is by competition. I try to put them in a competitive situation that is challenging, but still fun. The Ironman Competition is an intense form of evaluation to measure muscular endurance, mental toughness, and competitiveness. It helps develop team unit
Running Back Pass Protection Progression Drills
At Salve Regina, our running backs have many philosophies. One of them that they take great pride in and stress the most is to “protect the ball and protect the QB”. I will go through some of our pass protection techniques that we do and how they build up into a progression. SHUFFLE One of the more important and stressed techniques in pass protection is having the proper shuffle. We want to be in a good football position with flexion in our ankles, kne
The Rock Technique - Stopping the Run with the 3-4 Defense Against the Spread Offense
These drills focus primarily on the C-gap rushing OLB and the Mike backer out of a 3-4 stack defensive scheme. Diagram 1 shows you the big picture of playing cover 3 against the spread out of the doubles formation. This figure shows you across the board the gap responsibilities. However, we are going to look at the fieldside Mike backer and the Sam or blitzing OLB.
Secrets of Central Florida’s Elite Kickoff Units
UCF had the best combined kickoff return and coverage statistics in the FBS.Central Florida’s elite kickoff units aren’t built exclusively with elite athletes. In fact, when building the coverage and return units, physical traits like speed, strength and size often take a backseat to effort, attitude and toughness. The formula works. Special teams coordinator Tim Salem’s kickoff return team finished No. 1 in the nation, averaging 27.78 yards per retur
Drills Report: Murray State’s Defensive Back Press Man Coverage
As defensive back coaches, we often teach our athletes to do things that are unnatural to them and are against what their instincts tell them to do. We tell them to not to follow their key inside if they are a flat defender, do not jump a route that sits in front of them if you are a vertical defender, do not jump a deep crossing route if you are half-field player. Among many other things, a successful defensive back must be disciplined on every play. It is a unique position on the field in t
Coach to Coach: The Art of Effective Motivation
I was watching the Baltimore Ravens dominate the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first half of a playoff game this weekend with my dad. I was surprised at the lack of energy and focus that Pittsburgh team had displayed for the entire first half. On the first possession of the second half, sure-handed Baltimore running back Ray Rice fumbled and the Steelers recovered. The home fans were filled with a rush of excitement and the Pittsburgh players, despite a two touchdown deficit, displayed a renewed
Speed Report: Progression Training – Critical for Processing Football Speed
What really is progression training? Progression is a word we can use in many ways. I use the word to describe an element that must be utilized within the structure of football speed training. When we set up a plan for training throughout the year, we need to progress the skill level and proficiency demands as time and training moves forward. The plan advances the structure to a step-by-step development process. The goal is to end the training season in the preferred position to begin in-seas
Quarterback Play – Focusing on Strengths
“A leader needs to know his strengths as a carpenter knows his tools, or as a physician knows the instruments at his disposal. What great leaders have in common is that each truly knows his or her strengths – and can call on the right strength at the right time. This explains why there is no definitive list of characteristics that describes all leaders.” - Donald O. CliftonAs a football coach, it’s very easy to get caught up in the strategy and design of a practice week a
Coach to Coach: Making Your Off-Season Count, Part II
Last month, I wrote about some simple steps in evaluating a season that does not meet expectations. I touched on a few of the areas that I feel are critical in assessing these types of seasons. The areas include communication, off season training programs and evaluating returning players’ strengths and weaknesses and adjusting schemes accordingly. But what about the seasons that exceed our expectations? The seasons when things went right. Seasons when players and coaches came together to pr
Drills Report: Running Back Drills for Ensuring Ball Security
We ask a great deal of our running backs at Minnesota State University, and it is my job as running backs coach to help our players meet the expectations we have of them. Some of our offensive game goals that our RBs are directly involved in include:• 100% Ball Security.• Break 25 tackles as a team and gain more than 75 yards after contact.• More than 90% positive plays and more than 10 explosive plays.• Out-rush our opponents in the fourth
Drills Report: Teaching The Combo Block
In the combo block, the two adjacent offensive linemen performing the block are identified as a post blocker and a seal blocker. They are blocking a first-level defender (defensive lineman) to a second-level defender (linebacker or possible a safety). When teaching the combo block, I work inside-out when drilling playside combos and backside combos. Playside combos are called Jack, Queen, and King. Jack is a combo block between the center and callside guard working to a playside linebacker. Q
Getting Successful Quarterback Play
By Brian Hayes, Offensive Coordinator/QB Coach Anna Maria College There are a lot of different intangibles that make up successful quarterback play. I have seen all types of quarterbacks be successful and play well in many types of different systems. I believe that you fit your system to what your quarterback does best and work towards his strengths. There are five points that I really talk a lot about when coaching our quarterbacks. These five things that I wi
Drills Report: A Special Teams Drill for the Entire Season
We have used the “Two Hand Touch Punt Cover Drill” for four seasons in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and for seven seasons of college football in the U.S. and Canada. This August, we saw the drill being used at the training camp of a recent Super Bowl champion. The drill has evolved every year and has been improved by adopting the open field tackling concepts taught by long-time NFL and CFL Defensive Coordinator Rod Rust and Bobby April, Special Teams Coordinator for the Ph
Speed Report: The History of Football Speed Development in America (Part II)
In part one, we chronicled the history of football and weight training changes over the years. My point of emphasis was to provide you with insight to the path football speed has taken. The amazing thing about the history of football speed is that there isn’t a recorded history to be found. This article will summarize where it began and where it is today. I was the first football speed coach in America. I began coaching football and track sprints in 1968 at the high school le
Strength Report: Practical Movement and Strength Training – The Key to Speed
I have been fortunate, in my 16 years of performance coaching, to have been mentored by the best in the business. Furthermore, I have been privileged to work both at the collegiate level and in the private sector. This allowed me to see things from a different perspective, exposing me to areas such as speed training and leadership/management skills that I wouldn’t have been exposed to had I just stayed at the collegiate level. Although it was a huge risk to leave college athletics, the
Fundamentals of Wide Receiver Play and Reading Coverages
By PJ Fleck, Wide Receivers Coach Rutgers University PURPOSEFUL “TEACHING” I was always told that I was the “King of the TOO’s” (too small, too slow, too short). I heard all the time, “GET OUT OF THE BREAK, DROP YOUR WEIGHT, CATCH THE BALL, GET OFF THE PRESS.” “Cat
Setting the Tempo by Attacking and Reacting
By Kevin Cristillo, Defensive Line Coach Kentucky Christian University My philosophy as a D-line coach is to be aggressive and stop the run. As a defensive lineman, your main job is to stop the run. By stopping the run you are dictating the tempo of how the game is going to be played. Almost every team wants to establish a run game presence so that they can complement that with their passing game. Stopping a team’s ability to run puts them i
Learning to Read Blocks
By John Groll, Defensive Line Coach Bedford High School (MI) Football has been a part of my life for the last thirty years. In those thirty years, I have played or coached every position except quarterback and defensive line. Last year, our high school hired a new football coach and he hired me as the new defensive line coach in our 4-3 defense. I would like to share how I teach our D-linemen to read various blocks.
Defensive line get off – The key to winning on the line of scrimage
By Eric Gerlach, Defensive Line Coach Cabrillo College During spring and summer, when your team is not in pads, teams seems to put a lot of effort in 7 on 7’s and might overlook line work. Yet you always hear coaches saying "the game is won on the line.” Spending time in the spring and summer working on getting off the ball will make an enormous difference come fall. By working these drills, your players will be faste
The Sprint-Out Passing Game for a Smaller, More Athletic Quarterback
In high school football, you have to adjust your offense to the talent and ability of the players that you have. Unlike college, you cannot go out and recruit, so you must be able to adjust to the talent of your players. The quarterback position is a perfect example. You must adjust to your quarterback’s talent and abilities. At Southwestern, we had a four-year run in the shotgun spread offense because of two quarterbacks in a row that were 6’3” plus and had great arms. Th
Drills Report: Daily D-Line Must Drills
Like many things, football is a game that requires you to do a few basic concepts. You have to block, run and tackle. With this in mind, my approach to coaching the D-Line has always been to be sure and hit certain key things everyday. Each day you strive to build and develop the best group that you can possibly have. To do this, you always must strive for perfection within your group. Remember, if you make it important, your group will also. It is very important to know what makes your playe
Letter from AFM
Our mission at AFM is to help coaches to be more successful on and off the field. Naturally, for most coaches, success means winning more games. So our focus has always been to provide the tools to win, whether they’re innovative offensive systems, position drills, defensive techniques or special teams strategy. But virtually every coach, at some point in his career, has endured a season where the losses have outnumbered the wins. After all, for every team that puts together a win
In-Season Training and Practice Planning For Punters and Kickers
A coach’s dilemma: what do you do with punters and kickers during the season? It’s a dilemma which has existed for a long time. It is especially true at the high school level but to varying degrees at the college and professional level as well. I have personally experienced this dilemma for the 25 years I have been a coach and for the fifteen years I was a player in high school, college and as a professional. Just handing the kicking specialists some footballs and sendin
Guru of the Golden Arms
As a high school quarterback, Steve Clarkson led Wilson High in Los Angeles to a 39-1 record and three straight city championships in the late 70’s. That was followed by three years as the starting quarterback for San Jose State where he played for John Elway’s father, Jack Elway. Clarkson broke several passing records in the process at SJSU (1979-82) and was a two-year Academic All-American. He was destined to fulfill his dream of being drafted by an NFL team. It didn’t qui
HERO TO ZERO IN ONE PLAY: Drilling the Defensive Back for Confidence
While I am now coaching tight ends at Columbia University, I have spent many seasons as a defensive backs coach. If anyone has been a secondary coach or played the position before, you are intimately familiar with those times when, in the final seconds of a game, an intercepted pass can “seal the deal” for your team or where a deep bomb can spell misery. The positive end result of those times is a combination of competitiveness, but more importantly, reliance on solid fundamentals. I have
Offensive and Defensive Collision Drills To Improve Your Team’s Performance
Little boys and men play football because it helps release aggressive energy and humbles all who have tried it. The sensation of running into someone at full speed is defining. No other element of football accelerates players, coaches and spectators than hearing the impact of a collision. Shoulder pads, helmets, forearms, and brute force contacting each other with speed and leverage. I began being a good football coach when I taught players how to take on a full contact collision. Eve
Coaching In Denmark (Part II)
By Wayne Anderson In this next installment of coaching in Denmark, I would like to share more about the teaching aspect of coaching a team like the Odense Swans. The first thing you must remember about a team like the Swans is that what you can truly do as a coach depends on how many coaches you have on your staff and how many players consistently participate in practice. In Denmark, our season is divided into two different parts:
GAME STRATEGY AND PLAY CALLING: THE “HEDGEHOG” PHILOSOPHY
By Bruce Reynolds Former Head Coach William Penn High School, New Castle (DE) Game day strategy and play calling should not be too elaborate. Go with what got you there. Too many coaches make the mistake of trying to put in too many “new” things for the big game. My father, the Dr. Brooks E. Reynolds, a Methodist minister, was always preaching Steven Covey’s theme: “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” You can appl
AFM Subscribers Ask: Steve Warren Head Coach Abilene High School
Last fall, Abilene finished the season 15-0 by beating Katy High School in the Division II 5A Texas State Championship. Winning their first state title in 53 years, Abilene completed the season as the consensus #2 high school team in the country. Before Warren arrived in 1996, Abilene suffered through eight consecutive losing seasons. Entering his 15th season this fall, Warren has an overall 132-63 record which includes 11 straight playoff appearances. Abilene uses a one-back system as its base
Portable Perspective
Colleges and high schools have long employed elevated end zone and sideline cameras to capture practice and game video that could be reviewed and used as a teaching tool. But, until recently, the stationary cameras were limited in how they could be used in a variety of practice situations. Now, that has changed with the introduction of the remarkable portable elevated camera system from U.S. Sports Video called the SideWinder. In the summer of 2006, Tennessee Offensive Coordi
The Color Drill: Helping Linebackers & Defensive Backs Maximize Their Drops
Over the years our defensive staff has successfully identified areas our defense needed to improve on. After identifying these weaknesses we have the ability to think of some innovative drills to help our players improve in the specified areas. This past season we identified that while getting into their zone pass drops, our linebackers and defensive backs were not reading the backfield action and the quarterback. In order to improve in this area we came up with our ‘Color
Drills Report: The 3-On-2 Contain and Tackle Drill
The purpose of this drill is to be able to close on a ball carrier and adjust to the different angles when a player is blocked or taken out of the play. Once a tackler has been blocked, the remaining two tacklers in this drill adjust and close in on the runner without getting beat to the outside, split down the middle, or overrunning the ball carrier. Depending on the coach’s objective, the goal of the drill is to either completely contain the ball carrier by wrapping him up or tackling him
10 Musts Before The Start of Fall Camp
#1 Hit the weights and don’t forget to stretch for success. Nothing can make up for players that are not physically ready to play their best. Instead of lamenting that your players are not “bigger, faster and stronger,” take the initiative and make them bigger, faster, and stronger. If you do not have a weight room, create your own. We started our weight room in a storage closet in the wrestling room. I personally ran the summer weight room three days a w
Offensive Game Planning: A Week-Long Schedule to Success
Game Week Schedule - Sunday Our game week schedule is designated from Sunday to Friday. Our main objective for Sunday is to have a final breakdown of our previous game by 4:00 pm. Our breakdown consists of players’ grades on assignments and team goals. We also determine individual awards for our players from the previous game. Following our team meeting, our players divide into groups and watch film with the position coaches. Their night ends with position lifts. At abo
Small Schools, Big Time Programs
For years, Smith Center, Kansas’ (population 1,700) claim to fame was that it’s located in the geographic center of the United States. Now, high school football has put the town on the map. The Smith Center Redmen gained national attention in 2007 when, in the middle of an eventual 79-game winning streak, they had an 11-game run where they outscored their opponents a combined 706-0. In one memorable game, they scored 72 points – in the first quarter. Wh
Strength Report: Summer Conditioning-Mental and Physical Preparation for a Championship Season
During the summer off-season, it’s time to make a final push to reach peak levels of conditioning in anticipation of a championship season. Preparation this time of year is critical to the success of our program. It allows our coaches to focus on all aspects of football and eliminates the need for additional work to get the players in shape. Although the needs of athletes may still vary at this time due to uncontrollable circumstances, we must develop our programs to meet
Drills Report: The Skill Drill: The Zone Read, Tunnel Screen and Bubble Screen
The Skill Drill was born out of necessity and has become a constant in our practices. My dislike of players standing around during practice helped create this drill sequence. When your players learn the pattern of this drill, practice reps will go through the roof. The drill combines all positions of a spread offense and works them with all of them at the same time. By using this pattern, you can increase your number of reps, coach multiple positions with a limited number of coaches, get all
Simplicity and the O-Line – Why The Flip/Flop O-Line Works
As coaches, we tend to overthink and overestimate our influence on game days. The common trap is our attempt to outcoach our adversaries across the field. While giving a clinic two years ago, I had an epiphany: “It is not my job to outcoach someone. It is my job to get my men to outplay their opponents.” On game day, it does not matter what we know. It’s what our players know that determines the outcome. This became my motto in everything I do as an offensive line coach and I am ble
Developing Key Reads for Your Defensive Backs
As the secondary coach at Lehigh University, I usually get 20-25 minutes of individual time on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in season. My goal each week is to optimize my time. In doing so, I spend about ten minutes a day on footwork and ball drills. I then spend another five minutes per day on some aspect of tackling or block escape. I then split the group for the last 5-10 minutes. Both groups will work on the finer points of the same coverage for the remainder of the time. For example, if
Legendary Leader - George Smith of St. Thomas Aquinas
George Smith of St. Thomas Aquinas shares principles that have helped him become one of the nation’s winningest coaches His heroes are old-school coaches like Paul “Bear” Bryant, Woody Hayes and Don Shula, and his disciplinarian style in many ways reflects an old-school coaching philosophy. But George Smith is not afraid to try something new if it will help give his football team an edge. That’s what Smith, the head coach at St. Thomas Aquinas
Speed Report: Refining Peak Speed For Fall Camp
Theoretically, maximum speed should be the goal for your team heading into fall camp. Once football starts and the banging begins, football isn’t kind to speed. Olympic world class sprinters would not train in pads to perfect or refine their peak speed potential. The only referral to track speed that parallels football is the beginning of fall camp, contusion free and speed ready. Summer Time is the Right Time Pre-summer is over and you’re enterin
Strength Report: Lamar’s Off-Season Strength and Conditioning Program
The Lamar football program begins play in 2010 after a 21-year layoff. As the first Sport Performance Director in school history, it has been my task to develop and implement a speed, power, strength, agility, flexibility, and conditioning program. The process has been difficult, to say the least. Combine that with the fact that we are waiting for our athletic facility to be built and one can only imagine the challenges we have faced. Needless to say, I not only have had to think outside my b
Five Ways To Ensure A Solid Foundation For Your Junior High Program
By Bill Shepard, Assistant Coach, Durand High School (IL) and Darin Davis, Assistant Coach, Dakota High School (IL) If a head coach at the high school level wants to achieve success then he needs to invest time in his junior high program. We believe that there are five essential ingredients that help lay a solid foundation for a football program at the junior high level. It may take time to get all of the ingredients in place but the effects on th
Game On! Finding A Football For Your Program
One of my high school coaches once took a break from our two-a-day practice and held up a football. “Can any of you tell me how long a football is?” he asked. Like most players and coaches, I never knew the exact length of a football (and as a lineman, my regular hands-on experience with footballs in practice was slim to none). We were stumped. “Eleven and a quarter inches,” he said. “I tell you this because that 11 ¼ inches is the differ
7-On-7’s: Tune Up Your Passing Game
While 7-on-7 competitions have been around for nearly 30 years, it’s only in the last seven or eight years that this concept has exploded. The growth of the 7-on-7 competition is a direct reflection of the growth of the spread offense. Today, more and more high schools and colleges are using the spread, and players and coaches see the value of 7-on-7 tournaments and competitions as ways to hone passing skills. The events match skilled players against each other. Usually played on
Drills Report: Multi-Purpose Wide Receiver Drill
We expect the following from our receivers: 1. Maximum effort. 2. Know your assignments. 3. You must have the desire and willingness to block. 4. You must have the desire to catch every ball thrown to you. 5. You must possess the willingness to improve your skill. For route mechanics, wide receivers must follow the correct cutting techniques, body posture and route cuts or breaks. The WR must stay low in and out of h
Speed Report: What’s Often Overlooked When Teaching Football Speed Skills
Biomechanics, physiology and motor learning must blend together and not be looked at as separate bodies of application. My objective for this article is to bridge the gaps between certain aspects of training norms and application considerations that are often not used collectively. Training for speed and movement must have greater understanding as to why effective techniques are effective. In this article we’ll discover why many coaches experience difficulty in teaching the key aspects
Strength Report: Northern Illinois’ Mass Development Program
At Northern Illinois University, we believe in the complete development of our student-athletes. Our athletic department motto is “we develop champions in the classroom, in competition, and in life.” I believe it is paramount that when a student-athlete enters our program, upon graduating they will be a better individual in all aspects of society. We coach all aspects of life in our weight facility with strength development only being part of our overall mission. One aspect of p
Samson’s Strength & Conditioning Coaches of the Year
From the NFL to High School, Strength & Conditioning Coaches are trusted to maximize their team’s potential when they step onto the field. Here, Samson Equipment recognizes those coaches who made a big impact in 2009... NFL Dan Dalrymple New Orleans Saints New Orleans Saints Strength and Conditioning Coach Dan Dalrymple learned a valuable lesson when he had a free agent tryout with the Seattle Seahawks in 1987. Dalrymple had been a four-
Takeaway! More and More Teams are Using The Strip To Create Turnovers
Stripping the football from an opposing running back or receiver is not a new concept. Some players, such as former Giants Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor, included it their defensive tactics long before the NFL owners made the strip legal in 2002. More than ever though, defensive players are being coached about stripping the ball and successfully implementing it in game situations. Colts wide receiver Pierre Garcon’s strip of safety Ed Reed following a Peyton Manning intercepti
Drills Report: The ‘W’ Drill - Offensive Line Style
The W drill is one of the oldest and most-used defensive back drills. It is a great way to teach defensive backs the proper body positioning and footwork necessary to excel. It teaches players how to keep their hips low, eyes up, feet within the framework of their body, and how to change direction properly. As an O-line coach, I teach my players to develop these same skills defensive back coaches do. The drill requires as little or as much equipment as you find necessary, and can be
Speed Report: Natural Speed or Team Speed - Find It Or Produce It?
When engaged with a large number of athletes, you always find certain kids who have decent speed. On the other hand, most in the group are not blessed with natural speed. Team speed is sometimes indigenous to areas that have larger populations; that is, strength in numbers to pick from as a whole. Producing speed is vital for most programs and should be the quest for every program that’s interested in competing at a high level. Weight training has long been a significantly larg
Strength Report - CITADEL’S OFF-SEASON STRENGTH & CONDITIONING PROGRAM
The winter off-season is the first of two primary development phases in the annual layout of a collegiate football player. The second is the summer. These are the only two periods of the year where no football is being played and training sessions are directed by the strength and conditioning staff. For us at The Citadel, the winter differs slightly from the summer, in terms of our priorities and where they rank. We believe that the better we keep the team physically prepared over the course
Fundamentals of Defensive Back Play
There are many fundamentals to becoming a good DB. In this article I will talk about a few points that I think are keys for successful DB play. The first point is stance followed by backpedaling, then run and pass keys and finishing with responsibilities in coverage. Your stance is the start of good DB play. Here at Cal U we have two different types of stances, zone and man. In both stances are feet are shoulder width apart with good knee bend. Knee
Developing Functional Power for Football
The search for conditioning drills that enhance functional power for sports is an on-going process. A key consideration in this endeavor is the principle of specificity of training. Simply stated, specificity of training means that the body gets better at doing physical activities that it is required to do on a regular basis. If these activities are progressively overloaded as they are repetitively performed, the resultant gains are further magnified. In many sports improving pow
Dramatic Turnaround: Going From 0-11 to 12-1 In One Year
After Luke Salmons was hired to be the head coach at struggling Lawrence County High School (KY) in 2008, he did what every new coach would do. He put his plan in place and hoped for the best. Salmons inherited a program that did not have a winning record since 2003. “They’d had a period of five or six years where they didn’t win many games, and so I got the job,” said Salmons. “I’ve always wanted to be a head coach, and you never really know whe
Developing the High School Kicker & Punter
Some of the most exciting and scary moments of a high school football game usually surround one player on your team, the young man who handles your extra points, field goals, kickoffs and/or punts. These plays usually have the coach’s heart somewhere in his throat, but if you stop to think about it, how much practice time have you devoted to this young man on his kicking mechanics and game preparation? As a special teams and kicking coach, I understand that most high school footba
Drills Report: Making Improvements In Your D-Line Pass Rush
With the current trend of offensive football becoming more and more spread out, defensive line coaches are seeing less and less of the traditional 5-and 7-step passing game. The traditional pass rush angles and teaching progressions don’t necessarily fit in defending the “spread” offense. Pressuring the QB in the shotgun and 3-step passing game has definitely become harder and forced D-linemen to adapt as pass rushers. We have developed seven “points of emphasis” in the pass rush t
Speed Report: Cyclic Rhythm - The Transparent Component of Speed
Speed training is such a vast subject. A relatively new area in the field is rhythm and speed development. The simple truth is that its values are off the chart for positive transformation of motor transition and nervous system adaptation. Proper balance is a subject that pops up often in the sports training world when discussing running and movement. Balance can surely be enhanced; however rhythm is far more critical when velocity and limb frequency are engaged collectively.
Strength Report: A Post-Season Developmental Program for Linemen
The primary objectives of the post-season football developmental program for our linemen are to enhance individual athletic performance and reduce the potential of injury through the implementation of exercises, drills, team concepts and work ethic that transfers directly to the playing field. To accomplish these objectives, we incorporate a fourteen-week cycle divided into three phases. The first four weeks is a transition phase beginning at the end of the season. This phase is use
Reading the Proper Visual Keys - A True Essential In Stopping the Run
Effective defensive line play in football involves much more than three or four guys butting heads with the offensive line. Numerous physical techniques – hand placement, stance, shedding blockers, etc. – have been developed and refined in an attempt to overcome the offense’s built-in advantage of knowing where the play is going. All too often, an equally important mental technique which directly addresses this issue is overlooked. At West Liberty University, we devote significant time
Speed Report: Mechanical Application & Technique-The Backbone for Football Speed Development
All human movement must be viewed as a mechanical function. The faster the movement, the greater the potential for a mechanical breakdown. Athletic movement at high velocity levels requires precise mechanical execution. Also important is the motor pattern development which needs to be a target from a spontaneity standpoint. For whatever mechanical function is utilized, it is being recorded as muscle firing memorization. What patterns used become ingrained and fire directly the same way over a
Strength Report: (Don’t) Assume The Athletic Position
In all sports, the rudimentary beginnings of movement start with a specific stance or posture. Whether it is a defensive stance on the basketball court, a three-point stance for an offensive lineman, a batter preparing to hit a baseball or a weightlifter preparing for his final clean and jerk, there is a proper starting position. All of these athletes must be taught the fundamentals of a proper stance to place them in a position to be successful. Everything successful in sports starts with a
Preparing For A Pro Career
(The following is the diary of J.T. Rogan, an outstanding running back from the University of San Diego, as he prepares for February’s pro football combine and individual pro day. The article will be continued through early March. Rogan includes his background as an athlete, his philosophy on training and his actual routine in preparation for the event). After my redshirt Junior season in 2007 where I eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards for the second straight season, an
Drills Report: Pass Protection Medley
As you watch your athletes week to week at various positions, it’s obvious that certain players can cover ground more rapidly than others during multi-movement assignments. Not only multi-movements but change-of-pace and burst capacity. Some players are capable of these characteristics, but most are not. Recognizing the athletes who have transition speed skills is doable but teaching these skills is even better. Every player on your team can increase their transition speed skills drasticall
Speed Report: Dynamic Movement Techniques-Skill Application for Transition Speed
As you watch your athletes week to week at various positions, it’s obvious that certain players can cover ground more rapidly than others during multi-movement assignments. Not only multi-movements but change-of-pace and burst capacity. Some players are capable of these characteristics, but most are not. Recognizing the athletes who have transition speed skills is doable but teaching these skills is even better. Every player on your team can increase their transition speed skills drasticall
Strength Report - The Effects of Ankle Position on Change of Direction Movements on the Field
Through our teachings of how athletes can reprogram their nervous systems to increase their speed and athleticism, the repositioning of the ankle joint has been the number two most important aspect for increasing acceleration and maximum velocity ability. The most important, joint reposition, is the change and control of the body position. The ankle must be dorsi-flexed immediately at take-off. In fact, Ralph Mouchbahani, while at the University of Freiberg, demonstrated that electrical a
FREE FORM: DEFENSIVE BACK DRILL AND TECHNIQUE CHECKLIST
We all know that drills are an important part of player development. Click the link below to download the DEFENSIVE BACK DRILL AND TECHNIQUE CHECKLIST form. It's easy to use and - best of all - it's FREE. Exclusively at www.AmericanFootballMonthly.com...
Shore Up Your Secondary – AFM’s compilation of tactics, drills and strategies to make your secondary your primary line of defense.
If you’re heading into post-season play, you’re likely to face a situation where your defensive backfield is forced to come up with a big play. If you’re ahead late, your secondary will be tested in coverage when your opponent goes to the air game. If you need to get the ball back to mount a last-minute offensive of your own, you’re going to need your defenders to prevent the other team from getting game-clinching first downs. Either way, your secondary can mean the difference between
Drills Report – Hand Placement and Body Positioning for Attacking Fronts
The following drills are my absolute favorites for teaching hand and eye placement along with body positioning for aggressive attacking fronts. I take great pride in getting my players to buy into the penetrating philosophy, using their read keys to take them to the ball, and then giving 100% effort to get to the football regardless of where it is on the field. We treat every play as if it were a passing down with our thought process and initial get off, then we will play the run blocking sch
Speed Report – Intense Frequency, Execution and Focus - Essentials for Football Speed
When training for football speed, it’s critical that we have sound application principles, strong precise technical execution and strong mental focus. I have implied numerous times in past articles that running fast requires practical foundational applications. Frequency of limb speed is probably one of the most important facets of movement necessary for a football player. Subsequently, limb speed is often termed quickness. Developing limb frequency requires the following steps.
Strength Report – Harvesting Strength from the Field
We frequently look at different forms of strength equipment to help reach our ultimate goal of building a complete athlete. While much of the equipment we incorporate at Vanderbilt can be utilized inside, our staff definitely prefers to implement them outside on our practice fields. I have always felt that this form of outdoor strength training replicates farming. As coaches, we all want to grow strong, healthy, productive athletes that don’t break down and can withstand the heat. Simil
Letter from AFM
It’s November. Your season is winding down, if not already over. It’s time to start thinking ahead to the off-season and formulating a game plan that will put you and your program on solid footing as you look forward to next season. But, for those of you fortunate enough to be in the playoff hunt, there is still time to address on-the-field issues. In particular, your defense. How your defense reacts to the challenge of stopping the high-powered offenses you will surely face dur
Increasing the Efficiency of Your Practice and Video Time
“Time stands still for no man.” I’m sure you’ve heard this quote before. If you are like us, you are constantly looking for ways to optimize your team’s practice and video time. Doing so will greatly improve your team’s chances for success. Our offensive philosophy at Northwest Missouri State University is to “Be Balanced.” • 2006 run to pass ratio: 55% to 45% • 2007 run to pass ratio: 52% to 48% • 2008 run to pass ratio
Onside Every Time - Sam Nichols Turns the Tables by Making His Kickoff Team an Offensive Unit
In last November’s Michigan Division 4 district title game, underdog South Haven, trailing 7-3, began the second half with an onside kick. What seemed like a very risky strategy paid off, as the Rams recovered the kick, scored on the ensuing possession and held on for a 16-7 victory. It was the first playoff win and first district title in school history. Some in the media called Head Coach Sam Nichols’ decision to onside kick a big gamble. But was it?
The Speed Report - Developing Quickness in your Players, Part II
Training to Get it Right This is where we begin the journey toward change and how we end the journey successfully. The players must go through a series of procedures that progress turnover of limb speed in short, high-intensity rotational patterns. Remember, I indicated earlier that they won’t understand the feeling of quickness. That’s why we need to explain it to them and start by giving them short-limb activity requirements over short distances. If the players are put through this
The Strength Report - How to Prepare Your Athletes for Collegiate and NFL Weight Programs
Preparing Your Athletes for Collegiate Strength Programs By Joe Kenn MA, CSCS, SCCC Director of Athlete Development – Football, University of Louisville In an era where physical fitness is at an all time low, it is imperative that coaches at the high school level understand they are not getting the same type of athletes coaches worked with decades before. With the de-emphasis of general physical education at the elementary and middle school levels
GEAR - Products for Coaches
The original Athletic Super Striper & Athletic Super Stripe Paint make it easy and affordable to stripe your field like a pro. The highly pigmented Athletic Super Stripe Paint gives you crisp, long lasting stripes every time and it’s guaranteed to empty completely and not clog for 10 years. Just one case will stripe an entire football field. The Athletic Super Striper’s big 10-inch wheels will tackle your field in no time and the striper comes with a lifetime guarantee. In 1970, Fox Valle
Letter from AFM - Getting Back in the Game
When you receive this issue of AFM, football season will be underway. That time of the year is here again – the time when your months of planning and preparation pay off on the field. For you and your players, it’s always a great feeling to get back in the game. With this issue, AFM is back in the game, too. As you know, due to the dramatic recession we have all been going through, there has been a disruption and delay in you receiving your issues of AFM in recent months. For thi
5 Dumbest Things Parents Have Told Me
A friend of mine once asked me why I coach for the Bill George Youth Football League. I told him that I do it because I couldn’t get my dream job at a prison or an orphanage. He looked at me strangely as if he didn’t understand my response. He asked me why and I said because they don’t have alumni or parents. This is an old coaching joke but any of us that have held a clipboard can relate to it. Keep in mind that 90% - 95% of parents are wonderful.
Increasing the Efficiency of Your Practice and Video Time
“Time stands still for no man.” I’m sure you’ve heard this quote before. If you are like us, you are constantly looking for ways to optimize your team’s practice and video time. Doing so will greatly improve your team’s chances for success. Our offensive philosophy at Northwest Missouri State University is to “Be Balanced.” • 2006 run to pass ratio: 55% to 45% • 2007 run to pass ratio: 52% to 48% • 2008 run to pass ratio
An In-Depth Look at High School Football Practice
American Football Monthly conducted a survey to high school football programs about the details of their practices – here are the results. We’ve included feedback from survey respondents (high school coaches) on practice circuits on tackling, turnovers and special teams. Speakingout Briefly describe the stations in your tackling circuit. “All of our tackling is done by position. We attempt to simulate the types of situations that each position on defen
The Perfect Practice
Practice how you play. Perfect practice makes perfect. We’ve all heard the coaching axioms about preparation, and how important it is to practice efficiently. We hear them, but do we really listen? Just by simple word association, practice is tedious. To our players, it’s drudgery. Many of them simply go through the motions, “get through the practice”, and hold back until game day – which is why they signed up, after all. How do you organize your practices to mak
Lineal Speed with Velocity Changes - A Necessary Football Acquisition
Lineal speed has a value to football speed. In fact learning to run properly for football speed must begin with lineal work. Once the lineal performance is sound then you can begin displacing momentum for football speed requirements. Lineal speed can be applied in certain ways on every play. When coaches look at lineal sprint speed they think of longer distances at maximum velocity rather than shorter bursts of acceleration. To reach maximum velocity it takes 40 - 50 yards for most young athl
How to Prepare Your Athletes for Collegiate and NFL Weight Programs
Preparing Your Athletes for Collegiate Strength Programs By Joe Kenn MA, CSCS, SCCC Director of Athlete Development – Football, University of Louisville In an era where physical fitness is at an all time low, it is imperative that coaches at the high school level understand they are not getting the same type of athletes coaches worked with decades before. With the de-emphasis of general physical education at the elementary and middle school levels w
Developing Quickness in Your Players Part II
Training to Get it Right This is where we begin the journey toward change and how we end the journey successfully. The players must go through a series of procedures that progress turnover of limb speed in short, high-intensity rotational patterns. Remember, I indicated earlier that they won’t understand the feeling of quickness. That’s why we need to explain it to them and start by giving them short-limb activity requirements over short distances. If the players are p
Mount Union Offensive Line
Mount Union’s run game is primarily based on the zone run play. At Mount Union, we drill the fundamentals of zone blocking at each practice. By understanding the fundamentals, our linemen are able to execute these drills in practice and use them in a game setting. The three main components of the zone run play are: 1. Step 2. Hands (punch) 3. Feet (finish) I’ve included four zone blocking drills that practice the fundamentals of zone blocki
Gear - Products for Coaches
Muscle Milk Collegiate • CytoSport Developed to meet the complex nutritional needs of today’s athletes, Muscle Milk Collegiate is rapidly becoming a key addition to weight rooms and nutrition programs across the country. Muscle Milk feeds hungry muscles by combining high quality protein, carbs and custom fat structures known as MCT’s – or medium chain triglycerides – so athletes can recover more efficiently from training. Forget about the high sugar con
Developing a “Six-second competitor”
Missouri’s secret program that builds toughness and confidence It’s no secret that Missouri has been one of the most improved college football teams in the country over the last five years. Under Head Coach Gary Pinkel, the Tigers have won back-to-back Big 12 North Championships and had four bowl appearances in the last four seasons. Pinkel has won 31 out of his last 42 games as a head coach. The numbers speak for themselves. Those numbers, some would say, have a lo
Developing Quickness in Your Players Part I
All coaches recognize quickness when they see it but don’t usually understand how to develop it. As coaches we will inherit certain kids with quickness skills. The question is to what degree can quickness be developed. The answer – to the level of potential of each athlete. Not every athlete will be as capable as the next but each will get better if the right training applications are involved. Beyond the Fallacy We begin by challenging coaches’ bel
Wide Receiver Separation
On behalf of Northwestern University, Head Football Coach Pat Fitzgerald, and the entire Northwestern Football Program, I would like to thank American Football Monthly for allowing me to share some of our wide receiver drills with you. We are a part of a great profession that shares coaching points freely. I’m honored to share with you a separation drill series that has been very productive for our wide receivers. At Northwestern, we run a spread, four-wide receiver offens
5 Things Every Youth Coach Must Do Today to Win in the Fall - .COM
Welcome to my first article in American Football Monthly’s Youth Coaching Expert column. I have been fortunate enough to have had a success at the youth coaching ranks and it will be my goal to impart some of the lessons that I have learned, both good and bad, over the years. I will not be writing these columns for the coaches that get the super fast kids where you can just pitch them the ball and they go and make magic happen. You guys probably don’t need my help! Instead, I am goi
Q&A with Lou Tepper
The name Lou Tepper has been synonymous with defensive football. Considered one of the original gurus of linebacker play, Tepper has coached over 20 professional linebackers including the likes of Dick Butkus Awards winners and NFL standouts Kevin Hardy, Dana Howard and Simeon Rice while he was the head coach at the University of Illinois. Since being named head coach in 2006 at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Tepper is enjoying a resurgence at the Division II level. The
Specificity for Football Quickness
Of the many important aspects of football is movement speed and quickness. Quickness is near the top, if not on top, of every coaches list. Sometimes as coaches we get caught up with the forty times and we can easily underachieve for quickness development. When quickness and acceleration are coupled together we have the formula for the most dynamic results one can expect. Quickness applies for one step, several feet or yards, depending on the assignment. Another typ
Letter - Want To Be 1 in 11,000?
We all chase the same dream. Whether it lies in conference championships, state championships, national titles – we prepare endlessly for the honor of hoisting that trophy in glory. We’re living in denial if we don’t understand that the percentages are against us. There are terrific coaches that spend their entire life in this business and don’t ever get that opportunity. Ever wonder why they never get there? Sure, luck has its place but most of the time it can come down to one game,
Lessons Learned - From an NFL Assistant Coach
Besides coaching on defense, my most valuable learning experience took place while working with the quarterbacks. Prior to my NFL coaching days, I worked a summer football camp for two years at a Big Ten university where I befriended the QB Coach, (Presently an Assistant Head Coach in the NFL) who taught me the QB position. We spent hours upon hours watching film. The first words that came out of his mouth were, “If you want to learn football, this is the position to coach.”
AFM University Recap
RECAP: AFM University 2009 Thank you to each and every coach for making the 2nd Annual AFM University a huge success!
Drills Report: Training the Eyes
We emphasize “eyes” at Cal Lutheran. The most common remark we hear from our opponents is, “you guys play fast.” I believe the reason we play so fast is because we drill daily our eye placement. By drilling eye placement every day, keying becomes second nature and we are able to diagnose the play rapidly while reacting accordingly. We base our defense out of a 3-2-6. Each position group has a key progression that is drilled during individual time. The defensive line, ins
Schutt - College Coaches of the Year
Mike London University of Richmond Creating Competition in Practice – Making Players Perform Under Pressure After seven games into the 2008 season with a record of 4-3, nobody believed Richmond could win it all, except Mike London himself, who saw something special in his guys. “I knew that our losses could have gone either way early on,” said London, who was the defensive coordinator at Virginia before taking the job at his alm
Schutt - National High School Coach of the Year
Coaching Smart A Florida football legend, George Smith, is the Schutt Sports National High School Coach of the Year George Smith’s coaching career could have ended before it ever really got started. As a 27-year-old first-year head coach, Smith was getting his staff together after his first full season, a 6-4 campaign in 1975. “I was going around asking my staff in a post-season meeting who was going to come back for next year,” Smith recalls. “They al
Middle Cross Kickoff Return
Developing and repping a solid kickoff return team can be an explosive offensive weapon for your football team. With the kickoff team, you are generally looking to avoid negative momentum. However, with the kickoff return team, you can gain a huge momentum swing with a great return. At the very least, you want to give your offense the ball outside of the 30-yard line. The kickoff return team is important, because you can give your offense the ball in good field position, and could possibly ev
Central Missouri’s Tackling Drills
With the increasing pressure that offenses are posing for defensive coaches, organizing practice to maximize benefits is vital. Covering everything and still improving fundamental skills is nearly impossible. The fundamentals unfortunately get shorted more often than not. I think that coaches do a tremendous job at adapting to this dilemma by combining skills into one drill. With that in mind I want to discuss three tackling drills that accomplish that exact purpose. Drill: Fini
Pass Setting on an E/T or T/E Stunt
Ken Wilmesherr Offensive Line Coach Grossmont College Offensive linemen should anticipate a game or a stunt by down defenders, but never guess. Through film study and game planning offensive linemen can anticipate E/T’s (end and tackle) and T/E’s (tackle and end) by the down defenders. Horizontal and vertical alignments (different levels, one defender tight to the L.O.S and the other off the L.O.S.), and foot stagger by down defenders my dictate a game
Mental Toughness: Quiet the Mind
How often have you heard these? \"We choked today.\" \"We started out flat.\" \"We play down to our competition.\" Or these…\"We were in the zone.\" \"Things just clicked.\" \"It was as if I knew what was about to happen.\" All of these statements reflect on a team\'s mental performance...how the brain affects outcome. Many times, a restless brain gets in the way of performance. Your body obeys dual voices from your brain. One of the voices is the strong silent type. Your bo
Alternative Training
Every offseason coaches begin their workouts and conditioning drills in hopes of producing superior athletes for the football field. Many exercises are designed to produce faster, stronger, more explosive athletes and reduce the chance of injury. The list of exercises can be endless and many are very sports specific. The goal is to produce explosive, powerful, fast football players, not bodybuilders, Olympic lifters, or strongmen. At the University of Central Florida we use a varie
Focal Tackling - Using Your Eyes to Make Plays
We know that football has become a game played in space – there is no denying that. In the last issue of AFM, we discussed the way that tackling has morphed from a semi-barbaric method of driving someone into the ground, into a more detailed approach based on where you are in the field. Because spread schemes get their athletes the ball in space, most defensive coaches preach to their players to “leverage” the ball or keep it inside the numbers and know where your help is. Tackling used to
The Drills Report: Delaware’s Defensive Line Hip Emphasis Drills
As defensive line coaches, we all know the importance of developing strength, power, quick feet, active hands, and a relentless desire to get to the football. What I also add to that list is the development of the hips in relation to movements necessary to play defensive line. We work year-round on the strength, power and flexibility of the hips. Our training staff and strength & conditioning coaches work year-round improving this area and I incorporate drills that I feel are
Tackling Solutions
Editor’s Note: Due to the overwhelming response we’ve received from coaches on the issue of tackling, we are currently working with a group of coaches to publish a series of tackling improvement articles this off-season. Ok, so we’ve identified the problem. But how do we fix it? Each coach has their own suggestions as to how to improve our tackling dilemma, but we found that it can be broken down into three distinct elements of improvement – position-specific tackling,
The Tackling Crisis
As coaches, we spend countless hours and plenty of dollars sitting in clinic talks on the zone option or the odd-stack defense. These scheme-driven talks seem to motivate us more than anything. We shell out bucks on DVD’s about the most innovative offensive scheme or blitz-busting defense. After a loss, it’s never the scheme that bears the brunt of the loss – it’s fundamentals. “We didn’t tackle well.” If all of football comes down to blocking and tackling, then why are offens
The Off-Season: Preparing for Advanced Level Training (Part II)
This is part II in Dale Baskett’s column on eight elements of speed training in the off-season. In part I, Dale presented four of the eight elements starting with periodization, foundation principles, load work and assisted speed training (to read last month’s column, please visit www.AmericanFootballMonthly.com). This month Dale discusses elements five through eight.
Special Teams Time Management
Special teams is the aspect of the game where the “Hidden Yardage” can have a great effect of the outcome of a game. The MSU “Red Hawks” will win the hidden yardage weekly. This is accomplished through hard work, being well disciplined, knowing and executing the techniques and assignments and playing every play as a 101%er. Solid special teams are directly related to sound and effective time management. The old adage of “Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance” couldn\
If it’s All About Tackling, Let’s Do a Better Job of Teaching It…
When was the last time you saw a clinic presentation on tackling? Or when was the last time you viewed a DVD on just the fundamentals of a pure tackle? We thought so. It is without question the most important aspect of defensive football yet for some reason it gets neglected in favor of some innovative offensive scheme or some zone blitz package. I think Chuck Clemens, the co-defensive coordinator at the University of Central Missouri said it best when he said that he hears all these offensive l
Gear
Digital Video Editing • APEX Sports Software APEX is the top choice of coaches at all levels for all of their game film needs. Time saving features like Live Game Day Capture and Auto Checkerboard enable you to get your games ready for breakdown faster than ever. APEX’s patented Voice Recognition process allows you to simply speak in all of the data for each play. Our Tendencies and Reporting package is consistently rated as the best in the industry. Use the wireless Sidewi
Fundamental Offensive Line Leverage Drills
I want to thank all the tremendous coaches who I have had the pleasure of learning from over the course of my 25 years of coaching. The following fundamental drills are still my favorite for developing offensive lineman. I take great pride in getting my players better every day. I impose the philosophy of never taking a day off or a play off. All my drills are executed to create positive blocking habits. The three things I demand each and every snap are for my OL to learn how to get into their f
Offensive Linemen: Developing Fast Feet
As an offensive line coach, you’ve probably learned by now that a football team has two types of players: skill and linemen. Players that are athletic and agile become backs and receivers while those that are slower, clumsier, and less athletic, inevitably, become linemen. Whereas I understand that backs and receivers need to have blazing speed and the ability to cut on a dime, as a line coach, I know that in order for linemen to be effective, they must have many of the same qualities, alth
The Big Picture
It has been the goal of this article series to provide coaches with the ability to design a safe and productive strength and conditioning program. In this article I would like to reiterate some of the information provided in prior articles and give you a sample template. Before designing a strength and conditioning program it is most important to define what it is you are trying to accomplish. At the University of South Florida we have five program goals: 1. To maximize the genetic po
The Off Season: Preparing for Advance Level Training (Part I)
When you begin the off-season with speed training, one of your major challenges will be organizing and periodizing your product. Obviously your periodization scheme stretches over many months. Your design is critical to the success of the progression you expect to gain during the year. One area that can be a little tricky and can have a distinct affect on your development for team speed is working with large numbers of players who are at two different levels of ability. My experience
Gear
Promoting Players • College Coaches Network College Coaches Network (CCN) recognizes that one of the hardest jobs of the coach is promoting your players – especially your Sub-D I prospects. CCN’s Give Every Player a Chance to Play™ program is designed specifically for high school coaches and leverages the CCN online platform (www.collegecoaches.net) to support the critical role you play in recruiting. Whether helping with your superstars or giving national exposure
The Drills Report: Auburn’s Running Back Drills
We practice a number of drills for running backs on a daily basis. These include ball leverage drills; movement and bag drills; decision-making drills; pass blocking drills; and pass catching drills. For this article, we’ll include our five ball leverage drills: A. Strip Drill-Side: This is protecting the ball from defenders trying to strip the ball in a crowd – usually linemen and linebackers – (See Diagram 1).
The Strength Report: Skill Development
These days a strength and conditioning coach has to be more than a weight lifting coach. They must be a mentor, counselor, nutritionist, etc. However, one area that must be well versed for a team to have great success on the field is skill development. Most seasons are between 3-4 months in length. This leaves 8-9 months of off-season time that position skills are often excluded. There must be a direct transfer from what is being done in those 8-9 months in the off-season to what will be done fo
The Speed Report: Variables For In-Season Speed Training (Part 2)
Last month we described many things that you can accomplish and sustain during the in-season. So very often in-season speed training becomes a burden to the football world in terms of time allotment. Football is about speed and the maintenance of technical applications that produce it. It never ceases to amaze me how much can be accomplished during the season with consistent training reinforcement. Conversely, the dissipation of technique can also be void of consistency when neglecte
Coaching Quarterbacks To Be Effective Runners in the Shotgun Zone Fly Offense
The evolution of the quarterback from a true pocket passer to a passing / running hybrid is one of the most lethal offensive combinations that defenses have ever faced. A player that can beat you in the air and has the skill and confidence to beat you on the ground as well is what many of today’s best offensive coordinators are aggressively looking for. The Shotgun Zone Fly offense relies on this type of hybrid player. The success of the SZF run game, in large part, comes from the a
Gear
Hinged Offset Football Goals • AAE From the “Linc to Lambeau,” AAE’s Hinged Offset Football Goals are gaining popularity in the NFL and schools across the country. The HSG goals incorporate a unique hinged base plate that permits removal and reinstallation of the goals on an as needed basis. So they’re perfect for fields used for multiple purposes – football, soccer, lacrosse, graduations and other special events. And check out the perfect storage solution when goals ar
The Drills Report: Washington Linebacker Drills
We spend more time on block protection and tackling than any other skill sets we teach. Tackling is still best learned in team situations in practice. Getting in a proper tackling position in practice is the best way to simulate the live situations that come up in the game. The coaching points we emphasize in tackling are: 1. Eyes up and in front. 2. Bend the ankles, knees, and hips. 3. Time up the hit and explode on contact – hit through the runner. 4. Club with t
Q & A with Mickey Andrews
For twenty-four years, Mickey Andrews has been coordinating the Florida State University defense. His longevity in such a competitive field and his commitment to stay in one place in such a transitory occupation where most other coaches are looking for the “next best thing” speaks volumes about the type of character he possesses. Now regarded as somewhat of the elder statesman in major college football, Andrews spent some time with Mike Kuchar of American Football Monthly chatting about ever
What’s the Best Way to Grade Your Players During the Course of the Season?
Gary Chilcoat, O-Line and Outside Linebackers Coach Deep Run High School, Glen Allen (VA) “I have used film grades in the past, but they are so time consuming that you really know how they played before you grade. What I have found most effective is grading them during practice. We tell our players they earn the right to play Monday through Thursday. Most people can give great effort on Friday’s, but it takes a true believer to work hard during the week. We expect sta
- More Solutions to Problem #9
Continued from: 32 Solutions for the 12 Biggest Problems You\'ll Face this Season Problem 9: Special teams letdowns – losing a game because of special teams play...what can be done to improve special teams play? Our focus here at Holbrook is on kick coverage and punt/punt return, since these are the biggest change of field plays in the
- More Solutions to Problem #6
Continued from: 32 Solutions for the 12 Biggest Problems You\'ll Face this Season Problem 6: Tackling issues – the team’s consistency in missing tackles..how do you improve this problem? We go back to the basics as a team to reinforce the proper fundamentals of tackling. In defensive individual time we also spend a lot of time on var
- More Solutions to Problem #2
Continued from: 32 Solutions for the 12 Biggest Problems You\'ll Face this Season Problem 2: Your running back has ball control issues... if he’s prone to fumbling, how do you improve his ball security? Ball security by all players is priority #1 in our offense and great care is given to ball security. We have a series of drills where th
- More Solutions to Problem #1
Continued from: 32 Solutions for the 12 Biggest Problems You\'ll Face this Season Problem 1. Not playing to the level of your opponent – avoiding a major let down early in the season... how do you deal with this issue? Are there ways to motivate a team that is under achieving? Our biggest issue is not so much playing down to our opponents,
The Speed Report: Variables For In-Season Speed Training (Part I)
When the season starts coaches become so focused on football that speed development is often the last thing they are concerned with. Speed erosion is greatest during the season. We must be mindful that football is a game of collisions and moving fast to make plays. If speed enhancement is ignored during the season, the off-season becomes a point of diminished return. There is a lot one can do in-season to preserve off-season development and actually improve speed. Time is never your friend durin
32 Solutions for the 12 Biggest Problems You\'ll Face this Season
Monitor and adjust. It’s probably the most useful axiom in the coaching and teaching profession. We’re all regimented people by nature, which is why we get into this in the first place. We have everything accounted for and leave nothing to chance – from the opening stretch period in practice to our awards dinner in December. But what if that plan starts to tumble and collapse right in front of our face? What if your all-area QB tears his ACL during two-a-days? What if your seniors are not
Building Better Bruins
Head Athletic Performance Coach Mike Linn of UCLA has come home. Raised in Southern California, Linn was a two-year starter for the Bruins on the offensive line and stayed with the program after graduation, eventually becoming UCLA’s Head Strength and Conditioning Coach from 1999 to 2002. For the last several years, he’s been training individual athletes and supervising training programs nationwide for Velocity Sports Performance, a leading provider of individual performance training program
Missouri\'s Top Three Principles of Defense
I would like to discuss and illustrate the ‘Top Three Principles of Missouri Defense.’ 1. SPEED TO THE BALL. 2. VISION & BREAK (Break 1/3 The Distance The Ball Is In The Air). 3. TAKEAWAYS. I. SPEED TO THE BALL At Mizzou we take pride in running to the football. We evaluate our players’ effort on every single rep in practice and games. It is very important that Missouri players understand this is our #1 principle. Our succ
The Drills Report: Advanced Quarterback Drills
As with many offenses in this day and age we run a spread out of many different personnel packages and motions. Unlike most offenses, we use the “Gun” exclusively because it fits our personnel best. The problem with this is that quarterbacks left to their own devices in the gun will start to develop bad habits, mainly throwing mechanics. For example, a QB who always throws out of the gun will start to develop lazy feet, bad body positioning, and not getting his shoulders in proper position.
Conditioning: Train Fast to Be Fast
In football, it is often said that speed is the great equalizer. It can negate the size and strength of opposing linemen and make the opposing team look like it is running in mud. It’s no wonder that many coaches devote much time and effort to developing this skill during in and out-of-season workouts. Ultimately, the question becomes, how can efficient speed development be achieved? After all, no one would want to put forth so much time and effort if what was being done was ineffective.
The Speed Report: Maintaining Maximum Speed Capacity During the Season
In the July Speed Report on final preparations for in-season speed, I stressed maximizing speed prior to in-season. Now we are in-season and we must have a plan for sustaining the qualities we worked to develop. The key emphasis here is quality, not quantity. As I have put forward the last two years of writing the Speed Report, everything is quality, not quantity. Speed is a precision skill which must be trained in that manner. Too much emphasis on over working the physical aspects of training w
Gear
No Glare® Flip-Up Sunglasses • Mueller Sports Med Mueller No Glare® sunglasses are the most comfortable and hassle-free sunglasses you’ll ever own. Flip these sunglasses up into the brim of your hat with the flick of a wrist. Your look-out vision is unobstructed. Wraparound design protects your eyes from the sun’s rays and the wind from all angles. Because they’re attached to your hat, instead of your face, No Glare® Flip-Up Sunglasses don’t apply pressure to your
The Drills Report: Special Teams Techniques and Drills - Drill What You Coach
There is more movement of the ball and yardage involved in the special teams game than any other phase of football. It controls field position, creates opportunities for the offense and defense and has the ability to score points. At C.W. Post, we believe special teams are the outcome changer, the difference maker that will lead to success. Bryan Collins, the head coach at C.W. Post, preaches to the players that “special teams are the foundation that great programs are built on.” B
The Speed Report: Final Preperations for In-Season Performance
Many weeks and months go into preparing a team for in-season speed. Can you imagine running ladders or dragging a parachute for seven months? I can\'t either. Hopefully, your off-season speed development was thought out and well conceived for the many phases required. To truly perfect the art and skill of running fast on the football field is like baking a cake. Many ingredients need to be blended in certain amounts and the baker must know just how much of each ingredient is required. Too
Gear
Wireless Headset System HME DX300 HMEYou spend hours preparing for the big game - make sure your hard work pays off! HME’s DX300 Wireless Headset system keeps your coaches in constant touch throughout the game. It takes only minutes to set up and operates on AC or batteries. Dual-slot diversity automatically detects strongest signals for uninterrupted conversations. Digital technology offers superior sound clarity. Up to 20 coaches can communicate in hands-free, two-way conver
Offensive Line Drills for the Inside Zone
Inside zone blocking is a topic that is near and dear to my heart. I always look to see if someone is talking on zone at a clinic or if there is an article in AFM because I don’t have all the answers and I love stealing ideas. I have played in or been coaching in a zone scheme for the past 18 years. At Blue Valley High School, we are an inside zone running team. In the past we were a single back ace and now we have evolved to the pistol formation. Even though we are different in the backfield,
The Drills Report: Auburn\'s Pass Rush for Defensive Tackles
At Auburn, our emphasis is on our players having great effort on each play. We want our players to have ‘relentless pursuit.’ If they get knocked down, they get up and sprint to the ball. We want them to know how to play hard and that loafing is never acceptable. This is the key to playing good defense and being a good pass rusher. We stress a three-and-out principle. Everything we do in practice requires three perfect reps before we leave the field. When you conduct practice that way, it g
10 Mistakes You\'re Bound to Make at Pre-Season Practices
So the summer is winding down and you’ve put a stamp on your off-season conditioning; wrapped up the local seven on seven tournaments; and made all the necessary arrangements to have an intense and productive camp in preparation for another eventful season. But as the lazy days of July morph into the intensely crammed early days of August, there are some major concerns that need to be addressed before heading into summer camp. Sure, every good coach has a plan, but there are some major decisi
AFM Subscribers Ask...with Wisconsin-Whitewater's Lance Leipold
Taking over for his former college coach Bob Berezowitz last fall, Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Lance Leipold led the Warhawks to their first Division III National Championship. After losing to Mount Union in the title game in both 2005 and 2006, UW-W proved the third time is the charm as they upset Mount Union in their third straight meeting, 31-21. In the process, Leipold became only the second first-year coach to ever win a D-III National Championship. Leipold’s coaching career also began at
Gear
Belt Squat • Samson Equipment The new Samson Belt Squat is yet another way Samson Equipment is leading the way in custom, heavy duty weight training equipment. This brand new design limits the amount of floor space needed for this unique piece, while remaining easy for athletes of all different sizes to use. Featuring adjustable handles, a unique load release that brings the athlete’s hands closer together while performing the exercise, an adjustable yoke that allows each
The Speed Report: Minimize Training Time, Maximize Performance
I’ve heard the concerns for years from football coaches that they only have a certain amount of time to implement new ingredients for their programs. Training year-round quite obviously can present challenges for fitting everything you want in place. I’ve discussed in speed training articles that team speed should be developed in phase increments (periodization). To train for speed you must plan for meeting the requirements necessary to get each player faster. My suggestion is to
iFutbol Fever!
As everyone knows, soccer is king in the Mexican sporting world. But did you know that football as we know it, Fútbol Americano to Mexicans, has been played south of the border at the collegiate and professional levels since the 1920’s and today enjoys widespread popularity? Or that the top conference in the ONEFA (the primary collegiate league) is known as Doce Grandes – the Big 12? Or that an ONEFA All-Star team beat a NCAA Division III All-Star team in 2003 to capture the annual Aztec Bo
The Drills Report: Minnesota Wide Receivers Drills
At Minnesota we believe there are keys to playing the wide receiver position in our offense. The topics that I would like to cover all build on one another with one being no greater than the other. The topics I would like to discuss with you are: 1 Route Expression. 2. Release Techniques. 3. Ball Catching. Route Expression Our offense relies heavily on our receivers getting good vertical stretch, running precise routes, and being abl
The Five Keys to Drop Back Pass Protection
Teaching fundamentals of drop back protection can be broken down into five phases. These five areas are the set, relative position, body position, lateral movement, and separation. In this article I will break down each of these phases in detail and provide a sound and proven fundamental approach to each. Before I go on I would like to say that this information has been gathered over several years of listening to and visiting with some of the top offensive line coaches in high school, college
Meshing the Veer and Mid-Line vs. Odd and Even Fronts
It’s amazing what some old-fashioned ingenuity can do. For the most part, running the spread option usually means coming out of trips or four wide receiver shotgun sets and working some type of zone scheme-reading the backside end. It’s the type of option that is all over the collegiate landscape, with teams like Rich Rodriguez’s former West Virginia squad and Urban Meyer’s old Florida teams pioneering the movement. But as more programs decided to move to that scheme, many defenses found
The Speed Report: Quickness & Speed - What\'s the Difference in Football?
I travel the country month to month installing my progression – designed football speed training system. It deals with quickness and transition speed effectiveness. As teams and their staffs spend a few days learning to use the comprehensive package, I am always asked what’s the difference between quickness and speed? The common thought is that if a player has limb speed (arm and leg cycle frequency) then he has good speed. It’s the general thinking of most coaches but it’s n
Maximizing Your Time on the Practice Field
Detailed preparation and expert organization are essential to every winning program. The practice schedules leading to Saturday must be precisely crafted, minute-to-minute plans designed to produce maximum effort at kickoff. AFM asked Defensive Coordinator Bob Elliott for a specific breakdown of how he gets his San Diego State Aztecs ready for Mountain West opponents. Most important for his players he said is to get them accustomed to the same routine every day. The details of the sess
The Drills Report: Connecticut Secondary Drills
The emphasis that we have chosen to take with our defense, and in this case our secondary, is on fundamentals. There are certainly many variations and philosophies to choose from and we have decided that what we do is the best thing for our program. We believe that tackling is 10% technique and 90% desire. We use a few drills to simulate the different scenarios a defensive back will find himself in throughout the course of a game; they include tackling, block protection and ball skills. The dril
Linebacker Block Protection & Shed Drills
We are an odd man front defense but no matter what scheme you are running, defense is the ability to get off of blocks successfully. To be a great linebacker and to have a defense that is successful against the run, you must know how to defeat and avoid blocks. The progression of how this is taught is as important as teaching it. The players must understand how to deliver a physical blow and to stop the run. 6 Point Explosion Progression We begin by teaching the 6 po
Quarterback Development (off-season)
Many kids want to be the quarterback when they begin playing the game of football. However, few realize how much time, effort, and pressure come with the position. In today’s game, it is essential to establish an off-season “training” program for an incoming or returning quarterback. There are three areas that we focus on during the off-season. They are: mental preparation, mechanics, and recognition. The mental preparation is one of the most important aspects of the off-seas
Developing a Passing Attack that Fits Your Plans and Players
Throughout my twenty-nine years in the profession, I have had the opportunity to coach at both the collegiate and high school levels. During that time, I have had the pleasure of working with various coaching staffs that have helped me formulate my philosophies on dealing with the passing game. At the same time, I have had many athletes with various ranges in athletic abilities. Therefore, I have had to adapt each year to the specific situation. When you are developing a passing at
The Speed Report: Playing Fast Transition Speed is Essential
Playing fast means winning games. Coaches in football love speed. The question is twofold: how do we develop it and what kind of speed works? Football requires what I term transition speed. Whenever an athlete has a change of velocity or changes the direction of any movement, a transition must occur. When this transition happens it may cause a physiological change. It will absolutely change the mechanical function of limb cycle and body positioning to force relationship. As athletes run, motor p
Techniques for \'Effective\' Cover 2
The topic of this article is on playing ‘effective’ Cover 2 techniques. We need to first look at what our idea of effective means. This is crucial in how you teach the LBs and DBs to play their techniques, especially the corners. I truly believe you have to make a decision on what you want Cover 2 to do for you. Do you want to run Cover 2 to help in the pass game or to stop the run? To play effective Cover 2, I believe you need to emphasize one or the other. You can do both; however, you nee
GEAR
VOLT™ • Active Ankle Presenting revolutionary new ankle protection for the higher performance athlete. The new VOLT™ ankle brace from Active Ankle has been engineered to include the latest carbon fiber technology. The polypropylene shell is reinforced with carbon fiber – the same high performance material used in racing cars and bicycles. It also features a molded bearing design performance hinge for smoother range of motion, strengthening ribs for a thinner profile an
The Drills Report - Central Florida\'s Ball Security
One of the fastest ways to lose a football game is by the offense turning the ball over to its opponent. Keeping turnovers to a minimum through techniques and drills that are practiced ensures the team’s chance of success. The offensive coaches’ motto at UCF is, “Ball security is a job, yours and mine.” If an individual is fumbling the ball away too many times, he will be replaced. If a position on the team is losing the football, the coach will be replaced. With this emphasis
Samson\'s I-AA, II, III, NAIA, Juco and HS Strength & Conditioning Coaches of th
Division I-AA/FCS: Henry Briscoe Central Arkansas The Strength and Conditioning Coach at Central Arkansas, Henry Briscoe, has been influenced by a number of coaches and players over the years. But, in addition to that, one book that has helped his strategy is the Book of War by Sun-Tsu. “One of the concepts in the book is to analyze your weaknesses and make them your strengths,” says Briscoe. “We try to do that in the weight room and on the field. This can be
A Man Among Giants
Many football fans probably consider the New York Giants the surprise team of the year in the NFL. Certainly very few prognosticators felt they would make the playoffs, much less win the Super Bowl. After surrendering 80 points in their first two games, the Giants seemed lost, confused and in complete chaos. But they turned it around. Their offensive line improved dramatically; their defense was relentless; and their physical style and presence would make any coach proud. “My feeli
The Drills Report - New Mexico Linebacker Drills & Techniques
Our defensive package is the 3-3-5 out of which we execute multiple fronts, stunts and blitzes. I will talk about the two types of man technique we use in our package: blitz technique and over technique. The focus will be the key coaching points that we emphasize each day. Man-To-Man Pass Defense There are two types of man-to-man pass techniques that we use. Our linebackers will play a cautious man-to-man when they don\'t have help in the deep zones. We call this
Practice Planning For All Levels of Play
\"Winning is never an accident, it is the result of high intentions, determination and skilled executions\" When was the last time you or any coach you know complained of having too much practice time? As a coach with nearly 25 years of experience at the youth leagues, I have never heard a coach complain of this. I doubt sincerely that high school or colleges complain of this as well. One thing I have found out though, in the research I have done of successful coaches at all leve
7 Essentials to Kickoff Coverage
While most people would agree that special teams can be a ‘difference maker,’ the University of Pittsburgh’s Charlie Partridge feels it is especially true of high school programs. “Great high school teams win two or three games a year, I promise you, just on special teams,” says Partridge. Special teams is all too often the stepchild in coaching clinics, behind offense and defense. But the man in charge of the kicking game at Pitt knows better. Like many coaches,
Air Raid Offense Drills
In the book Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose is a quote by the author of Warriors, J. Glenn Gray: “Organization for a common and concrete goal in peacetime organizations does not evoke anything like the degree of comradeship commonly known in war. At its height this sense of comradeship is an ecstasy…men are true comrades only when each is ready to give his life for the other without reflection and without thought of personal loss.” The players on our team must build cohesiveness close
The Speed Report: Training Aids and Apparatus
We looked at sprint assisted and resisted aids in a past article. In this article I’ll discuss a few of the other popular training aids and whether or not they are a good resource for enhancing speed and movement in your program. Since speed and movement can be enhanced through training, entrepreneurs and manufacturers are attempting to make it easier for coaches and trainers to get the job done by offering a potpourri of training aids. Each month I receive magazines and catalogs to
GEAR
Model 1258 Cold Weather Compression Shirt • Stromgren Moisture-wicking compression shirts provide an athlete with excellent upper body compression, moisture-wicking capabilities that will keep them dry. Anti-Microbial treated fabric will help reduce their exposure to staph infections. This garment is an absolute must to wear under football shoulder pads. Contact Stromgren today for more details and free color catalog. For more information: 800-527-1988 •
How To Get The Most Out Of Practice Time As An Assistant Coach
Football programs at all levels from Pop Warner to the NFL have to deal with similar challenges. Your practice time is limited. Your playbook is unlimited. Your next opponent presents numerous difficulties. As a result, many coaches struggle weekly with the same dilemma: How are we going to get all this done? The answer, of course, is that every staff must get the most of practice time. But how? While many clinics, books, and articles advise head coaches how to plan a week or day of practi
Defending the Pass
In today’s brand of college football, teams tend to throw more than they run. In light of this trend, the coaching staff at UCLA has tried to be more creative with regard to how we coach and prepare our players to play against the pass. Also, because of his experience in the NFL, UCLA Defensive Coordinator Dewayne Walker, then with the Washington Redskins, brought information from studies done on \'Ball Disruptions.\' It is well known that combining pressure on the passer with the ja
The Speed Report: Resisted and Assisted Sprint Training
Since speed and movement control are two of the most sought-after athletic qualities, coaches and trainers are always looking for ways to help athletes improve in these areas. In this article, we will look at the topic of sprint assisted and resisted training and try to sort out the good from the not-so-good as it pertains to football. I travel the country and spend time with coaches presenting my Team Speed Workshops for their programs. These coaches constantly ask me what I think abo
Gaining the Pre- and Post-Snap Advantage
It is commonly said that an offense has two distinct pre-snap advantages over any particular defense: one, they know the snap count and two, they know where the ball is going. Once the ball is snapped those advantages disappear, but there are other factors post-snap, such as movement and deception, to help leverage defenses. AFM talked to three of the more prominent coaches in the country: Dale Weiner of Catholic High School in Baton Rouge; Byron Hamilton of Foothill High School in Cal
Navy\'s Deceptive Linebacker Strategy
The Midshipmen also know the fundamentals required to make up for those shortcomings. That’s why Coach Paul Johnson’s program is poised for a fifth consecutive trip to a bowl game. Offensively, Johnson’s patented option attack helps minimize athletic mismatches. But, defensively, it’s tough for the Midshipmen to out-scheme superior opponents. It’s not that they don’t try. “We’re not very big and can’t just line-up and play with some people,” explained Navy
Gear
The Whizzer® • Mueller Sports Medicine Mueller Sports Medicine Holds Clean-Up Cure for Deadly Staph – Cleaner & Disinfectant Kills Drug-Resistant MRSA Strain... As media attention surrounding the staph Superbug MRSA escalates, a Wisconsin sports medicine company has the solution to killing the deadly bacteria. Whizzer®, a concentrated disinfectant manufactured by Mueller Sports Medicine, kills the drug-resistant MRSA when sprayed on hard surfaces. Following recent
The Drills Report - Zone Blocking: Run Game Drills
In this article we will cover some of the drills we use to develop our offensive linemen for the run game. Drills are where you develop your offensive linemen into playmakers. It’s difficult to teach technique and fundamentals during team practice. Instead, in team you should see your drills being put into use. Here are seven important points when teaching drills: 1. Teach a handful of drills. 2. Teach the fundamentals (‘Fundamentals Wins Games’). 3. Rep every
What Do You Mean You Guys Don\'t Bench? Not At All?
\"Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect\"—Mark Twain I can’t begin to tell you how many times I’ve had to answer the title of this article in the past four years—from all factions: fans, players, parents and even other coaches. As you well know, in our profession anytime we go against the norm there is some inherent risk. There is safety in conformity. “If the league champ is running the spread, then we will too. So
4-3 Defensive Line Play
What You Practice Must Mirror Who You Are We are a true Attack 4-3 front with an aggressive Cover 4 scheme behind it as our primary coverage (See Diagram 1). As a base rule we spill all blocks in an attempt to make the ball go east and west before it can hit us north and south. While priding ourselves in being assignment sound, we play fast– but smart– at all times. The drills and techniques we use as position coaches must mirror who we are as far as scheme, personnel, a
Techniques and Drills for Pass Protection
At Upper Iowa, our offensive linemen go out before practice and then stay after to work on proper pass protection techniques. If these drills are instilled on a daily basis, the players can work on their own technique and know what results to expect. When I was hired in January of 2006, my first priority was to have our offensive linemen dedicate themselves to fundamentals and techniques. Last year our offensive line averaged 270 pounds and two of our starters had never played O-Line in their re
The Strength Report: Developing the Explosive Athlete - Auburn's Off Season Tra
Conditioning should be at the forefront of a football strength and conditioning program. This does not diminish the importance of the weight room but there always needs to be a certain level of fitness for each player. You can't overemphasize the importance of conditioning, especially in this day and age. No matter how great the player is in the weight room, if he can't run, he can't play. This not only applies to straight-ahead running but the ability to move athletically, to change direction a
Defending the No-Huddle Offense
The no-huddle offense can give even the most talented defenses fits. In Georgia’s season opener against Oklahoma State, the Bulldogs struggled to get lined up correctly when the Cowboys mixed in the no-huddle on two first half scoring drives. “Early in the game, they were getting us off-balance and we weren’t getting lined up (because of the no-huddle),” Georgia coach Mark Richt said. “That was probably our biggest halftime adjustment – making sure we were lined up on time.
The Drills Report: Defensive Backs: Drills & Techniques
As a former player at Virginia Tech, I feel honored and privileged to have the opportunity to coach at my alma mater and work with such great people, coaches and players. I want to discuss our base footwork drills, the movements within the drills and how they coincide with the movements we perform during practices and games on a regular basis. I truly believe that repetition is the mother of learning. I try to have our base footwork drills mimic the movements that through repetitions n
AFM Subscribers Ask...with Jerry Glanville
The man in black is back...Veteran NFL coach Jerry Glanville accepted the head coaching position at Portland State earlier this year. The former head coach of both the Houston Oilers and Atlanta Falcons, Glanville spent more than a decade out of coaching while serving as a television analyst. He returned to the coaching ranks on the college level two years ago, joining June Jones’ staff in Hawaii as Defensive Coordinator. After two years in Honolulu, Glanville accepted the PSU position on Febr
Quarterbacking: \'The Ritual\'
This can easily be a 20-30 minute practice routine, while it can be reduced/condensed to a pre-game routine. This is something we work with at every practice. As the season goes on, I reduce repetitions and \"speed\" things up to shorten the routine. It is excellent for \"warming up\" the quarterback before he works with running backs and receivers. It is very conducive for either a camp or high school practice situation. The drills are best completed with two or more quarterbacks. One of the n
The Strength Report: Developing the Explosive Athlete - Defensive Backs
The philosophy on training high level football athletes is a basic one with simple principles. Each individual athlete, for the two to five years of their athletic career, will establish specific goals and objectives for themselves. As a commitment to ‘training’ as a high level or elite competitor, what can reliably be improved upon to develop a better skilled player or defensive back? Within the terms of training, for the game of football long term, is the length of the athlete
The Speed Report: In Season Conditioning: Specificity is Key for Game Endurance
Well, we’ve developed off season speed. Now how does it hold up during the season demands? Put on the pads and let’s go through the physical parameters of the body busting hell. Will he endure with the same speed and efficiency that off season was developed in shirts and shorts and no physical pounding? No! Why do you think that the world-class sprinters have not made a great impact in the NFL over the years? The demands of football’s pounding nature doesn\'t lend itself to the infinite pr
Letter From the Editor/Publisher: Requests from Subscribers
In a recent AFM subscriber survey, the question was asked: ‘What would you like to see at www.AmericanFootballMonthly.com that is not currently offered?’ A number of responses asked about video features and, more specifically, including video on the web site that corresponded to articles published in AFM. Some of the responses included: ‘You guys keep in mind that football coaches are football junkies. We can’t get enough. Videos of stuff would be a nice addition to the
How to Get Your Gamebreakers the Ball
University of North Alabama coach Mark Hudspeth has been coaching football in the South for awhile. “I grew up just south of Starkville, Mississippi, watching Emory Bellard run the option. So, I have been an option guy from way back.” Hudspeth has learned that the basic premise behind Bellard’s famous Wishbone offense, developed and implemented under Darrell Royal at Texas, is ball distribution and having the defense decide where the ball goes. Since Hudspeth’s arrival in 2002,
The Drills Report - Advanced Wide Receiver Drills
I have been coaching college football for more than ten years, all of them as a receivers coach at various levels of competition and talent. One of the beliefs I’ve developed over that period of time is that many receivers do not know how to properly catch a football. They have not been taught nor do they use the proper fundamentals and techniques needed to accomplish this basic but critical task. Many coaches believe a player is either born with the natural ability to catch a footba
Aerial Attack with the Tight End
The most amazing aspect of what Texas Tech has accomplished in Mike Leach’s reign in Lubbock is the consistency of a prolific passing offense. Since 2001 the Red Raiders have finished no worse than fifth in the nation in passing offense among all Bowl Subdivision schools. For four straight years – 2002 through 2005 – they led the nation. The players change, but the results don’t. After splitting duties as Co-offensive Coordinator over the past few years, Dana Holgorsen becomes
The Strength Report: Developing the Explosive Athlete - Running Backs
The cadets at West Point are highly motivated. They are at the United States Military Academy because the objective and goal is that they all will be great officers and that is the number one priority; that is, to do everything possible so they will be great officers. The entire training mission at the USMA is to get the cadets to be leaders. At Army, my program is built around a year-long periodized program. We utilize the non-linear periodization cycle and we approach it with the fou
The Speed Report: Preparing for Football Performance: Proper Warm Ups
One of the more important aspects of practice or game performance is being ready to function mentally and physically. Whether your team is warming up for a practice or a game, certain aspects of readiness (prepared for action) must be applied. When elite athletes perform they are very good at mentally processing variable psychomotor movement activities. When a team takes the field to warm up for practice or a competition, they should approach it with a good mental focus each time. Prac
Oregon\'s Defensive Line Prep vs. the Shotgun Spread Offense
In recent years, there has been a major shift back to the old-school principles of the past. More and more teams at the high school and college level are turning to athletic QBs and more option based systems to take advantage of the way defenses play against multiple WR formations. For coaches like Oregon D-Line Coach Michael Gray, it means new drills and rules to work on with his linemen. The premise behind these spread-type systems is that an offense can account for defenders by usin
6 Steps to D-Line Get Off
My first National Football League coaching experience was in 1980 with the Los Angeles Rams. It was a spring research visit. I was introduced to Bud Carson, the famed Pittsburgh Steelers’ Defensive Coordinator. I was awed by this encounter. Bud was highlighted in a 1979 Sports Illustrated article titled “NFL Assistant Coaches: Better Than Working For A Living.” In my 29 years of coaching, although the article’s title was unusual, I have found it to be truthful. My career has been bless
The Drills Report - Teaching Linebackers Proper Technique
Our base defense at SMU is the 4-3-4 alignment which allows our defensive package to include multiple fronts and coverages. With the variety and versatility of offenses today and the adjustments made defensively, it is important to be consistent in teaching techniques to your players. In this article I will focus on my strategy and teaching progression in developing linebackers. Strategy Coaches should have the ability to communicate with students, athletes, coaches a
Coastal Carolina In-Season Offensive Practice Outline
One of the more crucial aspects of in-season offensive practice planning is making sure that everything we plan to have in our arsenal on Saturday has been installed and practiced at some time during the week. Although that may sound simple, the limited practice time constraints we have make it imperative that we have a sound structure to our weekly practice plan so that no part of our game plan is left on the cutting room floor. The following schedule outlines how we break u
The Strength Report: Developing the Explosive Athlete - Linebackers
First and foremost our program is about producing results. Coaches can design the greatest programs on paper, but if athletes are not committed to the program then they are simply pieces of paper. Ground based and multi-joint exercises support the foundation of what we teach and coach. We use squatting, various single leg and hamstring exercises to gain strength in the hips and lower body. It is imperative that the top of the thighs be parallel during a squat – a shallow squat is not as effect
The Speed Report: Athletic Speed Skills for Special Team Plays
Special teams is, of course, a major concern for every football program in America. Coaches must select the right people for the job. They then must teach the proper schemes for executing both cover and return deployment by the troops. The selection of talent available does not always provide the fastest people on the team. A player’s football savvy is sometimes a better skill than pure speed. This fact is often important to the special teams design. However, speed on the field is ne
D-Backs: Playing with Low Pad Level
One of the most important fundamental concepts that we stress in the secondary at Iowa State University is playing with low pad level. We believe as a staff that this improves the capabilities of our players in two ways. First, low pad level allows us to have phenomenal power when striking a ball carrier or when disengaging from a blocker. Second, it allows for quicker cuts and breaks, especially within the secondary. I have had the opportunity to work with both the linebackers as well
GEAR
Weight Equipment • Forza Strength Systems Forza Strength Systems has provided high quality strength training equipment to teams since 1985. Forza offers a wealth of experience in designing workout areas and can assist with consultation in the concept stage of a large project, or just provide your next piece of equipment. Forza’s complete product line includes selectorized, plate load, and free weight equipment, as well as bars, plates, dumbbells, cardio, and flooring.
The Drills Report: Three-Step QB Drills
In this article, I will discuss part of the three-step game that we run at Mendocino College along with some of the drills used for our quarterbacks. At Mendocino, we run a spread offense and rely heavily on the production of our quarterbacks and receivers. This past season, we finished tenth in the state of California in passing yards per game. Our three-step game is just one aspect of how we get the ball in our playmakers’ hands as quickly as possible. Hitches, double-slants and ou
GAME PREPARATION FOR HIGH SCHOOL DEFENSE
It is an honor to contribute to American Football Monthly and to represent the Verona Area High School football program. A common challenge faced in preparing a defense for each game is that of making changes and adjustments to defend the opponent, while maintaining the base structure of the defensive scheme. A second challenge is to maintain a manageable level of sophistication in scheme while eliminating player confusion. Many staffs spend the off-season learning new schemes, mo
DRILLS, SKILLS, & CHARACTER: FOUNDATIONS OF THE O-LINE
\"Skill guys come with me, linemen - go with coach.\" Translation: Fast athletic guys that get to touch the ball get on the field and play catch - husky, slow kids go drive the 800 pound sled a mile or two. Anyone who has played football is familiar with this scenario. Especially those privileged enough to play on the offensive line. The group of young men that play offensive line are used to hearing these expressions. They have grown accustomed to not touching the ball, not gettin
The Strength Report: Developing the Explosive Athlete - Offensive Linemen
Training a football player is a year long endeavor. We have four years to develop the players under our charge. At BGSU we receive tremendous support from Head Coach Gregg Brandon and his staff in emphasizing the program to the players and allotting time for training during the NCAA imposed hour guidelines. The football staff also does a great job in identifying talent. When developing an explosive football player step one is evaluation. Players play certain positions because of body type, skill
Speed Report: Specific Speed Techniques and Drills for Outside Linebackers
Outside linebackers move through many types of speed changes. Sound mechanical control is vital if they are to be successful at each movement phase conducted. The thrust of this article will be directed towards sharing nuggets for outside linebackers. As indicated in the October issue on ‘Increasing Your Linebacker Speed’ once mechanical effectiveness is attained then we can move on to position specific movement applications. This month I will focus on specific movement aspects for some of t
Letter From the Editor: Offense vs. Defense: Keeping it Competitive
How about a spring game in which the defense gets points for turnovers, fourth down stops, and third and outs while the offense receives points for first downs and plays over 30 yards? Well Oklahoma did just that in their annual spring game. “Having a scoring system that rewards the defense as well as the offense makes the game more competitive for all the players,” said Oklahoma’s Director of Football Operations, Matt McMillen. “Normally, teams play 1’s vs. 2’s and 2’s v
GEAR
Coach-to-Player Communication • Telcommand Telcommand makes practices more efficient and effective through better communication. There are two basic components: the Coach’s Unit, which is a headset transmitter and the Player’s Unit, which is a receiver placed in a sleeve that’s worn on the players arm. With a press of a button or with voice activation, a coach can communicate directly to an individual player on the field, giving instructions in a normal speaking voice r
The Drills Report: Defensive Line Drills
Here are the physical and mental characteristics we look for in defensive linemen as well as our philosophy of the D-Line attack: Physical: • Play with his hands. • React on the action. • Play with toughness. • Play the run first. • Attack at every snap of the ball. Mental: • Must be violent in the trenches. • Understands the role of a D-lineman. • Always plays at a high tempo but is under control.
Winning the War in the Trenches
The first thing LSU D-Line Coach Earl Lane impresses on his guardians of the trenches in pre-season is that their contributions are just as vital to the Tigers success as the guys who change the scoreboard. “What I emphasize to my players right at the outset,” Lane says, “is the importance of the positions they play. When most people use the term ‘skill players’ they’re talking about quarterbacks, running backs and receivers. I want my guys to know we’re skill players as well. Foot
Technique Over Talent
Coaching legend Bill Walsh has said that the essence of coaching is isolating the skills necessary to play a position and then finding the best way to teach those skills. And no position is more in need of solid skills than the offensive line. Longtime Cincinnati Bengal offensive line coach Paul Alexander has become known as one of the best technical experts in offensive line play. He has distilled the skills required for consistently solid linemen and has a system in place that consequently hon
Football Speed
Dale Baskett specializes in speed. Football speed. Having worked with college powerhouses like Ohio State and Texas A & M and a number of NFL franchises, he’s been making teams faster for 27 years. A former football coach, Baskett made the transition more than a quarter century ago and, in the process, has trained over 100 NFL players including 21 All-Pro’s. During the last nine months, Baskett has authored ‘The Speed Report’ in AFM which has included definitive drills for spec
Training Revolution
Ed Dudley, Head Football Coach for Walton High School in Marietta, Georgia faced a situation that plagues many coaches at top programs. He was confident that his school had a good strength program, but he knew his team had to become faster and more agile in order to go deeper in the playoffs. “We had several players going to a few different trainers and you could see a big difference in their foot work. I knew we needed to find the best speed and agility program that we could manage ourselves,
Speed Report: Wide Receivers
Last month we covered the idea that just looking at linear (straight) speed is not good enough when preparing a receiver for the type of speed endeavors required. The key to being a truly effective receiver requires a multitude of speed skills. Quickness, the ability to move to a new direction (separation from an angle of velocity travel to another angle of velocity) requires either natural gifts or proper mechanical and physiological training. As you can now appreciate – by reading the articl
The Drills Report: Ball Security Drills
At American International College, through the diligence of our staff and head coach Art Wilkins, the idea of ball security and turnover margin is given our top priority. We have been taught to view this statistic as second only to the score of the game. Also, I have been extremely fortunate to coach talented players with high character and the ability to work hard and buy into our principles. In this article, my objective is to share my beliefs on ball security as it pertains to running backs,
AFM Subscribers Ask... with Tommy Bowden
The first thing that comes to mind when you look at Tommy Bowden’s record is consistency. In ten seasons as a head coach, all ten of his teams have been bowl eligible at the conclusion of the regular season. Each of his last seven teams have finished with a winning record. In his ten seasons as a head coach (two with Tulane and eight at Clemson) Bowden has an overall 78-41 record, a 65.5% winning percentage. A walk-on wide receiver at West Virginia, Bowden’s first coaching job was
Making the Most of 3 and Outs
Sure, some coaches like to preach about how vital special teams are, giving the cliché about it being one-third of a complete game. Yet it usually gets filtered down into pure lip service, with coaches dedicating the majority of their time to what is perceived as more important issues like stopping the spread offense or figuring out how to get their best offensive players in space – special teams becomes an afterthought. But for Lousiana Tech’s new head coach Derek Dooley, he’s
Giving Your Quarterback the Advantage
Quarterback Training & Development’s obligation to offensive skilled position players is to teach them the skills and techniques that give them a chance to succeed against players who are better than they are. We recently received the following email from one of our players: “Hey coach, the camp went really well. We did 1 on 1 drills which built my confidence because I found out that I could definitely play with some of the best.” This is a necessary part of competing at any level. At s
Pressuring Protection in the Trenches
This article will present some brief principles of pass pressure and thoughts on evaluating pass protection. It will conclude with two effective pass pressures versus a common pass protection. One pressure comes from the traditional 4-3 cover 2 shell and the other from the 4-3 eight-man front. Building Defensive Packages with Players in Mind I believe that it is in the best interest of the defense to have a \'base\' defense that the players feel they can play against
The Strength Report: Developing the Explosive Athlete - Wide Receivers (Part I)
Our football players are put through a year round periodized speed, strength and conditioning plan. Depending on what time of year it is, our focus for our football players will also change. The annual plan is broken down into six different phases: Winter Development, Spring Development, Summer Pre-Season, Pre-Season Camp, Fall In-Season and Bowl Preparation or Transition. Our football players are also grouped and categorized by strength and skill level along with the position they play on the f
The Speed Report: Wide Receivers - Seperation Speed and Body Control
As coaches we could look at the receiver position and concentrate our focus on linear speed and figure we’re okay. If our wideouts post good 40 times and catch the ball, then we’re good to go. This is not totally true. Linear speed is only a portion of the package for a receiver\'s speed. As a football coach you are well aware of the fact that running in a straight line fast can be impressive. However, displacing momentum while sprinting at maximum intensity levels on a football fi
Gear
Buy Now – Watch Now Instructional Coaching Videos • www.AFMVideos.com Tired of waiting 5 or more days to receive and watch the instructional coaching videos you just bought? American Football Monthly introduces the smartest innovation in instructional coaching videos: Buy Now – Watch Now. Buy Now – Watch Now lets you buy your videos online and watch the same videos immediately on your computer while the DVD copies of your videos are shipped directly to you (FREE ship
Drills Report: Drills for Defensive Backs
When playing in the secondary, one must understand the thought process of a receiver. A receiver’s stemming throughout a route helps gain leverage on the defensive player. Stemming is the use of angles by the receiver to manipulate the DB into position, where it is difficult to make plays. The stems used by a receiver are utilized for a purpose; that is, what specific route a vertical stem is taken on the DB. The vertical stem will reduce the DB’s cushion and make the DB turn and run. When t
AFM Subscribers Ask...
Ron Vanderlinden, now approaching his seventh year as Linebackers Coach at Penn State, has developed a reputation as an outstanding linebackers mentor. Over the years, he has coached Penn State All-Americans Paul Posluszy and Dan Connor, Pat Fitzgerald and Barry Gardner of Northwestern and Chad Brown of Colorado. He also helped the Nittany Lions defense rank in the top 15 nationally in rushing, pass efficiency, scoring, total defense and sacks in 2005. Similarly, his Northwestern defense in 1995
Letter From the Editor: Intangibles: What Makes the Difference in your Quarterba
About a month ago, AFM caught up with new Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh as he was driving back home from campus in Palo Alto. Harbaugh led Michigan to three bowl games, played in the NFL for 15 seasons, and just completed an outstanding three year 29-6 run as head man for the University of San Diego, a Division I-AA college in the Pioneer League. The Toreros finished 11-1 in each of the last two seasons. “You look for accuracy, location, how a quarterback practices from his on the
The Strength Report: Developing the Explosive Athlete: Defensive Linemen
The job of the defensive lineman is very complex. He must first engage one, sometimes two blockers, gain position, shed the block and pursue the ball. Sometimes the play is coming to his gap and the process is over almost instantly. Other times once he sheds the block he may have to pursue the play to the opposite side of the field perhaps jumping over players on the ground to do it. Our basic philosophy for our defensive linemen at Sam Houston State University is to improve each play
The Speed Report: Developing Quarterback Speed
Baseball pitchers are the most difficult athletes to convince that speed development is important. Why? Because they stand on the mound and hurl the rock forward at incredible speed. That is all well and good. However, we need to look at the physiological aspect of the nervous system enhancement as indicated in our past article on speed for linemen. You will gain an insight on how the nervous system and high end concentration correlate to produce positive physiological changes. We must train sp
Drills Report: C.W. Post\'s Zone Block Teaching Progressive
The purpose of this article is to discuss how we teach the basics of zone blocking at C. W. Post. In our nine years as a staff, we have enjoyed great success. We believe this is due to playing great defense and being dominant in the run game. Over the last few years we\'ve had running backs that have gained over 2,000 yards in different seasons and in 2005 we had two running backs that both rushed for over 1,000 yards. Among all Division II colleges in 2005, we were fourth in total offense (517
Shotgun Movement & Pressure Techniques for Quarterbacks
We have found it very important that we drill our quarterback on certain techniques that can occur during the course of a game that are outside the normal structure of our offense. These are situations that are outside the optimum drop back technique area. These techniques are utilized in situations that can occur anywhere from three to six times a game. Oftentimes these situations can result in big plays or help negate potential losses or momentum swings. Some of these techniques incl
Stripping the Ball
Trailing 3-0 in the second quarter at Florida State last fall, Boston College defensive back Sulaiman Sanni rapidly closed on a short pass to the tight end in the flat. He stood up the receiver, securing the tackle, while another defender came in on the play and began to poke and pry at the ball – just like the Eagles had practiced all season. The ball popped loose. Safety Wes Davis didn’t hesitate, scooped up the fumble and returned it to the FSU 1 yard line. It was the first of three Semin
Running Backs: Speed Skills Can be Taught - Part II
As previously discussed in part one of our article on running back speed, natural gifts are what we would all like to have at our fingertips. The reality is the resource per school doesn’t always match the desire for golden talent. When rubber meets the road, year to year we must be able to develop certain athletes who can perform at a consistant level coming out of the backfield. I am a huge believer that when working with youth you can develop the talent level with any program. The problem w
Gear
GROUND BATTLE CHUTES - RAE CROWTHER The Rae Crowther Ground Battle Chutes are designed to keep players low and maintain a good football position while moving. If your goal is to train as many athletes as possible, in as many varied drills as possible, and in the shortest possible time - then you have found the perfect chutes! The Ground Battle Chutes are the best chutes to place on your practice field because they allow you the most room for your drills. Sizes range from 27
Drills Report: 10 Advanced Drills for Wide Receivers
Our March Drills Report comes from Denie Marie, a veteran high school, college, and professional coach who is now working in athletic administration at Virginia Tech. Marie has coached at various levels for over 20 years including St. Thomas More Prep, the US Coast Guard Academy, Trinity College, Brown, Kent State, Marietta College, Virginia Tech, and the Arena Football League II. Included are a selection of wide receiver drills that Coach Marie used throughout practices sessions. Each drill is
The Middle 2 Defense
I’m presenting a coverage I call Middle 2, a basic form of Cover 2 which allows your Mike Linebacker to defend the deep middle one-third of the field (preferably the two receivers or two speed receivers) but at the same time keeping deep half safeties. This coverage is great vs. a spread formation team (three to four speed receivers) because it gives you excellent position down the middle. Plus, it forces the team to throw short-mid range passes. The following diagrams explain this by position
Strong Beliefs: A Key Ingredient in the Success of a Strength & Conditioning Pro
D I-AA: Kyle Speer • Sam Houston State Kyle Speer has been the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at Sam Houston State University for three years. He has one assistant coach, Brian Wiseman, working with him, and together the two are responsible for 16 sports with more than 350 athletes. In 2005 and 2006, Sam Houston State won the Commissioner’s Cup Championship Award, which is a performance-based award for the best overall athletic program in the Southland Conference. Sp
Lightning Strikes San Diego Chargers\' Dave Redding\'s Unusual Methods to Effect
STRATEGY San Diego’s Dave Redding, the 2006 Samson Strength and Conditioning NFL Coach of the Year, describes football as an “awkward movement sport.” And that description shapes his strategy on training the Chargers. “I could really care less what they bench, squat or power clean one time,” he said. “I don’t test them on that. I do test them on their ability to sustain a very intensive effort for two hours, four days a week, year round. The o
Samson\'s Division I-A Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year: Jay Butler
Rutgers running back Brian Leonard knows strength and conditioning coordinator Jay Butler played a major role in the Scarlet Knights’ amazing turnaround. But that doesn’t mean he always enjoyed Butler’s tactics. “Along with the strength, conditioning and speed, he’ll do things to make you mentally tough,” said Leonard. “He’ll do the worst things you could ever think of. Like after a long day of winter conditioning, you’ll be real tired, and the next day, he’ll wake
The Strength Report
I have had the opportunity to be a strength and conditioning coach for 11 years, and had the privilege of working in some great programs with some great head coaches. From Oklahoma, to Minnesota, to Kansas, I have been fortunate enough to work with many great athletes and had the opportunity to learn quite a bit about how to develop not only sport specific strength, but also position specific strength. Philosophy / Strategy The game of football is ever-evolving; howev
The Speed Report
Coaching is teaching and the successful coaches from year to year are usually good teachers on the field. Over the last 38 years I’ve been coaching I’ve observed that most coaches rely on natural talent and innate speed skills when choosing a running back. Running backs with quicks, vision and intuitive reaction capabilities are a choice commodity. Exceptional running backs come along infrequently. However, developing backs to have quickness, burst and acceleration capability while running w
The Drills Report
This month’s drill has been submitted by Kurt VanValkenburgh, Florida Atlantic University’s Assistant Head Coach and Linebackers Coach. Coach VanValkenburgh brings more than 30 years of coaching experience to the FAU Owls’ program. Coach VanValkenburgh has been an intricate part of the development of the football program at Florida Atlantic and his efforts helped launch the Owls during their inaugural season in 2001. During their third season, the Owls made it all the way to the
The Tools to be a Linebacker
Defining A Hawk Linebacker: In the 50 front, which is the Hawk base defense, the two linebackers are labeled Sam and Will. Sam is historically the strong side linebacker based around the offensive set and normally lines up on the tight end side. The other linebacker is labeled Will and normally plays on the split-end side of the offensive set. In an offensive set that has two tight ends the Sam linebacker will position himself on the tight end side that has the flanker present or a power
Schutt Sports High School Coach of the Year
Steve Tutsie
In just his first year as a varsity head football coach, Steve Tutsie led his Warren Central Warriors to a 15-0 record and an Indiana State Class 5A championship. The Warriors were as dominant as any team in the country, outscoring their opponents 722 to 124 and winning the state championship game by a comfortable 35-14 over Carmel in the RCA Dome in Indianapolis. Tutsie, 41, was so impressive under the head set that he was named the Schutt Sports National Coach of the Year. Tutsie doe
Schutt Sports College Coaches of the Year
DIVISION I-AA Jerry Moore Appalachian State 2006 I-AA National Champions (14-1) Offense: Spread option Defense: An aggressive 4-3 that can play an aggressive zone or man behind it Not long after the Mountaineers finished celebrating their 2005 national title, it was time to put it behind them and focus on the next task – repeating. “We had to tune out everything from the past season and focus on the goal
The Speed Report
Defensive back speed is often perceived by coaches as having an athlete with great 40 speed and ability to spring back well, change direction quickly, etc. Normally speaking, the better athletes are your DB’s. So if their 40 is awesome, the ability to leap and change direction is awesome to awesome plus. But then how do we improve DB speed? Simple – the movement spectrum required athletically is probably the most complex of any position on the field of play. Therefore, I am providing a serie
Lobo Cover 2
Our base defensive alignment is a 3-3-5 that allows us to execute multiple blitzes and coverages from various fronts. One of the primary coverages we have in our package is Cover 2. We will run Cover 2 with three, four and five man pressures. Based on the amount of pressure, the underneath drops and assignments may vary slightly. The one position that remains constant in their assignments and techniques is the cornerbacks. I will focus on our coaching progression with the corners in depth and ta
Attacking Offenses with the 3-5-3 Secondary
Many high school and junior college teams are turning to the 3-5-3 defense as a way to disguise their pressure in stopping both the pass and the run. We talked to Rob Manchester, defensive secondary coach for Georgia Military College in Milledgeville about how his secondary functions in the 3-5-3. GMC implemented the defense in 2001 and has enjoyed great success with it, leading the nation in total defense twice and capturing the NJCAA National Championship in 2001. Manchester\'s strategy:
Coaches: Ways to Lose a Football Game
Everyone knows that brilliant coaching strategies, like those of Bill Walsh on offense and Buddy Ryan on defense, can win teams games. But the opposite is also true. Coaching mistakes can cost your team games. We talked to as many coaches as we could about what the key mistakes are that can cost you games, real world examples of the mistakes and how to avoid them. Here is what they had to say: Jerry Schmitt, head coach, Duquesne University “One thing tha
What a Rush! Getting the Most out of Your Pass Rush
Pass rush is the single most important part of our job. It should be a passion of any good rusher. We are committed to stopping the run to win. As we do this, it will give us more opportunities to rush the passer. It’s very important to be a complete defensive line with the ability to do both. The sack is the most exciting play in football. It brings the crowd to its feet, lifts the defense and destroys the confidence level of a
7 - Keys to Kick Starting Your Special Teams
While all coaches extol the value of the kicking game, the reality is, when faced with the time constraints that all coaches have, the kicking game gets pushed to the back burner and ends up being last on the time priority list. The test of time is a test that every football coach faces each and every year, especially when it comes to the kicking game. The good thing about time is that it is the one thing, unlike talent, that all coaches ha
The Speed Report: Developing Reaction Speed for DBs
When developing a defensive back for speed we must consider the multitude of athletic speed requirements they must perform: • Linear burst speed for short distances. • Linear speed for lengthly distances. • Backpedal speed at varying velocities and angles. • Change of direction speed at high velocity, sudden angle changes. • Multi-movement combinations, backpedal to lateral to spri
The Drills Report: Wartburg College\'s Cut Block Circuit
The cut block is very important to our offense. At Wartburg College, we utilize the cut block in several of our offensive schemes. Although we do believe in the cut block, we do not cut our own players in practice. Because the cut block is so important in our offense, we asked the same question everyone asks, “How do we practice cutting without cutting our own players?” In order to effectively teach the technique and practice the cut block, we
AFM Subscribers Ask
Now in his 20th season as head coach at Virginia Tech, Frank Beamer has established the Hokies as a consistent top ten Division I-A power. Beamer ranks third among all active D I-A coaches in wins and last fall led the Hokies to an 11-2 record and their 13th straight bowl game. Year-in, year-out, Virginia Tech has a reputation of being one of the finest colleges in special teams play: the Hokies led all I-A schools in blocked punts in the 90’s.
Pursuit, Tackling, and Takeaways
As coaches, we have many formative years. We learn to scheme, we learn organization, we learn player relations, how to recruit, how to present, how to teach, motivate, package, adapt. There are certain things that have changed over time and there are some constants. Tackling and pursuit have always been trademarks of great defenses. More recently, takeaways has been a great indicator of team success. The goal of this article is to
Becoming a Complete Back: Teaching Your RBs to Protect Your QB
During my career I have had the privilege to coach some outstanding running backs in high school and college. I have been fortunate to coach backs who have given me their undivided attention and were excited about reaching their potential as complete running backs. Several of the backs I have had the opportunity to coach went on and played in the NFL. Tony Smith, Chris Buckhalter and Harold Shaw all had successful careers. All of
The Speed Report: Increasing Your Lineman\'s Speed
Each month I will be writing an article on football speed and guidelines for each position. Every position has unique speed characteristics that we can focus on for improving effective speed and quickness traits that are germane to football speed. When coaching linemen for speed and quickness we must take into account that they are large, unique people compared to other athletes. It is important to coaches to utilize training applications that are
The Strength Report: Defensive Backs
My philosophy for training the college football athlete is based upon the physical and mental demands occurring during the course of a normal practice and game. Football is a collision oriented game grounded in the physical skills of blocking, tackling, jumping, running, throwing and kicking. These are skills initiated by the lower body and lend credibility to the maxim of football being played on your feet. These highly synchronized skills are ex
The Drills Report
This month’s drill has been submitted by Coach Jason Phillips, Receivers Coach at the University of Houston. Coach Phillips brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Cougars football program as not only a coach but also a former player. Coach Phillips coaching career began with the Spring Football League’s Houston Marshals in 1999 with stops at the Minnesota Vikings (2001), Atlanta Falcons (2002) and Southwest Texas State (2002). While
AFM Subscribers Ask...
Three Heisman Trophy winners in five years… USC’s Pete Carroll has had three of his players – Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart, and Reggie Bush – win football’s ultimate individual prize in his five seasons with the Trojans. He also has two National Championships, a 34 game winning streak (broken in last year’s BCS Championship with Texas) and an overall 54-10 record. Considered one of the outstanding defensive minds in football, Carroll has a combined 31 years of both pro and colle
Secondary Play - Kent State\'s Cover 2 Package
Part of our defensive package at Kent State is focused on defending on-back offensive sets from a 2-deep concept, particularly in pass down situations. When we feel we don’t have to match a lead back or pulling threat with one of our safeties, we like to play with rolled up corners and challenge the release of the receivers. In doing so, we hope to change the rhythm of the offensive play and give the offense something much different than our base Cover 4 look. In Cover
Maximizing Your Down Lineman in the 3-5-3 Defense
It is often said that necessity is the mother of all invention. Such has been the case with the trend of the 3-5-3 (or the hybrid 3-3-5), or odd stack defense. While the scheme’s origins trace back to the mid 1990’s, when defensive coordinators Joe Lee Dunn at Mississippi State and Charlie Strong at South Carolina began penning its initial blueprints – now it’s trickled down to over a couple dozen teams at the collegiate level and some high school programs have even started to cat
The Speed Report: Increasing your Linebacker Speed
Every coach in America selects athletes year to year to play linebacker and must determine various characteristics needed to make the wisest choice. LB’s are the heart of the defense and a player must be multi-dimentional athletically able to hit, run, move quickly, and have the mental tenacity of a lightening bolt on a mission. Finding players each year with these skills sometimes is easier said then done. Lead with Speed S
The Strength Report: Linebackers
My general philosophy of preparing players for competition in the game of football is that the game is played with the hips. Football is played on your feet – running, blocking, and hitting. You have a triple extension of your ankles, knees and hips. You need to be extended into your opponent or toward the ball, when you’re trying to catch it for example. When a receiver explodes off the line, he’s using his hips. When a defensive end exten
The Drills Report - West Virginia\'s Defensive Secondary Footwork Drills
This month’s drill was submitted by Coach Tony Gibson, the Defensive Backs Coach at West Virginia University. Coach Gibson is entering his sixth year as a member of Coach Rich Rodriquez’s staff. Coach Gibson has also made stops along his coaching career at West Virginia Tech University, Cumberland University, Glenville State College and Gilmer County High School. While at West Virginia University, Coach Gibson has been part of three Big East
Letter from the Editor
‘Covering a Great Receiver’, ‘Line Techniques in the 3-5-3 Defense’, and Henderson State’s ‘Scorched Earth Offense’ are three articles that you will see in this issue of AFM. All three are a result of AFM subscriber research; that is, the responses to detailed questions about what are readers want to read about and learn more from. Each quarter our marketing department will issue a detailed survey to subscribers in an effort to determine what specific kinds
AFM Subscribers Ask
with Mike Van Deist A near legendary coach in NAIA circles, Carroll College’s Head Coach Mike Van Diest’s Fighting Saints have won the last four NAIA Championships. During that time Carroll has ranked among the top ten NAIA teams defensively. Last fall they led the NAIA in scoring defense and total defense and gave up only six rushing touchdowns in 14 games. Q. How do you prepare your players concerning the defensive game plan.
Linfield\'s Flat Drop Drills
Because of the high priority placed on defensive pass coverage versatility, many different positions need to learn how to defend the flat drop zone. Many teams will not only use the OLB to cover the flat, but will roll a safety and / or cornerback up to the flat as well. That can result in requiring as many as six different positions to be proficient at a flat drop and that is why we believe is needs to be drilled frequently. Fundamental Concep
In the Heart of Special Teams: Your Best Opportunity to Gain a Competitive Advan
At the University of Cincinnati, we believe that special teams is one area of the game where you can gain a significant advantage over your opponent simply through the commitment of your best players and the commitment of your entire coaching staff. In this article I will share ideas on how we attempt to get our players to buy into special teams and how we attempt to “out coach” our opponents. Whether you coach high school, college or in the pros, each one of us sells
The Speed Report
Football has grown tremendously in the area of athletic development and strength development in recent years. The knowledge level in the weight room alone is nearly off the chart. The advent of the NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Assoc.), which is now approximately 30 years old, provides certification for strength coaches nationally. The journals they supply are written by PHD scientists and are knee deep with physical science infomation
The Strength Report
I’ve been in the business of coaching athletes for over 20 years. I started at the high school level, moved to the junior college level and finally into the D-I College level. Prior to my coaching career I was part of the offensive and defensive line for my entire youth / high school / college football career. So in short I’ve always been interested in how to develop explosiveness and speed in all athletes. Throughout all o
The Drills Report: Defensive Line Progression and Drills: UW-Platteville
At UWP, seven areas are emphasized that will make a defensive lineman successful on Saturdays. These areas are: Stance, Starts, Hands, Blow Delivery, Block Recognition, Squeeze and Escape, and Pass Rush Techniques. We feel that these are the areas that must be repped each day at practice. The first area that we work on is stance. Feet should be armpit width apart with toe to instep relationship. We want the toe to in-s
The Scouting Report
Having earned a reputation as one of the great innovators and teachers during his 36 years of coaching, Walt Harris became the head football coach at Stanford on December 13, 2004. A South San Franciso native, Harris came ‘home.’ Last fall, the Cardinal came within one win of its first bowl game since 2001, finishing with an overall 5-6 record. Approaching his 60th birthday, Harris has coached in 14 bowl games, inc
\'Do Right...\'
As William \"Billy\" Joe sat in his hotel room in Tallahassee on that January afternoon in 1994, awaiting his job interview with Florida A&M University officials, hardly anybody in Florida\'s capital city knew who he was or why he was there. Nearly all of the city\'s residents were caught up in a parade through the downtown streets for Florida State as the city celebrated the Seminoles\' first national title. Little did the football-crazed fans realize that Joe was formulat
The Diary of a New Coach - Part I
Norman, Okla., is 17 miles south of Oklahoma City and perhaps most famous for being home of the Oklahoma Sooners. Football has deep roots in Norman. Norman High School, a Class 6A school with a strong football tradition itself, has nine state championships. NHS runs out of the offset I-formation and our base plays are either 42/43 Crunch (an iso on the playside backer) with a complimentary 26/27 Counter, or an option attack, depending on our personnel. Most of our passing is from a three-step
AFM Subscribers Ask... Texas Tech
Premiering with this issue American Football Monthly begins ‘AFM Subscribers Ask…’, an in-depth Q & A session with a different coach each month. Subscribers are asked to send in their inquiries with specific questions for the coach featured that month. Our first coach to answer your responses is Texas Tech’s Mike Leach. One of the top offensive minds in the game today, Leach begins his seventh season in Lubbock thi
Being a Secondary Technician
Press Man Technique: Defending Against a Receiver’s Release Moves When breaking down the game of football, or any other sport, it comes down to taking proper angles and using them to help increase the odds of making plays which helps teams win games. Angles in the game of football can either make or break a team’s success. Understanding angles through geometry and understanding the physics of the body through the prope
The Drills Report
This month’s drills are from George Godsey, quarterbacks coach at the University of Central Florida. A standout quarterback at Georgia Tech, Godsey played for his current mentor, UCF head coach George O’Leary. Last fall, the Golden Knights engineered one of the greatest turnarounds in college football history – after going 0-11 in 2004, UCF hosted the Conference USA Championship
Letter From the Editor
Over the last year, American Football Monthly has evolved from a magazine that included regular features on coaching profiles to more specific articles on both strategy and x’s and o’s. This has been reflected not just in the subject matter published but also in a new section of the magazine, ‘The Drills Report.’ The change in philosophy has been a result of subscriber research; that is, the results of a number of detailed surveys by our marketing department attempti
Impact Stats: The Most Critical Statistic in Football
Obviously the most important statistics in a football game are points scored and allowed – that will determine the winners and losers. But what comes next? What statistic plays the biggest role in determining a game’s outcome? We asked nine successful coaches that question. And eight of them answered that it’s turnover margin. One said average starting field position. Here are the coaches’ explanations. “Obviously every possession is very valuable,” said Mike
Inside Linebackers: Drills and Assets
At Trinity we run a 3-4 defense with a 4-3 mentality. Our defensive line attacks offenses as opposed to staying on the line of scrimmage and keeping blockers off of our inside linebackers. With this philosophy come some obstacles for our inside linebackers. We begin our first inside linebacker meeting each year stressing the use of our ASSETS. If we are aware of and we master our ASSETS, then we will develop and improve our game dramatically. Our ASSETS help us to diagnose situations and
Pre-Season Practice: The Importance of Making Every Minute Count
Pre-season practice plays an important role in getting your team prepared for the upcoming season. We spoke to two successful head coaches – Mike Leach of Texas Tech and Terry Hoeppner of Indiana University – about how they conduct their pre-season practices and what they hope to get out of them. NCAA rules dictate that teams can begin practice about a month before their first game. Teams aren’t allowed to practice in full pads for the first five days.
Temperature Rising! Pre-Season Practices: Proper Hydration
Pre-season practice means hot weather, which brings with it the risk of dehydration and heat illness. While many people function quite normally with mild dehydration in everyday life, fluid deficits and heat illness are no laughing matters in football. The National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injuries stated that 19 high school football players died of heat stroke on the playing field between 1995 and 2005. We spoke to two experts about how to prevent serious dehydra
The Drills Report: Georgia\'s Offensive Blocking Circuit
This month’s drill has been submitted by Coach Neil Callaway, the Offensive Coordinator and Offensive Line Coach of the 2005 SEC Champion Georgia Bulldogs. Since Coach Callaway became a member of coach Mark Richt’s staff in 2001, the Bulldogs have won two SEC Championships, three bowl victories and three top six finishes in the final polls. Coach Calloway explains his blocking circuit: “We implemented the Blocking Circuit at
Letter from the Editor
I still marvel at the almost daily improvements in communication. The advances in technology can boggle the mind. Just think about ‘Google’ for example; it’s an instantaneous research tool for any one working on a term paper to an editor helping fact check a magazine for football coaches. With the almost hourly advances in this field, we are proud to announce AFM’s new and vastly improved web site: AmericanFootballMonthly.com. As AFM is the #1 resource for footbal
Defensive Line Attack: Read Rules for 6 Offensive Line Steps
This article will focus on the reads for an attacking style defensive front. These reads are based on the idea of offensive linemen being able to take 6 initial steps that will tell the defensive lineman how to react. The reactions are based on whether the defensive player lines up in an inside shoulder technique (a 7 tech for example) or an outside shoulder technique (a 5 tech for example). The reads and techniques are the same for both outside a
Improving Your Running Game
The commitment to run the ball has to start when a head coach lays the foundation for his system. Portland (OR) State’s Tim Walsh sees this mentality as key to any coaching staff. “Coaches have to find a way to instill a belief in their players that they can run against anybody. At Portland State, we’ve created a mindset for players over several seasons.” Walsh and his assistant coaches stress the team’s prior success to new recruits, while returning players have already been in
The Drills Reports: Louisiana Tech\'s Defensive Tackle Circuit Drills
This month’s feature drill is from Randy Bates, Defensive Coordinator for Louisiana Tech University. Under the leadership of Coach Bates last fall, the La Tech bulldog defense ranked third in the Western Athletic Conference. Also, the 2005 defensive WAC statistics ranked the Bulldogs first in overall turnover margin (+13), second in rushing defense, and third in both passing and scoring defense. Coach Bates began his career 24 years ago at Muskingum College as an offens
The Scouting Report
If two words describe Mira Mesa High School in San Diego they are tradition and excellence. One of the top academic schools in the city, the Mira Mesa Marauders also have an outstanding football legacy. Led by Head Coach Gary Blevins and Assistant HC Chris Thompson, Mira Mesa plays in the prestigious San Diego Eastern League. This fall they play Long Beach Poly in a non-league game. Poly, a perennial Southern California power, has the most alums of any school in the nation playing in the
Teaching WR\'s the Critical Skills
One of the main problems that have plagued football coaches for a long time is how to teach the necessary skills needed to play the game during the fifteen to thirty minutes in practice known as individual. Just at the wide receiver position, we must teach stance, start, footwork, route running, releases (press and open field), blocking (push blocking, wall-off, cutting, middle block), catching the ball, running with the ball, and many other skills needed to be a good wide receiver.
An Eye for your Opponents
Mike Van Deist keeps a close eye on personel match-ups and ways to exploit them. It’s been repeated almost too many times to say again. But, here you go: defense wins championships. Hold the urge to roll your eyes until you look at Carroll College in Montana. During Mike Van Diest’s seven-year reign as head coach at Carroll, the Saints have become an NAIA powerhouse, winning the national championship the last four years after reaching the semifinals
The Fundamentals of Combination Blocks
This month’s drill is from Joe Gilbert, Offensive Line Coach for the University of Central Florida. Last fall the Golden Knights engineered the greatest turnaround in Division I-A football. From an 0-11 season in 2004 and a string of 17 consecutive losses, UCF rebounded to an 8-3 regular season, hosted the Conference USA Championship Game and earned a trip to the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl. In Gilbert’s first season at UCF in 2004, he coached the nation’s youngest offensive lin
The Big Squeeze
ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT times to get a football player into the weight room is during the rigorous two-a-day practice sessions before the start of each football season. During this time the athlete\'s body is pushed to the limits of exhaustion. It\'s a time of major concern to most strength and conditioning coaches and athletic trainers because of the chance of overuse/overwork muscle strains and pulls that can occur. During this time the question arises as to what would be the best
Linebacker Play The Minnesota Way
Linebackers are usually the leaders of the defense. The good ones have poise, intelligence, leadership, mental and physical toughness, dependability, intensity and football instincts. They must have knowledge of the defense. They must be able to defeat offensive linemen weighing 320-plus bearing down at them. They must be able to react quickly and trust what they see and know. Finally, they must, must, must, be a
Know Your Field, After All it\'s Your Turf
When it comes to player safety, what is your most important piece of equipment? As a coach you’ve been taught to properly fit helmets and shoulder pads, both essential tools that can keep players safe. But what about your field? How safe is it? Without proper care and maintenance, your field can cause severe injury – just like ill-fitting helmets or pads. With overuse – repeating drills in the same place – and misuse – using a field already in poor condition or beyo
The Drills Report
As coaches, we are always looking for new and innovative ideas to help improve the play of our athletes. As in any other setting, practice makes perfect and practice on the football field involves drills. American Football Monthly’s newest feature is dedicated to finding creative drills that coaches can implement into their programs. The subject matter will be broad in scope and will be selected from coaches of all levels; from high school through professional. This month’s feature
Running Wild
HOW TO CREATE AN EFFECTIVE RUNNING GAME THAT WILL BOOST YARDS AND WINS For all of football’s passing progress over the past decade, the running game remains a fundamental cornerstone of winning football. Whether you’re punching the ball across the line in short-yardage situations or controlling the clock, every team must be able to get the ball into the hands of a capable runner who can read and follow effective blocks downfield, breaking tackles and making defenders miss.
Inside Linebacker Play & Progression
Like any position on the football field there are a lot of different ways to prepare your players for game days. Of course linebackers are the backbone of almost every type of defensive scheme. They are involved in every run and pass play and must have the skill to find the football on every play. Since there are so many multiple defensive schemes a linebacker must be ready to line up in a three point stance and stop the run or line up against a flanker and cover against the pass. Ther
Running Wild How to create an effective running game that will boost yards and wins. By Richard Scott
Samson\'s College and High School Strength and Conditioning Coaches of the Year
Division I-AA: Russell Patterson-Appalachian State The pace of an Appalachian State football game is dictated by their no-huddle offense.The breakneck scheme results in a high number of plays and keeps both sides of the ball in constant readiness. Having them prepared for the full 60 is the job of strength and conditioning coach Russell Patterson. It must be working. The Boone, NC Mountaineers captured the Southern Conference title with a 6-1 mark, were 12-3 overall,
The Need for Speed
From the time young football players figure out they’re faster than the other players on the field, many assume speed is simply a gift that some have, some don’t. They figure it’s all a matter of nature, genetics or a divine blessing. While it’s true that some young men are simply born and raised faster than others, no football player has to be content with his speed – or his lack of speed. “A lot of the kids we recruit have
Texas Sized Strength
Speed kills. Just ask most of the Texas Longhorns’ opponents during the 2005-06 season. That can be attributed largely to the players that head coach Mack Brown and his staff recruit. As big of a factor in the team’s success, however, is the strength and conditioning program the Longhorn players endure. Sure, endure. “Oh, I’ve been known as a guy that works them and works them hard,” laughed Jeff Madden, the University of Texas as
The Drills Report
Sponsored by: Rogers Athletic Company As coaches, we are always looking for new and innovative ideas to help improve the play of our athletes. As in any other setting, practice makes perfect and practice on the football field involves drills. American Football Monthly’s newest feature is dedicated to finding creative drills that coaches can implement into their programs. The subject matter will be broad in scope and will be selected from coac
Cover Story
Samson\'s D I-A College Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year: Texas\' Jeff Madden The BIG MAN on campus: How Jeff Madden Builds Power and Speed at Texas By Matt Fulks
Pass Efficiency Defense
One of the more crucial categories relevant to the success of a team at any level is turnovers. No coach or even member of the media can argue that a team’s Turnover Differential at the end of a season is analogous to that school’s success or failure. Even more sophisticated today is the statistical category, Pass Efficiency Defense. Important to every team, Pass Efficiency Defense evaluates the following categories that result in an overall PED rating: • Opponents pa
Heart of a Lion: Joe Paterno
Football is a funny business. It is a war-like game in which the biggest, strongest and toughest will often come out on top. Throw in the elements of brains and intelligence and it can either amplify the preceding characteristic or eliminate it. The teams on the sidelines – on a given autumn afternoon or evening – want to humiliate, eliminate and defeat their opposite numbers. It is the most competitive of all sports. Yet there is a fraternity among its players and coac
Scouting Report
Coach Jim Kunau just completed his 13th year as head coach at Orange Lutheran High School. In 2004 the Lutheran Lancers received the ultimate prize: a CIF Championship. With an overall record of 131-32-3, Kunau has seen it all and established LHS as one of the elite programs in southern California. From a school approaching 500 students in which 22 players were football players a decade ago, Orange Lutheran has evolved to an enrollment of nearly 1,200 with 200 student-athletes now a part of a hi
Swinging Momentum With Int’s
Few plays in a game are more significant than an ill-timed interception. Offensive coaches can argue that there’s never a good time for one but no play seems to have more of a psychological impact than the interception. Last fall some of the leaders in passes intercepted included Troy, Boise State, USC, Coastal Carolina, Cal Poly, Shippensburg and Carthage. Coincidentally, all those colleges had outstanding seasons. “The interception—more than just about any other play – swings
Quarterback Fundamentals
Throughout the course of football history there have been many great quarterbacks to play the game of football. Some of the quarterbacks that I have enjoyed studying over the years are Joe Montana, John Elway and recently Peyton Manning and Ty Detmer. Ultimately the one thing that each one of these quarterbacks has in common is great fundamentals that took each one of their games to another level. In our offensive scheme there are many demands on the quarterback. So repetition is the m
True Football Speed
We can all agree, speed is one of the most important factors in football. And in recent years we have seen a huge increase in the availability to many effective and productive speed and plyometric training workouts. Unfortunately, most of these workouts are made to increase linear speed and not true football speed (TFS), a multi-directional, non-consistent type of speed that is determined by reaction to someone or something. In this article, I will illustrate plyometrics specifically
Point-Counterpoint
There is no need for punt coverage, if the punt is blocked. “A blocked kick can turn the momentum of the game more than anything else,” said Air Force legend Fisher DeBerry. “It’s won a lot of football games for us and created some field position for us.” Yet, more and more coaches, including DeBerry, are utilizing the “Shield Punt,” which, admittedly, sacrifices protection for coverage. “There’s been some kicks blocked if the shield breaks down,” DeBerry said. “
Fire Zone Scheme
Coaching defensive football has taken on a whole new look in recent years with the advent of the “Fire Zone” or what is popularly referred to as the “Zone Blitz.” These schemes, first utilized by several NFL teams in the late 1980s and early 1990s, allow defensive coaches the capability to send five rushers (and in some cases six) while still being able to stay in a zone coverage shell behind the blitz. This scheme first evolved to help defenders take away the offense’s ability to thro
It Starts in the Trenches
Juan Castillo has coached offensive linemen at the high school and Division II level. He’s also spent the past 11 years with the Philadelphia Eagles. Throughout this career, the daily principles he brings to his job have remained the same. “To me it’s still the same – it’s all about fundamentals,” Castillo said. “When I was at Texas A&I, I was fortunate to learn a lot of my drills from NFL coaches and major college coaches, but I still break it down the way I did at the s
Zone Blitz Package
Diagram 1. Flex: Okie Sword Wk 2 Diagram 2. Flex: Okie Sword Wk 3
No Fly Zone: Containing the Air Raid Offense
Let’s say you’re going up against a team with a potent air raid offense – a team like Texas Tech, or Boise State or Louisville. How do you stop these pass-happy attacks? We asked five coaches of college and high school teams around the country with outstanding pass defenses. The coaches have a wide variety of suggestions — from constantly changing your formations to physically intimidating the opposition. They offered strategies of how to pressure the quarterback; details of pr
C.W. Post Defensive Line Play
Defensive line play at C.W. Post has been an integral part of our team’s success over the past eight seasons. We have led the country in rushing defense four out of the last five years. Despite losing players to graduation we have been able to stay on top of most conference defensive categories such as sacks, tackles for loss and rushing defense. Our defensive line teaching progression has been consistent throughout our years at Post. The progression is basic and allows our players t
Spreading It Out
At Santa Rosa Junior Coillege our offensive philosophy is to spread people out with formations and to keep the pressure on with a no huddle attack. We want to spread the ball around to our four WR’s and RB and throw the ball short to people who can score. We also believe in keeping it simple. We only run a few plays but expect our players to execute to perfection. By keeping our play list short, it allows us to utilize our practice time to prepare for any defensive look we may see
Tuesday Morning Quarterback
Most of you have experienced plenty of Monday morning quarterbacking from fans, media and even parents. You don’t need more of the same old thing. You need someone on your side, someone who believes in you and your profession. That’s why this column is called Tuesday Morning Quarterback. While the out
The 25% - 75% Rule
The training program I designed is real simple, and on paper, or in a clinic talk, is probably not going to turn a lot of heads. Our emphasis instead is on cultivating attitude and effort, combined with a year-round climate of discipline and toughness. In summation, 25% of our program is WHAT we do, while 75%
Heavy Impact
It’s the youngest, and certainly in many respects, the most important element in developing winning athletic programs, especially football, other than the head coach himself. The strength and conditioning coach and his staff can be difference makers between a winning program and mediocrity. Before the earl
Postion-Specific Training
When you lose your keys, you’ve often left them in the last place you’d think to look. Coaches and trainers, in search for a competitive edge, do the same thing. Typically, they look outside for answers when the secret ingredients for a successful training program might already be right und
Cover Story Gorilla Warfare: Chuck Broyles\' Pittburg State Gorillas\' Scary Offensive Attack Chuck Broyles doesn’t pretend
10 Impact Stats to Build a Championship team • #9 - Turnovers Gained
Turnovers Gained, the statistic that ranks No. 9 in the overall listing of “10 Stats to Build a Championship Team” correlates to the success of teams at all levels of competition. USC led all Division I-A schools with 38 Turnovers Gained and, in the process, won their second consecutive National Championship. Hampton was the Division I-AA leader with 43 Turnovers Gained and they finished last fall with a 10-2 mark.The colleges with the most interceptions in Division II and
Gear
Sideline Kit Schutt SportsNew for 2005 from Schutt®! The VARSITY AiR® Sideline Kit holds all the necessities needed for any inconveniences on and off the field. Just some of the gear it contains are 12 ARMORGUARD® Elite™ loo
Kicking It In
There is a saying among football coaches that “kicking a football is like swinging a golf club.” This statement is true because both incorporate the upper and lower body to work simultaneously. However, the two skills are very different. As a former Division I-A place kicker, I have included in my article a set of techniques and drills for soccer style kickers to help any coach work with their athletes.
Get a Grip
I have been asked to write about the program that our offensive staff implemented this past season for ‘Ball Security.’ In 2004 we were fortunate enough to go through the entire season (695 touches) with only one offensive lost fumble. This put us first in the Big Ten and tied us for first in the nation. Ball Security is an aspect of our game that our team and coaches take personally and very seriously. We make it a priority at each position to make sure our players understand that fu
Tackling Circuit Drills
We feel that one of the most important fundamentals is the ability to tackle and tackle well. As a staff, we try to emphasize the proper tackling techniques through a tackling circuit. The ability to tackle well shouldn’t ever be taken for granted. We use a four station circuit that touches on four key points that we must emphasize in order to be a good tackling unit. Although each position coach works tackling techniques into their individual periods, we use the tackling circuit to fur
High Powered Passing Offenses: Why Are They Really Successful?
High-powered, spread-’em-out, throw- the-ball-on-every-position offenses come and go. Or do they? Are aerial offenses that treat a running back with limited respect fads and gimmicks? Or are these offenses formulas for success that can win on a consistent basis over the long term? Keith Simons is one coach with an answer. All he has to do is point to his record. Simons’ Santa Rosa Junior College Bears won the Mid-Empire Conference Championship with an 11-0 record and finishe
Turnover Margin
Of the more than 20 statistics the NCAA publishes, one of the most important – and maybe least recognized – is Turnover Margin. It’s not just a coincidence that consistently successful teams place high in this category. Last fall the leaders in this statistic included USC (Division I-A); Coastal Carolina (Division I-AA); Valdosta State (Division II); Carthage College (Division III); and Central Methodist University (NAIA). Over the last five years, the D I-A leader is Miam
The Buzz
Learning how to adjust to the strengths of your athletes without straying from your defensive philosophy is essential at the Division III level. At Baldwin-Wallace College we do not eliminate players from our recruiting pool based on what they look like or their size. Our goal is to recruit quality people who are productive in the classroom and on the field. As a result of this philosophy we may have players who don’t fit the traditional mold of their position, but have abilities that c
Hammer Force Defensive Technique
“The new scheme, combined with our players’ great attitude, paid giant dividends for us in stopping the run last fall.” - Santa Cruz & Willmer In the spring of 2004 we made the switch from an even front to an odd for its recruiting advantages (since it is difficult to recruit four solid defensive linemen at our level) and for its aggressive nature. The new scheme, combined with our players’ great attitude, paid giant dividends
The Secrets to Efficient Practices
“Whatever you accept (in practice) that’s what you’re going to get. If you accept lackadaisical performance or lack of effort, then you can be assured that’s what you’re going to get.” - Kansas State Head Coach Bill Snyder Richland (Fort Worth, Texas) head coach Gene Wier has a problem. “I’ve not had many good practices in my time,” he said humbly and with a chuckle. His six state championship rings beg to differ.
Defensive Drills for Every team: Pursuit & turnovers
Sponsored by Rogers Athletic www.RogersAthletic.com As I talk to many coaches across the country, I have learned the #1 drill each defensive player must perform exceptionally is the Pursuit Drill. The main goal of the drill is to set the tone for everyone on the field to get to the football every play. Over the past months, I have reviewed game film from the past few years. I have been ama
Cover Story 10 Impact Stats To build a championship team. AFM has researched and ranked the top statistical categories t
Boise State\'s Defensive Line Run Technique
“The instant we recognize the blocking scheme we shed the block and either make a play or run to the ball.” - Romeo Bandison Between the 2002-2004 season, Boise State ranked in the top 25 at number 12, 15 and 13 in the final collegiate poll. In those three seasons, our defense has also been in the top 20 in the nation versus the run: #16 - 2002, #11 - 2003, and #10 - 2004. At Boise State we play a
Kentucky's Best Passing Game Drill
Football coaches often ask each other, "What is your best drill?" At the University of Kentucky, our best offensive drill is called Routes On Air. It is the cornerstone of how we teach and practice our pass offense with our quarterbacks, receivers, and running backs. One of the reasons that our staff was hired at the University of Kentucky was because of our pass-oriented offense. This same offense was very successful for us at Valdosta State and Iowa Wesleyan. At both schools,
3 High School Programs - 3 Different Strategies for Success
They seem to be there every year. Like a leaf changing color in the fall or students grumbling about going back to class, the high school football elite return each season to reclaim their dominance. These high school powerhouses didn’t earn their reputations overnight. But how did these teams reach this unique place? What road takes a football program to the pinnacle and then keeps it there for season after season after season? Players change. Even coac
The Multiple Screen Passing Game
Various screen passes have been an important part of our multiple offensive attack at Iona College and all the other schools I have coached at (St. Joseph’s College, Morehead State University, Lehigh University and Fordham University) throughout my career. We have always emphasized the use of multiple formations, multiple personnel groupings, and a multi-dimensional offense that attacks the whole field and attempts to keep the defe
Feeder Frenzy
No one would have predicted it. No one in Elizabethtown, Ky., in 1998 and ‘99 would have looked at the seventh and eighth graders playing for T.K. Stone Middle School and guessed they would someday reach the 2003 state championship game as high school seniors. “I don’t remember their record but they were pretty much a .500 team in seventh and eighth grade,” former Elizabethtown High School coach Brett Burnett said. “But that was a group of
Defending the Red Zone
All football coaches understand the importance of winning those two or three games each season that are won (or lost) by a touchdown or less. The difference in those types of games can usually be determined by getting at least one big stop in the red zone. We spend two 15-minute segments per week on our red zone package. Our red zone coverages are easy adjustments (1 zone and 1 man) from our base coverages. In this article we will concentrate on t
Back to Basics
During the last three years, the Ponderosa football staff has committed itself to focusing on the fundamentals of defensive football. The first twenty minutes of every defensive practice are spent on either a team pursuit drill or a circuit. Our circuits are something we feel are unique and they have allowed us to emphasize the importance of executing basic football skills. Since the inception of this philosophy in 2001, we have amassed 53 inte
In Good Hands
PURPOSE: To increase the number of catches per day in a short time period. COACHING POINT: During each drill, the coach can emphasize the proper techniques he is teaching. Emphasis should be placed on stance, start, release, controlled run, stick and separate. Also very important is stem, quickness in and out of the break, proper route technique, steps (plant foot), body control and hand and eye coordination.
Five-Step Protection Scheme
At Olivet Nazarene University we base all of our passing philosophies on protecting the quarterback first. Our five-step passing game is based on three different protection schemes, the ability to have 7, 6, or 5 men to stay in and protect the passer. Which protection we use is not always based on formation, but rather we base our protection scheme on the needs of a particular route concept. Sometimes we will line up with two backs in the backfield. But a par
April 2005 Cover Story Redefining Murphy\'s Law By David Srinivasan
Coach of the Year - A Season for the Ages
He knew it was over. Tommy Tuberville and his whole staff would soon be shown the door, despite four consecutive winning seasons, four bowl games and share of thee division titles in five seasons at Auburn University. One more game, against archrival Alabama, and they would all be out looking for new jobs. “I had already put in my application to be a greeter at Wal-Mart,” he would later joke. Laughter helped. Gallows
Can Your Quarterback Handle the Clock?
The topic of clock management can be one that is talked about a great deal in coaching meetings, but one that can be easily overlooked, especially in the overall preparation of the quarterback. I hope you will find the following information helpful in some way. Clock Management as defined is the QB’s ability to control the clock efficiently in all situations:, A. Dea
Defending the Triple Option
At UW-Platteville we run a 3-4 defense because we believe it gives us the best opportunity to compete in our conference (See Diagram l). Diagram 1. We utilize speed because we are often undersized on the defensive
2005 December 2005 Innovators of the option • From Scouting Report to Game Plan • True Football Speed • Quarterback Fundamentals November 2005 It Starts in the Trenches • Attacking Defenses with the Veer • 4 Technical Components of Punt Coverage • Teaching
Science & Common Sense
Systematic resistance training and conditioning has become accepted as a precursor to increased athletic success and an important component for reduction of athletic related injury. Nearly all high school and college football programs participate in some type of weight training, speed, agility and conditioning regimens. The football coach can find the available information relat
Strength in Numbers
Tommy Knotts Quarterbacks Coach, Duke Former Head Coach, Independence High School Charlotte, N.C. 2003 football team: Class 4A State Champions Whether it be a rigorous strength and conditioning program or an abundance of talented players such as Florida quarterback Chris Leak – most likely the two feed off each other – Tommy Knotts has mastered high school football in
Discipline & Confidence
Related Videos American Football Monthly now offers a full line of coaching videos. So, if you enjoyed this
Pride in the Work Place
Tommy Moffitt demands and gets results. He’s just not always there to see them. Moffitt, AFM’s Samson Strength & Conditioning Coach of the Year, helped tighten up Tennessee as the Vol’s head associate strength and conditioning coach from 1994-97. In 1998, after Moffitt had accepted a position under Butch Davis at Miami, Tennessee upset Florida State in the Fiesta Bowl to capture the first BCS National Championship. Bad timing. Moffitt spent the next two y
Football Speed
If you’re the fastest team on the field, great! If not, you have a problem. So let’s prevent that from happening. Sound easier said than done? Well, it’s easier than you think. In most cases, when a linebacker gets beat by a running back around the corner, we simply think the running back is just faster. But in more cases than not, the running back didn’t get around the corner because he had more speed;
Black Bear
Related Videos American Football Monthly now offers a full line of coaching videos. So, if you enjoyed this
Leading the Charge
Every college football head coaching job is tough in its own way. Every job presents its own trials, its own pressures. For Miami (Ohio) coach Terry Hoeppner, some of the most unique and heavy challenges in the history of college football surround him and try to stare him down every day. Every college football head coach has an office, too. None of them are like Hoeppner’s office complex. His place of work is
Rodeo Circuit
Related Videos American Football Monthly now offers a full line of coaching videos. So, if you enjoyed this
Defensive Creativity
Each year an opponent’s offense, becomes more and more complex. Defending multiple formations and special play designs has become a daily occurrence. No matter where you are as a defensive coach, you must be able to adjust and deal with changes and find an answer. You have more players with multiple abilities these days that increase the anxiety level of all coaches. Using the one-gap system will help, in many ways, to defend the multiple
West Coast Offense
I have always been a proponent of the controlled passing game, mainly because my career has been highlighted with examples of its effectiveness. One instance in particular sticks out in my memory during my time as Head Coach of the London Monarchs in the World League of American Football (WLAF). The WLAF (now known as NFL Europe) was in the process of kicking off its inaugural year. Unlike many new leagues, teams in this leagu
Maximizing Player Performance
Coaches don’t need as much reminding these days. The summer of 2001 brought heat-related football illnesses to the forefront. The death of the Minnesota Vikings’ Korey Stringer in 2001 brought a rash of media attention to the issue of staying cool during football training camp. It was indicative of a larger issue – from 1960 to 1998, there have been 91 documented heatstroke deaths related to football. When the story became national news,
Cover Story 510 & Counting: A Look at John McKissick, Football’s All-Time Winningest Coach By David Purdum June 2004 TABLE
The Long Red Line
As football coaches, we have all heard the theory that the difference between winning and losing close games often comes down to special teams play. At Monmouth College, we believe sound execution, communication and efficiency in the kicking game are the cornerstones for success. Special teams demand a great deal of preparation, organization and attention to detail. Philosop
Crunch Time
Diagram 1. Diagram 2.
Maximizing Player Performance
It’s the summer of 2003, and the Oklahoma Sooners football team doesn’t have much to complain about. The squad is ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press and the ESPN/USA Today Coaches’ Preseason Poll, and the Sooners are enjoying the return to national prominence brought upon by coach Bob Stoops and his dominating defense. The team is preparing for a season that would see it lose the National Championsh
National Footbal League Coaches Association
American Football Monthly and the National Football League Coaches Association have formed a partnership that will include periodic information on NFLCA projects as well as clinic articles by both former and current NFL coaches. Included below is Executive Director Larry Kennan’s letter to AFM readers on the NFLCA’s new Affiliate Membership Club.
3-Step Passing Game
It is my pleasure to share with you the cornerstone of our offense at Blinn College which is our 3-step passing series. This series has been the foundation of our offense and helped us be very successful as an offensive unit. During the past two seasons we have completed 73% of our 3-step passes and averaged 12.2 yards per completion using this series. At Blinn College
Zone Read
The theory behind the Zone Read Play: • Simple in its’ scheme • Can be run to the TE or SE side • Can be used out of a one or two back set • May be run out of a variety of formations • Offensive line does not need to be overpowering to be effective
In the Eyes of the Beholder
It’s been about fifteen years since video tape has come into the world of college and high school football. It has imparted many changes on the way coaches do business. Film was the format of the day. It was a great format with a few important exceptions. It was not easy to work with, attested by the phrase cut-up as in actually cutting it up to get what you wanted. It was not an easy process to get the final product as it had to be sent out for proce
Identity
Out of all the special teams units at Southern Illinois University the kickoff team may be one of the most important units to our football program. We strongly believe the kickoff team creates the identity and establishes the attitude of our football team. This unit must set the tone for the game. It is critical that this team send a message to the opponent that
Three-Step Pass Protection
The Doane College football program has an historically successful tradition. Over the past 20 years Doane College has competed in the national playoffs during the 1980’s and 1990’s (last appearance in 1999), and has proven the test of time with consistency by accumulating a .603 winning percentage. We run the “West Coast Offense” at Doane College. Our offensive philosophy is a balanced attack that u
Into the Void
In the early years of football an end was not overly involved in the game. An end lined up next to a tackle and usually blocked the man over you, blocked the man inside of you or, on occasions, ran a post route or a corner route. Well, times continue to change and most coaches under 40 probably don’t remember when there weren’t wide receivers on an offense. Those of us that
Rebirth of the \'Blue Death\'
Family. Above all else, the one element that most contributed to our success as a team and as a defensive unit was a family atmosphere brought to the program in the Spring of 2003 by our head coach, George Small. More important than the success experienced on the football field was the way that kinship maintained us as we endured the passing of one of our young and most talented
Getting the Most Out of a Football Clinic
It’s been a good but not great season. A 6-4 record was good enough to finish in second place in the division, but not good enough to earn a spot in the postseason playoffs. The year has been strangely similar to last year and the year before. It seems that a rut has developed and your team is stuck in it. That’s not all bad since there has been a lot of winning - but not en
Being in the Right Place at the Right Time
There are several key points that can be helpful in developing your Defensive Backs. Many coaches have used these ideas and techniques over the years. It is my hope that you will gain something that will help you in some way 1. Stance - Specific Points for Stance: • Head and eyes should be up • Outside foot up with a heel/toe relationship on the inside
The Spread Shot-Wing Offense
For years, we were a basic Delaware Wing T football team. We had great success with it, using the 3 basic series (buck sweep/trap; belly/down and power) and mixing in a good dose of play action and 3 step drop-back passes to keep defenses honest. But four years ago we started a 15 year old freshman at quarterback whom we knew was going to be somebody special as far as throwing the football before he g
Combo coverage from a cover 3 look
Diagram 1. Diagram 2.
Maximizing Player Performance
Every year in the month of August thousands of coaches from around the country prepare their players for yet another season of football. And every year thousands of football players are at risk of succumbing to the threat of heat illness linked to dehydration. In recent years several athletes from high school to the professional ranks have died from heat stroke, causing many to take a closer look at the importance of proper cooling and hydration techniques f
Marching to the Beat of a Different Drum
With such noticeable improvements in training regimens throughout the years, there is one method that is still underutilized – resistance “speed” training (RST). RST is a method that will add explosive power and speed to any athlete, if done correctly. The reason for this is because muscle contraction force is generated by the recruitment of the necessary number of muscle fibers to meat the load demand placed
Two-A-Day Recommendations
The key to a successful two-a-day training regime is full awareness of dangers, appropriate planning and preventive measures. The following tips could help your athletes get the most out of two-a-day practice while remaining safe: Plan every minute of two-a-days carefully and stick to your plan. Be sensitive to varying factors of heat, humidity, tempo of practic
Coaching the Player
I appreciate the opportunity to share my thoughts concerning coaching the player. As you well know, the hub of your program is the players and the effective job you do in coaching them. I. Coaching – Teaching and Parenting II. Challenge of Coaching (raise his self image) A. Making each player the best he can be. Total Person – student, player and person.B. It starts w
Indiana: Turnover Drills
Much like a lot of football programs, we work hard to force turnovers. At Indiana, there is no exception. We work a turnover circuit at least once a week during the season. We divide the defense into three groups: Defensive Line, Linebackers, and Defensive Backs. At each circuit, we work a turnover drill that is position specific. • The drill is set the same for all positions.• The drill is set with two stand-ups on the s
OSU: Defensive Fundamentals
Two basic defensive fundamentals that we teach at Oklahoma State are 1) How to defeat a block and 2) Pursuit angles to the football. Both fundamentals are key to the success of any defense. In order for a player to be productive, he must first get himself in position to make the play. Defeating a block The first block sequence that we teach is how to defeat a base block. The progres
Building the Best Defensive Linemen
When building the best defensive lineman, you have to think outside the box of traditional training. You have to be innovative in your training program as much as you are in your defensive stunts. The following are a few of the defensive linemen drills we use with some of our clients that include such names as Tommie Harris (University of Oklahoma), Casey Hampton (Steelers), Shaun Rogers (Lions), Juliu
Cover Story CEO: Fisher DeBerry Leads Coaching into the New Era By Aaron S. Lee December 2003 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Tiger Attack
If you liked this article, here are three others just like it:
Stalking Down Ball Carriers
If you liked this article, here are three others just like it:
The Last Rep
Offensive schemes are becoming more intricate with every season that passes, so American Football Monthly recently sat down with six of the top defensive back coaches from around the country to get their thoughts on some of the major issues concerning their positions. When facing a balanced offense, what can you do to help give your seconda
Cover Story Resurrection - Hal Mumme and Woody Widenhofer return to football to revive Southeastern Louisiana football and their careers. Read the complete article >>> April 2003 Staff Meeting
Scorching the Competition
If you liked this article, here are three others just like it:
Times Change: So Should Your Workout
If you liked this article, here are three others just like it:
Making \"Quality\" a Priority
If you liked this article, here are three others just like it:
Maximizing Player Performance
Presented by Gatorade Sports Science Institute By their very nature, football coaches are always looking for the latest drills to teach championship-winning techniques, for the best strategy for goal-
Using The Inside Screen as a Weapon
It is an honor to have the opportunity to be a part of what I feel is the best football publication in the world. I have had the chance to read American Football Monthly religiously in my collegiate coaching career. I will be a first-year offensive coordinator at Marietta College. I came from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire where I began coaching tight ends as a graduate assistant and eventually became an offensive line coach. I have
In Your Face and Aggressive!
In order to be successful against today’s high-powered offenses, and all the skilled personnel they can throw at you, defensive backs must possess incredible physical talent and mental tools. They must be able to run with the fastest, jump with the highest and hit with the hardest. In addition, they must have very selective memories, be without conscience and have no guilt or remorse. Their abilities and
The Last Rep
Although playing both ways is very rare in college and professional football, coaches are often forced by need to utilize two-way athletes to increase their team’s odds of success. American Football Monthly recently sat down with six of the top college position coaches in the nation that have experience in working with two-way athletes. How do you prepare a two-way a
The Punt: The Most Important Play in Football?
I would like to first say thank you to American Football Monthly for allowing me the opportunity to write this article for my peers. Additionally, I thank our head coach Don Hill for giving me the chance to control such a big part of the team’s success. It has been a great experience to be part of such a big turnaround. Under his guidance, we were able to take a team with a 23-year losing streak and go
LSU\'s Offensive Line Drills
First of all I would like to say it is an honor to be able to represent head coach Nick Saban and the LSU football staff in American Football Monthly. As coaches we know the game is always changing, but some things never change. You must know fundamentals, you must be able to block and tackle. There are many ways to skin a cat but these are some of the basic fundamentals that we “hang our hat”
Getting an Edge on the Blitz
This past season at Emporia State University we finished with a 9-3 record ending our season with an overtime win in the Mineral Water Bowl. Our defense is based out of the 4-2-5 set. Our defensive philosophy with the eight-man front is to stop the run while having an aggressive blitz package. One of our most efficient blitz packages this past season has been our edge blitz game.
Dominate 4th Down
Starting a program from scratch in 2000 brought enormous challenges for the coaching staff at East Texas Baptist University in Marshall, Texas. One key foundational element that allowed us to challenge the best teams on our schedule in such a short period of time was the commitment to be productive offensively on fourth down. Field position gained by effective punting has become a trademark of ETBU fo
Cover Story Anyone. Anywhere. Anytime... Three coaches, Three schools, One Philosophy... A look inside college football\'s most underrated football programs...By Aaron S. Lee July 2003
Pressure Points
If you liked this article, here are three others just like it:
Cover Story Focus - The man behind the camera. Take a close look at what video coordinator Brad Helton is doing for Marshall’s football team both on and off the field . By Richard Scott Cover Photo by Jim Robinette Cov
Releasing is the Key
Through the course of coaching receivers at four different colleges, one thing has stood by itself as being the task that has frustrated both players at that position and some coaches on those staffs. Invariably, the release (a clean release without sacrificing vertical speed) is what we are all striving for on pass plays. But that has become a bigger issue to deal with as offenses have attempted to
The Staff Report
Career: 8 Guidlines for the High School Assistant Coach So you dream of becoming the head coach someday? Well, there are a few things you need to know and do that will help you earn that dream job you’ve been looking for. Anyone who wants to be a successful assistant coach and eventually a successful head coach must have certain qualities that set them
Solid Ground
If you liked this article, here are three others just like it:
unCommon Ground
At this moment, it’s probably rainy in Juneau, Alaska, sunny and hot in Key West, Fla., hot and humid in El Paso, Texas, and dry and windy in Howells, Neb. In The Bronx, it’s doing whatever New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner says it’s doing. OK, just kidding. But we’re not kidding about this: in these five culturally, socially and economically diverse areas, some
Choosing the Right Football for your Program
Sponsored by Rawlings Great coaches everywhere have one thing in common. A thirst for knowledge, particularly
Gold Rush
In 1969, a 22-year-old college student, nine credit hours shy of graduating, accepted an offer to become the head football coach at John Curtis Christian High School – the school his father, John Curtis Sr., had founded eight years earlier in River Ridge, La. It was a dream come true for the young coach, and he eagerly arrived that summer to meet with players and organize a weight program. The summer wound down, and on the first day of pract
The History of the Wing-T
It is an honor to have the opportunity to write this article and especially since the article deals with a topic as dear to my heart as the wing-t. In my 33 years of coaching I have seen many different cycles of football but the wing-t has remained a fixture since the time before I played and throughout my time as a player and a coach. I am sure that it will continue to be a very popular system long
Undersized? No Problem
If you liked this article, here are three others just like it:
Letter From the Editor
You know, I have been fortunate to meet some of the best people that the football industry has to offer, establish some longlasting relationships and have the opportunity to hear some pretty fantastic stories along the way. One of my new favorite stories, which – depending on who asks me and when – changes daily, was a story told to me by Tommy Condell, the offensive coordinator at the University of Louisiana at Monroe.
Getting Footballs Game Ready
It doesn’t matter whether you purchase a dozen footballs at a time or 244 like Auburn equipment manager Frank Cox has each of the last five seasons. Once they are delivered, these footballs have to be made game ready. While you could simply throw the footballs out of the shipper’s box and into your players’ hands, there are a few guidelines you may wish to follow. While routines vary from program to program and even season to
The Last Rep
Practice scheduling is becoming more important with every season that passes, so American Football Monthly recently sat down with six of the top head coaches from around the country to get their thoughts on some of the major issues concerning their industry. How important is practice scheduling? “Practice is the most important time that you have. T
Marching to the Beat of a Different Drum
Over the last 13 years, I have had the opportunity to train over 40 NFL players. Some of the players I have trained are: Brian Urlacher, NFL Rookie of the Year and three-time Pro Bowl player, Garrison Hearst, Pro Bowler and NFL Comeback Player of the Year, Keith Brooking, Champ Bailey and recent top draft picks, Dewayne Robertson, fourth pick in the 2003 NFL draft; Terrance Newman, fifth pick in this
Cover Story Gold Rush: J.T. Curtis In his 33 years as head coach, J.T. Curtis has brought John Curtis Christian High School’s trophy case a national record 18 gold footballs. And counting... By David Purdum A TV Star too
Urban Development
The record book said Bowling Green was in trouble when Urban Meyer went to interview for the university’s head coaching position in December 2000. The record book said the Falcons hadn’t had a winning season since 1994. The record book said the university had replaced coach Gary Blackney in mid-season that year after nine years on the job and two conference championships. Meyer loo
Maximize Player Performance:
Basic strength training is the cornerstone of any football program. After all, stronger muscles produce more force, thus increasing the athlete’s ability to produce greater speed and power, that typically means a higher level of on-field performance. Well-conditioned athletes are also less susceptible to 4 Tips to maintain speed and agility while buildi
The Staff Report
Within the game of Football the difference in many athletes performance stems from flexibility of the hips. Whether your need is to engage a man on the line of scrimmage or to come in and out of your cuts faster, your results will depend on this. An interior lineman will be able to drive through the more forcefully and the skill position athlete will be able break down faster and more efficiently. Throughout
Straight Through the Uprights
History As field goal percentages at the pro level have risen in the last 10 years, kickers’approach angles have become narrower and the steps back shorter. Soccer-style kicking took the sport by storm in the 1960s because it utilized torque to create added power. But it wasn’t until kickers began to “manage” their torque properly that soccer-style kickers’ field goal percentages
Roll Call at the Ball
In order to have a great defense, you must have great pursuit and gang tackling. In order to have great pursuit, you must emphasize running to the football throughout the entire practice. This includes the time spent in our individual and team periods. You must grade the effort of your players everyday. We’ve had outstanding defenses the past few seasons. In 2000, we finished first i
High School News & Notes
With fall drills just a few months away, AFM begins its preview of the 2002 high school season. Here is our first look at some teams across the nation that figure to be contenders for national rankings during the upcoming season. 10 Teams to Watch (Please note: This list is not at all final nor comprehensive and the teams are listed in alphabetical order.) De La Salle (Concord, C
Georgia Military College’s Devastating 3-5 Defense
Following the 2000 season, our staff met to discuss what we needed to do to give our team a chance to play for something special in 2001. We had just finished the season 7-3 with the #2 ranked defense in the NJCAA, but we knew we had the talent returning to do better in 2001. One of the things we decided to do was to revamp our defense and change to a 3-5 scheme. While some may question the sanity of rebuilding
Special Delivery
At Missouri Western we try to make special teams special. Many coaches have made the statement that special teams are one-third of the game, but actually as far as time spent on the field, they are less than that, but in impact they are more. Special team plays have a major effect on the results of the game. Blocking a punt for a touchdown or returning a kick for “six” more often than not results
The Swedish Airforce
When head coach Dr. Ted Kessinger arrived at Bethany College 26 years ago, he brought an offensive philosophy in which the pass will set up the run. During this time period the Swedes have relied on the passing game to move the football. The offensive philosophy at Bethany College is based on the following ideas: 1. Always attack - we must have the attack
In The Line of Fire
A good pass rush is at the core of good pass coverage. A defensive scheme must choose between maximum rush or maximum coverage. When the Front 4 can pressure the QB on their own, this will allow the defense to commit 7 players down the field to be in position to intercept the ball. This will then allow the linebacker blitzes to become more effective as an element of surprise rather then the norm.
New Equipment
LOK-CUP SHOULDER PAD Austin Athletic Mfg. Co. 800-813-7706 www.austinathletic.com The Lok-Cup™ shoulder pad is back by popular demand. Austin Athletic Mfg. Co. presents a new and improved line of our popular Lok-Cup™ shoulder
Snake Bitten
Our defensive philosophy is to have 11 hats with speed to the ball. We accomplish this by doing a pursuit drill every day, and by coaching effort on every play. We also watch film after every practice to evaluate fundamentals, techniques, proper execution of the defensive scheme and, most importantly, effort. We believe that with great effort from all 11 players, we have a chance to win. We feel that playing with great effor
Practice With a Purpose
It is an honor to represent head coach Nick Saban and the LSU football staff in American Football Monthly. As coaches, we constantly stress to our players the importance of knowing what to do, but do not always explain when and how a scheme applies itself in a game situation. Here at LSU, we stress to our players knowing what to do, how to do it and when it applies. Our in-season practice schedule helps ou
Coach\'s Guide to Training Room Strategies
As coaches, you certainly want athletes who can give it their all day after day. Training camp is a high stress time for you as well as for your players. Not only can this experience be mentally trying, but it is physically demanding as well. Everyone is well aware of the heat-related deaths that received national attention last summer. The bad news is that summers aren’t going to be any cooler, traini
Linebacker Key Drills
The objective of this drill is to get as many reps as possible with all the linebackers. This drill lets a coach focus on flow and pulls by the offense. With small linebacker groups, you can still get quality work. First, have the offensive line hold bags to lower the impact, however, the offensive line must still bend down into a good stance. Then place the
Words of Wisdom.
The address for the Georgia Tech football office is 150 Bobby Dodd Way NW. The mere fact that a school would honor a coach with a street name speaks volumes of the accumulated respect and reverence the institution has for the coach. But, naming a street on campus after Coach Dodd hardly begins to tell the story of the adoration this distinguished gentleman of southern football
New Equipment
Recruiting Software From CyberSports 1-315-732-4333 members.home.net/cybersports CyberPalm allows you to take all your recruits information on the road with you, and sync any changes you made on the road when you return to the office. Now all the coaches can have access to any new information you have gathered on your recent recruiting trips. With a few clicks of the mouse, selected prospec
Using Video Technology to Enhance Performance
It’s the middle of the off-season. And like normal you find yourself searching for techniques and tools that can help your athletes become better, more fundamentally sound football players. As a coach, you know there are certain attributes that make athletes successful on the field of competition. Diehard performance in the weightroom, for example. Crafting bigger and stronger athletes enhances perfo
A Big New Play from Pasadena
I selected the Statue play to write about because prep coaches and college coaches alike constantly ask me about it. It is simple to install and it’s a lot of fun. Statue is a glorified lead draw. It is a deception causing defenders to react to a pass. It is a mis-direction as the ball carrier runs off tackle away from the pass action. There is a signific
Attacking the Line of Scrimmage
Philosophy: At the University of Arkansas our attitude is to attack, disrupt and create a new line of scrimmage. Our terminology is to attack, bend and spill the ball outside. We want to create one on one match-ups for our front. Our LB\'s are fast flow, thus creating stress on an offensive lineman to execute two-on-one-combo blockers. We expect to turn those two on one combo\'s into one on one match-ups. Our linemen are playmakers are not space eaters. The only exception would be tru
On the Circuit
At the University of North Dakota, we have one major goal for our defense to attain each season. That goal is to lead the North Central Conference in fewest points allowed. This is not an easy task in one of the most balanced and powerful Division II conferences in the country. Yet we have reached our goal of allowing the fewest points in our league in six of the last nine seasons. During six of the last seven seasons, we have also been first or second in our conference in total defense. While w
News & Notes
Veteran NFL assistant coach and New England quarterbacks coach Dick Rehbein died during training camp. The 45-year-old Rehbein died of heart failure at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. The Patriots said Rehbein, who had heart disease, checked himself into the hospital complaining of discomfort. Rehbein joined the Patriots in February 2000. Rehbein, who had an internal pacemaker because of cardiomyopathy, suffered an apparent heart attack and extensive resuscitation efforts failed.
Prehabilitation
There are many goals that the weight room and conditioning fields wish to obtain in order to increase the strength, stamina and speed of a football team. One of the most important facets, however, lies in their ability to prevent injury. By properly utilizing available resources, it is possible to recognize and steer away from potential injuries that could eventually take away from the team\'s caliber. This type of preventive measure is known in the field as prehabilitation. It is important to b
Equipment Room
Defensive Reaction Machine From Rae Crowther Co. 1-800-841-5050 www.raecrowther.com B.C. Cruncher Two-Man Sled Defensive Reaction Sled (DFR) \"Over 70 Years of What Works...\" www.elitestrength.com From Elite Strength Training www.elitestrength.com Elite Strength brings you a total strength training site from experienced sports conditioning specialists. This site was put together to give coac
Equipment Room
Defensive Reaction Machine From Rae Crowther Co. 1-800-841-5050 www.raecrowther.com B.C. Cruncher Two-Man Sled Defensive Reaction Sled (DFR) \"Over 70 Years of What Works...\" www.elitestrength.com From Elite Strength Training www.elitestrength.com Elite Strength brings you a total strength training site from experienced sports conditioning specialists. This site was put together to give coaches the chan
The Relentless Pursuit of Excellence
Each year coaching staffs spend countless hours and large amounts of money searching for new and innovative ways to improve their defensive performance. Descriptive phrases such as \"swarming defense\" and \"relentless pursuit\" depict the type of play coaches are seeking from their defensive units. While using innovative coaching aids, advanced computer technology, and attending professional clinics can help a coach in his pursuit of these levels of performance, perhaps the most effec
Level the Playing Field
When we came to Martin a year ago, we knew that we were nearly starting from scratch. We only had thirty-eight players on our team for our first spring practice. Knowing that our numbers were low and we were going to have to play a very tough I-AA schedule with many young players, we had to try and find a way to do something different that would level the playing field. Having seen the Academies become very successful with less talent than their opposition by playing option football, and
Equipment Room
Rogers Lev Sled 1-(800) 248-0270 www.rogersathletic.com Utilize the power of leverage to achieve more gridiron victories. Only the Rogers Lev Sled requires the blocker to drive the pad to compress the spring - then he is able to elevate the pad. From Rae Crowther Co. 1-800-841-5050 www.raecrowther.com The most effective football sleds and machines in the game. 68 years of what works. 1, 2, 5, and 7 man sleds. Off
Letter From the Publisher
Storm clouds gathered over the landscape of football. The first effects were felt in Tallahassee in February when freshman linebacker Devaughn Darling died after a strenuous off-season workout. Then, on July 25, incoming University of Florida freshman fullback Eraste Autin died six days after he collapsed following a voluntary workout. As if these tragedies were not enough to make everyone associated with the game of football look hard at the types of workout programs athletes are participating
Multiple Looks Create Havoc
We are often asked, \"Just what is your base front and coverage?\" When people who watch us play or opposing coaches ask, I know we are accomplishing our top priority of creating multiple looks. I believe our defensive system is one that is very simple to teach, and creates problems for opposing coaches (especially in preparation), plus it allows our players to be athletic, creative, and develop ownership. We have developed a teaching progression of both assignment and technique that
Play Action for the Big Play
The past three seasons we have experienced much success at Jones Jr. College. In 1998, we were fortunate enough to finish the season 12-0 with a #1 ranking in one national poll. Our no-huddle, one-back offensive attack has averaged 29 points per game in the three seasons we have been together. In the spring of 1997, our staff decided to put in the one-back offense with the objective of spreading the defense. Our offensive philosophy is fairly simple. We want to determine where the defen
News & Notes
Tragedy strikes Florida as freshman FB, Autin diesEvery coach and parent\'s nightmare happened in Gainesville, when incoming Florida freshman Eraste Autin died of complications related to heat stroke, six days after collapsing and falling into a coma following a workout with teammates. Autin fell unconscious just outside Florida Field in late July while jogging back to the locker room after one of the football team\'s voluntary summer conditioning sessions. Although no autopsy wa
Equipment Room
Body-Solid Strength Training Equipment From Fitness Factory Outlet Commercial Sales Division 1-(888)-477-6888 1900 S. Des Plaines Ave. Forest Park, IL 60130 Fitness Factory Outlet, the Commercial Sales Division for Body-Solid Strength Training Equipment, offers an extensive line of Single Station Weight Stack Equipment, a Complete Line of Commercial Freeweight Equipment, and Multi-Station Gyms. This 48 page, full color catalog gives in
Practicing What You Preach
Too many times, we as coaches are guilty of talking out of both sides of our mouths. We stand before our players in meetings or in front of our peers at coaching clinics and expound on our philosophies, values and beliefs about the keys to winning football games. Yet, when we go out to the practice field, our practice structure does not mirror these beliefs. Instead, we spent too little time on what we say are the important things and get caught in the trap of using our limited practic
Tightening the Tight End
Tight ends are deeply involved in the run game, the pass game, formations, and pass protection. We want our guys to be competent in all of these areas. A one-dimensional player is going to have a difficult time excelling on a full-time basis.Football has changed tremendously in various areas. However, through the years, some basic fundamentals remain constant. Players must learn to play with a base, play with a knee bend, have sound footwork, and play with leverage, both vertically and
Cover Story Lou Holtz February 2001 Division 1-A Coach of the Year Lou Holtz - It was enough that the Notre Dame coaching lege
Equipment Room
Rogers Lev Sled 1-(800) 248-0270 www.rogersathletic.com Utilize the power of leverage to achieve more gridiron victories. Only the Rogers Lev Sled requires the blocker to drive the pad to compress the spring - then he is able to elevate the pad. From Rae Crowther Co. 1-800-841-5050 www.raecrowther.com The most effective football sleds and machines in the game. 68 years of what works. 1, 2, 5, and 7 man sleds. Off
Equipment Room
Body-Solid Strength Training Equipment From Fitness Factory Outlet Commercial Sales Division 1-(888)-477-6888 1900 S. Des Plaines Ave. Forest Park, IL 60130 Fitness Factory Outlet, the Commercial Sales Division for Body-Solid Strength Training Equipment, offers an extensive line of Single Station Weight Stack Equipment, a Complete Line of Commercial Freeweight Equipment, and Multi-Station Gyms. This 48 page, full color catalog gives i
The Power Behind The Thrown
They\'re the Rodney Dangerfields of the football world. They\'re overworked, underpaid, overlooked and under-appreciated. If they do their jobs well and their teams win, they get little, if any, glory. But, if they put a squad on the field that can\'t go the distance and collapses in the fourth quarter, there\'s hell to pay.In short, with rare exception, strength and conditioning coaches just don\'t get no respect.\"The unofficial rule when dealing with the football staff
Big Man On Campus
When Boyd Eply told Nebraska head coach Bob Devaney he was going to teach his Cornhuskers how to lift weights, Devaney was about as excited as if Eply had told him he was going to teach them how to fumble in the end zone.\"Why would you want to do that?\" Devaney asked. \"I have a friend at Michigan State and he doesn\'t lift weights. I have a friend at Ohio State and he doesn\'t lift weights. In fact, I don\'t know anyone in the whole country who lifts weights. The way I understand it
Building Stronger, Faster Players In the Off-Season
There is no doubt that strength training has become one of the most integral parts of football programs at all levels, including high school, college and the professional ranks. Increasing explosive strength helps improve performance and also helps prevent and reduce injuries. Increasing explosive strength is also integral to increasing movement and the development of speed.Absolute strength, although important, is not the essential ingredient of playing football. The ability to dev
Running On Empty
FOOTBALL PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN TIMING PLAYERS in the 40 yard dash for years and making evaluations based on the results. But while the test is time-honored, is it really an accurate assessment of how fast a player will be on the field on any given Saturday?As an expert in speed development for football players, I feel that straight line sprint speed is only a partial assessment of an athlete\'s playing speed. The reason is obvious. Few football players run full bore for 30 to 50 yards dur
Cover Story The Godfather March 2001 Big Man on Campus - Nebraska's Boyd Eply didn't set out to change the game of football
Equipment Room
Defensive Reaction Machine From Rae Crowther Co. 1-800-841-5050 www.raecrowther.com The most effective football sleds and machines in the game. 68 years of what works. 1, 2, 5, and 7 man sleds. Offensively or defensively this is how to teach the delivery of a blow. The Crowther Defensive Reaction machine. When you master the Defensive Reaction Machine, you master the line of scrimmage. The only football machine available with a moving helmet for player
Building a Hungry Defensive Line
Our overall philosophy with our front four is to create 1-and-1 match ups as quickly as possible. We are fast flow with our inside linebackers, therefore the 2-on-1 combinations quickly turn into 1-on-1 blocks. We expect our defensive lineman to win those 1-on-1 battles. We expect these guys to be playmakers, not space eaters. The only situation that we actually tie up two is the double-team block with our three technique. Other than that exception, we are coaching technique to escape blockers a
May 2001 Cover Story The Information Age - Computers and the countless software applications have forever changed the face of coaching... a look at how the changes have affected coaches like Pittsburg State's OL coach Bill Kroenke.
Evaluating Offensive Linemen
Assessing the abilities and skills of an interior lineman is one of the most coach\'s job. Many coaches do not realize the true capabilities of their players. Countless times determinations and selections are made solely on the candidate\'s height, weight, speed and potential as a football player, without much, if any, regard for the player\'s ability as a performer on the field to actually \"get it done.\" There are all types of offensive linemen. Some are short and stout. Others are simply
Equipment Room
Rogers Lev Sled 1-(800) 248-0270 www.rogersathletic.com Utilize the power of leverage to achieve more gridiron victories. Only the Rogers Lev Sled requires the blocker to drive the pad to compress the spring - then he is able to elevate the pad. From Rae Crowther Co. 1-800-841-5050 www.raecrowther.com The most effective football sleds and machines in the game. 68 years of what works. 1, 2, 5, and 7 man sleds. Off
High five
At Mississippi State, we play with five defensive back all of the time as a part of our base package. We have used this personnel grouping for the last five seasons with great success. It is our opinion that with all of the different formations and personnel groupings offensive coordinators are currently employing, it is in our best interest to be able handle these multiple and varied looks and personnel groupings with our base defensive package. It is our philosophy that the best way to pl
Gaining an Edge Through Special Teams
As football coaches, we have all heard the theory that the difference between winning and losing close games often comes down to a special teams play. At Arizona State University, we believe that in order to achieve success, sound execution of special teams play is paramount. We approach special teams with the perspective that the difference between winning the PAC-10 Championship and finishing at the bottom of the league could very well be determined by the effectiveness and efficiency of our s
Northwestern University Offense Practice Sturcture
It is an honor to represent our Head Coach Randy Walker (one of the best coaches in the college game today); a tremendous offensive staff (Mike Dunbar - TE / FB; Howard Feggins - WR; Jeff Genyk - RB; James Patton - OL; and Kevin Johns - Offensive Graduate Assistant); and the best group of young men that I\'ve ever been associated with in college athletics with this article for American Football Monthly. We are truly blessed here at Northwestern University with excellent opportunities that are
Moving Target
Over the last several years, no team in Ohio Athletic Conference has attempted more passes and completed more of them than Capital University. Needless to say, we are a passing team and philosophically go into every ball game thinking pass first and run second. Our pass offense is multi-dimensional. We use multiple formations, but for the most part use one back and four wide receivers. We throw from a variety of launching points, use a multitude of actions, and run patterns designed fo
The Linebacker Shuffle
We, as coaches, spend countless hours trying to develop the ideal offensive or defensive scheme. As impotant as these schemes are they cannot be practiced at the expense of developing fundamentals. As we all have witnessed, in crunch time it is the execution of fundamentals that often determines the outcome of a game. This is exemplified at the linebacker position in many ways but none more than stance and movement. A coach can drill key reaction and devise schemes to get a linebacker
Just for Kicks
The punt return means big play time for us. Players at Western Maryland pay special attention to this part of the game. We have had success blocking punts and we have returned punts for touchdowns multiple times over the past four seasons. More importantly, we make things happen on every punt return and have an opportunity to score. Statistically, having a return average of 10 yards or more is important, but the goal should be to accumulate yardage consistently on each return. Put Pressur
News & Notes
Fassel gets giant raise While Jim Fassel didn\'t win the Super Bowl, he won the respect of the New York Giant\'s brass. Exactly a month after the Giants lost to the Baltimore 34-7 in Tampa, team officials announced that they had signed Fassel to another four-year contract even though he had another year left on the contract extension he signed after the 1999 season. While the terms weren\'t available, Fassel will reportedly earn $11 million over the four years - more than doublin
Quarterbacking the Quarterback
The fundamentals of any position are important, and perhaps they are most crucial at the quarterback position. Quarterback fundamentals are both physical and mental. We have a list of beliefs in training a QB and they are:1. Never take a sack. Know when to take a chance and when not to by considering down, distance and field position.2. Throw against blitzes every time. Every play is a blitz until proven otherwise. This teaches the QB to be prepared, play under control and not to hu
So Sue Me!
WHEN NEWS SURFACED THAT A GEORGIA TECH offensive lineman and his mother wanted criminal charges filed against head coach George O\'Leary after the 314-pound player was roughed up in practice, everyone had an opinion.\"This is getting out of hand. Soon we will have to arrest Dale Earnhardt for a hit-and-run accident at the Daytona 500,\" one Atlanta man wrote in response to a reader survey conducted by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.Still others, had a far different view. \"This
Mickey Andrews\' Secret
Wickey Andrews doesn\'t mince words when talking about Florida State\'s early-season loss to Miami, a defeat that hung over the Seminoles like the state\'s ever-present humidity, threatening to wash away their hopes for a second consecutive national championship. \"It was a mistake on my part,\" he offers even though the question isn\'t on the table. \"My biggest mistake was I didn\'t play more kids than I did. I had kids that played almost the entire game. By the end, they were pooped
Flash
In an effort to create a fully dimensional offense it is the opinion of this author that protections must be changed constantly to create defensive dilemmas. The ability to \"free release\" the running back in a one-back offense is critical to create a burden on the defense. It is essential that the running back be perceived as a viable receiving threat. This can only be accomplished through a protection that allows for the running back to release without regard to protection and a patter
Equipment Room
Computer Software for WindowsFrom Big G Software1-800-222-3965Fax: 1-979-732-3443• Football Stats• Football Scouting• Baseball Stats• Basketball Stats• Volleyball Stats• Off Season Stats$59.95 to $99.95See Screen Shots and Sample Reports at www.biggsoftware.comServing Coaches since 1982 Rt 2 Box 111 • Alleyton, TX 78935 Rogers Athletic Co.1-800-248-0270www.rogersathletic.com
AIR RAID Running Back Techniques and Drills
The most productive running backs in the SEC over the last three seasons combined have been from the University of Kentucky. Anthony White and Derek Homer have combined for more yards (rushing and receiving totals) than any other two-back combination. White had three straight 1,000-yard seasons from rushing and receiving yards combined, and Homer combined with White in 1997-98 to put the pair over 4,000 yards combined for those two seasons. White also became the third player in NCAA h
September 2000 Staff Meeting Letter from Publisher News and Notes Dick Curl leaves Europe and joins the Chiefs... Bama's DuBose makes a sick young man's day...NCAA legislation may hurt I-AA football...Mizzou seeks to get out of future
On Target
During the 1990s many defenses were transformed from \"read and react\" defenses into attacking defenses. An effective attacking defense is not just a loose cannon, it\'s a guided missile. To be effective you have to know when and where to attack. Sophisticated scouting software of an opponent\'s offense through statistical analysis gives the defensive coaching staff the tools they need to create a \"smart-weapon, guided-missile\" attacking defense. Creating Defensive Call Sheets t
Rolling to Victory
The 1999 season was very successful for the players, coaches and staff of City College of San Francisco. We were fortunate enough to complete our season with a perfect 12-0 record and win the 1999 J.C. Gridwire National Championship and California state championship. We also achieved this same feat in 1994 after completing the season 11-0. In the 90s, we won our conference nine times in 10 years (1990, 1992-1999) and we are three-time defending Northern California champions. In all, we ended the
Behind Bowden
With two national titles, 13 years among the top four teams in the country and six Atlantic Coast Conference championships in the 1990s, the Florida State Seminoles have the track record to prove they know what it takes to be a champion. It is that knowledge of the means to reach success that has not only fueled FSU\'s success on the field, but also it\'s success in the Don Fauls athletic training facility. Randy Oravetz, the Director of Sports Medicine at FSU, heads up the te
The Diary of A New Coach
THIRD GAME WEEK: As I said before, our number one objective is really not to win, but to prepare. This week was the exception. We were playing our cross-town rival, Norman North, a school that had never scored against any Norman High team in their two-year existence. Our varsity and J.V. had already scored shutouts the week before so this was a must win. For the game Tuesday, our emotions were high. Our team was more pumped up than they had been all year. We got the b
High School Notes
Early Season Top Performers Cline Engle from Burns (Lawndale, N.C.) kicked a 61-yard field goal on Sept. 1 to establish a new state record. Unfortunately, the boot was the Bulldogs only points in a 48-3 loss to Shelby. Noah Ingram from Ruleville (Miss.) broke his own single-game state rushing record with a 506-yard outburst against Gentry (Indianola) on Sept. 9. Ingrams Tigers won the game 74-71. Running back Frank Gore from Coral Gables (Fla.) is off to a
Equipment Room
Segment TimersFrom Mcconnell Team Sports1-800-579-2025mcconnellsports.com \"Where\'s the manager, who\'s tracking time?\" - Sound familiar?Segment Timers eliminate errors and improve practice efficiency. Portable, battery powered units • 9\" & 18\" large display units • Voice announcement • Remote Control Practice Execution TimersEmphasizes execution time by applying realistic game pressure to 7 on 7 drills, passing leagu
Schutt Sports High School Coaches of the Year
SOUTHJohn Parchman,Hoboken HS, Hoboken, NJRobert E. Lee HS, Midland, Texas 1999: 15-0, Class 5A, Div. I state champsRecord at school: 57-8-1, 5 yearsWhen you win a football state title in Texas, you\'ve done something. When you do it two years in a row, that\'s really special. And special is a very accurate way to describe coach John Parchman\'s Midland Lee Rebels. In the last two seasons, Lee High School has claimed back-to-back Class 5A Texas Bowl
Do It Your Way
Throughout my twenty-two years in the profession, I have had the opportunity to coach at both the collegiate and high school levels. During that time, I have had the pleasure of working with various coaching staffs that have helped me formulate my philosophies on dealing with the passing game. At the same time, I have coached many athletes with various ranges in athletic abilities. Therefore, I have had to adapt each year to the specific situation. When you are developing a passing attack, it
Nothing teaches like an example...
You could call it Jeff Tedford\'s School for Quarterbacks. Graduates include NFL first-round draft choices Trent Dilfer, now with the Baltimore Ravens, and Akili Smith of the Cincinnati Bengals. The professor\'s preferred prerequisites for admission are toughness, intelligence, competitiveness, athletic ability and arm strength. In that order. Required supplies are pencils, paper, a VCR and a football. Oh, yes, and a set of checkers. Class is in session virtually all year at the Unive
Equipment Room
Playbook PowerFrom SimpleLife, Inc.1-888-717-5535www.pbpower.comIn time for the Holidays! Our new computer system with Playbook Power: Ultimate Xs and Os software for $950.00 +shipping and handling. Computer specs: 380 MHz computer w/ 2 GB hard drive, 32 MB RAM, 8 MB video RAM, 3-D sound, 48 x CD-Rom, 56K fax modum, Speakers, floppy drive, mouse, keyboard, Windows 98 AND 15\" MONITOR (1 yr parts warranty. Software: Off. and def. play diagraming,
Speed Training for Combines
Whether a player attends the NFL combine in Indianapolis, or one of the ten NFL-sanctioned Scout Camp regional football combines, he will be tested in a variety of areas. But when the combine is over and all the data has been collected, there is typically only one question that gets asked about a player: How fast is he? Because this is the reality of the situation, all combine participants should be well-prepared to face the \"holy trinity\" of combine tests: the 40- yard dash, the short shu
Husker Power
Looking back, it\'s hard to believe it. But just 30 years ago, coaches at the University of Nebraska were actually discouraging athletes from lifting weights for fear it would make them muscle bound and slower. My, have times changed in Lincoln. I first came to Nebraska in 1968, competing as a pole valuter on the track and field team. A back injury halted my valuting career in the spring of my junior year. To rehab my back, I went to the weight room every day where a few injured Husker foo
The Winning Business
The work ethic that has steered Larry Kehres to some amazing heights in college football coaching began to take shape a long time ago. The man who has earned four AFMA Coach of the Year awards at Mount Union College in Ohio, Kehres as a youth performed tasks before and after school and had his first job when he was just 10 years old. \"We didn\'t feed chickens every day or anything like that,\'\' says Kehres, who grew up in rural Palmyra township near Alliance. \"But when I was t
Passing Drills for Young Quarterbacks
Coaching quarterbacks is unique for a number of reasons. First, the spaced repetition time needed to master the mechanics of throwing, setting up to throw, optioning - along with all of the footwork that accompanies the position - is extensive. Secondly, the mental preparation is more demanding than with any other position on the field. Finally, the need for the quarterback to be an on-the-field extension of the head coach and offensive coordinator requires that a unique bond develop between pla
February 2000 Would you like to read a past article from American Football Monthly Magazine? Or are you looking for an article on a specific subject not in this month's issue? Try back issues. Staff Meeting
Robber
With today\'s high-flying passing attacks getting all the national acclaim, here is quite arguably the finest mode of counter-attack. So many times defensive coordinators have to change their entire defensive package just to deal with a one dimensional aerial circus, but here is the way in which you can pressure their protection schemes, all the while baiting the quarterback to throw into a mine field known as Robber coverage. The following is an outline of the Robber coverage package we run at
The Conductor
While other coaches spent the off-season boning up on the latest offensive drills or figuring out how to defend against the pass, Texas Tech\'s Manny Matsakis was curled up with the latest issue of Psychology Today and wondering whether the heavy metal band Metallica could help his kickoff coverage team stop the run-back. So far, Matsakis is convinced his time was well spent. \"Every time we play it, something good happens,\" Matsakis says of his growing love for Metallica w
Frantastic
When Texas Christian University stomped Arkansas State in its third game this year, it was more than just another win in a season that is supposed to put the once hapless team on the map. The 52-3 drubbing stretched the Horned Frogs\' winning streak to eight - their longest since 1938 and the fourth longest in the country. TCU Coach Dennis Franchione shrugs amicably when asked about the historic victory. \"The only stat I worry about is the \'W,\'\" he says.
Equipment
Issues | November 1999 Equipment Room Chronomix Corp.1-800-538-1548www.chronomix.comThe Practice Timer is a multi-use training tool. It can be programmed for circuit interval training or practice segment timing. When not running programs it can be used as a hundredth of a second stop watch for timing the forty yard dash or laps. Accessories
Follow the Leaders
Contrary to the opinion of many people, leaders are not born. Leaders are made; and they are made by effort and hard work." —Vince Lombardi Providing leadership is one of a football coaching staff's fundamental responsibilities. Coaches are expected to dictate the direction, set the standard and mold the attitude and character of their team. One of the outcomes of effective leadership is the development and empowerment of other leaders. Are you devel
New Equipment
HeavyRopefrom Strength Systems, Inc.800-451-5867www.strength-systems.comThe HeavyRope is a weighted jump rope, allowing an athlete to gain both a cardiovascular and upper-body strength workout at the same time. It is available in one, two, four, five and six-pound weights. A suggested training program is included with each rope.The reason that it's called a HeavyRope is because the rope is weighted with sand. The product is made of a rubber materia
Complete Coach
The smallest edge on your competition can mean the difference between a championship and a season-ending loss. Complete Coach is an educational series helping coaches learn more about products and services dedicated to giving you the edge you need. As a coach some things are out of your control. After all, athletes are born—not made, right? The biggest players always have the biggest heart. And you can't teach someone how to be fast, right? Wrong. If t
Frank Lenti Q & A
Q.Is "pride" a word you would use to describe how you feel when you see a former player like Donovan McNabb or Simeon Rice selected in the first round of the NFL draft?A.I guess pride is an acceptable term. More than pride, I'm probably just happy for them. There's a saying, "When the sun shines on one, it shines on all of us,"...at Mount Carmel, we helped develop their value system, their work ethic and we helped develop their athleticism. We spent a great deal of time not just
Equipment Room
Chronomix Corp.1-800-538-1548www.chronomix.comThe Practice Timer is a multi-use training tool. It can be programmed for circuit interval training or practice segment timing. When not running programs it can be used as a hundredth of a second stop watch for timing the forty yard dash or laps. Accessories are available for printed results or automatic timing. ContinentalAthletic Supply1-800-544-5564www.continentalathletic.com
Innovations
When Ron Dayne broke the Division I-A record for career rushing yards, we couldn't help but measure him against history. If we have any affinity for college football, we can't help ourselves. We plead for perspective. We beg for a sense of where the current era fits in the historical landscape of college football. Is Dayne better than Ricky Williams? Herschel Walker? Tony Dorsett? Archie Griffin? O.J. Simpson? Elroy "Crazy Legs" Hirsch? Doc Blanchard and Glenn Davis? Jim Thorpe?
Complete Coach
As a coach, your time is not only valuable, it's also restricted. And with a finite number of hours in a day, you can only accomplish so much. While many of your daily obligations - such as family, school and boosters - have little or nothing to do with coaching, these obligations force you to become more effective during the short stretches of time when you actually get to focus on coaching. With this in mind, how can you both save and manage your timemore efficiently? The answer li
Oklahoma's Passing Game Drills
For over 10 years, I had the opportunity to work with University of Kentucky coach Hal Mumme. I was his offensive coordinator at Iowa Wesleyan, Valdosta State and UK, and we were fortunate enough to enjoy some tremendous success. Mumme is as committed to moving the football through the air as any coach I have ever known, and, needless to say, I learned a great deal from him. Since we were going to commit to the passing game, we created an offensive practice plan around developing the ski
Techniques and Drills. Part One of a two-part series.
JAM TECHNIQUEThe Jam technique is one of the most important techniques a corner must master when his responsibility is to roll up to defend the flat or when it is a pass play, such as in two-deep zone. At the snap of the football, the corner's alignment should be five-to-six yards deep and head up on the receiver with his outside foot up. The defender's key should be the quarterback. If the quarterback comes straight down the line of scrimmage, as when running an
June 1999 Staff Meeting Letter from PublisherReader Feedback News and Notes Eddie Robinson Cla
Family First
For Houston Nutt, his coaching philosophy is crystal clear. It's all about family. Sounds simple enough, but when he arrived at the University of Arkansas, the plan didn't look so easy. He was dealing with 15 seniors who had one season left in a football program that certainly had seen better days in the Southeastern Conference. The players went to him and said, "Coach, we want to win, and we are willing to do whatever it takes to do it." Nutt could have slid into a pessimistic fra
\'The Punch\'
*Photos/Diagrams are no longer available* Every snap is a hand-to-hand war at the line of scrimmage. Somewhere along the line offensive linemen have been taught that they should be passive and \"take the blows,\" \"deflect the force,\" or \"re-direct\" their defensive line opponents. I do not buy into that thought process; never have and never will. That type of thinking will get you beat. I believe that the \"PUNCH\" technique has revolutionized how offensive linemen are tau
The Other Side of the Ball
While most of the attention on our football team during the last few years has been focused on the offensive side of the ball and the great job of our former head coach Gary Crowton (now offensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears) and the play of our quarterback Tim Rattay and record-setting wide receiver Troy Edwards, we've also had some success on defense. We have accomplished this success by working as a staff to discover new and innovative ways to maximize the time we have with
New Equipment
Chronomix Corp.1-800-538-1548www.chronomix.comThe Practice Timer is a multi-use training tool. It can be programmed for circuit interval training or practice segment timing. When not running programs it can be used as a hundredth of a second stop watch for timing the forty yard dash or laps. Accessories are available for printed results or automatic timing. ContinentalAthletic Supply1-800-544-5564www.continentalathletic.com
Re-Examining Spearing
Every few years the problem is rediscovered in the media by a cervical spine injury in the NFL. Most recently it was Detroit Lions linebacker Reggie Brown. Television networks show the hit numerous times and stories appear in newspapers and magazines. But the injury is always portrayed as an unfortunate accident. It's not used to educate the football community that there is an identified cause for these injuries. No one says, "Reggie Brown made the mistake of loweri
Complete Coach
The adage is the bigger they are the harder they will fall. Not necessarily. If your athletes can develop speed and agility along with size, they may very well be able to withstand almost anything the competition throws at them. The key to developing bigger, stronger, more agile players is the weight room. How do you as a coach get the most out of each weight room session? How can you create a weight room, or revamp your present facility into one that helps your players achieve their goa
New Equipment
Chronomix Corp.1-800-538-1548www.chronomix.comThe Practice Timer is a multi-use training tool. It can be programmed for circuit interval training or practice segment timing. When not running programs it can be used as a hundredth of a second stop watch for timing the forty yard dash or laps. Accessories are available for printed results or automatic timing. ContinentalAthletic Supply1-800-544-5564www.continentalathletic.com
Win-Win Situation
If it had been a marriage last January - so sudden, so shockingly surprising - the town gossips would have had a field day. Dashing Dennis Erickson, the coach who won two national football championships at Miami, and Oregon State, the ungainly spinster of college football? No way. It can't last, the gossips would have said. Oregon State just got him on the rebound from that nasty mess in Seattle. Gosh, he can't be the desperate, can he? After all the bright lights, and the fame
New Equipment
Creatine Edge EffervescentFrom FSI Nutrition888-331-6601FSI Nutrition, an Omaha, Neb. company, now offers Creatine Edge Effervescent. With Creatine Edge Effervescent, creatine molecules break down in water and become readily available to the body, giving athletes an absorption rate of about 95-99 percent, compared to about 35 percent with conventional creatine pills and powders. This absorption rate, proven by two independent university tests, frees athletes from
Slant to Win
To say that the war is won by winning the battle in the trenches is not a cliche. As the defensive line coach at Boston College, my entire philosophy about defensive line play is based on this idea. However, winning the battle in the trenches does not necessarily mean that defensive linemen have to make plays. To win, we must have an impact on the run and pass game. In the run game, the battle up front is won when we keep the offensive line off of our linebackers and safeties, and co
It's Not About the Plays . . . It's About the Players.
Twice a year, after the college football season and again after spring drills, University of Oregon coach Mike Bellotti arms himself with a yellow legal pad, and a supply of pens, and spends most of several consecutive days in his office. He isn't, on those occasions, scribbling Xs and Os. He isn't tinkering with the sophisticated offense that has placed Oregon in the top 20 in the nation in passing in five of the last six seasons. He isn't refining the strategies that
New Equipment
New Equipment Chronomix Corp.1-800-538-1548www.chronomix.comThe Practice Timer is a multi-use training tool. It can be programmed for circuit interval training or practice segment timing. When not running programs it can be used as a hundredth of a second stop watch for timing the forty yard dash or laps. Accessories are available for printed results or automatic timing. ContinentalAthletic Supply1-800-544-5564
Main Attraction
It's not like Mack Brown didn't have enough to worry about in his first year at the helm of the University of Texas football program. There was picking up the pieces from a dreadful 4-7 season and the enormous expectations of the "Hook 'em, 'Horns" faithful. Not to mention the separate controversies that precipitated his arrival in the Lone Star State. One being the firing of his predecessor, John Mackovic, and the other the bitter feelings that lingered in North Carolina when B
No Time to Huddle
Huddling when you are behind is like lighting your cigar with $100 bills. Let's say your team is behind by five points with 10 seconds left to go in the game. You have the ball first and 10 at midfield. You can run two plays before time runs out, if you can stop the clock after the first one. To go 50 yards in two plays, you have to average 25 yards per play. The rule I am applying to arrive at that answer is: The number of yards you need on your next play is whatever you need to ge
The Warhawk Way
Special teams practice and organization of time is always critical to any good football team. At UW-Whitewater, we have been very fortunate to have an offense that averages 40-plus points per game over the last three seasons. Along with a high-point average, comes a huge number of kick-offs and field position changes for our defense. We select kick-off coverage personnel mostly from the defensive side, particularly linebackers and defensive backs. Occasionally, we will use a fast, agi
Techniques and Drills
TECHNIQUE DRILLSIn part one of this article, I covered some of the philosophies and techniques we use to defend and control our opponent's passing game. I outlined our teaching progressions for the jam, trail, streak, close the post, post flat, press (bump and run), and the sideline and go techniques. Also, I discussed how we teach proper alignment and how to strip the ball from wideouts. Now I will detail the drills we use to teach our fundamental techniques.Drill No. 1: Press (
July 1999 Staff Meeting Letter from Publisher Reader Feedback News and Notes Notre Dame booster drama • Auburn saga continues
Youth Issue
The following pages dedicated to youth football are the first of what I know will become an annual supplement to our magazine. This is our effort to help the thousands of men, who give so willingly of their time to enrich the lives of the young men playing youth football at parks and sandlots across the country. Whether it be Pop Warner, Police Athletic Leagues, Park and Rec. leagues, or NFL Flag teams, the youth coach is the backbone of the sport. These teachers are coaches and mentors in th
Power & Protection
The Washington Redskin offense, under head coach Norv Turner, is a power running football team. There are two things we must do to be a power running team. One, we must be physical. We must finish blocks, and we must finish runs. As ball carriers, we must run behind our shoulder pads with great pad level. We call it downhill or north-south running. The second thing we must do is protect the football. We stress tucking the ball away with two fingers over the nose of the football and both
Letters to AFM
Last issue, we asked for your letters stating your feelings about why football is the game America loves. We'll continue featuring selected letters here, as we did the following two. Keep them coming, we want to hear from you!Dear AFM: I just read AFQ publisher Barry Terranova's letter in the newest issue and I thought I would give you a response to add to your survey. Before I do that however, let me first tell you how aprreciative I am of your magazine. I consider AFQ the "Bible" for
Parting the Waves
The single most important ingredient of a receiver is football intelligence. The skills and abilities required to become a good receiver can be learned and developed to be a complete receiver. "Getting open" requires numerous skills such as reading coverages, running stems, getting in and out of the cut (separation techniques of the route) and bursting full speed away from the defender. While all these skills are requirements to becoming a top receiver, for the purpose of this articl
Volume 4, 1st Quarter Spotlight Coaches of the Year, Various Divisions Alabama's Blount HS Head Injuries: A Current Drama Delaware's Tubby Raymond When
This page brings together American Football Monthly's extensive library of Football Drills articles. We've compiled insights, techniques, and innovative drill ideas from experienced coaches across all levels of the game, designed to help you optimize your practice sessions.
Discover a wide range of drills covering crucial aspects of the game, including:
- Position-Specific Drills: Techniques tailored for Quarterbacks (QB), Running Backs (RB), Wide Receivers (WR), Tight Ends (TE), Offensive Linemen (OL), Defensive Linemen (DL), Linebackers (LB), Defensive Backs1 (DB), and Special Teams.
- Fundamental Skills: Drills focused on core techniques like tackling, blocking, footwork, shedding blocks, ball security, passing mechanics, and catching.
- Agility & Conditioning: Improve player movement, speed, change of direction, and overall fitness.
- Game Situations: Drills designed to simulate specific scenarios and improve decision-making under pressure.
Drills Search Results
The Margin of Victory is Measured in Millimeters.The game is evolving faster than ever. The RPO game that won championships two years ago is old news. The cover-3 beaters that worked last season are now being dissected and neutralized by defensive coordinators across the state. Every coach is watching the same fi lm, running similar base drills, and fi ghting for the same athletes.
DRILLS FOR QUICKNESS - TRENCH TACTICS
How smart, fast and nimble your big guys in the trenches are, the better o you’ll be all season. A good o ensive line keeps coaches employed. Why? Your chances of securing that W vastly improves with a well oiled machine that consistently delivers every week.
Advanced Linebacker Drills
Simulating Game Action with Three Linebacker Drills
Drills Report: Running and Tackling Drills - A Twist for TNT Drills
Three Special Team Space Player Drills –
Drills Report: Tennis Ball Drills for Quickness, Acceleration and Vision
Drills Report: Old School Mat Drills and Team Culture
Drills Report: Defensive Fundamental Drills vs Today’s Offenses By Jeff McDonald Defensive Coordinator, Illinois Wesleyan University
The Drills Report: Fundamental Defensive End Training
T he defensive line is home to some of the knees and hips should be as close to 90-de- largest, most athletic players in sports, gree angles as possible. This ensures that the particularly at the defensive end position. lineman isn’t overextended, which will result in Focusing on the fundamentals of a defensive lose of power when firing out. Once his stance lineman is crucial to properly develop a force is optimized, we then shift our focus to the to neutralize
Locking Down a Slot Wide Receiver
Learning some techniques and progressions on covering a slot receiver will give you a foundation to improve your one-on-one match up in the slot. There are a variety of drills specifically for man-to-man technique that you can practice. Offensive coordinators are placing a premium on using spread systems. Therefore, the DB’s have to possess the skills to cover all types of players all over the field. Covering in the slot is a different facet of their craft and needs to be emphasi
Off-Season Drill Work for Offensive Linemen
The off-season, specifically the cycles around spring football, January through March and May through August, are absolutely vital to the growth and development of an offensive lineman. It is when they make the most significant gains in upper and lower body strength, speed, conditioning and explosiveness as well as continuing to develop and improve position specific technique. We preach the concept of doing it harder and better than it’s ever been done before. It is a constant strain to imp
Leadership Strategies: How to Develop a Steady Stream of ‘Championship Level QBs in Your Program, Part I
There is not much argument in any level of football that to win consistently and compete for championships you need strong quarterback play. So what defines ‘strong quarterback play’ and how do you develop that consistently within an organization? This series of articles will lay out a clear path that can easily be followed in any program given the proper attention. Let’s first discuss what goes into the makings of a great quarterback. From there, you’ll be in a better posi
Drills Report: Special Teams Organization for Competition Drills and Circuits
One of the greatest challenges for coaching special teams at all levels is how to get maximum quality reps in the most efficient manner possible during practice. Teaching multiple skills and techniques to 60+ players takes the combined effort of the entire coaching staff. I rely on all our coaches to help teach our players different aspects of the kicking game. It also takes a great deal of planning and organization so that your time on the field is efficient.One organizational con
Strength Report: Football Specific Conditioning, Part I
Football is an explosive sport requiring power and speed in linear and non-linear sport specific movements. With the average time per play lasting 6 seconds and a 40 second play clock, football is an interval based sport switching from high intensity bursts of about 6 seconds and low intensity active-recovery periods of about 40 seconds. Due to the high intensity nature of each play, one goal of the off-season conditioning program is to train the capacity and efficiency of the short duration,
Speed Report: The Pros and Cons of Speed Training Modes and Their Effectiveness
Speed performance for football is filled with movement requirements of varying magnitudes. Let’s discuss the uniqueness of football speed and movement as it relates to training applications and playing faster as a team. Every program should categorize which speed training procedures are the best suited for producing movements that are fast and controlled. Sometimes we look at the drills and movements and see only relative to the position requirements.What I stress woul
Creating Turnovers Through Ball Disruption
As a head coach for 11 years, I have also worn the title of the offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator, and even though I am an offensive coordinator by heart, I realize more and more in this profession how important your defense is to your program’s success. As a defensive coordinator, one of the things I like to do after every season is review each game film and try to see what made us successful and what hurt us each game. Defensively, the main things I like to focus on while wa
Missouri Protection - Teaching Pass Blocking Fundamentals to Running Backs
Using the right technique, four protection drills will help your running backs protect the quarterback.When we teach protection, there are a variety of drills that I use. I start with the base of the body, which are the feet, and I work my way up to the hands and the upper body. I start with the feet because that is where everything begins. A phrase I use a lot when coaching is get the right “Body Position.” I talk to running backs about blocking the defender with their feet.
Post- Season Priorities - Wrapping up one season and transitioning to the next are critical times for successful programs
When your season ends, do you kick back, relax and get away from the game for a couple months? Of course not. Whether it’s formulating and implementing an off-season strength and conditioning program, ushering in a new group of players and preparing them for the following season or putting together motivational exercises, every successful coach knows that winter presents an opportunity for physical and mental team building.To find out how the best coaches approach the post season
Priorities For a Championship Off-Season
Great programs realize that getting better every single day is a key to winning championships. This is as true in the off-season as it is during the season. Thus, establishing off-season priorities often helps programs move forward consistently. Here are some suggestions for establishing off-season priorities that will help any and every team move forward this off-season.Use Data WiselyLook at your season stats. Where do you want to improve? Create a specific plan for addressi
Linebacker Movement Drill Progressions
When developing drill progressions for your position group, it is important to break down the points of emphasis that you want to develop on a daily basis. Since individual period time is so valuable at all positions, it is crucial to stay organized to maximize the efficiency of the drill work you accomplish with your position group. By breaking down a position through film study we are able to create drill progressions that fit our scheme, personnel, and practice scripts to accomplish proper
Every Program Needs a Speed System Like the One at Southeastern Louisiana
For the past 20 years it has become understood that football speed training is beneficial. However, what’s often missing in speed programs is the lack of a technically sound system. According to the definition of the word ‘system’ it’s “a group of related parts that move or work together.” This is the very essence of what makes a speed program viable. Many organizations throughout the country address the issue of speed training but may not be aware they could be missing the most i
A Quick, Simple, High Rep Progression for Defeating Blocks
Repetitions with four different ways to defeat blocks – the rip, punch, slip and cut techniques – will help improve your overall defense.One of the many great things about being at Butler University is being centrally located and having so many terrific football programs very close to use as professional development resources. Let’s be clear, no one is inventing a new defense. However, there are many different schemes, philosophies, fits, terminology, etc. This is where I think a
Why Coach? Being Compassionate, Optimistic, Attentive, Confident and Humanistic are Some of the Qualities a Coach Should Possess
When I was invited to submit an article to AFM, I figured I would simply put some drills together, share some concepts, propose a few diagrams and maybe even talk about the transition of players from high school football to college competition. After all, that’s what we, as coaches, would need for personal or professional development, right? I shared my ideas with colleagues in the office and even surveyed some young coaches who were helping with our sum
Leadership Strategies: Prima Donna Athletes – Transformational Leadership vs. Servant Leadership
Narcissus, a beautiful youth, glanced into a pool of water. Rejecting the nymph Echo, he fell in love with his own reflection. – Greek mythologyTying Greek mythology to football isn’t really a stretch, given the fact high school coaches are continually faced with one or more players who believe the team is there to serve them and not vice versa. Many coaches label these players as ‘cancers’. Unless, of course, they are clocked in the 40-yard dash under 4.5 or are of behemoth si
Drills Report: Route Running – Improving Your Technique and Speed
There are a number of priorities a receiver should focus on when running proper routes. They include:• Being precise.• Reaching for the toes.• Have the head and eyes up.• Stem – win the leverage battle.• Speed in, burst out of the cut.• Hit your depth.• Arm action.• Footwork – pressure step/foot fire. Included are three different drills – the Clock Drill, Diamond
Quarterback Pulley Drills with Surgical Tubing
By Bill Mountjoy, Retired Coach After stretching exercises, have your quarterbacks execute the pulley drills. There are high pulls, medium pulls, and low pulls. There should be 15 repetitions at each level and the number of reps should be increased by five pulls each week. Here is the complete execution of the drill: · Place the throwing hand in a loop with the hand open and the palm turned in, simulating a grip on the football. · Drape the other end of tubin
AFM Subscribers Ask with Shawn Liotta Offensive Coordinator, Clairton High School (PA)
Shawn Liotta is the offensive coordinator at Clairton High School (PA), a team which averaged 59.9 points per game last season. Clairton also averaged 12.8 yards per play and 510 yards in total offense per game, even though the PIAA Mercy Rule was in effect in the second half of 12 of the 16 games his team played. His offense is aptly named the ‘No-Huddle, No Mercy’ offense.Along the way, Clairton’s quarterback, running back and wide receiver each set school records last fall
Warhawk Special Team Play – Technique and Drills
Special teams are a major determining factor in the outcome of football games at any level. It is fundamental that you stress not only the importance of special teams to your program but also continually drill them and show them the results that you want. This is our philosophy for special teams play:• We use the KISS principle – Keep It Simple Stupid – which allows you to focus on fundamentals.• Give the illusion that you do a lot of different formations, moti
Having a Dominant Defense at the Point of Attack – URI uses a four word progression every snap to maximize the play of their defensive line.
URI uses a four word progression every snap to maximize the play of their defensive line.Coaching a defensive line to be dominant is based on consistency in coaching. The players standard of performance begins and ends with their coach. We believe if players don’t understand their assignments, we need to change the way they are taught. Consequently, if drills aren’t showing up on tape, the drill needs to be adjusted. There is no such thing as “dumb players”, ju
Pre-Season Conditioning and Speed Training – The Good, The Bad, The Indifferent – Part II
We’ve clearly established that you need to consider using the proper energy system that delivers the greatest return for your training investment. I will not argue the choice you make as stated in part one of this article that you should or shouldn’t condition. That’s your choice. However, if you do condition at all, you need to come up to speed by selecting the right system available for your time spent.Anaerobic conditioning is the ability to perform at a rate faster than c
Tackling Drills Without Pads
What can help develop a player to be a better tackler? One thing a player can do to be a better tackler is to know their surroundings. In knowing their surroundings, I’m talking about the scheme, and not only their fits, but the fits of players on either side of them. One of the biggest things we forget as coaches is to teach our players where their help is. Knowing where their help is allows them to play faster and attack in proper angles. Not knowing where your help is creates a slower, t
Developing Physical Linebacker Play
From my standpoint, the greatest compliment our defensive staff can receive is at the end of the game having the opposing coach say how hard and physical our guys played. Playing hard is something that every coach demands from their team. Playing a physical style necessarily is not. If we do not practice being physical, how can I expect my guys to come out on Saturday and play physical? We try and recruit naturally physical kids, but we all know sometimes it does not work out that way. Over t
Explosive Drills for Running Backs
Here are three running back drills that will help players’ overall agility and increase their explosiveness. Each one should be practiced daily throughout the season.1. Jump Cut/Spin DrillI love a running back that has the ability to flow into
Coaching HD – Technology to Prepare Your Team in Camp and During the Season
As another season is ready to commence, now is the time to solidify plans and details, and be sure that you are able to work through the grind of the season in the smartest way possible. Utilizing technology to help you and your staff be efficient will pay dividends in both preparation for each week as well as alleviating some of the stress that comes with the long work day that the season brings.In 2010, huge advancements improved the way we are able to work as coaches. The film r
Coaching the Blitzing Linebacker – Learning the proper progressions, techniques, and then drills for a blitzing linebacker will improve his performance on game day.
Attacking with linebackers and slanting the defensive linemen creates an opportunity to be unique and aggressive. Blitzing linebackers creates opportunities to change the defense into an over or under defense after the snap. When this is done with the 3-3-5 stack alignment, there is flexibility to match offensive numbers or be balanced at all times. What makes a linebacker effective in a swarm and strike defense?Recruiting linebackers to fit your defense takes great atte
We Are The Champions
Earning the state champion title means different things to different coaches.After the Gatorade is dumped, after the trophies are raised, after the last party is over, the coaches of the 300-plus high school state champions have time to reflect on their seasons and what winning the state title meant to them, their players, their schools and their communities.To some, becoming a state champion is the culmination of their coaching career. For others, it’s the continuation of
Turning Up Motivation in the Dog Days of August
If your team is like most teams, you will start August with excitement, enthusiasm, and a drive to get better every single day. Inevitably, your players will tire of doing boring drills against their own teammates, effort will slacken, and practices will get stale. Coaches who can prevent the downturns or nip them in the bud have a great advantage over opponents who stay stuck for longer periods of time. Here are three recommendations for turning up the motivation and effort in the dog days o
Speed Report: The Challenges of Teaching Football Speed
The first step toward teaching football speed is dealing with velocity and angles that change rapidly. Secondly, you must provide a progressive training system that is relative to speed and movement physically, mentally, and technically. The nature of the game provides various challenges to movement speed, angle changes, frequency changes, and rapid acceleration. Your teaching must fit these practicums because, unlike track sprinting, the technical application for football speed is not all li
Interview with Dr. Jared Wood and Jeff Heath, Dallas Cowboys Safety and Special Teams Starter
This past off-season I had the opportunity to interview Jeff Heath, a safety and special teams starter for the Dallas Cowboys. I love getting to interview guys like Jeff because they weren't superstars coming out of high school or college, and yet they are
AFM Subscribers Ask with Mike Golden Director of Sports Performance, University of Massachusetts (Part II)
Mike Golden is the Director of Sport Performance at the University of Massachusetts. Golden has 18 years of collegiate strength and conditioning experience. Prior to UMass, he coached for two seasons at the University of South Florida. He also coached at East Carolina, helping build the Pirates into one of the top programs in Conference USA, winning back-to- back conference championships with Head Coach Skip Holtz. While at ECU, he also trained first round draft pick Chris Johnson who r
A Complete Summer Conditioning Program
Each program has different goals when it comes to strength and conditioning training during the winter months and then in the summer:Winter • Conditioning is not a focal point.• Time to develop size and strength. • Fine tune mechanics and speed and agility (linear and deceleration).Summer• Learn to carry the new weight.• Develop max strength and peak power.• Prepare the athlete to deal with the extremes of
Why We Do What We Do - A Look Inside Clemson's Strength and Conditioning Program.
The foundation of any successful collegiate football program is an understanding and commitment by all who work with the student-athletes to shape them into the vision the head coach has for the team. Head Coach Dabo Swinney has a vision of greatness for our program, which in the past four years, has driven us to two ACC Atlantic Division Championships, one conference championship, a 4-year span of 10+-win seasons, three straight bowl wins over ranked opponents, three straight Top 15 finishes
Are You Short on Big Linemen? If so, you should consider playing a stand-up Will End
Are you like most programs that have a shortage of big players with most of those needed on the offensive and defensive line? Then playing a standup Will End may be something that can help your defense. We have used the standup Will End for over 30 years and the results have been well worth it. Physical Attributes - We used to look at our back-up RB or DBs, but then we realized that there is no definition of who can play this position. It has become a position of its
Go High, Go Low - Attacking Coverages with High-Low Route Concepts
Offensive team “tempo” has pushed its way into the vocabularies of coaches at all levels of football. The emphasis on playing fast, wearing down the defense and running a high volume of plays has become a key aspect in today’s spread offenses. One primary characteristic of high tempo offenses is their reliance on a core set of simple, yet effective, pass game concepts. The “high – low” concept is a staple of many spread offenses. Our version of the “high-low” featur
Drills Report: The Run-Up, Escape Drill
The ‘Run-Up, Escape Drill’ teaches our quarterbacks three important fundamentals – ball security, vision downfield, and launching while trying to escape or avoid pressure. The drills we practice are the drills that we witness our players performing as we watch game tape. The Run-Up, Escape Drill is one drill which we see over and over as we watch game film and then rep daily in practice.We can incorporate under center drops (5 or 7-step) or shotgun drops (3 or 5-step) into th
AEMA Report – The Second Football Season
By Austin Perryman, Student Equipment ManagerUniversity of Tennessee-ChattanoogaSpring football is altogether one of the most memorable seasonal sports to be involved in as both a high school player and a FCS student manager. I’ve been lucky enough to have been involved as both.Just before my last spring at Lincoln County High School in Fayetteville, TN I hurt my back doing hang-cleans. It wasn’t much at first, but as the spring went along, my back sta
Technology Steps Up – Aided by recent rules changes, tech companies now give coaches valuable new tools to analyze games in real time.
Aided by recent rule changes, tech companies now give coaches valuable new tools to analyze games in real time.For many years, technology has been an integral part of coaching. From the advent of game film to the development of sideline communications to the introduction of today’s sophisticated online video services, those in the technology arena have strived to keep up with the needs of coaches and utilize the latest in high tech innovations.Now, by virtue of an importan
Maximizing Your Defensive Circuit Drills – Turnover, tackling, and block destruction drills can improve your defensive play.
Every year we try to create themes for our team that we can use throughout the year to refocus our players no matter how our team is performing. We are also always looking for ways to maximize reps and be more efficient in practice time. One of the ways we do this is our SU Defensive Circuit (See Diagram).
Maximizing Your Offensive Circuit Drills – Overall blocking can be improved with a progression of drills.
Overall blocking can be improved with a progressions of drills.During the football season time to prepare and practice is very precious. We tend to spend all of our time on “scheming” the opponent and very little on fundamentals. Because of the importance of fundamentals, we have decided to build them into our practice schedule. We call them the “Fundamental 5” or “Fun 5” for short. The first one is blocking by the entire offensive unit.Blocking is the one skill
Coach to Coach: Turning Up the Heat – Eight Suggestions for Creating Your Best Summer Ever
While often a challenge, the elements of summer (extreme heat, players not being in school, having too much free time, not having transportation to activities) provide a great opportunity to create a mentally and physically stronger team. Mental toughness is only built when conditions are difficult, and extreme weather, such as summer heat, creates a great opportunity to build mental toughness. Here are some tips for creating strong minds, bodies, and team chemistry this summer.Set Mo
Drills Report: The Wall Punt Return
The Wall Punt Return is easy to install and can vastly improve your team’s return yardage. We make a commitment to our special teams. Five days a week we hold a special teams period in which all of our coaches are expected to coach one aspect of that specialty. Each special team unit is then broken down by position where each coach can work on developing player fundamentals and techniques needed to be successful on that particular special team.General Rules of the Wall Punt Return:
AFM Subscribers Ask with Mike Golden
Mike Golden is the Director of Sports Performance at the University of Massachusetts. He has 18 years of collegiate strength and conditioning experience. Prior to UMass, Golden coached for two seasons at the University of South Florida. He also coached at East Carolina, helping build the Pirates into one of the top programs in Conference USA, winning back to back conference championships under Head Coach Skip Holtz. While at ECU, he also trained first round draft pick Chris Johnson, who recor
Winning the Key Ground with Kickoff Coverage - Each man in kickoff coverage has an assignment ...Each man in kickoff coverage has an assignment along with a kicker who must be skilled in directional kicking.This is a game of field position and we talk a lot about “Winning the Key Ground.” Below is our philosophy and goals for our kickoff cover unit.Philosophy 1. Cover two-thirds of the field with directional kicks.2. Inside and in front coverage – not lane.3. &nb
Drills for Receivers When You Don’t Have a Lot of Time – Repping fundamental drills with an emphasis on focusing on the proper technique and catching the football will improve the overall play of your wide receivers.
Repping fundamental drills with an emphasis on focusing on the proper technique and catching the football will improve the overall play of your receivers.In spread offenses, the receiver’s play is critical. However, in other style offenses, the receiver gets little attention. These drills are what I use once a week to drill the catching process. It includes hand strengthening exercises incorporated with drills where the receiver will get 46 catches in 20 minutes without using a lot o
Drills Report: Quarterback Drills You Can Use At Any Level
In this Drills Report there will be three different drills for quarterbacks – One Foot Throw, The Levels Drill, and the Quarterback Scramble Drill. Each one is designed to improve a different area of the quarterback’s technique.One Foot Throws Drill (Diagram 1)Object
Speed Report: Visual Cues Deliver Exceptional Speed
Football players must rely heavily on having good field vision in order to play fast and move effectively. It’s a huge benefit having good visual skills which enhances “transition speed”. More specifically, angle and velocity changes executed with maximum velocity. Many athletes are naturally gifted with good visual skills. Unfortunately, many athletes also struggle with this skill. The good news is that you can develop this ability by using designed drills correctly and specific cues a
A Nine-Week Off Season Super-Cycle Strength and Conditioning Program
This article was published in the January edition of American Football Monthly with factual errors. The revised version is posted below. AFM regrets the errors.True developmental training at the collegiate level can be defined as two mandatory, nine-week training phases per year. The remaining time each year could be considered in-season, discretionary or possibly maintenance. The other possibility in the yearly scheme that
From the Coach’s Bookshelf – The New QB Gurus
Most coaches would agree that quarterback is the most critical position in the sport. This past decade has seen the boom of the specialized private quarterback-coach business, transforming the position and the game. Former Super Bowl winning quarterback Trent Dilfer is one of this new breed, running the prestigious Elite 11 camp and starting his own training method. In this excerpt from The QB – The Making of Modern Quarterbacks, veteran sports writer and bestselling author Bruce Feldman gi
Training the Offensive Lineman
Your offensive line is the life-blood of your football team. A strong, quick OL can change the complexion of any football game. Many of our players that went on to NFL careers took a strong interest in the weight room and the benefits it brought them. In this age of fast-paced offensive football, there still comes a time where your OL is going to be asked to put the game away. To accomplish our goal of developing offensive linemen to handle the pressure of a fourth quarter wi
DC Leadership Lessons - Detail is critical in making sure a staff knows the expectations of a defensive coordinator.
As a defensive coordinator, you are the head coach of the defense. That’s the way I approach it every day. Before fall camp and spring ball, I discuss my expectations for each coach and their position group. As the leader of those coaches, I want to make sure we are on the same page. My Expectations -A. No egos. We should all be trying to achieve the same thing.We should all be in this for the kids. If you are in it for any other reason such as money, not
Zoned In - Inside zone drills for covered and uncovered linemen
To get the most out of our O-linemen we use an effective drill called the Board Drill, which is part of our every day drills. We buy into it and start each day on the boards to develop great departure angles, contact, and follow through.The inside zone is the area blocking scheme where the covered lineman blocks on and the uncovered lineman blocks the playside gap often resulting in combinations. The O-linemen must read the near foot of the first DL. Movement is the key. The
Drills Report: Four Running Back Drills for Good Footwork and Instinctive Moves
Running backs need to have great footwork. They also need to be able to make moves as second nature. These are not the only things that we practice. But it is very important to make sure that the running backs get plenty of work on these. With our spread offense, the running backs need to be instinctive. Being able to make moves without thinking is critically important. We work on drills that will help us during game situations. There are four drills that we work on every day
Strength Report: Indiana’s Off-Season Training PhilosophyCollege football seasons are becoming longer and more physical than ever before. With many college football teams seasons lasting from 14 to 20 weeks, it is critical to use the off-season training weeks as a time to rebuild and retrain in a proper way. In order to start the year off with a proper foundation for the upcoming year, off season training programs can last anywhere from 6 to 8 weeks consecutively, depending on a number of factors - spring practice start dates
MY FOOTBALL JOURNEY: 2014
By Wojciech “Coach Voyt” Andrzejczak This past year has been a blessing in terms of my growth as a coach. For the first time in 10 years, I’ve gave up my New Year’s party to watch Bowl Games. So instead of partying with friends I was enjoying Johnny Manziel’s magic in Atlanta on last New Year’s Eve. In February, I coached at a football camp in Prague in the Czech Republic. Summer gave me the opportunity to teach flag football at Camp Saginaw in the town of Oxford,
Simulating Game Action with 3 Linebacker Drills
We run a 3-4 based scheme, so we need to have quite a few different linebacker drills ready when fall camp starts. To make sure we can cover all of the skills that our players need for the season, I start with a chart. This chart changes slightly from year to year as I adjust what skills and techniques I feel our players need to have. I also add new drills that I see or take out drills I want to get rid of. Ultimately, I don’t want to have so many drills that I don’t hav
Special Teams Winning Edge (Part II)
In the December issue, we discussed the head coach setting the tone for special teams play, the importance of other assistant coaches being involved in areas of special teams, setting goals, and strategy for the punt unit, kickoff unit, kickoff return unit and punt return unit. In this article, we’ll discuss practice efficiency and key points to consider when game planning for your next opponent. Spring Practice Plans Each spring, we evaluate our performance from th
Defensive Backs: Techniques, Fundamentals, Tips and Drills (Part II)
In the December issue of AFM, we discussed tips for defensive backs, basic techniques, backpedaling techniques, and how to change direction. In this issue, we will discuss knowing the interception point, stripping the receiver, playing the ball, playing the blocker on a run play, secondary run support and contain, coverage support and pursuit angles.INTERCEPTION POINT After your defensive backs recognize each pattern, they must learn where the ball will usual
Maximize Practice Time with Special Team DrillsWe pride ourselves on having a special team’s identity. It’s consists of pressure, field position, and points. These identities help create tempo and energy throughout practice and games. Our philosophy consists of: Pressure:• We make every effort in every way to apply pressure to our opponent. Field Position:• We either want to flip or win field position whenever possible. Points:• With every special teams unit, we e
Running Ahead of Speed – Technical Foundation, the Heart of the Matter (Part III)
What’s important for enhancing team speed for football? Too often, coaches don’t understand what skills help effectively produce football acceleration, change velocities and deliver burst capability. The essential skills are just that – essential. To produce these skills, you must realize that the bottom line is dependent on a sound foundational movement premise. Foundation simply refers to one fact that overrides all other factors; that is, technical application. Technique must always
Defensive Backs Techniques, Fundamentals, Tips and Drills (Part I)
The defensive back position today is perhaps the most physically demanding of any player. He must be able to tackle much bigger running backs and run with wide receivers that have world class speed and the height of a basketball player. Athleticism, hard work, determination and intelligence must be added to God-given talent and instinct in order to play effectively in the secondary. Here are some tips for defensive backs at all levels that you can share with your athletes.Tips For DBs
Drills Report: Running and Tackling Drills - A Twist for TNT DrillsSimilar to other teams, we spend time each week working on tackling and turnover (TNT) drills. In the past, we typically felt satisfied at the conclusion of each TNT drill as our defense seemed to grasp the fundamentals of tackling and forcing turnovers. However, when we reached game day and even team practice scenarios, our drills did not seem to translate to the field. Often, we missed tackles (especially in open-field situations) and our players suddenly lacked focus when it came to
Safety First: Be Safe In Your Weight Room (Part I)
Safety is a critical element at every high school and college weight room. AFM spoke with three strength and conditioning coaches about weight room safety procedures including Jim Kielbaso, the Director of Total Performance Training Centers (MI), Jim McGuire, the Assistant Director of Strength and Conditioning at Merrimack College, and Dan Leary, assistant coach and strength and conditioning coach at Seaside High School (OR).How do you instruct your athletes on safe lifting procedures
Strength Report: Teaching the Clean: From A to Z (Part I)
We are constantly teaching our athletes how to move better and more efficiently. Our whole program is based on the concept of clean movement patterns, which is stability and mobility through the hips, trunk, and thoracic spine. From there, the ability to control your own body in space, then finally strengthening movement patterns that will benefit movements and learning how to generate, apply, and receive force in any way needed to perform better are our goals.Most of us that playe
Erasing A Decade of Disappointment: The Transformation of the Mustangs
A lot of coaches like talking Xs and Os, which is the easy part of coaching. The scheming and game planning is the chess match we all signed up for and love to do. However, as head coaches, we take on a little more than just the scheme these days. When you get your shot to be a head coach, for most of us, we don’t inherit a program that wins and is used to winning. Rather, it is usually a challenging program, one that has not won or doesn’t do so consistently. This p
Updating the Pistol-Flex Offense - Five new enhancements make this offense even more effective.
In our continuing effort to enhance the Pistol-Flex offense, this season we’re adding new plays, variations, drills and pass protection schemes that will, we think, make this offense even harder to stop.One of the improvements in the Pistol-Flex offense is the use of different variations of the base Triple Option play depending on what the defense is showing prior to the snap. An example of this is our “LB” call variation of our Triple play (Diagram 1). The LB tag is called when
Drills Report: Punt Safe: Defend and Return
In certain situations, whether due to field position or when leading in the latter stages of a game, teams will leave their defense on the field to protect against punt fakes and employ a ‘Punt Safe’ scheme. We employ a scheme that first guards against the fake but at the same time will look to block the punt, and if the ball is punted, use a set wall return (Diagram 1).
Speed Report: Running Ahead of Speed - Making it Doable and Challenging During the Season
Making it Doable and Challenging During the SeasonThis is part I of a four-part series entitled, “Running Ahead of Speed.” The objective is to help you build a truly consistent results-oriented football speed and movement program. Like any endeavor that’s year -to-year, it must rely on certain required elements in order to truly maximize training success.We’re all busy, and this can often determine what is done and how it’s done. Just running isn’t speed work. Ru
Letter From AFM: We're Listening
Every good business listens to their customers. Success demands that companies have a good handle on the opinions, the needs and the desires of the clientele they serve. The media business is no exception. “Know your Audience” is rule number one for anyone in publishing.At AFM, we’ve been listening very closely to our readers for 20 years. Whether it’s hearing from the hundreds of coaches who have contributed articles over the years, getting face-to-face with coaches at con
Drills to Develop A Game-Ready Quarterback – Drills that simulate game conditions can help get your QB ready for any situation he'll face on the field.
The quarterback position has long been described as another coach on the field. The qualities of a good quarterback must be fine-tuned from his playing ability to his leadership ability. These qualities must be identified, explained, practiced and developed to their fullest to create a successful and winning quarterback.There must be drills developed and executed that cover every situation that will arise for a quarterback in a football game. But before we ever get to the game, pra
A Complete In-Season Training Program
Our mission as a strength and conditioning department is to develop strong minds within strong bodies and prepare each athlete for the rigors and demands of college athletics. We have three goals we use to summarize the mission:1. Reduce the occurrence of injury2. Improve athletic performance3. Optimize team successWith our football program, I view the in-season as our most important training stage of the entire year. This is the time when the
The Art of the Interception – Proper positioning and anticipation are two prerequisites for making an interception.
Just about every coach at every level will tell you that turnovers are critical. Interceptions, especially, alter the momentum and often change the outcome of a game. What can be done to help your defense cause an interception? What type of preparation is needed so that your defense is ready to anticipate a potential interception?AFM spoke to five defensive coaches whose teams were among the leaders in interceptions last fall. They included four defensive coordinators: Josh Homolka
Managing Your Program: Building a Team – Objectives for Camp
Unity/Chemistry - Establishing chemistry is a big goal for every team in camp. Hopefully, the ground work was established in the off season. No matter how the off season went, camp and the new season have a new dynamic in how the team will interact and work together. It is a time for leadership of the team to really take root. This is an area that can be coached, managed and developed. A good head coach and his staff will see some of the issues that must be worked on during camp so
Drills Report: Kickoff Return – The Alley Drill
Anyone who has coached special teams at any level will usually list three problem areas that can sometimes make it difficult to excel in the kicking game. One is personnel. It is a constant challenge to balance utilizing your roster to the max yet also getting the best players on your team involved in the kicking game. Another is how much time is allotted to special teams practice. If you are in high school or college, your practice time is often limited. Unless you have a head coach who real
Speed Assistance and Resistance - Good or Bad for Football?
Since speed and movement and movement control are the most sought-after athletic qualities, coaches and trainers are always looking for ways to help athletes improve in these areas. Let’s look at the topic of loading and assisting and try to sort out the good from the not so good. Coaches constantly ask me about load speed work and assisted speed work. For football, it’s a controversial subject. First, coaches place too much value on it and, in most cases, use it improperly. Of
Carmel High School’s Game Week Preparation Model
By John Hebert, Assistant Coach, Carmel High School (IN) The Carmel defensive system currently in place has many influences. Through external benchmarking visits, (2005-Colerain High School in Cincinnati; 2008- Air Force Academy; 2010- Naval Academy; and 2012 Grand Valley State) we have become committed to a one ga
A Question of CHARACTER
The NFL High School Player Development Program presented by the National Guard helps thousands of high school athletes develop strong character.From an athletic standpoint, the hundreds of camps of the NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard help thousands of high school student-athletes refine their football skills using drills developed by a collegiate coaching staff. From a competitive standpoint, HSPD organizes the nation’s largest 7-on-7 tourna
Pressure Defenses, Part II: Having the proper angle for each player is crucial in pursuing a ball carrier in space.
Last month’s issue included our defensive alignment and strategy as well as our different fronts and coverages. This month, we feature three different defensive pursuit drills.A crucial period of practice for us is our pursuit drill time. The focus is on getting aligned, proper communication, correct angles, and great effort. This drill sets the tempo for the rest of practice. Going hard every time and sprinting to the football is a point of pride for all of our players.
Complete Package: Becoming a complete wide receiver includes becoming a better downfield blocker.
Blocking is critical to becoming a complete wide receiver. Blocking as a receiver is about effort, position, and leverage. A complete receiver always puts as much effort into blocking as he does into catching passes. It is great if you have what it takes to run clean routes to get open and catch the football, but what if the play that’s being called is a running play? Will you do your part to ensure the play is a success and that a teammate has a great opportunity to score? Or, will you jus
Big D: Defensive Line Philosophy and Daily Drills for an Aggressive Front
One key to a strong defense is that each position group develops the fundamental skills required to consistently execute their individual assignments. Here is our defensive line philosophy and an outline of the daily drills we utilize to help our players compete at a high level. Defensive Line PhilosophyWe pride ourselves on being a fast, aggressive front that plays with exceptional fundamentals and discipline. We prepare, practice, and compete with tremendous energy and
Drills Report: The Down Block
If you are a tackle or tight end and you can down block, then you will play. We have reminded our players of this for the last twenty years. The down block is the most important block in our offense.There are four phases to the proper execution of the down block. The first phase is footwork. To be a good down blocker you have to bring your feet to the block. The first drill that we do every day is “One-Step Bird Dog.”FOOTWORKStart all offensive linemen in a stan
Coaching American Football Overseas
By John Trana, American Football Coach in Russia and Croatia American football’s popularity is growing quickly all around the world. It is opening up new avenues for players and coaches to continue their football careers. There are over 700 teams in Europe alone playing American football. The quality of football can vary drastically with the top teams playing at a low college level. As the NFL continues to expand overseas, so will the popularity of American foo
Your Take: Expanding Your Coaching Network
We all have a stack of business cards, or an inbox full of messages from other coaches throughout our network. When was the last time you reached out to one of those coaches to discuss a concept or to share a scheme? Have you applied or inquired about a job at a school where you did not know anyone on the current staff? Is there a chance that one of those contacts in your file has a connection to use?The concept of increasing value and depth to your network is one that should not b
Pressure Packed – Game-like drills will help your quarterback make good decisions.
In today’s offensive game plans, most teams have a spread attack that works out of the shotgun set. Teams run 60-65 plays per game with the quarterback in a drop back technique for most of the passing plays. Out of the number of passing plays called, at least 12-15 plays – on an average – force the quarterback out of the pocket or to retreat back into the middle of the pocket. This means at least one fourth of your pass plays have a QB making a decision to either run or pass while
Put the Block On – Block circuit drills and one-on-one punt rush drills can increase your chances of blocking a punt.
Blocking punts takes not only personal belief and courage, but training and a good scheme to get the right player free to the punter. We teach the techniques necessary to properly block punts. We also practice different drills to train players to use those techniques plus a few scheme adjustments to try to get players free to the punter. I always tell the players that I want volunteers, not mercenaries. Mercenaries are people you hire to do a job; volunteers do it because they love it. Pu
Pressure Defenses (Part I) – Specific stunts and gap exchanges – when coordinated correctly – can improve team defense.
The Peru State defense played with relentless effort last season and finished sixth in the nation against the run and second in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) in total defense. A big reason was our defensive philosophy and how we align with our various packages.Bobcat Defensive Philosophy• Focus on effort and attitude• Play hard every play and play with great enthus
Teaching the Inside and Outside Zone Using 3-Person Groups
O-Linemen need to determine their defender’s alignment so they know if they are a covered or uncovered lineman.This topic is about teaching the inside and outside zone using 3-person groups during your individual periods.Before getting into the actual drills, a few things must be understood. The two plays are based on the teaching that in any inside or outside zone play, there are “covered” and “uncovered” linemen. Covered linemen are those that have a d
Summer Priorities – What should be your priorities heading into the summer months?
The summer months bring about a number of challenges for every football coach. Staying in contact with players and parents without school every day can be difficult. Similarly, coordinating staff meetings and giving players and coaches the needed time off before the grind of a new season begins can also be taxing.What should be your priorities heading into summer? What are the most effective ways to communicate with players and coaches? How important are strength and conditioning p
Managing Your Program: Creating the Installation Schedule for Fall Camp
Recently, the three-day installation has become a popular topic. It seems the challenge is to see how fast you can install your offense, and the process is repeated with deeper levels of understanding being developed in each repetition of the installation. This is something Dana Holgersen made popular at West Virginia. While I have implemented the three-day initial install, I extended the total install out to seven days with a layered approach. Each subsequent day adds layers to the initial i
Drills Report: The Wall Return Drill
One of the most exciting plays in football is when a punt returner is able to sprint around the edge and make use of the “wall” on an outside return. At Illinois, we rely on a drill installed on day one of our fall practices for our punt return team.An important phase of the return is having initial landmarks for the wall blockers (Diagram 1). When the ball is on a hash and a wall return is called to the wide side of the field, the wall blockers use the far hash as a landmark.
FREE FORM - Running Back Drill and Technique Checklist
Drills and coaching techniques are a part of every spring practice. The Running Back Drill and Technique Checklist is a form that is helpful to every coach. It includes ball protection techniques, body control and agility drills, and timing, blocking and passing drills.
Major Undertaking
Behind the scenes at a successful football skills and character development camp of the NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard.As you would expect, managing the largest football skills and character development camp program in the world is a massive organizational challenge. With nearly two hundred camps across the country involving thousands of high school athletes, the NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Gua
Your Take: Win The Offseason: Organization Matters
Organization isn’t the sexiest topic to talk about, but if you’re serious about improving as a coach, it takes more than how-to videos and watching game tape. Reviewing your notes and processes can help save time and energy, while also allowing you to tackle your goals of molding your athletes into better players and people.Being disorganized can mean the difference between winning and losing. Even the smartest coaches need to be reminded of old plays and schemes that could hel
BOTTLING UP THE RUN Complete D-Line Drills to Eliminate the Middle Running Game
We run the Virginia Tech G defense as our base. We have melded that into the 4-2-5 and added 3-4 to our schemes. However, the G is where we start everything. Everything builds on the G. Our league has not made the transition to the spread offense, so we are part of a Delaware and I-zone league. We are not stopping the run on the way to the quarterback; rather, we are a read and react defense. Trends will change and we have adapted some new things to defend the spread offense. But, in our basi
BE SPECIAL By committing to better special team practice organization, your units will create more explosive plays.
Special teams are an important part of any football game. They are the first play of every game, and many times the last and decisive play in a game. During every special teams play, one of these situations occurs – a large field position exchange, a change of possession, or a scoring opportunity. Frequently, two of these situations take place on the same special teams play. By their very nature, special teams plays are “special” and have a big impact on the outcome of the game.
UPSET SPECIAL Give your underdog team a shot with these strategies.
Nearly every coach has entered a game week knowing that the only people picking his team to win are on his staff or inside his own locker room.These situations can be an opportunity to galvanize a team by instilling an us-against-them world mentality; freeing the underdogs to play loose and pulling off an upset.No one knows that more than George O’Leary, the head coach at the University of Central Florida. The Knights pulled off the biggest upset in BCS history by beat
Athletic Body Control The Movement Training Correlation to Football Speed
Before we move to the details of movement training, let’s clarify what is football speed – the velocity and control by which variable movement patterns are executed efficiently without velocity loss. Most of the time it’s far easier said than done. My term for this activity is “Transition Speed.”The second area to clarify is Athletic Body Control (ABC). The term “Athletic” means athletes and the exercises practiced by them in a sport that requires physical skill or st
Cougar Defensive Line Drills part II
Last month, our defensive line drills included the use of agility bags and a variety of cage drills. This issue includes the use of post mount sleds, hoops, two-man pop ups and tite bags. We practice a number of these drills daily, which we believe improves both the agility and quickness of our D-linemen.#1. Post Mount Sleds
Maximizing Spring Agility Drills
If every athlete used the spring to improve their speed and strength, summer conditioning would be really simple. Everyone would be faster and stronger than before, and with a couple of weeks of basic conditioning, you’d be ready for football practice. Unfortunately, things never seem to turn out that way, so you need to have an effective plan in place.It’s important to analyze the metabolic requirements of football and design conditioning routines that train the proper e
Solid Foundation
The NFL PREP 100 Series presented by Under Armour and the National Guard gives elite high school student-athletes meaningful lessons in football and in life.The NFL gives back to the high school community at large through its High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard. Free football skills and character development camps are conducted nationwide along with the HSPD Leadership Program and the National 7-on-7 Tournament – together
Rowan University's Special Teams Philosophy and Punt Team Techniques
We think our approach to special teams is very sound. We utilize all players, both starters and reserves, on special teams and use players from both sides of the ball. Also, we will reward certain players for outstanding play by allowing them to participate on special teams.We identify every player’s strengths and incorporate them into special teams. We cannot afford to spend an inordinate amount of time teaching skills that players have already mastered. We keep the schemes rela
U-TURN How Southern Virginia University went from 3-8 to 8-2.
On February 9th 2009, I agreed to become the head football coach at Southern Virginia University. At the time, the SVU football program faced several obstacles both on and off the field. They included a low team grade point average, discipline problems, and recruitment and retention problems. In addition, they had embraced a mediocre mentality from a losing record.When I accepted the head coaching job, SVU had only had one winning season in school history and had averaged just two
Cougar Defensive Line Drills
We believe that constant drill work for our defensive line makes them better players. We have a variety of drills for our D-line that feature four different agility bag drills including two in a hole, a lateral run drill, and a cut drill. There are also four different cage drills that we practice on a regular basis – get offs, fast feet, the lateral shuffle, and the L-step. In part II next month, we will include drills such as post mount sleds, pop up bags, and tite up bags. # 1.&n
Thoughts from an HSPD Veteran
Craig Jacoby, who is the site manager for the Rockland, New York, HSPD camp, has over a decade of experience with the program and has seen first-hand how it has benefitted hundreds of high school athletes. We asked him about the camp experience for athletes and the value of the DVD to coaches.AFM: How do HSPD athletes respond to the college-level drills at HSPD camps? Jacoby: In my experience, the players who attend HSPD are getting a training experience that can’t be d
Practice Priorities - All high school coaches benefit from the practice plan developed for the NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard
What are your priorities when designing an early-season practice plan? Do you try to build a collection of proven drills that safely and efficiently teach fundamentals while challenging your players? Do you incorporate teaching techniques that you may have learned from a top college coach at a clinic session? Do you have printed materials and video that every member of your staff can use to gain a thorough understanding of your drills and how to conduct them?If you’re a coach at
AFM Subscribers Ask with Joe Willis (Part I) Head Coach, Cedar Park High School (TX)
Joe Willis is the head coach of 2012 State Champion Cedar Park High School (TX). A defensive specialist, Coach Willis uses multiple looks in his 3-4 defense to slow down an up-tempo offense. Cedar Park calls their defense like they call their offense – marrying the front and coverage calls together and using disguises pre-snap on every play. They use a combination of slants, stunts, and blitzes to help defend the no-huddle offense. Coach Willis answers your questions.How do y
A Different Read on the Zone Option
Selective adjustments in the zone read – such as keying on the inside linebacker – can add to your offensive production.Like many coaches, I spent a great deal of time in December and January watching the college bowl season and the NFL playoffs. Armed with my DVR, I couldn’t help but notice that a majority of teams ran some variation of the “zone read.” Many of them dressed the play up with different formations and motions, while some added another element to the play to mak
Defensive Back Attack Force
Three different techniques – Shoot the Hip, Glove, and Catch-Hit – can help your defensive backs attack the football.A DB has three things he can do when breaking on the ball – intercept the pass, knock the pass down, or make the tackle. We teach defensive backs three different ways of attacking the football when a wide receiver is being thrown the ball – “shoot the hip”, “glove”, and “catch-hit.” Each of these techniques can be taught whether your DBs backpedal, cr
Systematic Innovation: The No-Huddle, Power Pistol Offense
For Head Coach Robbie Owens of Grand Junction High School (CO), the system’s the thing. He believes offensive innovation is important, but without a system that is simple, adjustable and easy to install and teach, the value of innovation can be diminished.Owens’ system has proved itself over multiple seasons of high-octane offense. By combining the pistol formation with a punishing running attack and an up-tempo, no-huddle pace, Owens’ Grand Junction teams have produced proli
Samson Equipment’s Strength and Conditioning Coaches of the Year
NFL: Luke Richesson Denver BroncosBackground - Luke Richesson began his coaching career at his alma mater, the University of Kansas, in 1997 after a four-year career playing safety for the Jayhawks. After one season as a strength and conditioning intern, he spent the next season at the University of Wyoming and the following two at Arizona State University as a graduate assistant before becoming the performance team direc
Drills Report: Fumble, Strip and Interception Drills
As I watched bowl games in December and January, it amazed me how many errant passes were dropped by defenders and how many lost fumbles ended up going just past or through a defender’s hands. It reminds me of the old saying, “If your defense caught all of the dropped interceptions during a season, you would lead your league in interceptions every season.”We all work on creating turnovers during the pre-season, but during the season, it can be difficult to find time. Th
Coach to Coach: Thanks for the Memories
In 2010, I wrote my first article for American Football Monthly. In that article I told the story of how Hall of Fame Coach George Allen returned to coaching at the age of 72 to coach my college football team at Long Beach State University. The experience of writing that article and the positive response that I received from coaches around the country far exceeded any expectations I may have had about the joy of writing and sharing my ideas. What was supposed to be one article has turne
Speed Report: Can You Improve Your Quarterback’s Speed?
My goal each month is to deliver information useful for all aspects of football. This month, Cree Morris, a long time quarterback training specialist, discusses the topic of improving a quarterback’s speed. What is the difference between football speed and football quarterback speed? Better technical applications produce more efficient movement, which creates effective speed. That is usually the requirement it takes for the QB to avoid a sack or make a play. I will give some spec
Shining Stars
Top NFL and college players honed their football skills and grew as individuals through the NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard.When high school football players attend the free camps conducted by the NFL’s High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard, they improve their football skills and also learn valuable life lessons in character development sessions. All participating athletes gain from their HSPD experie
Out in the Open - Live tackling drills can improve your team’s open field tackling.
As today’s game stretches laterally to encompass the entire width of the field, the ability to open-field tackle is at a premium. One of the most difficult skills to acquire as a defensive player is the art of open-field tackling. Even elite athletes need to improve and sharpen their skill sets.How do you enhance those abilities and replicate them at game speed? The answer is simple – live tackling, offensive skill vs. defensive skill. At the University at Albany, Head Coach Bo
Drills Report: Pursuing Perfect Ball Security
While blocking and tackling are commonly seen as the two key building blocks of any football program, the most important fundamental of offensive football is ball security. Without possession of the ball, the offensive unit is not on the field. While that may seem like a simplistic and obvious statement, the importance of securing the football is at times an overlooked fundamental in today’s game. Ball security in its basic form is preventing and eliminating fumbles by ball carriers.
Speed Report: The Virtues of Off-Season Conditioning - Is It Good for Football Speed?
To every football coach, the word conditioning means getting fit to play or producing stamina for performance situations. Conditioning is, in reality, a performance trait, most useful during the season. It can cut into your periodization schedule in the off-season, when in reality, it’s not relative to development for that time frame.You should center your off-season training on speed and power, not on conditioning. Your skills, speed, flexibility, and athletic movement speed and
Strength Report: Writing the Winter Off-Season Strength and Conditioning Program, Part I
I enjoy my profession of strength and conditioning coaching because it allows me the opportunity to choose and to create the tools that can then be used by our athletes to improve their athletic performance. After 30 years of writing strength and conditioning programs at the Division I level, my approach has evolved into a systematic methodology of program design that fits my overall strength and conditioning training philosophy. Virginia Tech Football Strength and Conditioning
Going Camping
Sending your players to the free football camps offered by the NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard is a win-win for you and them.Football camps for high school athletes are big business. Dozens of for-profit camps, costing hundreds or even thousands of dollars to attend, are offered to high school students who want to hone their skills over a period of days or weeks. But only one football camp program offers proven instruction methods a
Drills Report: Complete Special Teams Drills
Kickoff, kick return, punt return, field goal, and field goal block teams all need specific drills.Special teams is the most overlooked facet of the game. Drastic improvements can be made if you are willing to put the time into improving your kicking game. There are plenty of drills out there and you may already use some of them that are not mentioned here. The most important thing is that you set aside time for practice and film study.Kickoff Drills We teac
Strength Report: Develop Complete Athletes – Liberty Universitys Unique Strength Program
Building true strength and power on the football field has less to do with fine tuning minor details and more to do with building more horsepower in the “engine” of an athlete. From there, details can be modified to turn the advanced athlete into an elite athlete. The process of creating more horsepower in the athlete is more methodical than most think and we use methods that are not practiced on a large scale. Last year, we had over 82 football players clean at least 300 pound
Speed Report: Is Your Speed Training the Real Deal?
Have you analyzed why you use the methods and teaching applications for football speed training? Have you just borrowed available concepts and plugged them into your program? Are you just covering bases or do you really feel you’ve reached a high level of knowledge and are satisfied with your results? Where did you get what you use today and is it working? Why did you choose to incorporate it into your program? Did you get your material from a friend, a colleague, a relative
Fantastic Finish
The National Lineman Challenge was the first event of its kind ever conducted.The NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard capped off another successful year with two thrilling events.Throughout the late spring and early summer, the focus of the NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard is the nearly 200 multi-day camps that are conducted coast to coast and managed by local coaches. High school football players i
Back to School - 2014 Coaching Clinics
Now is the time to make yourplans for coaches clinics in 2014. Here is a listing of four premier organizations that will be conducting clinics across the country during the winter and spring months of 2014.Nike Coach of the Year Clinics The 2014 Nike Coach of the Year Clinics will feature the nation’s top coaches speaking at 17 locations in every corner of the nation. Many of the clinics will feature special lectures for youth league coaches. Most also wil
Get Your O-Line In The Zone
Teaching the Square Drag, Square Drag and Skip, and the Brace and Skip Technique in Zone Blocking – Some Do’s and Don’tsTwo key elements in proper zone blocking technique are keeping the shoulders square and using lateral steps to close in on the defender. In coaching the offensive line at the collegiate level for the past 23 years, I have learned that we have to adapt our teaching methods and techniques to our players. Rarely do we come across a player who has size, strength, at
Get Strong – Four Proven Off-Season Strength and Conditioning Programs
BISHOP GORMAN HIGH SCHOOL Las Vegas, NevadaHead Coach –Tony SanchezEnrollment – 1,200 students9-12 Football Program – 160-180 athletesFour consecutive Nevada 4A Championships, Nationally-Ranked ProgramSean Manuel serves as Head Strength and Conditioning Coach and also coaches the offensive line at Bishop Gorman. When he joined the Gorman staff in 2010, he completely revamped the outdated strength and conditioning facility.The FacilityOur w
Strength Report: Wyoming’s Winter Player Development Program
Much like a football game has four quarters, the Wyoming football player development program is broken down into four distinct phases. Winter training, spring football, summer training and the competitive season make up our yearly training calendar. The Wyoming player development program has a structured plan during each of these phases and is built around landmarks found in the student-athletes academic calendar and competition dates. Each phase has very specific goals and intended outcomes.
Drills Report: Conditioning Cadets
The phrase “off-season” has a little different meaning at the United States Military Academy than it may have at other colleges. In fact, the Sprint football team likes to use the term “out-of-season” since cadets are never truly “off”. The combination of 20 credit-hour academic loads per semester, mandatory physical fitness participation, and rigorous military training keep the cadets at USMA continuously moving with little time to spare. Football’s out-of-season training regim
Speed Report: The Off-Season - Preparing for Advanced Level Training
When you begin the off-season with speed training, one of your major challenges will be organizing and periodizing your product. Obviously your periodization scheme stretches over many months. Your design is critical to the success of the progression you expect to gain during the year. One area that can be a little tricky and can have a distinct affect on your development for team speed is working with large numbers of players who are at two different levels of ability. My experien
Letter from AFM - Getting Stronger
Now that your season has ended, it’s time to focus on what you can do to strengthen your program during the off-season.Last year in our December issue, our “panel” of eight legendary high school coaches covered a variety of topics related to off-season priorities including player and staff evaluation, working with graduating seniors and methods to keep your team involved and motivated during the winter and spring months. You can access the article, “Building Blocks” and h
AFM Subscribers Ask with Joe Daniel Defensive Coordinator and Offensive Line Coach, Prince George High School (VA) – Part I
Joe Daniel has more than ten years experience coaching on the high school and college level. In 2009, Daniel began building a website which includes more than 300 articles on defensive coaching – www.Football-Defense.com Daniel is also the host of The Football Coaching Podcast and has written several eBooks, including Coaching Football’s 4-2-5 Defense, Installing the 4-3 Over Defensive Front, and Dominating Football Defense with the Zone Blitz. A frequent contributor to b
Circuit Drills Emphasize Repetition, Range of Motion and Reaction to Improve Your Special Teams Play.
Our staff at Central Washington University understands the importance and value of the kicking game in each contest. We treat each special team’s preparation with the same enthusiasm, intensity, and creativity as our offense and defense. To do it right, we must train our special teams players in the same way. Preparing players for their special team roles, however, presents some unique challenges. Consider the following:1. Getting Enough RepetitionsAlmost all of our playe
Drills to Perfect Your Pursuit of the Screen Pass.
Relentless hustle and pursuit, along with proper angles and leverage, are keys to successfully defending the screen. We stress the importance of 11 players giving maximum effort running to the football every play. Accountability and repetition are keys to be successful in this point of emphasis. All 11 players are graded every game or scrimmage play to be held accountable. Our coaches confront and demand hustle and pursuit in practice repetitions.We invest time prior to our individ
Multiple Looks from a 3-4 Defense to Slow Down an Up-Tempo Offense
When we played Lake Travis High School four years ago, Chad Morris – now the offensive coordinator at Clemson – was the head coach. That year we had a short week of preparation for his up-tempo, no-huddle offense.After a relatively good start in the first quarter, our defense broke down after a turnover in the second quarter. Their fast-paced offense began to take its toll on our defense as we struggled to line-up before the snap, became confused with the offensive packages the
Drills Report: The Reach Doug Down Drill
I believe that the most important element of our football team is our offensive line. This is not to demean the other positions, but it is what I believe and preach to our players. If the defense gives up 50, then we must score 51. We will not score 51 points if we do not get it done up front. That means a hat on a hat at all times. We know that we will not always have the most gifted skill guys on the field and our quarterbacks might not always make the best decisions, but we can never be me
Strength Report: In-Season Training Considerations
One of the most common questions that a strength and conditioning coach will be asked is “what is your program”? The answer to this question could be extremely complex if you were to take all of the components of a coach’s program – volume, rest, time, conditioning protocols, speed work, agility drills, quickness training, reps, sets, progressions, strength development, power development, periodization models, etc. As you can see, this would be a long article! Instead, the short versi
D-Back Run Stoppers Both the Key Read Drill and Block Escape Circuit Drill will improve defensive backs’ recognition of the run.
Stopping the run is one of the main priorities of any defense. In order to accomplish this goal, the defensive secondary must be active against running plays. It is important that all members of the secondary are equipped with the skills to recognize the run and then be able to execute techniques to disengage blocks. Your secondary can sharpen their eye discipline, footwork and hand placement/combat skills by recognizing the intentions of the End Man on the Line of Scrimmage (EMOL)
D-Line Rules vs. Outside Zone and Zone Read
Following the playside and backside rules is critical to stopping the outside zone and zone read.We try to keep our D-line rules and principles the same with outside zone and zone read as well as other plays and concepts. When we speak about outside zone, we break into halves, especially what side the offense is on in pre-and post-snap. We use strength and if the quarterback is under center or in the gun to determine the run strength of this particular play. Otherwise, we may use the t
Human Shield: The shield punt formation maximizes protection and coverage.
Protection is the most critical piece to a punt unit’s success. In pre-season camp, protection is the first area that is addressed. It is emphasized in every meeting, film session, and drill period, because there are few occurrences more deflating to a team than a blocked punt. The shield formation itself creates advantages, because it lengthens rush lanes and handicaps angles for the defense. The three-man shield, when executed properly, serves as a deflector for the block point that elimi
Developmental Tackling Part II: Hashmark-to-Boundary Drills and Pursuit Drills to improve overall tackling
The safety considerations and progressive skills emphasized in part I of Developmental Tackling must be maintained and re-taught as you move from individual skill areas to group skills and game preparation. Nothing can impact your season more than great defensive play exemplified by great tackling skills, team pursuit and rallies to the ball. In film review, we always count the players who swarm to the ball carrier and address the responsibility of cutback and backside pursuit. ON
Drills Report: Defensive Backs: Footwork, Block Protection, Tackling, and Ball Skills
Our focus on drill work for defensive backs has played a role in our success and paid dividends in the fall. At Villanova, our base defensive front is a 3-3 stack. With five defensive backs on the field in varying roles, we focus our teaching on a select number of skills to best prepare the entire group within our time constraints. Our goal is to spend at least five minutes each practice developing four specific skill categories: footwork, block protection, tackling, and ball skills.F
Speed Report: Fast Twitch for Football Speed - Can it be Produced?
Muscle fibers are made up of two different types of fiber composition, slow twitch fibers and fast twitch fibers. Skeletal muscles are made up of numerous individual muscle fibers called myocytes. Each myocyte contains many myofibrils, which are strands of proteins that can grab on to each other and pull. This shortens the muscle and causes muscle contraction. Of course, contraction can be very fast and dynamic or slower with endurance capabilities. When we think about football speed we natur
CONCUSSIONS IN YOUTH FOOTBALL – ARE WE THINKING CLEARLY?
By Rey Hernandez Former Head Coach, LaJolla High School (CA) The current legislative proposals seeking to limit full contact in high school practices raise some tort liability issues that to date have not made it into the national concussion saf
AFM Subs Ask With Curtis Tsuruda Strength and Conditioning Coach • East St. John High School (LA)
Coach Curtis Tsuruda, has over 30 years of experience as a strength and conditioning coach. He has worked at Tulane, LSU, Hawaii, and Mississippi State and is currently the strength and conditioning coach at East St. John High School in Reserve, Louisiana. He was featured in AFM Subscribers Ask in May and now responds to more of your questions.What methods do you use to train young high school athletes to successfully rack the bar on the power clean? How many days do you fe
Inside Zone Variations
The proper adjustment to what the defense shows gives the quarterback specific options in running the inside zone.While some elements of the spread offense have been seen for some time, there are many variations of the spread offense that utilize different personnel groupings and formations. But the one constant in any spread offense is the inside zone running game. I’ll examine the inside zone and its variations from a 10 personnel grouping.Inside Zone - 10 Personnel
Three Pillars of Defensive Prep
Three important items in game planning include practicing proper tackling, studying your opponent’s big plays and those your defense has given up, and focusing on turnovers.We are always looking for a defensive edge on game day. However, with the unpredictability that game day brings, it is very difficult to predict or prepare for every scenario that might present itself. That is why it is important to use Monday through Friday to put the odds of victory as much as possible in our fa
Developmental Tackling, Part I – Effectively using the shimmy technique can help ensure the safety of all defensive players.
Without question, teaching safe tackling skills and drills is one of the most demanding tasks every coach in the country must master. In my 54 years of coaching varsity football, nothing gave me more concern than the idea of a collision with a player’s head down, chin on chest, and the resulting straight line spinal column hit with the top of the helmet. That is almost always the primary cause of paraplegic injury. That is why so much emphasis is placed on converting the speed run of pursui
On Top of the World – AFM’s Annual State Champions Survey and Profiles
State champion coaches share their secrets to winning it all. The results may surprise you.Most high school coaches would agree that their ultimate goal is winning their state championship. Taking home the trophy after the punishing regular season and pressure-filled playoffs is the pinnacle for the 300+ teams that annually achieve that goal.But do coaches agree on the best methods to use to reach that mountaintop? What offensive, defensive and special teams strategies give
Speed Report – Dynamic Relaxation – The Misunderstood Nugget for Speed and Quickness
When we think of the word relaxation it doesn’t suggest a very aggressive picture in our mind. Whenever I mention the term “Dynamic Relaxation” to coaches, they’re momentarily puzzled. They are searching their thoughts for where this picture fits football, a sport that delivers aggressive action every play.Football movement is not naturally linked to relaxation when the game is all about contact. Having a consistent forceful mindset week to week is what every coach desires.
Drills Report – Techniques to Prevent Blocks
When a player is blocked, it is commonly due to two things. He has concentrated solely on the ball carrier and not the individual who is coming to block him, giving him little chance of success. Or, his attack and body position taking on the block doesn’t allow him to use any power. Without enough power, you are unable to gain advantage or leverage on a blocker. When you have proper position and use power, you are able to strike and neutralize the opponents’ power to maintain your gap of
A Complete Strength and Conditioning Program for Offensive Linemen PART Two
The strength program is designed as a four-day split. The base spilt is Monday-Tuesday-Thursday-Friday. Other day combinations can be used as well. Recovery must be factored in and tailored to the split chosen. For example, a condensed split does not allow great recovery between workouts during the week. This requires volume to be reduced in workouts one and two to allow for recovery by workouts three and four. However, since three days of recovery exist with this approach, the lat
Taking the Lead
As part of their sponsorship of the NFL’s High School Player Development program, the National Guard is taking an active role in the HSPD Leadership Program.When most people think about the National Guard, they envision “Weekend Warriors” devoting several days each month to military training and, if necessary, participating in disaster relief or serving overseas. But in reality, many of the Guard’s activities revolve around the com
Summer Speed Work – This 8-week speed conditioning program will have your athletes primed and ready for August camp.
If your program is like most, you have an extensive pre-season strength training program designed to ensure your players will be in their strongest physical condition when your camp practices start in August. They’ll certainly be strong, but will they be fast? Will they have had the necessary training to execute the fast-paced offenses that so many teams employ today?To achieve a balance between strength and speed, consider implementing a structured speed conditioning program to
Speed Report - Football Speed Information: Good News or Old News?
I have been writing AFM’s Speed Report for 6½ years and have traveled the country for 30 years engaging with coaches who want to learn “thorough and complete football speed training”. Not second-hand information that isn’t football speed specific. More specifically, lineal track techniques. Coaches should understand that these particular techniques don’t provide movement skills needed for football speed and/or transition speed that’s required to play fast and stay in control.
Drills Report – Advanced Wide Receiver Drills, Part II
Last month’s drills for wide receivers included five different drills intended to make players concentrate on catching the ball and improve their route running. The six drills included this month are more detailed with an emphasis on proper technique (In each drill, ‘C’ refers to coach and ‘R’ for receiver).Chute DRILL (Diagram 1)
Strength Report – A Complete Strength and Conditioning Report for Offensive Linemen, Part I
It is my belief that all strength and conditioning programs grow from a very specific set of needs and circumstances that differ from team to team. Every situation is different, so a program influenced by principles rather than copied verbatim is needed.From years spent playing offensive line then beginning my coaching career coaching it and finally working as a football strength coach for the past 25 years, I have gained perspective into the needs of offensive linemen. The princip
The Competition Heats Up
The NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard adds a new Lineman Challenge to complement its nationwide 7-on-7 competition.Of the dozens of 7-on-7 events that have appeared on the high school football landscape in recent years, none have been more successful than the National 7-on-7 Tournament conducted by the NFL High School Player Development program. In terms of number of participating teams, overall caliber of play and the prestige of their Nati
Running the Triple Option in the Pistol
Using the triple option with the pistol offense is a natural fit and can improve both your running and passing game.Like Army and Navy, we have been a traditional triple option team and have experienced success because our offense gave us a way to compete against superior talent. While we have had a potent rushing attack, when teams put nine or ten players in the box we didn’t have an answer. Last season, we decided to experiment and add the pistol to our offense. Adding the pistol t
Emphasizing Ball Security – Mastering the five points of contact will help keep your runners from fumbling
Mastering the five points of contact will help keep your runners from fumbling dropping the ball.When teaching ball carriers about ball security, we talk about the five points of contact. The first point relates to our nickname which is the Eagles, so I use the term “Eagle Claw” for the point of the football. The second point of contact is the forearm and the third is the bicep. Both are used to secure the outside part of the ball to the middle of the body which leads to the fourth
High Roller! – Since Tony Sanchez was named head coach, Bishop Gorman has won four consecutive Nevada State Championships and posted an overall 56-4 record.
“Live well.” The words are simple; however, what they entail for those associated with the Bishop Gorman High School football program is anything but. Serving as the mantra which internally defines Bishop Gorman football, “live well” is part of an overall philosophy which has contributed to the school capturing the last four 4A Nevada State Championships.There are six identifiable components one can link to the culture of success that is Gaels’ football. These six charact
Drills Report – Advanced Wide Receiver Drills, Part I
I am always looking for effective drills that my receivers can use to make them better. I think it’s important to think through drills before you use them and make sure they reinforce the technique utilized in a game and the technique utilized within your offense. Your players will be able to tell you how certain drills reinforce situations that come up in a game. That’s when you know you are using the correct drills.I always try to get as much out of a drill as I can. When we
Strength Report – 10 Common Errors in Football Strength & Conditioning
The profession of strength and conditioning coaching was formally established in the United States 35 years ago with the formation of the National Strength & Conditioning Association. The aim of the NSCA was to merge science and practice to legitimize our roles and to separate us from other fitness-related “experts.” After all this time, one would expect an evolution in the quality of programming and coaching but it isn’t evident in the practices of many strength and conditioning co
Camp Season
- The NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard conducts free camps for high school players that combine football skills teaching with character development lessons.Summer is right around the corner, and that means that it will soon be time for football camps for high school athletes to begin. Camps have become a popular way for high school players to get meaningful instruction and work on their fundamentals in the months leading
Managing Your Program – Spring Practice: Make it About the Details and Development
As we head into spring practice, now is the time to set a focus that will carry the team into strong summer preparations and camp, eventually leading up to the 2013 season. For many areas in the country, a spring game against an opponent is not part of the equation. This is a time that will end in an inter-squad game, or for some, no game or scrimmage at all. This is true at the NCAA Division III level, where we cannot even put on pads. However, this is still a great time to make progress and
Developing an Efficient Kickoff Team – Following a detailed teaching progression for your kickoff team will maximize their potential.
There are many factors that contribute to a successful season on special teams. The most important factor is the strong support and focus of the head coach to ensure that players and coaches are committed to this phase of the game. We always begin our practices with special teams and then break to offense and defense. That goes for installation meetings, film review and practice. We start with 20 minutes of special teams and end practice with a field goal or punt. The importance of special te
Tackling Drills Without Full Contact – Tackling progressions for both the head-up and profile tackle can be taught to emphasize safety.
Concussions continue to dominate our discussions about football injuries. Coaches have to find ways to teach the solid fundamentals of tackling, yet protect their players from preventable injuries.We have to contend with a small squad (usually less than 50 players) and often we have undersized players. Traditional tackling techniques are not just enough for us. We have to give our smaller players a chance to tackle without “ramming their head” into a ball carrier. Over the year
Inside Linebacker Reads in the 3-4 Defense – The 3-4 defense gives the inside linebackers a read on the uncovered guard through to the fullback.
The 3-4 defense gives the inside linebackers a read on the uncovered guard through to the fullback.The 3-4 defense, or Okie front is very flexible and multiple, which is needed against today’s spread offensive attacks. The 3-4 defense has the ability to blitz any of the four linebackers, and, in the 3-4 secondary, a team can play multiple coverages, from zone to man.This old school Okie defensive front has a built-in advantage for the inside linebackers.The adva
Drills Report – No Pads, No Problem: Five Drills to Improve Your Defensive Line Without Using Helmets and Shoulder Pads
It’s that time of year when coaches are attending clinics and analyzing film from the 2012 season to improve individual and overall team performance. I’ve learned some training season drills that can improve your defensive line play in between strength and conditioning sessions. These are everyday drills that I use to improve get-off reaction, hand speed, separation, leverage, and pass rush without the use of helmets and shoulder pads. Whether you’re training inside during the winter or
Strength Report – Creating an Edge in the Off-Season
Football players are getting faster. The process of increasing speed is two-fold. You must perform sprints as you would on game day, but you also have to increase lower-body strength and power. If you are looking for an edge this off-season, or just trying to add a new dynamic to the predictable programming, maybe it is time to revisit what you are doing in the weight room and during your conditioning sessions. Many programs across the country base their strength
Tools for Success
The NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard worked with Al Golden and the University of Miami to produce the 2013 practice plan and DVD – benefitting every high school program in America.When it comes to supporting the nation’s high school football coaches, no program can match the NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard. Not only does HSPD provide coaches with the opportunity to give bac
FREE FORM - Quarterback Drill and Technique Checklist
FREE FORM - Quarterback Drill and Technique ChecklistThis detailed form includes specific drills to improve your quarterbacks stance and snap technique, his ball handling ability, and passing drops. There are also eight different throwing drills listed including the Hitch Drill, Quick Release Drill and a Pass on the Run Drill.
Maximizing Special Teams Practice Time – Circuit drills for both kickoffs and punt units can help improve special teams play.
Anyone who has coached special teams knows that there never seems to be enough time to teach the proper techniques as well as implement your systems. Even at a school like Norwich, we end up trying to get more done, in less time.A strategy we’ve used, which has benefitted us greatly, is to set up a circuit of drills for each individual special teams unit and have all of our players rotate through this circuit. This allows us to get a lot of quality, technique-specific work done,
Zone Blocking, Part III – Proper Stances and Footwork
It doesn’t matter what scheme you run if your line isn’t fundamentally sound. In Part III of this series, we will cover the stances we use to develop our offensive linemen. As we master our techniques, the stance is the foundation we build great blocking on. STANCE You cannot overestimate the importance of the stance. A poor stance equals a poor start. Key Components We use both the three-point and two-poi
Samson Equipment’s Strength and Conditioning Coaches of the Year for 2012
NFL: Chris CarlisleSeattle SeahawksBackground – Chris Carlisle began his coaching career at Dodge High School (NE) in 1985. After continuing to coach on the high school level and then as an assistant at the University of Arkansas, Carlisle joined the staff at Tennessee in 1998 under John Stucky. He then became USC’s head strength and conditioning coach in 2001 when Pete Carroll called Stucky and asked for a recommendation.
Drills Report – The Run-Up Escape Drill
The Run-Up Escape Drill which teaches our QBs three important fundamentals – ball security, downfield vision and launching the ball while trying to escape or avoid pressure. The drills we practice are the drills that we witness our players performing as we watch game tape The Run-Up Escape Drill is one drill which we see over and over as we view our game film. We can incorporate under-center drops (5-step/7-step) or gun drops (3-step/5-quick) into the drill. We start by pla
Safety First – Contact In Practice – Is It Worth It?
Football is changing. With the game under great scrutiny from a player safety perspective, those in and out of football are questioning long-held practices that may put players at greater risk of injury.One of those is full contact in practice. The old belief that contact drills and hitting are necessary in practice is giving way to a more restrained approach that limits or even eliminates contact in the interest of player safety. Rockhurst High School (MO) Head Coach To
USING THE iPAD AS A COACHING TOOL
Whether on the field or off, the IPad can be a major part in helping your players improve and communicate the weekly gameplan. Our student-athletes are so used to technology, it is the way they are taught in classroom and it was what they use outside the classroom. Give your student-athlete an IPad and they immediately feel comfortable as they swipe through pages or watch video. After receiving an IPad for my birthday last offseason I started searching for wa
AFM Subscribers Ask with Mike Cieri Special Teams Coordinator, Montclair State University
Mike Cieri recently completed his 41st year as a football coach, the last 12 as Special Teams Coordinator and Defensive Line Coach at Montclair State University. He also coached at Boonton High Since 2003, his special teams have scored eight touchdowns on kickoff and punt returns and blocked 58 kicks – on punts, extra points, and field goal attempts – scoring a total of 72 points in the process. Cieri has also authored the book, 101 Winning Special Team Drills and produced a five-s
Defending the Power Game with the Stack Defense – The stack defense allows players to be aggressive and limit adjustments against either a spread or a power offense.
One of the primary benefits of the stack defense is its ability to line up against any style of offense and be very effective. With the emergence of the spread offense, the stack gives defenses a great opportunity to not only match up with the spread but also attack it. While this is a great benefit, the primary strength of the stack defense is its ability to stop the run. Throughout the course of a season, we will defend shotgun-spread offenses mainly running out of 10 and 11 personnel as we
Out With the Old, In With the New – Today’s tight ends have become an integral part of every offense.
Today, tight ends have become a fusion of a wide receiver, running back, and offensive tackle. Due to their athletic limitations, the old-school tight ends were always attached to the offensive line with their hand on the ground. The defense knew this and could call defenses accordingly. The new school tight ends are lining up in the backfield and flexing out both as slot and outside receivers to cause matchup issues. Many teams are now doing this with two or more tight ends in the game at th
Zone Blocking, Part II – Footwork and Blocking Scheme
Proper footwork and technique are critical for an offensive lineman.In Part I of this three-part series, we introduced our offensive line philosophy, the basics of the zone offense and key offensive line coaching points. In Part II, we will discuss the footwork, co-op blocks, and schemes of the zone game. FOOTWORKThe footwork is different for the zone play than most other offensive plays. The first step is a directional step. The second step is a p
AFM’s National and Regional High School Coaches of the Year
Gary Joseph Katy High School Joseph led the Tigers to one of the most dominating seasons in Texas football history. A last-minute playoff loss ended the Katy Tigers’ 2011 season. It marked the second straight season the Tigers had been close, but were unable to finish. Head coach Gary Joseph was determined not to let that happen in 2012. “We had been competitive, but hadn’t finished. This year, we were going to become a more physical football team that w
AFM’s College Coaches of the Year for 2012
AFM’s FBS Coach of the YearBrian Kelly Notre DameAfter decades of frustration, Kelly led the Fighting Irish back to national prominence.It was not a pleasant environment, but Brian Kelly had been there before. He knew what to say.In 2001, Kelly led Grand Valley State to an undefeated season and its first appearance in the Division II championship game. It was also Kelly’s first national championship game as a head coach, and it would end in heartbreak.
Managing Your Program – Avoid a Quarterback Controversy – An Objective System for Grading Your Quarterbacks
In the spring and fall of 2010, we had a heated battle for the starting quarterback position. Our three-year starter was graduating and we had three freshmen battling to be in the number one spot at the beginning of their sophomore year. That year I used three criteria to help me objectively distinguish the starter from the back-ups. After doing that, I realized I could develop the criteria further to not only slot each quarterback in a position, but also give the posit
Drills Report – Blastoff! Using the Blaster to Create Physicality in Your WR Corps
As a former wide receiver, one of the hardest things for me as a player was to catch the ball when a big hit was coming. Now, as a coach, I have noticed that my players also struggle with securing the catch when being hit, or having to fight through contact. Wanting to be able to practice for this difficult situation, I was forced to examine the drills we do in practice. Most of our drills are traditional “ball” drills that focus on the different aspects of the catch, as well as the tuck
Strength Report – A Year Round Strength and Conditioning Program, Part II
Last month’s Strength Report included a training program for the post-season, the off-season and the spring season. As part of a year round program, this article will include a strength and conditioning program for both the pre-season as well as an in-season schedule.PRE-SEASONThis is the phase that is probably the most important part of all the training phases we use. During this time, we must build a conditioning foundation that will allow our athletes to make it through p
Speed Report – Elite Training Facilities and Apparatus: Are They the Answer for Football Speed & Movement?
By Dale Baskett • Football Speed SpecialistMike Johnson • Sports Science ConsultantWe looked at sprint assisted and resisted aids in a past article. In this article I’ll discuss a few of the other popular training aids and whether or not they are a good resource for enhancing speed and movement in your program. Since speed and movement can be enhanced through training, entrepreneurs and manufacturers are attempting to make it easier for coaches and trainers to g
Student of the Game: Using Academic Resources To Enhance Your Program
Volume 3: The 10,000 Hour Rule, Athlete-Controlled Feedback and Inside-Out Circuits by Jack Byrne, Defensive Coordinator, Windham High School (NH)
Giving Back
Two Regional Directors of the NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard discuss how coaches everywhere can give back to the game.Most successful coaches recognize that they are fortunate to have made a career out of football. That’s what motivates so many to give something back to the game by participating in activities that can make a difference – using football to be a positive influence with youth in their communities.Hundreds of coach
Zone Blocking, Part I – Philosophy and Concepts
It is important for offensive linemen to learn to block through a detailed progression so they understand the overall concepts of the position. The zone blocking concept is an important element of Grossmont College’s running attack. In part I of this three-part series on our zone game, we will introduce our offensive line philosophy and the basics of the zone offense, emphasizing coaching points for offensive linemen. OFFENSIVE LINE PHILOSOPHYThe succe
Thunder Storm – Trine University’s tackling and turnover circuit covers all the essentials of effective defense.
There is little doubt that great tackling and creating turnovers are the two most important things a defense can do to help its team win. We have employed a tackle and turnover circuit that we believe not only teaches our players to tackle with great technique, but also teaches an understanding of how to create turnovers when given the opportunity. As a result, we have been at or very near the top of the turnover margin statistics for our conference over the past few years. We led all of Divi
Legendary Leader – John Gagliardi retires after 64 years, 489 wins and countless changed lives.
Amos Alonzo Stagg coached college football for 57 years in the first half of the 20th century, winning a then-record 314 games. Bobby Bowden tallied 377 wins in his 44-year coaching career at Samford, West Virginia and Florida State. Eddie Robinson coached Grambling for 55 years and won 408 games.John Gagliardi bettered them all. In a coaching career that spanned 60 seasons at the helm of Division III St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota, and four prior sea
Drills Report –Improving Your Quarterback’s Throwing Mechanics
Here are a number of coaching points and drills to help improve your quarterback’s throwing mechanics.THE THROW (BODY)• The QB should be in a fairly narrow position (feet under the arm pits) to eliminate over striding. He should stand tall with a slight bend in both knees.• Proper “transfer of weight” is crucial for the QB to throw with velocity.• The QB pushes off the back foot (which should be perpendicular to the target); he takes a sho
Speed Report – Is Your Off-Season Football Speed Training on Track?
If you have been reading my articles over the last six years, you know that I try to point coaches in the right direction for true football speed development. My hope is that you will apply useful teaching methods that are currently not available. The first step is having an open mind for learning new concepts. Whatever you have chosen to use as a method for speed development requires time to install. Time is the greatest commodity in life. We only have so much time to utiliz
Get Educated 2013 Coaches Clinics
Now is the time to make yourplans for coaches clinics in 2013. Here is a listing of four premier organizations that will be conducting clinics across the country during the winter and spring months of 2013.Nike Coach of the Year Clinics Last year, almost 13,000 high school coaches attended 21 Nike COTY clinics. In 2013, many of the clinics will include special lectures for youth league coaches. Most clinics will also include demonstration periods of technique and
LINEBACKER TACKLING DRILLS AND TECHNIQUES
One of our defensive coaching guidelines is that we will get what we demand or allow. If we do not emphasize what we think is important to our defense or if we do not hold our players accountable for what our expectations are, then we are held responsible for the lack of production on the field. This definitely applies to tackling. We demand to be 90% efficient in all tackling opportunities and we do not want to allow poor practice habits or a lack of emphasis on the right things to adversely
Keeping Score - Ways to Keep Your Off-Season Strength Program Competitive
Maintaining a competitive mindset is a priority in the off-season at successful programs. From live player drafts to team-building exercises, creative coaches are constantly coming up with ways to keep their strength and conditioning programs competitive. “You want to train the mental component of competitiveness year-round. That’s a critical piece,” said Maine Strength and Conditioning Coach Dan Nichol. “You don’t want that competitive aspect to go dormant.” AFM talked to
Building Blocks – The day your 2012 season ends, your 2013 pre-season begins. Now is the time to build the foundation for your team’s future success.
In today’s ultra-competitive football environment, there’s no such thing as a true off season. The coach who leaves the game behind after the last items of equipment are stored for the winter is the coach who falls behind his peers.Between post-season evaluations of players and coaches, planning and implementing special activities and training programs and working with seniors who want to play at the next level, coaches’ plates are full. To successfully navigate the challenge
Banner Year
The NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard achieved record-setting participation in 2012 and concluded the year with its largest National 7-on-7 Tournament ever.However you measure it, the 2012 NFL High School Player Development program presented by the National Guard was a resounding success. The HSPD camps experienced dramatic growth in bo
10 Ways To Maximize Press Man Coverage
There are a number of ways your players can reach their potential as cornerbacks in press man coverage. After playing in college, nearly a decade in the NFL, and coaching at both the college and professional level for 28 years, I have learned a number of things that should be helpful in improving your players’ press man techniques. Here are some tips and coaching points to share with your cornerbacks:1. Attitude – The corner must be ready, relaxed, and supremely confident wh
Secure the Future by Playing it Safe
By the time you read this article, your 2012 football season will most likely be over. I hope that it was a success for you and your team. Some of you are enjoying the holiday season with the satisfaction of winning a championship while others are already charting a course of action that will result in more success in 2013. Regardless of how the 2012 season finished, the winter months will provide all of us the opportunity for some much needed rest and a time to reflect on a
Quickness Drills - Essential for Quickness Development
Every coach wants players to play fast and quick. Can quickness be developed or is it just left to those who are genetically blessed. When I started speed training in 1979, every coach said you can’t teach speed. Today we’re talking about quickness, which is an aspect of speed. What if moving with electric transitions and ballistic quickness on the football field could be trained? I can’t say that every athlete on your team will be quick just because you trained them. I
Sometimes the Best Strategies do Not Win Games
If you read American Football Monthly and Gridiron Strategies you can't help but be impressed by all the articles dealing with different offensive and defensive strategies. It is impossible to not be left with the impression that the strategy employed by the football coach is the key to
Subscribers Ask - With Tony Sanchez Head Coach • Bishop Gorman (NV)
Coach Tony Sanchez took over as Bishop Gorman’s Head Coach in March of 2009. The results over three seasons have been spectacular. The Gaels have won three straight state championships with records of 15-0, 13-2, and 16-1. Last fall, Bishop Gorman played three ranked top 25 teams – Chaparral (AZ), Armwood (FL) and Servite (CA). Their only loss was to Armwood, 20-17.Sanchez believes in playing the best teams he can schedule each year. “It was tough to lose the game to Armwood
The Speed Report - Combination Movement Skill Drills FOR THE SECONDARY
What do I mean by combination movement skill drills? Combining position speed skill movements that you might do as one activity only – such as backpedaling – into two or three types of movement changes in the same drill. You will wind up incorporating several skills needed into a non-stop high-intensity and kinetic learning experience.Obviously, an athlete in the secondary must be adept at multi-movement skills, which are why they are practiced so frequently. My idea of doing t
Student of the Game: Using Academic Resources to Enhance Your Program: Part I The Tactical Games Approach and Open Field Tackling
The purpose of this series of articles is to provide ideas for improving various aspects of your football program using academic resources and studies. If you are anything like me, you are the type of coach that wants a reason and a purpose behind everything you do for your program. Anecdotal evidence can be useful, but is often unreliable and even harmful (if you don’t believe me, think about what would happen if we took everything from an internet forum, Wikipedia, or a TV infomercial as
Preparing Your Punt Teams
Getting your punting and pressure/return special team units prepared to meet the challenges they’ll face on game day can be the difference between a win and a loss.Successful coaching requires attention to detail. This is never truer than in special teams, especially in preparing your punt and punt pressure/return units. Punts and punt returns hold opportunities for positive, momentum-changing outcomes but they also have the potential for disaster. Of all the plays in football, the p
Drills Report Bonus - Improving Your Offensive Production
In our offense that we call the “truck and chuck”, we borrow academy-style option principles, implement them from a normal five-yard depth in the shotgun, and then throw as much play-action as we can into it. Like any offense, there are countless ways to practice and prepare our players to execute our style of play. However, when we think about drills and teaching methods for our offense, we stick to a few basic principles:#1 Big/Little/Big - Give the players the big picture (the
Drills Report Virginia Tech Running Back Drills
We have an unbelievable tradition of running back play at Virginia Tech. Our running backs understand the number of great players that have come before them. Since 1980, we have had over 30 running backs sign NFL contracts. That includes David Wilson, a first round draft choice this year and Ryan Williams, a second round draft choice last year.We use four core drills to work on footwork, pass protection, pass catching and overall toughness. Footwork/ball security will be drilled ev
Who is the Typical AFM Reader?
At AFM, we like to think our readers are the smartest coaches in the game. They’re the ones who understand that coaching requires a lifetime of learning. They also know that the best way to be a smarter coach is to take every opportunity to learn from other successful coaches who are wiling to share their schemes, plays, drills, strategies and personal experiences. That’s what they look to AFM for and that’s what we try to deliver in every issue.The more we know about our rea
Wide Receiver Play Base Fundamentals vs. Press Coverage
The proper technique for hand releases and quick feet are critical for the wide receiver in defeating press coverage.We spend a good amount of time in practice working on individual skills. One of our focuses in practice is releases vs. a hard corner. We work on many different releases, with a goal for our players to develop a repertoire. We spend a great deal of time breaking down each individual skill so it will become a habit for them.We break the skill of releases down i
Tide Talent Search
From HOW THE SEC BECAME GOLIATH by Ray Glier. Copyright © 2012 by Ray Glier. Reprinted with permission from Howard Books, a Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.In essence, what Saban did at LSU and what he is doing at Alabama is not about collecting talent. Not even close. He is building a team. He does not start with players, he starts with definitions of players just like the Cowboys and Browns did. When Alabama goes recr
Strategies to Overcome a Poor Start
Football season is finally here.By the time you read this column, your team might have already played several games. Hopefully, the start of your season has been successful and is full of promise. The reality is, however, that each week 50% of all teams, coaches and fans suffer through a defeat. In my 20 plus years of coaching football, I have been a part of teams that started great and I have been part of teams that have struggled mightily out of the gate. Both situations can pres
The Safety Rulebook
While coaches can take an active role in injury prevention by coaching safer tackling and blocking techniques, football’s governing bodies can have a lasting impact for all teams by tweaking rules designed to ensure player safety.Governing organizations – including the NCAA, the National Federation of High Schools, and Pop Warner – have instituted new rules that go into effect this fall to help ensure the safety of players.NCAAThe NCAA approved a number of new
EXTENSION PLANTS The Key to Football Speed Transition
All movement requires force application but transition speed is what makes plays happen fast. The key to playing the game fast is due in part to the ability to plant well when directionally displacing momentum. Pure speed lineally is useful in smaller dimensions than we think when evaluating speed traits. The forty-yard dash as a measurement that forecasts speed is the wrong tool. Playing speed should not rely on the forty as a pure indication for playing fast. The game is played on your feet
Expanded Special Teams: Kickoff and Punt Returns
One of the biggest areas for hidden yards in a football game takes place in the return game of special teams. Making blocks in open space is critical to field position. Technique, fundamentals, angles, and field awareness must be emphasized to be successful. With the motto “every yard counts” players must understand that working to be at the correct landmark can be the difference between a game-changing return and a penalty. Here are drills that we practice:Illini Kickoff Retu
Big Man on Campus
On April 27 last year, a massive EF4 tornado ripped through Tuscaloosa, Alabama at 5 PM. The storm skirted the University of Alabama campus and narrowly missed hitting Bryant-Denny Stadium, home of the Crimson Tide. The funnel cloud could be seen from Head Coach Nick Saban’s office. The tornado missed Saban’s home by a few yards.The destruction was devastating. Over 5,000 buildings in Tuscaloosa were either damaged or destroyed. Over 50 people lost their lives. The city was plu
FREE FORM - General Practice Plan Form
With pre-season camp coming soon, the General Practice Plan Form is a must for every coach. This form details priorities before practice as well as providing a comprehensive guide in five-minute increments – period by period – of a complete two hour and 15 minute practice. Specific practice drills are also included for all positions.
VIDEOTAPING FOR AUGUST TWO-A-DAYS
The key to having productive video sessions during August two-a-days and the regular season is being completely organized. Some questions you ought to ask are:
Complete Cornerback Coverage Techniques
The proper technique for backpedaling is a key to maximizing a cornerback’s coverage.As with any technique in football, there are a number of ways that standard defensive back techniques can be taught. The core fundamentals of backpedal, break, and bail are often articulated in very different ways. While it is important to put some of your best athletes at the cornerback position, there are always times when you will need to adapt your personnel and teach a corner how to play the pos
Inside and Outside Zone Blocking
Inside zone blocking helps create double teams while outside zone blocking is intended to stretch the defense.Zone is different than other offenses because there is no specific point of attack. As a result, the whole defensive front will be stressed. Inside and outside zone is not a man blocking scheme, but rather an area or zone blocking scheme. However, on inside zone you must block the first level first by getting vertical movement on the down defender to a second level defender.
That Championship Season – AFM’s 2011 Survey of 334 State Champions
Winning a state championship is the pinnacle for most high school teams. Learning from the experience of championship coaches can help in your quest to hoist the trophy.Hard work. Dedication. Leadership. Commitment. Focus. Team chemistry. These are the common themes that emerge when you talk to high school coaches that won their state championships in 2011.But there is also great diversity among the 334 teams that raised the state championship trophy last season. There are t
Safety First – Teaching safe tackling technique can reduce head and neck injuries and help protect the game’s future.
In the past 35 years, two-thirds of football-related catastrophic injuries have occurred while making a tackle, according to the National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research at the University of North Carolina. Most of these were caused by helmet-to-helmet contact. “This is a major problem,” said Fred Mueller, Ph.D., director of the NCCSIR, which has collected data and published annual reports on catastrophic football injuries for 48 years.Dr. Mueller said head-to-he
Drills Report – 13 Advanced Punting Ideas and Drills
Punting is one of the most difficult and least acknowledged skills in the game. Coaches expect punters to punt well every time, but one bad punt or a botched snap can result in a serious conversation from a coach or, even worse, a loss of a game. Punting can be a big momentum changing play for you or the other team. Here’s a list of coaching points and drills that can help with this position and make it a more positive part of your program.1. Punter Stretches• Make ea
Speed Report – Useful or Useless Speed and Movement Applications
To bridge the gap between knowledge and application begins with having knowledge on the subject. Many football coaches have a limited knowledge of football speed. That’s not a positive for the athletes they train. However, that can be changed. I’m not trying to be negative or flippant, but I’m offering a challenge. A challenge to spend more time looking outside the box with the methods you’re providing. They may look fine to the untrained eye, but are they really sound for addressing
Strength Report – Seven Phases
Sam Houston State’s Strength and Conditioning ProgramTRAINING PHILOSOPHYThe goal for our strength and conditioning program is to improve each player’s athleticism using a variety of different training methods. Our approach is to implement a simple and effective, yet sound program. A program that relies on hard work, focus, and determination as its main ingredients for success. This approach is not only successful, but is complementary to Head Coach Willie Fritz and his staf
Coach to Coach – Summer Session (Part II)
Using the summer months to organize and articulate your coaching philosophies and methods.In part two of using the summer months to organize and articulate your coaching philosophies and methods, I want to share with you a few methods and strategies in developing your game week schedule, practice preparation, organizing your game day, halftime responsibilities and addressing parent concerns.Game Week Schedule and PreparationsAt Foothill, we play our games on Fr
Powerful Partnership
The National Guard’s Citizen Soldiers contribute to the success of the NFL High School Player Development program on many levels.What does it mean to serve in the National Guard? It means that you’re part of the oldest established branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, dating back to 1636. It means that you can be called upon to provide relief to those that have suffered from natural disasters in your home state. It also means that you could serve overseas, if needed, as part of America
Using the 3-5-3 to Stay One Step Ahead
Over the years, offensive coaches have used different techniques to attack the 3-5-3 defense. They will use formations, motions, and plays to attack certain areas of the defense. I often see offenses that want to attack the edge of the defense at the “C” or “D” gap. They are trying to put pressure on the ‘Dog Safeties’ and cornerbacks or the defensive ends and ‘Bat Linebackers.’
Uphill Battle – Grambling’s ‘Back to the Basics’ strength and conditioning program challenges an athlete’s body as well as his mind.
With the end of the spring semester, our players understand that it is only two-three weeks before we begin our summer workouts. With the start of those workouts, they also understand that we are officially preparing for the upcoming season. Since we are a BCS program, we are financially restricted in terms of paying for our athletes to attend both summer school sessions but they are at least able to attend the second session (late June – late July). For those athletes that are fortunate en
Reloading at Rockhurst – Tony Severino, the head coach at Rockhurst High School for 29 years, believes in keeping his players busy in all aspects of their lives – not just on the field.
It was near the end of an hour-long interview when Tony Severino was asked a question that he has fielded numerous times in recent years. “How much longer do you think you’ll coach?”His answer is the same every time.“I get asked that every day. You’re the second one today that’s asked me,” said Severino, who will turn 64 in September. “I’ve been saying, ‘five years’ for the last 10 years. I have such a good time doing what I do. When I don’t, I’
Drills Report – Linebacker Progression Drills
Coaching linebackers is an ever-evolving process. With today’s offensive schemes becoming more and more complex, we must ask more of our defensive players. I ask our linebackers to read keys, be aggressive run stoppers in the box, defeat blocks, get to the ball using a specific technique, tackle the ball carriers, find receivers and cover them up in zone concepts as well as cover backs and receivers man-to-man. While doing all this, I also expect them to know the game plan, call the defense
Speed Report – Execution in Football and In Football Speed
In football, execution is a key component to winning, performing consistently, confidence, attitude, focus enhancement, skill development, and a commitment to excellence.As Vince Lombardi said, “The quality of a man’s life is in direct proportion to his commitment to excellence, regardless of his chosen field or endeavor”. Lombardi believed in the premise of having pride in execution to the maximum degree. His premise in the world of football speed is absolutely paramou
Coach to Coach – Summer Session
Using the summer months to organize and articulate your coaching philosophies and methods.Being a head football coach is a job that requires a multitude of skills. The coach that is successful over a long period of time has learned to master the art of the “tions” – motivation, delegation, innovation, articulation, dedication – all the while maintaining the most important element – passion. In order to become efficient in all of these areas, a head coach must know and be able
Philosophy of Pass Protection
Being both the OC and OL coach allows us to have a “Protection First” view to the offense. I always stress two things to the offensive unit – first, we must protect the QB at all costs, and second, if you cannot protect the QB, you will not play. This philosophy has been a big part of our success in protecting the QB over the past several years. Over a three year period from 2008-2010 our
FREE FORM - Conditioning Evaluation Form
With summer coming, the Conditioning Evaluation Form is a great way of determining the strength, speed, endurance and agility of your players. For evaluating strength, performances for the bench, squat and hang clean are listed. For speed and endurance, times for both the 40-yard dash and 300-yard shuttle run are included. Time for the pro agility drills is measured for an athlete’s overall agility. Exclusively on www.AmericanFootballMonthly.com
AFM Subscribers Ask with Pulaski Academy (AR) Head Coach Kevin Kelley
As AFM reported in April’s cover feature, “Mad Genius”, Coach Kevin Kelley of Pulaski Academy (AR) has an unorthodox approach to the game. His team never returns a punt, they almost never punt themselves, they kick off onsides virtually every time and they usually go for a two-point conversion. For Kelley, the unconventional strategy has worked with a 49-7 record over the last four years and multiple state championships. Many AFM subscribers had questions for Coach Kelley about his unus
Special Teams – Practice Schedule, Goals, and Critique
Our players understand the importance of special teams because of the amount of time that we put in coaching them. Starting in the spring, we spend a minimum of 10 minutes per day on the “big four” – punt, kickoff, kick return and punt return. We also put in extra point/field goal work in every day. We keep it fresh by changing up drills as much as possible.We run a traditional punt formation and we changed our scheme slightly and spent a lot of time in the spring on punt. It
Punch and Move - Pass Protection Drills for Offensive Linemen
There are many factors that go into keeping your quarterback upright and healthy throughout the season. We teach that it takes “ALL 11” to effectively execute the passing game. Every position on the field has a job to do, from running backs’ blitz checks, quarterbacks throwing the ball on time, hot routes being run with precision and timing and, of course, the line handling their responsibilities.Varied schemes and launch points are a great way to keep a defense off balance.
Tackling - Still the Key to Successful Defensive Play
At every level of football and in every historical era of the game, tackling has always been, and will always be, the most important skill for defensive players to execute. Like all defensive coaches, we have several tackling drills in our arsenal.Before these three drills are described, it will help to describe the basic components of the tackling technique that we teach.Basic components of tackling technique:Leverage – the tackler takes away one direction for th
Eyes Up – Quarterbacks Coach Terry Shea has devoted more than 40 years of his coaching life to the development of the position including the training of elite players like Robert Griffin III.
Terry Shea knows quarterbacks. In addition to quarterback coaching stints in the CFL, college, and the NFL, Shea has helped prepare future NFL quarterbacks for their professional careers. Among others, he has tutored Matthew Stafford, Sam Bradford, and most recently, Robert Griffin III. When elite quarterbacks want the best in personalized instruction, they call Shea.The compilation of his 40 years as an expert in coaching quarterbacks is now in his recently published book, Eyes Up
Drills Report – Ball Security – 4 Running Back Drills to Prevent Turnovers
Offensive coaches would agree that turnovers often are a deciding factor in the outcome of a game. They provide a huge lift for the defense and can create an emotional letdown for the offense. Given all of this, it would seem to make sense to spend a portion of practice emphasizing the need for proper ball management. We begin each practice with a five minute period focused on this issue. We point out that losing the ball provides the opponent with a twelfth man, the implica
Speed Report – Multi-Dimensional Movement Speed Before the Season Begins
The essence of football speed is velocity with control. Many sports require movement changes. However, football is more challenging than other team sports due to the amount of contact during practice and games that other team sports don’t have.Football has multiple requirements. Add the speed and movement factors involved and movement becomes challenging. Good movement positioning and control is the backbone of performance. What makes for an outstanding performance is not solely
Developing Footwork for Your O-Linemen
An offensive lineman has always had the advantage of knowing the play and the snap count. How he uses those pieces of information once the ball is snapped will determine the quality of the player and the overall unit. He must be able to move forwards, backwards, and laterally while driving an attacking defender in the process. He must accomplish this moving comfortably from what most would call an uncomfortable position. This is why nothing is more important than developing good solid footwor
Your Take: Review What You Do
Self-analysis is critical to year-to-year improvement.It doesn’t matter if your team won 12 games last year or 2 – the winter off-season period is the time to review what you do. Every aspect of your offense should be critically reviewed, from the individual drills your position coaches use to the plays you call and why you call them. Here is the process we use to critically analyze who we are vs. who we think we are.Our offensive staff establishes scheme go
Lafayette’s “Fourth Quarter” Off-Season Strength and Conditioning Competition
In strength and conditioning, well thought out plans backed by scientific research have proven effective in real world situations. They usually work best when trying to get our athletes in optimal playing shape. But there are times we need to forget about the science and just see what our team is made of.At Lafayette College, we want our athletes to be comfortable and calm in stressful situations, so they can proficiently process information. That is our reasoning behind our off-season
Winning the Turnover Battle - Three drills that will help your defense recover fumbles and make interceptions.
At the conclusion of each season, we evaluate how effective we have been in various areas. Then we decide what we can do to get our players to be more effective as it relates to our defensive philosophy (See Chart). Although we recognize there is always room for improvement in every area, we ask ourselves what did we do well, and what do we need to emphasis more? We have seen great improvement in the last two years has been point four “Create turnovers and big plays – SCORE!” Our defens
Advanced Spread Punt Team Drills
After more than four decades of coaching, I have been exposed to a lot of great information from many outstanding coaches. I have taken ideas and concepts from each source and adapted them to what we do now at Sacramento City College. We are always open to new ideas in our efforts to keep improving. Here are our thoughts on the most critical play in football, the punt, and how we teach its execution.To convey the importance of the punt team, make sure our players understand that a
Advanced Secondary Drills
Over my coaching career, I’ve accumulated a number of effective secondary drills that can be used at any level. They include drills to improve hip rotation, change of acceleration, and leverage angles with receivers. I’ve included both points of emphasis and what is the projected result of each drill.
Dynamic Relaxation, Rhythm, Intensity – Learned from Drill Applications
There are three main components for sprint speed – relaxation, rhythm, and intensity. Connotations of the first two components – relaxation and rhythm – don’t sound like normal football terms when you think of the mental mind set. Relaxation is an uncompromising term in the football world. When players walk on to a football field they don’t think of relaxing. They don’t even begin to think that it’s a good idea.Rhythm is a term that you hear sometimes in football. It
Love the Grind: Summer Football Strength and Conditioning Program
At Fruitland High School, we refer to our football program as the “Biggest Small School Football Program in the State of Idaho.”Our athletes pride themselves on their off-season work ethic or what we like to refer to as “The Grind”. For our program, we run six-week strength and conditioning classes Monday-Friday leading up to the start of our double day practices. Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays are lift days; Tuesdays and Thursdays are agility and conditioning days.
Your Take – Get the Head Out of Football
At every level of football, greater awareness of the dangers of head injuries and the role that helmet-to-helmet contact often plays in them has led to rule modifications and, in many cases, a greater effort by coaches to minimize the risk of head injuries by incorporating blocking and tackling techniques that take the helmet out of the game. It is critical that this continue to help ensure safety of players and protect the future of the game.Since being taught the proper blocking
6 Rules for Beating Press Coverage – Are your receivers getting stuffed by the press? Here’s how to get them freed up.
One of the most difficult things for my players to do is beat press coverage. Since we run a double wing offense at John Carroll, defenses will often pack the box with defenders and lock down on the outside. By playing press man, defenses try to disrupt the timing of pass routes by jamming receivers at the line of scrimmage. If successful, the defense has a greater opportunity to sack the quarterback since teams often blitz when playing man coverage. However, when a receiver beats press cover
Run Stoppers – Improve your defense with Princeton’s schemes, adjustments, and drills.
Your defensive structure must be simple, it must allow your players to play fast, and it must be adjustable to multiple schemes and sets that offenses present. Our base fronts and coverages are based on the personnel that we have in our program at the present time. Therefore, what works with one group, one year, might not with the next year’s group. We are constantly assessing and reinventing to get better as a defense. With that said, we have installed and implemented a foundation of core
7 Steps to Dominance - Building Dominant Linemen in the Weight Room and On the Field
Too many football strength programs train their linemen the same way as everyone else on the team. If your offensive and defensive linemen are doing the exact same workouts as your quarterbacks, they’ll never reach their full potential.First, what makes a good lineman?Qualities of the Ideal Lineman:• Extremely strong• Quick• Explosive• Fast for 5-yards• A master technician• The best conditioned playe
Advanced Tackling Circuit Drills
With the ever increasing use of spread offenses at all levels, and the emphasis of getting offensive players in space to make plays, proper tackling has never been more important. Correct tackling skills and mechanics will keep players safe and allow them to make a play when in position. These are very important factors when we introduce and talk about tackling to our student-athletes.The number of missed tackles over a course of a game should not reach the double digit mark. If an
The Challenges of Teaching Football Speed
The first step toward teaching football speed is dealing with velocity and angles that change rapidly. Secondly, you must provide a progressive training system that is relative to speed and movement physically, mentally, and technically. The nature of the game provides various challenges to movement speed, angle changes, frequency changes, and rapid acceleration. Your teaching must fit these practicums because, unlike track sprinting, the technical application for football speed is not all li
Drills Report – Getting Open: Drills to Make Your Wide Receivers Great
The most important part of any passing game is the ability of wide receivers to get open. Your type of passing system will determine what types of routes are run, but the ultimate success of the passing game will be based on your wide receivers abilities to get open at the right time for the quarterback. Over the years, I have coached some outstanding receivers, and all the great ones had the ability to get open. The key is practice repetition. We work on a grid square every
Strength Report – Maine’s Winter Strength & Conditioning Program, Part II – February and March
February TrainingFebruary training concentrates on speed development and maximum strength training. We implement our speed development program on Mondays and Thursdays which are divided into linear and lateral PAL mechanics training. Linear speed is performed on Monday and lateral speed on Thursday of each week. Linear and lateral speed development exercises progress from mechanics to acceleration to top speed. We will utilize a distance of 10-20 yards for accelerati
Speed Report - Movement Skills – Critical for Drill Effectiveness
Using drills for teaching and developing football movement is certainly not uncommon. However, breaking down the drills analytically is not the most common practice. Most drills are performed to provide reinforcement for certain football movements, usually relevant to a position. The movement patterns are supposed to create better agility and speed of movement with the use of cones or other equipment creating a challenge for player agility. Although there’s nothing wrong with that, there’
AFM Subs Ask - with former NFL special teams coach Mike Sweatman
Mike Sweatman coached for 23 years in the NFL, primarily with special teams. He began his NFL career with the Vikings and later coached with the Bears, Patriots and Jets and had two stints with the New York Giants. Sweatman coached under Bill Parcells when the Giants won the Super Bowl in 1990 and later, Coach Tom Coughlin hired him as Special Teams Coordinator in 2004. His career included three Super Bowl appearances and two championships. He answers your questions about special teams
Protecting the Passer – Key Elements
Pass protection is perhaps an offensive lineman’s toughest challenge. It is a skill that is acquired through many hours of hard work and dedication. To be an effective pass blocker an offensive lineman must take pride and have the confidence in his ability to protect the quarterback. All pass blockers need to trust their technique. As long as they are sound in their fundamentals and technique, it should not matter what the defender does.There are four ways to measure the success
Drills Report – EXPANDED – Special Teams at South Dakota State
I have had the opportunity to work as the special teams coordinator at South Dakota State for the past two seasons. During that time, I could not be more pleased with our success. In 2010, we ranked No. 4 in FCS net punting, No. 4 in punt return yardage defense, No. 9 in kickoff returns, No. 1 in kickoff return yardage defense and No. 37 in punt returns. We accomplished these numbers without placing one single player in the top-20 of any category. I truly believe we achieved that success beca
Speed Report – The Off-Season is Back – Time for Foundation Speed Drills
If you’re not moving forward each year, you’re standing still. If you wish to grow, you need to review what you’ve been doing and challenge yourself to do more. I’ve spent 32 years adding something that improves my program to better levels than they were the year before. Sometimes it’s a new system or just tweaking the old one a certain way. Whatever your situation might be, it can always be better, especially when it comes to speed. I will give you a few thoug
Learning to Read the Defense
By John Groll, Assistant CoachBedford High School MI) Football has been a part of my life for more than 30 years. Over that time, I have coached or played ever position except quarterback and defensive line. Under a new coach last year, I became the new defensive line coach in our 4-3 defense. I would like to share with you how we teach our defensive linemen to read various blocks.
COACHING FROM THE HEART
by Marc Sites, Assistant Coach Liberty High School (CO) List any great team or dynasty in the history of sports and every team had a great coach. John Wooden at UCLA, Bill Walsh with the 49ers, Phil Jackson with the Bulls and Lakers, Red Auerbach with the Celtics and the list goes on and on. On the flipside, there have been plenty of talented teams in sport that were never champ
Point Counterpoint - Stopping the Air Raid
Spread Stoppers - Defending the Zone Read, Bubble Screen and Four VerticalsTrying to defend the spread includes being creative and mixing defenses but pressure on the quarterback and aggressive open-field tackling are critical. The evolution of the spread offense has defensive coordinators longing for the good old days when defending the triple option meant accounting for the fullback, quarterback and a pitch man. But these days the third option might just a
Drills Report – Expanded – Advanced Defensive Line Play Techniques and Drills
At Kutztown University, we believe in an aggressive, attacking style of play from our defensive line. Here are seven coaching points and seven drills to help your defensive line improve every day. Coaching Point #1 – We use this acronym every day.SACKERS - Stance (balanced and coiled)A - Alignment (See foot and shoulder)C - Concentration (What are you looking at?)K - Keys (mirror feet)E - Evaluate (what do you see?)R - Res
Speed Report – Bring Your ‘A’ Game Each Day
Many coaches do not consider speed and movement training to have a critical impact on their players on a daily basis. As a result, they fail to give it the same attention and focus that they give to other areas of practice and training.Most great coaches would consider attention to detail and good time management as cornerstones of their success. Why, then, do so many coaches fall short when it comes to using speed training to develop their athletes? Why do they not apply the same
Letter from AFM - Happy Holidays
As we conclude another football season, our thoughts move ahead to next year and the things that we hope will be different and better for ourselves and for the game. We are thankful for the support of our subscribers and advertisers and especially for the generosity of those coaches that are willing to share their plays, strategies, drills and coaching advice with AFM readers. Without them, we would not have been able to serve the coaching community for over 15 years.
FREE FORM - Defensive Line Grade Sheet
This form includes a complete grading system for your D-linemen on every defensive call. Such categories as alignment, techniques, pass rush, plug hole and defeat block are listed with a key for grading players. Other categories include pass sack, pursuit path, solo or assisted tackle and missed tackle. Total points are then added for the overall grade.FREE for Subscribers.NOT A SUBSCRIBER?American Football Monthly provides more X’s
Ten Tips to Help Every Youth Football Coach Be the Best They Can Be
By Harold “Bud” Boughton Senior Consultant and Assistant Coach, Franklin College Two years ago I was asked to be a guest speaker at two USA Football Coaching Schools. I knew right away what I wanted to talk about. Drawing on my coaching experience at both the college and youth level, I created a presentation entitled, “Coaching is T
Get Educated 2012 Coaches Clinics
Now is the time to develop your game-plan for the 2012 coaches clinic season. It’s your opportunity to pick up philosophy, techniques, drills, and the latest in offensive formations, defensive schemes and special teams play from some of the game’s most successful coaches. Here are four premier organizations that will be conducting clinics scheduled during the winter months in 2012.Nike Coach of the Year Clinics There are 20 nationwide Nike COY clinics in 2012. Most of the clini
Playoff Prep – Good strategy during the season can increase your chances of success in the post-season.
How do you prepare now to for maximize your playoff run in November and December? There are many reasons why some teams are strong playoff performers and some are not. Some of those reasons are controllable, and others obviously are beyond the coach’s control. Some teams experience regular season success, but those accomplishments don’t continue through the playoffs. For others, advancing week-after-week is a tradition. What are the critical elements – physical, psychological and strate
The Power Run Game and the Spread Offense – Can They Co-Exist?
Since the popularization of the numerous forms of the spread offense in the late 1990’s and now into the new millennium, many coaches have seen a drastic change in the way they attack today’s defensive structures and coverage shells. As a coach who has always favored the power and lead-back run plays and series, I am constantly researching methods of running the Isolation Play (See Diagram 1), the Blast Play (Diagram 2) and the Power Off-Tackle Play with a gap down, pull, kick-out blockin
Father Figure – In his celebrated career, Houston’s Ray Seals became much more than a coach to many of his players.
Twenty-three years ago, Ray Seals decided to change his coaching legacy. It wasn’t going to just be about football anymore.Seals arrived at Madison High School (TX) in 1988 to find a program full of kids from low-income families. Some came to practice with no clothes; some hadn’t eaten. His players were foul-mouthed and disrespectful. They weren’t college material. “I said right then that when I became head coach, that wasn’t going to happen to my kids,” said Seals.
Drills Report – Building Pocket Awareness
We believe that pocket awareness is one of the most important quarterback skills to develop. I did say develop. We don’t believe that most people are born with the ability to stand in the pocket and wait for people to run into them. We spend fifteen minutes a week during the season working on pocket awareness. On Monday, we spend five minutes re-enacting the pocket awareness situations that the quarterback should have handled more efficiently from the previous game. On Tuesday, w
Speed Report – Quick Feet – A False Read for Speed
Yes, a false read. The feet are not the focal point for speed and quickness or quick movement. I install speed training programs in the football world year in and year out with coaches and players. Every time I go in with my football speed development training series, the subject of quick feet comes up. It is always the same – the realization that the foot is not where you should be looking to gain insight into real quickness, or its potential. Coaches commonly use the term good feet an
Strength Report – The Friday from Hades
When we came to PV a few months ago we found a downtrodden, used to losing group of young men. There was no pride in the program, nothing but “Hey, we tried”. The words compete, fight, and adversity were not in the vocabulary of these young men. We had to shock the system and change a lot of things. The first thing we changed was the strength and conditioning program.We are together Monday through Friday. Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday are scheduled lifting sessions in which we use
Letter from AFM - Award Winner
There may be a coaching award that Ray Seals hasn’t won, but we’re not aware of it. Seals, who is the subject of this issue’s cover feature, retired from coaching prior to the start of this season, which would have been his 24th at Madison High School in Houston and 47th overall. Ten times he was named Coach of the Year for the Houston school district. He was awarded Coach of the Year honors from the Houston Touchdown Club in 1997 and Houston Texans in 2001. In 2008, he was n
Overcompensate in the Coop - Drills to Improve Your Defense
I have come to realize that it doesn’t matter what level of football you coach - fundamentals are the most important aspect. At Catawba College, our defensive philosophy is to keep things simple so our athletes can perform at the highest level. Fundamentals are of utmost importance. A phrase that is used many times, like a broken record, is “lower your pad level!” But what does this mean and how can I get this accomplished without repeating myself over and over? I will explain some dri
Defensive Backs: Drills to Maximize Press Man Technique – Reaction of the hands, eyes, and feet can make the difference between a big play and shutting down a WR.
In today’s college football, wide receivers and quarterbacks are just too good for a defensive back to sit back and play just one technique or alignment against them all game. Offensive coordinators have become very creative with the variety of passing attacks complemented by the running attacks, or vice-versa. Defenses need to bring a mixture of coverage, disguises and techniques to challenge the offense and create confusion. Most of your success will depend upon your ability to disguise y
Drills Report (Expanded) – ‘The Six Pack’ Concept: Keeping Linebacker Fundamentals Strong All Season Long
During pre-season camp, individual periods tend to be much longer, which gives the position coach ample time to work on the fundamentals that are essential to linebacker play. As coaches, we become spoiled with all of that individual time. Once pre-season camp ends, so do the long individual periods, as the focus turns to preparation for upcoming opponents. This can drastically shorten the amount of time that you can truly devote to working on fundamentals. But, it is important to
Speed Report – Doing What’s Best for In-Season Speed Training
Playing football is not kind to football speed during the season. While off-season work must focus on mechanical execution and coming into camp running fast, as was covered in our article last month, speed maintenance is the focus for in-season speed training.Football is a game that is played the best when each athlete can move aggressively fast. That benchmark should have been established in the summer speed sessions. Once the season begins, the objective is to maintain the speed
Strength Report (Expanded) – Position Performance Training: Defensive Line
When it comes to performance training for linemen, the common thought is to have them lift as much weight as possible. On the surface, this might seem to make a lot of sense due to the fact that linemen have to move heavier loads at the point of contact in most cases. But what’s going to affect the point of contact most is the movements the linemen go through before contact. Factors such as how one comes out of his stance, his body positioning, and the efficiency of his steps prior to conta
Quarterback Play: Finding Ways to Complete Passes in Critical Situations
Drop and throw, drop and throw, and again, drop and throw. There is no other position in sports that demands such commitment, discipline, and practice. Playing quarterback and more importantly, having the extraordinary opportunity to lead a football team into competition, requires an understanding of not only the position and its necessary skills, but a knowledge of each and every player on offense, and the entire team. How do we train the quarterback to reach a level of play that
Leadership in Football
What do the names Lombardi, Landry, Walsh, and Dungy all have in common? They are the names of football coaches who were innovative in implementing and teaching new strategies and tactics but they were also great team leaders. What was it about their attention to the details of the game that required hard work, dedication and focus that led them to some of the best winning percentages in the history of the National Football League? In their own way, each one of these coaches truly cared about
Drills to Develop Complete Backs – Maximize the effectiveness of your running backs through ball security, blocks and pass receiving.
Maximize the effectiveness of your running backs through ball security, blocks, and pass receiving.At Nicholls State University, we run a multiple-pro style offensive system. For our system to be successful, we ask our running backs to be involved in a variety of ways. We place value on our running backs becoming what we call “complete backs.” We define a “complete back” as a running back that runs the football with violent intentions, executes blocks in the ru
Q & A with Bill Ramseyer
Keys to Successful August PracticesBill Ramseyer has a reputation for turning programs around. While head coach at Firelands High School in Ohio, his teams finished with a 24-2 record for a school that never had a winning season prior to Ramseyer’s arrival. After becoming head coach at Wilmington College, Ramseyer amassed a 114-58-4 record over 19 seasons. Before his arrival, Wilmington had only 28
Drills with a Purpose Practice Systems That Match Your Defensive Objectives
Whitworth practices 11-player drills that match the goals of their defense – pursuit, interception, and two-minute drills.Most coaches understand the importance of drilling with a specific purpose in mind. Most educators have stressed the importance of teaching toward a specific objective. However, not all coaches align their drills with their team’s main objectives. We have intentionally aligned our practice drills to match, teach, and reinforce our main defensive
Graduate Course How does a high school coach fulfill a dream of advancing to the college ranks?
In every profession, it’s natural to want to advance to the next level. Greater prestige, higher compensation and job security are all potential rewards of a promotion within an organization or a change of employers. In football, you would naturally assume that many successful high school coaches would aspire to become college coaches, and that may indeed be the case. But even the best high school head coaches have struggled to succeed as head coaches in college football, at leas
Tackling Fundamentals Teaching Progression And Circuit
Vince Lombardi once said, “When a man is running down the street with everything you own, you won’t let him get away. That is tackling.” At Albright College we believe that the success of our defense rests on fundamentals. The five fundamentals of alignment, tackling, block destruction, pursuit and creating turnovers will determine the success of any defensive football team regardless of scheme. We spend a large amount of time on each of these five areas and have a plan and teaching pro
Summer Speed Training - Finishing on Par
Summer is the home stretch for football speed development. We must be sure that when we report for in-season practice that we‘re speed ready. That means we have our power, plyos and techniques in alignment for playing at a maximum level when the bell rings. Hopefully, you have spent sufficient time to progressively develop the skills of mechanical execution so that you can use the summer to heat up the nervous system with fast aggressive speed work. To improve
Letter From The Publisher
Moving up the Coaching Ladder Part of the fun of being with an organization that has chronicled the successes of football coaches for over 15 years is following the careers of coaches that we featured in AFM years ago. It’s great to see a coach like Gary Patterson, for example, who we put on our “Hot List” of up-and-coming coaches in 2004, achieve such great success at TCU and become AFM’s FBS Coach of the Year in 2011. While we’ve worked
The Scrape Tackle Drill
By Ross Pennypacker, Linebackers CoachBucknell University There are a lot of answers to the question of what makes a good linebacker? One may answer that a good linebacker must be able to run well. Another person may answer that a good linebacker must have the ability to diagnose plays. Another may answer that a good linebacker must be able to have the strength to defeat blocks. All of these answers are correct, but I find the best linebackers are usua
Tiger Training – Missouri’s 10 Key Defensive Line Drills and Techniques – How you can fortify your pass rush.
The key to any defensive pass rush is putting pressure on the quarterback. Missouri conducts drills daily to accomplish just that. At the University of Missouri, I have been very fortunate and blessed with defensive linemen who have and are embracing this attitude. In my time here, we have increased our sack total each year. We have had many players go on to All-Conference honors. We have had players lead the Big 12 in sacks and in tackles-for-loss. We have had a defensive lineman
Steuerwald’s Rules – A coaching legend shares his guidelines for designing and implementing an effective pre-season practice schedule.
In sixty days or less, your 2011 team will be assembled for pre-season practice. They’ll be pushing themselves to achieve peak physical condition, battling each other for higher spots on the depth chart and, in most places around the country, struggling to get through practices in oppressive heat and humidity.
Drills Report: The Pipe Drill for Offensive Linemen
We use the Pipe Drill on a regular basis with our offensive linemen. The objective of the drill is to teach O-linemen the proper footwork in five blocking techniques versus air. There are five phases to the pipe drill: 1. Bucket step 2. Lateral jab step 3. Down block 4. Trap-pull 5. Drive block
Speed Report: Teaching Drills Properly – the KEY to Playing Fast
We all like drills. The correct speed drills are the KEY for the best player development. When we arrange drills weekly and monthly for a speed development program, we must have a plan. That is, a plan that puts drills in an arranged order. This is a must for progressive skill development. Without it, you are working in vain. All learning skills and especially running movement skills must be taught in a progressive order. This is because the skill applications for running are constantly activ
Strength Report: Fairmont State’s Summer Strength Program
Breaking down each seasonal phase of your strength and conditioning program throughout the calendar year is a must. But before we outline the entire year, let’s devise a plan for summer workouts. Here’s a complete plan divided into two phases for your summer workouts.
8-Week Summer Strength & Conditioning Chart
This is an eight-week summer training program for football, incorporating lifting, conditioning, speed and agility drills. It is a comprehensive plan of attack intended for all high school programs, and will be successful if carried out to its entirety. Everything in this program is designed to work together. Switching up days/workouts is not recommended. Please Log in to download the chart
Get The Most Out Of Your Practice
By Don Tyre • Assistant Coach • Our Lady of Mercy High School • Fayetteville, GAIf you want to enhance the productivity of your football team, where can you find time to do it without making practice longer? Use your imagination to change the pace of practice. Don`t waste time. Practice what you are going to do in a game. Do you run sprints in a game? A fast pace in practice is vital and a fast pace in a game is advanta
From the Coach’s Bookshelf – Winning Football
In his new book Winning Football, Bill Ramseyer provides a blueprint for coaching success. Based on lessons he’s learned from his decades in coaching, the book is a complete handbook that examines all parts of the game. Here is an excerpt from his opening chapter.Elements of Success Success can be measured in many ways. If you are a coach, perhaps you measure success by the positive influence you have on the lives of the players you coach – the attitudes
8-Week Summer Strength & Conditioning Program – A FBS strength & conditioning coach gives you a complete and comprehensive lifting and running schedule for high schools with detailed workout charts.
This is an eight-week summer training program for football, incorporating lifting, conditioning, speed and agility drills. It is a comprehensive plan of attack intended for all high school programs, and will be successful if carried out to its entirety. Everything in this program is designed to work together. Switching up days/workouts is not recommended.Training Philosophy: First and foremost we believe in perfect technique. Players must perform all movements correctly, with spe
Being a Complete Running Back – Running with the ball is only one aspect of being a complete running back.
As coaches, we are constantly evaluating our players. And our players are constantly evaluating themselves. How many times have you had a player come to you and ask, “Coach, what do I need to do to get more playing time?” or “What do I need to work on?” At Sacramento State, we emphasis ownership. We ask them to be accountable for themselves and their performance both on and off the field. On the field, we ask the running backs “2B A PART”.
5 Keys to Running a Successful Youth Camp
Thinking about the annual obligatory youth camp stirs up mixed emotions among coaches across the country. On one hand, they are excited to teach their sport to future players. On the other hand, many see this camp as just another time consuming activity taking time away from their varsity teams and their families during the summer months. Unfortunately, not all coaches take advantage of these camps as an opportunity to build their program from the ground up. Instead, these camps often become
Drills Report: Advanced Linebacker Drills
In today’s game, players need to be more athletic than ever, especially at the linebacker position. The game has evolved quickly over the past 10 years. Offensive schemes have become more advanced and complicated. To combat this offensive growth, defenses have also advanced. In order to be a great linebacker, you need to be a well-rounded player – and today’s linebackers have to be strong against the run, while having the athleticism to cover the passing game. &nbs
Speed Report: Football Movement and Speed Skills – Combining Linear Speed with Movement Speed
Summer is coming soon and spring is a perfect time to improve the skill-set of your players to increase their playing speed and confidence. Often, we work on linear speed and movement speed independently. Why not combine the two? That’s what football requires – speed and movement. I thought this month would be a great time to add some playing speed skills for your team. Some years ago I began combining movement drills with linear speed work, all during
Strength Report: Developing Functional Strength and Conditioning
Over the past five decades, the physical requirements and the tactical and technical sophistication of football have increased drastically. Preparation of athletes for specialized demands requires that strength and conditioning programs be position-specific. Conditioning The initial task is to identify the physical demands of the game. Football is an intermittent sprint sport. It demands a series of explosive maximum efforts with relatively full recover
Tackle Safe – Bobby Hosea’s pioneering tackling technique protects players from devastating head injuries.
As a coach, what are you doing right now to make the game safer for your current and future players? Could you be doing more to ensure head-to-head hits are eliminated from the game? Bobby Hosea can help you answer those questions. Hosea, a former UCLA cornerback who played professionally in Canada and in the USFL, has emerged as a passionate and authoritative voice in the movement to change the violent tackling culture in football. He enlightens coaches, parents
Drills Report: Tight End Run Blocking – The Reach-Scoop Drill
At Texas State, we utilize the tight end position in a pro style offense featuring multiple formations and personnel groups. We are committed to establishing our run game to open up our passing game. I believe that an effective offense must establish the run and that the tight end can be a key component in this. Due to our commitment to the run game, I am going to focus on one run blocking drill: the Reach-Scoop Drill. Our offense features three types of run block
Strength Report: Ohio University’s Spring Conditioning
At Ohio University, we go through a systematic approach to enhance speed, agility and football specific conditioning during the spring. We have four weeks to train in May after spring practice is completed. We then have a three week discretionary period due to finals and the break between spring and the summer quarter in June. Our main focus in May after practice is on linear speed – both acceleration and max velocity for skill players and just acceleration for
FREE FORMS -Conditioning Evaluation
Chart the strength and conditioning of every one of your players with his form. Strength is divided into performance for the bench press, qsuat, and hang clean. Conditioning evaluation is for time in the 40, endurance Through the 300-yard shuttle run and agility drills.
Balancing Act – Focusing on Quarterback Balance and Rhythm in Pass Drops
Most emphasis on a quarterback’s pass drop is placed on depth from the line of scrimmage and the timing of the throw in conjunction with the receivers’ routes. Although these elements are vital, not enough emphasis is placed on the quarterback’s balance and rhythm within the drop. Balance is vital because we want the QB to throw as consistently as possible. Having good balance is the best way to create consistency and the right habits. Rhythm is neces
Drills Report: Wide Receiver Stalk Blocking
Statistically, we had our best offensive season in decades, if not ever, at Indiana State in 2010. Our scoring average improved from 9.0 points per game to 31.9 points per game. A major factor in the increased production was our efficiency in the running game. In 2009, we averaged just 97 yards rushing per game. Compare that to the 193-yards rushing per game we had this season. Getting receivers to buy into their importance in the run game can sometimes be challenging.
Speed Report: Football Coach or Football Speed Coach –You Can Be Both
You don’t have to be apprehensive when you think about football speed development. You don’t have to feel incompetent when it comes to developing team speed. That is, if you have a certain knowledge of the subject of football speed. If you don’t, you might feel uneasy about teaching it. My quest in this article is to provide you with perspective about football speed and how you can feel more comfortable with what it takes to do it right – right according to the scientific knowledge th
Strength Report: Samford Football – The Ironman Classic
A team and individual competition to develop mental toughness and promote unity.Toward the end of the spring semester, when spring ball is over, often it’s hard to keep the attention of the players. One way I’ve found to combat this is by competition. I try to put them in a competitive situation that is challenging, but still fun. The Ironman Competition is an intense form of evaluation to measure muscular endurance, mental toughness, and competitiveness. It helps develop team unit
Running Back Pass Protection Progression Drills
At Salve Regina, our running backs have many philosophies. One of them that they take great pride in and stress the most is to “protect the ball and protect the QB”. I will go through some of our pass protection techniques that we do and how they build up into a progression. SHUFFLE One of the more important and stressed techniques in pass protection is having the proper shuffle. We want to be in a good football position with flexion in our ankles, kne
The Rock Technique - Stopping the Run with the 3-4 Defense Against the Spread Offense
These drills focus primarily on the C-gap rushing OLB and the Mike backer out of a 3-4 stack defensive scheme. Diagram 1 shows you the big picture of playing cover 3 against the spread out of the doubles formation. This figure shows you across the board the gap responsibilities. However, we are going to look at the fieldside Mike backer and the Sam or blitzing OLB.
Secrets of Central Florida’s Elite Kickoff Units
UCF had the best combined kickoff return and coverage statistics in the FBS.Central Florida’s elite kickoff units aren’t built exclusively with elite athletes. In fact, when building the coverage and return units, physical traits like speed, strength and size often take a backseat to effort, attitude and toughness. The formula works. Special teams coordinator Tim Salem’s kickoff return team finished No. 1 in the nation, averaging 27.78 yards per retur
Drills Report: Murray State’s Defensive Back Press Man Coverage
As defensive back coaches, we often teach our athletes to do things that are unnatural to them and are against what their instincts tell them to do. We tell them to not to follow their key inside if they are a flat defender, do not jump a route that sits in front of them if you are a vertical defender, do not jump a deep crossing route if you are half-field player. Among many other things, a successful defensive back must be disciplined on every play. It is a unique position on the field in t
Coach to Coach: The Art of Effective Motivation
I was watching the Baltimore Ravens dominate the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first half of a playoff game this weekend with my dad. I was surprised at the lack of energy and focus that Pittsburgh team had displayed for the entire first half. On the first possession of the second half, sure-handed Baltimore running back Ray Rice fumbled and the Steelers recovered. The home fans were filled with a rush of excitement and the Pittsburgh players, despite a two touchdown deficit, displayed a renewed
Speed Report: Progression Training – Critical for Processing Football Speed
What really is progression training? Progression is a word we can use in many ways. I use the word to describe an element that must be utilized within the structure of football speed training. When we set up a plan for training throughout the year, we need to progress the skill level and proficiency demands as time and training moves forward. The plan advances the structure to a step-by-step development process. The goal is to end the training season in the preferred position to begin in-seas
Quarterback Play – Focusing on Strengths
“A leader needs to know his strengths as a carpenter knows his tools, or as a physician knows the instruments at his disposal. What great leaders have in common is that each truly knows his or her strengths – and can call on the right strength at the right time. This explains why there is no definitive list of characteristics that describes all leaders.” - Donald O. CliftonAs a football coach, it’s very easy to get caught up in the strategy and design of a practice week a
Coach to Coach: Making Your Off-Season Count, Part II
Last month, I wrote about some simple steps in evaluating a season that does not meet expectations. I touched on a few of the areas that I feel are critical in assessing these types of seasons. The areas include communication, off season training programs and evaluating returning players’ strengths and weaknesses and adjusting schemes accordingly. But what about the seasons that exceed our expectations? The seasons when things went right. Seasons when players and coaches came together to pr
Drills Report: Running Back Drills for Ensuring Ball Security
We ask a great deal of our running backs at Minnesota State University, and it is my job as running backs coach to help our players meet the expectations we have of them. Some of our offensive game goals that our RBs are directly involved in include:• 100% Ball Security.• Break 25 tackles as a team and gain more than 75 yards after contact.• More than 90% positive plays and more than 10 explosive plays.• Out-rush our opponents in the fourth
Drills Report: Teaching The Combo Block
In the combo block, the two adjacent offensive linemen performing the block are identified as a post blocker and a seal blocker. They are blocking a first-level defender (defensive lineman) to a second-level defender (linebacker or possible a safety). When teaching the combo block, I work inside-out when drilling playside combos and backside combos. Playside combos are called Jack, Queen, and King. Jack is a combo block between the center and callside guard working to a playside linebacker. Q
Getting Successful Quarterback Play
By Brian Hayes, Offensive Coordinator/QB Coach Anna Maria College There are a lot of different intangibles that make up successful quarterback play. I have seen all types of quarterbacks be successful and play well in many types of different systems. I believe that you fit your system to what your quarterback does best and work towards his strengths. There are five points that I really talk a lot about when coaching our quarterbacks. These five things that I wi
Drills Report: A Special Teams Drill for the Entire Season
We have used the “Two Hand Touch Punt Cover Drill” for four seasons in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and for seven seasons of college football in the U.S. and Canada. This August, we saw the drill being used at the training camp of a recent Super Bowl champion. The drill has evolved every year and has been improved by adopting the open field tackling concepts taught by long-time NFL and CFL Defensive Coordinator Rod Rust and Bobby April, Special Teams Coordinator for the Ph
Speed Report: The History of Football Speed Development in America (Part II)
In part one, we chronicled the history of football and weight training changes over the years. My point of emphasis was to provide you with insight to the path football speed has taken. The amazing thing about the history of football speed is that there isn’t a recorded history to be found. This article will summarize where it began and where it is today. I was the first football speed coach in America. I began coaching football and track sprints in 1968 at the high school le
Strength Report: Practical Movement and Strength Training – The Key to Speed
I have been fortunate, in my 16 years of performance coaching, to have been mentored by the best in the business. Furthermore, I have been privileged to work both at the collegiate level and in the private sector. This allowed me to see things from a different perspective, exposing me to areas such as speed training and leadership/management skills that I wouldn’t have been exposed to had I just stayed at the collegiate level. Although it was a huge risk to leave college athletics, the
Fundamentals of Wide Receiver Play and Reading Coverages
By PJ Fleck, Wide Receivers Coach Rutgers University PURPOSEFUL “TEACHING” I was always told that I was the “King of the TOO’s” (too small, too slow, too short). I heard all the time, “GET OUT OF THE BREAK, DROP YOUR WEIGHT, CATCH THE BALL, GET OFF THE PRESS.” “Cat
Setting the Tempo by Attacking and Reacting
By Kevin Cristillo, Defensive Line Coach Kentucky Christian University My philosophy as a D-line coach is to be aggressive and stop the run. As a defensive lineman, your main job is to stop the run. By stopping the run you are dictating the tempo of how the game is going to be played. Almost every team wants to establish a run game presence so that they can complement that with their passing game. Stopping a team’s ability to run puts them i
Learning to Read Blocks
By John Groll, Defensive Line Coach Bedford High School (MI) Football has been a part of my life for the last thirty years. In those thirty years, I have played or coached every position except quarterback and defensive line. Last year, our high school hired a new football coach and he hired me as the new defensive line coach in our 4-3 defense. I would like to share how I teach our D-linemen to read various blocks.
Defensive line get off – The key to winning on the line of scrimage
By Eric Gerlach, Defensive Line Coach Cabrillo College During spring and summer, when your team is not in pads, teams seems to put a lot of effort in 7 on 7’s and might overlook line work. Yet you always hear coaches saying "the game is won on the line.” Spending time in the spring and summer working on getting off the ball will make an enormous difference come fall. By working these drills, your players will be faste
The Sprint-Out Passing Game for a Smaller, More Athletic Quarterback
In high school football, you have to adjust your offense to the talent and ability of the players that you have. Unlike college, you cannot go out and recruit, so you must be able to adjust to the talent of your players. The quarterback position is a perfect example. You must adjust to your quarterback’s talent and abilities. At Southwestern, we had a four-year run in the shotgun spread offense because of two quarterbacks in a row that were 6’3” plus and had great arms. Th
Drills Report: Daily D-Line Must Drills
Like many things, football is a game that requires you to do a few basic concepts. You have to block, run and tackle. With this in mind, my approach to coaching the D-Line has always been to be sure and hit certain key things everyday. Each day you strive to build and develop the best group that you can possibly have. To do this, you always must strive for perfection within your group. Remember, if you make it important, your group will also. It is very important to know what makes your playe
Letter from AFM
Our mission at AFM is to help coaches to be more successful on and off the field. Naturally, for most coaches, success means winning more games. So our focus has always been to provide the tools to win, whether they’re innovative offensive systems, position drills, defensive techniques or special teams strategy. But virtually every coach, at some point in his career, has endured a season where the losses have outnumbered the wins. After all, for every team that puts together a win
In-Season Training and Practice Planning For Punters and Kickers
A coach’s dilemma: what do you do with punters and kickers during the season? It’s a dilemma which has existed for a long time. It is especially true at the high school level but to varying degrees at the college and professional level as well. I have personally experienced this dilemma for the 25 years I have been a coach and for the fifteen years I was a player in high school, college and as a professional. Just handing the kicking specialists some footballs and sendin
Guru of the Golden Arms
As a high school quarterback, Steve Clarkson led Wilson High in Los Angeles to a 39-1 record and three straight city championships in the late 70’s. That was followed by three years as the starting quarterback for San Jose State where he played for John Elway’s father, Jack Elway. Clarkson broke several passing records in the process at SJSU (1979-82) and was a two-year Academic All-American. He was destined to fulfill his dream of being drafted by an NFL team. It didn’t qui
HERO TO ZERO IN ONE PLAY: Drilling the Defensive Back for Confidence
While I am now coaching tight ends at Columbia University, I have spent many seasons as a defensive backs coach. If anyone has been a secondary coach or played the position before, you are intimately familiar with those times when, in the final seconds of a game, an intercepted pass can “seal the deal” for your team or where a deep bomb can spell misery. The positive end result of those times is a combination of competitiveness, but more importantly, reliance on solid fundamentals. I have
Offensive and Defensive Collision Drills To Improve Your Team’s Performance
Little boys and men play football because it helps release aggressive energy and humbles all who have tried it. The sensation of running into someone at full speed is defining. No other element of football accelerates players, coaches and spectators than hearing the impact of a collision. Shoulder pads, helmets, forearms, and brute force contacting each other with speed and leverage. I began being a good football coach when I taught players how to take on a full contact collision. Eve
Coaching In Denmark (Part II)
By Wayne Anderson In this next installment of coaching in Denmark, I would like to share more about the teaching aspect of coaching a team like the Odense Swans. The first thing you must remember about a team like the Swans is that what you can truly do as a coach depends on how many coaches you have on your staff and how many players consistently participate in practice. In Denmark, our season is divided into two different parts:
GAME STRATEGY AND PLAY CALLING: THE “HEDGEHOG” PHILOSOPHY
By Bruce Reynolds Former Head Coach William Penn High School, New Castle (DE) Game day strategy and play calling should not be too elaborate. Go with what got you there. Too many coaches make the mistake of trying to put in too many “new” things for the big game. My father, the Dr. Brooks E. Reynolds, a Methodist minister, was always preaching Steven Covey’s theme: “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” You can appl
AFM Subscribers Ask: Steve Warren Head Coach Abilene High School
Last fall, Abilene finished the season 15-0 by beating Katy High School in the Division II 5A Texas State Championship. Winning their first state title in 53 years, Abilene completed the season as the consensus #2 high school team in the country. Before Warren arrived in 1996, Abilene suffered through eight consecutive losing seasons. Entering his 15th season this fall, Warren has an overall 132-63 record which includes 11 straight playoff appearances. Abilene uses a one-back system as its base
Portable Perspective
Colleges and high schools have long employed elevated end zone and sideline cameras to capture practice and game video that could be reviewed and used as a teaching tool. But, until recently, the stationary cameras were limited in how they could be used in a variety of practice situations. Now, that has changed with the introduction of the remarkable portable elevated camera system from U.S. Sports Video called the SideWinder. In the summer of 2006, Tennessee Offensive Coordi
The Color Drill: Helping Linebackers & Defensive Backs Maximize Their Drops
Over the years our defensive staff has successfully identified areas our defense needed to improve on. After identifying these weaknesses we have the ability to think of some innovative drills to help our players improve in the specified areas. This past season we identified that while getting into their zone pass drops, our linebackers and defensive backs were not reading the backfield action and the quarterback. In order to improve in this area we came up with our ‘Color
Drills Report: The 3-On-2 Contain and Tackle Drill
The purpose of this drill is to be able to close on a ball carrier and adjust to the different angles when a player is blocked or taken out of the play. Once a tackler has been blocked, the remaining two tacklers in this drill adjust and close in on the runner without getting beat to the outside, split down the middle, or overrunning the ball carrier. Depending on the coach’s objective, the goal of the drill is to either completely contain the ball carrier by wrapping him up or tackling him
10 Musts Before The Start of Fall Camp
#1 Hit the weights and don’t forget to stretch for success. Nothing can make up for players that are not physically ready to play their best. Instead of lamenting that your players are not “bigger, faster and stronger,” take the initiative and make them bigger, faster, and stronger. If you do not have a weight room, create your own. We started our weight room in a storage closet in the wrestling room. I personally ran the summer weight room three days a w
Offensive Game Planning: A Week-Long Schedule to Success
Game Week Schedule - Sunday Our game week schedule is designated from Sunday to Friday. Our main objective for Sunday is to have a final breakdown of our previous game by 4:00 pm. Our breakdown consists of players’ grades on assignments and team goals. We also determine individual awards for our players from the previous game. Following our team meeting, our players divide into groups and watch film with the position coaches. Their night ends with position lifts. At abo
Small Schools, Big Time Programs
For years, Smith Center, Kansas’ (population 1,700) claim to fame was that it’s located in the geographic center of the United States. Now, high school football has put the town on the map. The Smith Center Redmen gained national attention in 2007 when, in the middle of an eventual 79-game winning streak, they had an 11-game run where they outscored their opponents a combined 706-0. In one memorable game, they scored 72 points – in the first quarter. Wh
Strength Report: Summer Conditioning-Mental and Physical Preparation for a Championship Season
During the summer off-season, it’s time to make a final push to reach peak levels of conditioning in anticipation of a championship season. Preparation this time of year is critical to the success of our program. It allows our coaches to focus on all aspects of football and eliminates the need for additional work to get the players in shape. Although the needs of athletes may still vary at this time due to uncontrollable circumstances, we must develop our programs to meet
Drills Report: The Skill Drill: The Zone Read, Tunnel Screen and Bubble Screen
The Skill Drill was born out of necessity and has become a constant in our practices. My dislike of players standing around during practice helped create this drill sequence. When your players learn the pattern of this drill, practice reps will go through the roof. The drill combines all positions of a spread offense and works them with all of them at the same time. By using this pattern, you can increase your number of reps, coach multiple positions with a limited number of coaches, get all
Simplicity and the O-Line – Why The Flip/Flop O-Line Works
As coaches, we tend to overthink and overestimate our influence on game days. The common trap is our attempt to outcoach our adversaries across the field. While giving a clinic two years ago, I had an epiphany: “It is not my job to outcoach someone. It is my job to get my men to outplay their opponents.” On game day, it does not matter what we know. It’s what our players know that determines the outcome. This became my motto in everything I do as an offensive line coach and I am ble
Developing Key Reads for Your Defensive Backs
As the secondary coach at Lehigh University, I usually get 20-25 minutes of individual time on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in season. My goal each week is to optimize my time. In doing so, I spend about ten minutes a day on footwork and ball drills. I then spend another five minutes per day on some aspect of tackling or block escape. I then split the group for the last 5-10 minutes. Both groups will work on the finer points of the same coverage for the remainder of the time. For example, if
Legendary Leader - George Smith of St. Thomas Aquinas
George Smith of St. Thomas Aquinas shares principles that have helped him become one of the nation’s winningest coaches His heroes are old-school coaches like Paul “Bear” Bryant, Woody Hayes and Don Shula, and his disciplinarian style in many ways reflects an old-school coaching philosophy. But George Smith is not afraid to try something new if it will help give his football team an edge. That’s what Smith, the head coach at St. Thomas Aquinas
Speed Report: Refining Peak Speed For Fall Camp
Theoretically, maximum speed should be the goal for your team heading into fall camp. Once football starts and the banging begins, football isn’t kind to speed. Olympic world class sprinters would not train in pads to perfect or refine their peak speed potential. The only referral to track speed that parallels football is the beginning of fall camp, contusion free and speed ready. Summer Time is the Right Time Pre-summer is over and you’re enterin
Strength Report: Lamar’s Off-Season Strength and Conditioning Program
The Lamar football program begins play in 2010 after a 21-year layoff. As the first Sport Performance Director in school history, it has been my task to develop and implement a speed, power, strength, agility, flexibility, and conditioning program. The process has been difficult, to say the least. Combine that with the fact that we are waiting for our athletic facility to be built and one can only imagine the challenges we have faced. Needless to say, I not only have had to think outside my b
Five Ways To Ensure A Solid Foundation For Your Junior High Program
By Bill Shepard, Assistant Coach, Durand High School (IL) and Darin Davis, Assistant Coach, Dakota High School (IL) If a head coach at the high school level wants to achieve success then he needs to invest time in his junior high program. We believe that there are five essential ingredients that help lay a solid foundation for a football program at the junior high level. It may take time to get all of the ingredients in place but the effects on th
Game On! Finding A Football For Your Program
One of my high school coaches once took a break from our two-a-day practice and held up a football. “Can any of you tell me how long a football is?” he asked. Like most players and coaches, I never knew the exact length of a football (and as a lineman, my regular hands-on experience with footballs in practice was slim to none). We were stumped. “Eleven and a quarter inches,” he said. “I tell you this because that 11 ¼ inches is the differ
7-On-7’s: Tune Up Your Passing Game
While 7-on-7 competitions have been around for nearly 30 years, it’s only in the last seven or eight years that this concept has exploded. The growth of the 7-on-7 competition is a direct reflection of the growth of the spread offense. Today, more and more high schools and colleges are using the spread, and players and coaches see the value of 7-on-7 tournaments and competitions as ways to hone passing skills. The events match skilled players against each other. Usually played on
Drills Report: Multi-Purpose Wide Receiver Drill
We expect the following from our receivers: 1. Maximum effort. 2. Know your assignments. 3. You must have the desire and willingness to block. 4. You must have the desire to catch every ball thrown to you. 5. You must possess the willingness to improve your skill. For route mechanics, wide receivers must follow the correct cutting techniques, body posture and route cuts or breaks. The WR must stay low in and out of h
Speed Report: What’s Often Overlooked When Teaching Football Speed Skills
Biomechanics, physiology and motor learning must blend together and not be looked at as separate bodies of application. My objective for this article is to bridge the gaps between certain aspects of training norms and application considerations that are often not used collectively. Training for speed and movement must have greater understanding as to why effective techniques are effective. In this article we’ll discover why many coaches experience difficulty in teaching the key aspects
Strength Report: Northern Illinois’ Mass Development Program
At Northern Illinois University, we believe in the complete development of our student-athletes. Our athletic department motto is “we develop champions in the classroom, in competition, and in life.” I believe it is paramount that when a student-athlete enters our program, upon graduating they will be a better individual in all aspects of society. We coach all aspects of life in our weight facility with strength development only being part of our overall mission. One aspect of p
Samson’s Strength & Conditioning Coaches of the Year
From the NFL to High School, Strength & Conditioning Coaches are trusted to maximize their team’s potential when they step onto the field. Here, Samson Equipment recognizes those coaches who made a big impact in 2009... NFL Dan Dalrymple New Orleans Saints New Orleans Saints Strength and Conditioning Coach Dan Dalrymple learned a valuable lesson when he had a free agent tryout with the Seattle Seahawks in 1987. Dalrymple had been a four-
Takeaway! More and More Teams are Using The Strip To Create Turnovers
Stripping the football from an opposing running back or receiver is not a new concept. Some players, such as former Giants Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor, included it their defensive tactics long before the NFL owners made the strip legal in 2002. More than ever though, defensive players are being coached about stripping the ball and successfully implementing it in game situations. Colts wide receiver Pierre Garcon’s strip of safety Ed Reed following a Peyton Manning intercepti
Drills Report: The ‘W’ Drill - Offensive Line Style
The W drill is one of the oldest and most-used defensive back drills. It is a great way to teach defensive backs the proper body positioning and footwork necessary to excel. It teaches players how to keep their hips low, eyes up, feet within the framework of their body, and how to change direction properly. As an O-line coach, I teach my players to develop these same skills defensive back coaches do. The drill requires as little or as much equipment as you find necessary, and can be
Speed Report: Natural Speed or Team Speed - Find It Or Produce It?
When engaged with a large number of athletes, you always find certain kids who have decent speed. On the other hand, most in the group are not blessed with natural speed. Team speed is sometimes indigenous to areas that have larger populations; that is, strength in numbers to pick from as a whole. Producing speed is vital for most programs and should be the quest for every program that’s interested in competing at a high level. Weight training has long been a significantly larg
Strength Report - CITADEL’S OFF-SEASON STRENGTH & CONDITIONING PROGRAM
The winter off-season is the first of two primary development phases in the annual layout of a collegiate football player. The second is the summer. These are the only two periods of the year where no football is being played and training sessions are directed by the strength and conditioning staff. For us at The Citadel, the winter differs slightly from the summer, in terms of our priorities and where they rank. We believe that the better we keep the team physically prepared over the course
Fundamentals of Defensive Back Play
There are many fundamentals to becoming a good DB. In this article I will talk about a few points that I think are keys for successful DB play. The first point is stance followed by backpedaling, then run and pass keys and finishing with responsibilities in coverage. Your stance is the start of good DB play. Here at Cal U we have two different types of stances, zone and man. In both stances are feet are shoulder width apart with good knee bend. Knee
Developing Functional Power for Football
The search for conditioning drills that enhance functional power for sports is an on-going process. A key consideration in this endeavor is the principle of specificity of training. Simply stated, specificity of training means that the body gets better at doing physical activities that it is required to do on a regular basis. If these activities are progressively overloaded as they are repetitively performed, the resultant gains are further magnified. In many sports improving pow
Dramatic Turnaround: Going From 0-11 to 12-1 In One Year
After Luke Salmons was hired to be the head coach at struggling Lawrence County High School (KY) in 2008, he did what every new coach would do. He put his plan in place and hoped for the best. Salmons inherited a program that did not have a winning record since 2003. “They’d had a period of five or six years where they didn’t win many games, and so I got the job,” said Salmons. “I’ve always wanted to be a head coach, and you never really know whe
Developing the High School Kicker & Punter
Some of the most exciting and scary moments of a high school football game usually surround one player on your team, the young man who handles your extra points, field goals, kickoffs and/or punts. These plays usually have the coach’s heart somewhere in his throat, but if you stop to think about it, how much practice time have you devoted to this young man on his kicking mechanics and game preparation? As a special teams and kicking coach, I understand that most high school footba
Drills Report: Making Improvements In Your D-Line Pass Rush
With the current trend of offensive football becoming more and more spread out, defensive line coaches are seeing less and less of the traditional 5-and 7-step passing game. The traditional pass rush angles and teaching progressions don’t necessarily fit in defending the “spread” offense. Pressuring the QB in the shotgun and 3-step passing game has definitely become harder and forced D-linemen to adapt as pass rushers. We have developed seven “points of emphasis” in the pass rush t
Speed Report: Cyclic Rhythm - The Transparent Component of Speed
Speed training is such a vast subject. A relatively new area in the field is rhythm and speed development. The simple truth is that its values are off the chart for positive transformation of motor transition and nervous system adaptation. Proper balance is a subject that pops up often in the sports training world when discussing running and movement. Balance can surely be enhanced; however rhythm is far more critical when velocity and limb frequency are engaged collectively.
Strength Report: A Post-Season Developmental Program for Linemen
The primary objectives of the post-season football developmental program for our linemen are to enhance individual athletic performance and reduce the potential of injury through the implementation of exercises, drills, team concepts and work ethic that transfers directly to the playing field. To accomplish these objectives, we incorporate a fourteen-week cycle divided into three phases. The first four weeks is a transition phase beginning at the end of the season. This phase is use
Reading the Proper Visual Keys - A True Essential In Stopping the Run
Effective defensive line play in football involves much more than three or four guys butting heads with the offensive line. Numerous physical techniques – hand placement, stance, shedding blockers, etc. – have been developed and refined in an attempt to overcome the offense’s built-in advantage of knowing where the play is going. All too often, an equally important mental technique which directly addresses this issue is overlooked. At West Liberty University, we devote significant time
Speed Report: Mechanical Application & Technique-The Backbone for Football Speed Development
All human movement must be viewed as a mechanical function. The faster the movement, the greater the potential for a mechanical breakdown. Athletic movement at high velocity levels requires precise mechanical execution. Also important is the motor pattern development which needs to be a target from a spontaneity standpoint. For whatever mechanical function is utilized, it is being recorded as muscle firing memorization. What patterns used become ingrained and fire directly the same way over a
Strength Report: (Don’t) Assume The Athletic Position
In all sports, the rudimentary beginnings of movement start with a specific stance or posture. Whether it is a defensive stance on the basketball court, a three-point stance for an offensive lineman, a batter preparing to hit a baseball or a weightlifter preparing for his final clean and jerk, there is a proper starting position. All of these athletes must be taught the fundamentals of a proper stance to place them in a position to be successful. Everything successful in sports starts with a
Preparing For A Pro Career
(The following is the diary of J.T. Rogan, an outstanding running back from the University of San Diego, as he prepares for February’s pro football combine and individual pro day. The article will be continued through early March. Rogan includes his background as an athlete, his philosophy on training and his actual routine in preparation for the event). After my redshirt Junior season in 2007 where I eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards for the second straight season, an
Drills Report: Pass Protection Medley
As you watch your athletes week to week at various positions, it’s obvious that certain players can cover ground more rapidly than others during multi-movement assignments. Not only multi-movements but change-of-pace and burst capacity. Some players are capable of these characteristics, but most are not. Recognizing the athletes who have transition speed skills is doable but teaching these skills is even better. Every player on your team can increase their transition speed skills drasticall
Speed Report: Dynamic Movement Techniques-Skill Application for Transition Speed
As you watch your athletes week to week at various positions, it’s obvious that certain players can cover ground more rapidly than others during multi-movement assignments. Not only multi-movements but change-of-pace and burst capacity. Some players are capable of these characteristics, but most are not. Recognizing the athletes who have transition speed skills is doable but teaching these skills is even better. Every player on your team can increase their transition speed skills drasticall
Strength Report - The Effects of Ankle Position on Change of Direction Movements on the Field
Through our teachings of how athletes can reprogram their nervous systems to increase their speed and athleticism, the repositioning of the ankle joint has been the number two most important aspect for increasing acceleration and maximum velocity ability. The most important, joint reposition, is the change and control of the body position. The ankle must be dorsi-flexed immediately at take-off. In fact, Ralph Mouchbahani, while at the University of Freiberg, demonstrated that electrical a
FREE FORM: DEFENSIVE BACK DRILL AND TECHNIQUE CHECKLIST
We all know that drills are an important part of player development. Click the link below to download the DEFENSIVE BACK DRILL AND TECHNIQUE CHECKLIST form. It's easy to use and - best of all - it's FREE. Exclusively at www.AmericanFootballMonthly.com...
Shore Up Your Secondary – AFM’s compilation of tactics, drills and strategies to make your secondary your primary line of defense.
If you’re heading into post-season play, you’re likely to face a situation where your defensive backfield is forced to come up with a big play. If you’re ahead late, your secondary will be tested in coverage when your opponent goes to the air game. If you need to get the ball back to mount a last-minute offensive of your own, you’re going to need your defenders to prevent the other team from getting game-clinching first downs. Either way, your secondary can mean the difference between
Drills Report – Hand Placement and Body Positioning for Attacking Fronts
The following drills are my absolute favorites for teaching hand and eye placement along with body positioning for aggressive attacking fronts. I take great pride in getting my players to buy into the penetrating philosophy, using their read keys to take them to the ball, and then giving 100% effort to get to the football regardless of where it is on the field. We treat every play as if it were a passing down with our thought process and initial get off, then we will play the run blocking sch
Speed Report – Intense Frequency, Execution and Focus - Essentials for Football Speed
When training for football speed, it’s critical that we have sound application principles, strong precise technical execution and strong mental focus. I have implied numerous times in past articles that running fast requires practical foundational applications. Frequency of limb speed is probably one of the most important facets of movement necessary for a football player. Subsequently, limb speed is often termed quickness. Developing limb frequency requires the following steps.
Strength Report – Harvesting Strength from the Field
We frequently look at different forms of strength equipment to help reach our ultimate goal of building a complete athlete. While much of the equipment we incorporate at Vanderbilt can be utilized inside, our staff definitely prefers to implement them outside on our practice fields. I have always felt that this form of outdoor strength training replicates farming. As coaches, we all want to grow strong, healthy, productive athletes that don’t break down and can withstand the heat. Simil
Letter from AFM
It’s November. Your season is winding down, if not already over. It’s time to start thinking ahead to the off-season and formulating a game plan that will put you and your program on solid footing as you look forward to next season. But, for those of you fortunate enough to be in the playoff hunt, there is still time to address on-the-field issues. In particular, your defense. How your defense reacts to the challenge of stopping the high-powered offenses you will surely face dur
Increasing the Efficiency of Your Practice and Video Time
“Time stands still for no man.” I’m sure you’ve heard this quote before. If you are like us, you are constantly looking for ways to optimize your team’s practice and video time. Doing so will greatly improve your team’s chances for success. Our offensive philosophy at Northwest Missouri State University is to “Be Balanced.” • 2006 run to pass ratio: 55% to 45% • 2007 run to pass ratio: 52% to 48% • 2008 run to pass ratio
Onside Every Time - Sam Nichols Turns the Tables by Making His Kickoff Team an Offensive Unit
In last November’s Michigan Division 4 district title game, underdog South Haven, trailing 7-3, began the second half with an onside kick. What seemed like a very risky strategy paid off, as the Rams recovered the kick, scored on the ensuing possession and held on for a 16-7 victory. It was the first playoff win and first district title in school history. Some in the media called Head Coach Sam Nichols’ decision to onside kick a big gamble. But was it?
The Speed Report - Developing Quickness in your Players, Part II
Training to Get it Right This is where we begin the journey toward change and how we end the journey successfully. The players must go through a series of procedures that progress turnover of limb speed in short, high-intensity rotational patterns. Remember, I indicated earlier that they won’t understand the feeling of quickness. That’s why we need to explain it to them and start by giving them short-limb activity requirements over short distances. If the players are put through this
The Strength Report - How to Prepare Your Athletes for Collegiate and NFL Weight Programs
Preparing Your Athletes for Collegiate Strength Programs By Joe Kenn MA, CSCS, SCCC Director of Athlete Development – Football, University of Louisville In an era where physical fitness is at an all time low, it is imperative that coaches at the high school level understand they are not getting the same type of athletes coaches worked with decades before. With the de-emphasis of general physical education at the elementary and middle school levels
GEAR - Products for Coaches
The original Athletic Super Striper & Athletic Super Stripe Paint make it easy and affordable to stripe your field like a pro. The highly pigmented Athletic Super Stripe Paint gives you crisp, long lasting stripes every time and it’s guaranteed to empty completely and not clog for 10 years. Just one case will stripe an entire football field. The Athletic Super Striper’s big 10-inch wheels will tackle your field in no time and the striper comes with a lifetime guarantee. In 1970, Fox Valle
Letter from AFM - Getting Back in the Game
When you receive this issue of AFM, football season will be underway. That time of the year is here again – the time when your months of planning and preparation pay off on the field. For you and your players, it’s always a great feeling to get back in the game. With this issue, AFM is back in the game, too. As you know, due to the dramatic recession we have all been going through, there has been a disruption and delay in you receiving your issues of AFM in recent months. For thi
5 Dumbest Things Parents Have Told Me
A friend of mine once asked me why I coach for the Bill George Youth Football League. I told him that I do it because I couldn’t get my dream job at a prison or an orphanage. He looked at me strangely as if he didn’t understand my response. He asked me why and I said because they don’t have alumni or parents. This is an old coaching joke but any of us that have held a clipboard can relate to it. Keep in mind that 90% - 95% of parents are wonderful.
Increasing the Efficiency of Your Practice and Video Time
“Time stands still for no man.” I’m sure you’ve heard this quote before. If you are like us, you are constantly looking for ways to optimize your team’s practice and video time. Doing so will greatly improve your team’s chances for success. Our offensive philosophy at Northwest Missouri State University is to “Be Balanced.” • 2006 run to pass ratio: 55% to 45% • 2007 run to pass ratio: 52% to 48% • 2008 run to pass ratio
An In-Depth Look at High School Football Practice
American Football Monthly conducted a survey to high school football programs about the details of their practices – here are the results. We’ve included feedback from survey respondents (high school coaches) on practice circuits on tackling, turnovers and special teams. Speakingout Briefly describe the stations in your tackling circuit. “All of our tackling is done by position. We attempt to simulate the types of situations that each position on defen
The Perfect Practice
Practice how you play. Perfect practice makes perfect. We’ve all heard the coaching axioms about preparation, and how important it is to practice efficiently. We hear them, but do we really listen? Just by simple word association, practice is tedious. To our players, it’s drudgery. Many of them simply go through the motions, “get through the practice”, and hold back until game day – which is why they signed up, after all. How do you organize your practices to mak
Lineal Speed with Velocity Changes - A Necessary Football Acquisition
Lineal speed has a value to football speed. In fact learning to run properly for football speed must begin with lineal work. Once the lineal performance is sound then you can begin displacing momentum for football speed requirements. Lineal speed can be applied in certain ways on every play. When coaches look at lineal sprint speed they think of longer distances at maximum velocity rather than shorter bursts of acceleration. To reach maximum velocity it takes 40 - 50 yards for most young athl
How to Prepare Your Athletes for Collegiate and NFL Weight Programs
Preparing Your Athletes for Collegiate Strength Programs By Joe Kenn MA, CSCS, SCCC Director of Athlete Development – Football, University of Louisville In an era where physical fitness is at an all time low, it is imperative that coaches at the high school level understand they are not getting the same type of athletes coaches worked with decades before. With the de-emphasis of general physical education at the elementary and middle school levels w
Developing Quickness in Your Players Part II
Training to Get it Right This is where we begin the journey toward change and how we end the journey successfully. The players must go through a series of procedures that progress turnover of limb speed in short, high-intensity rotational patterns. Remember, I indicated earlier that they won’t understand the feeling of quickness. That’s why we need to explain it to them and start by giving them short-limb activity requirements over short distances. If the players are p
Mount Union Offensive Line
Mount Union’s run game is primarily based on the zone run play. At Mount Union, we drill the fundamentals of zone blocking at each practice. By understanding the fundamentals, our linemen are able to execute these drills in practice and use them in a game setting. The three main components of the zone run play are: 1. Step 2. Hands (punch) 3. Feet (finish) I’ve included four zone blocking drills that practice the fundamentals of zone blocki
Gear - Products for Coaches
Muscle Milk Collegiate • CytoSport Developed to meet the complex nutritional needs of today’s athletes, Muscle Milk Collegiate is rapidly becoming a key addition to weight rooms and nutrition programs across the country. Muscle Milk feeds hungry muscles by combining high quality protein, carbs and custom fat structures known as MCT’s – or medium chain triglycerides – so athletes can recover more efficiently from training. Forget about the high sugar con
Developing a “Six-second competitor”
Missouri’s secret program that builds toughness and confidence It’s no secret that Missouri has been one of the most improved college football teams in the country over the last five years. Under Head Coach Gary Pinkel, the Tigers have won back-to-back Big 12 North Championships and had four bowl appearances in the last four seasons. Pinkel has won 31 out of his last 42 games as a head coach. The numbers speak for themselves. Those numbers, some would say, have a lo
Developing Quickness in Your Players Part I
All coaches recognize quickness when they see it but don’t usually understand how to develop it. As coaches we will inherit certain kids with quickness skills. The question is to what degree can quickness be developed. The answer – to the level of potential of each athlete. Not every athlete will be as capable as the next but each will get better if the right training applications are involved. Beyond the Fallacy We begin by challenging coaches’ bel
Wide Receiver Separation
On behalf of Northwestern University, Head Football Coach Pat Fitzgerald, and the entire Northwestern Football Program, I would like to thank American Football Monthly for allowing me to share some of our wide receiver drills with you. We are a part of a great profession that shares coaching points freely. I’m honored to share with you a separation drill series that has been very productive for our wide receivers. At Northwestern, we run a spread, four-wide receiver offens
5 Things Every Youth Coach Must Do Today to Win in the Fall - .COM
Welcome to my first article in American Football Monthly’s Youth Coaching Expert column. I have been fortunate enough to have had a success at the youth coaching ranks and it will be my goal to impart some of the lessons that I have learned, both good and bad, over the years. I will not be writing these columns for the coaches that get the super fast kids where you can just pitch them the ball and they go and make magic happen. You guys probably don’t need my help! Instead, I am goi
Q&A with Lou Tepper
The name Lou Tepper has been synonymous with defensive football. Considered one of the original gurus of linebacker play, Tepper has coached over 20 professional linebackers including the likes of Dick Butkus Awards winners and NFL standouts Kevin Hardy, Dana Howard and Simeon Rice while he was the head coach at the University of Illinois. Since being named head coach in 2006 at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Tepper is enjoying a resurgence at the Division II level. The
Specificity for Football Quickness
Of the many important aspects of football is movement speed and quickness. Quickness is near the top, if not on top, of every coaches list. Sometimes as coaches we get caught up with the forty times and we can easily underachieve for quickness development. When quickness and acceleration are coupled together we have the formula for the most dynamic results one can expect. Quickness applies for one step, several feet or yards, depending on the assignment. Another typ
Letter - Want To Be 1 in 11,000?
We all chase the same dream. Whether it lies in conference championships, state championships, national titles – we prepare endlessly for the honor of hoisting that trophy in glory. We’re living in denial if we don’t understand that the percentages are against us. There are terrific coaches that spend their entire life in this business and don’t ever get that opportunity. Ever wonder why they never get there? Sure, luck has its place but most of the time it can come down to one game,
Lessons Learned - From an NFL Assistant Coach
Besides coaching on defense, my most valuable learning experience took place while working with the quarterbacks. Prior to my NFL coaching days, I worked a summer football camp for two years at a Big Ten university where I befriended the QB Coach, (Presently an Assistant Head Coach in the NFL) who taught me the QB position. We spent hours upon hours watching film. The first words that came out of his mouth were, “If you want to learn football, this is the position to coach.”
AFM University Recap
RECAP: AFM University 2009 Thank you to each and every coach for making the 2nd Annual AFM University a huge success!
Drills Report: Training the Eyes
We emphasize “eyes” at Cal Lutheran. The most common remark we hear from our opponents is, “you guys play fast.” I believe the reason we play so fast is because we drill daily our eye placement. By drilling eye placement every day, keying becomes second nature and we are able to diagnose the play rapidly while reacting accordingly. We base our defense out of a 3-2-6. Each position group has a key progression that is drilled during individual time. The defensive line, ins
Schutt - College Coaches of the Year
Mike London University of Richmond Creating Competition in Practice – Making Players Perform Under Pressure After seven games into the 2008 season with a record of 4-3, nobody believed Richmond could win it all, except Mike London himself, who saw something special in his guys. “I knew that our losses could have gone either way early on,” said London, who was the defensive coordinator at Virginia before taking the job at his alm
Schutt - National High School Coach of the Year
Coaching Smart A Florida football legend, George Smith, is the Schutt Sports National High School Coach of the Year George Smith’s coaching career could have ended before it ever really got started. As a 27-year-old first-year head coach, Smith was getting his staff together after his first full season, a 6-4 campaign in 1975. “I was going around asking my staff in a post-season meeting who was going to come back for next year,” Smith recalls. “They al
Middle Cross Kickoff Return
Developing and repping a solid kickoff return team can be an explosive offensive weapon for your football team. With the kickoff team, you are generally looking to avoid negative momentum. However, with the kickoff return team, you can gain a huge momentum swing with a great return. At the very least, you want to give your offense the ball outside of the 30-yard line. The kickoff return team is important, because you can give your offense the ball in good field position, and could possibly ev
Central Missouri’s Tackling Drills
With the increasing pressure that offenses are posing for defensive coaches, organizing practice to maximize benefits is vital. Covering everything and still improving fundamental skills is nearly impossible. The fundamentals unfortunately get shorted more often than not. I think that coaches do a tremendous job at adapting to this dilemma by combining skills into one drill. With that in mind I want to discuss three tackling drills that accomplish that exact purpose. Drill: Fini
Pass Setting on an E/T or T/E Stunt
Ken Wilmesherr Offensive Line Coach Grossmont College Offensive linemen should anticipate a game or a stunt by down defenders, but never guess. Through film study and game planning offensive linemen can anticipate E/T’s (end and tackle) and T/E’s (tackle and end) by the down defenders. Horizontal and vertical alignments (different levels, one defender tight to the L.O.S and the other off the L.O.S.), and foot stagger by down defenders my dictate a game
Mental Toughness: Quiet the Mind
How often have you heard these? \"We choked today.\" \"We started out flat.\" \"We play down to our competition.\" Or these…\"We were in the zone.\" \"Things just clicked.\" \"It was as if I knew what was about to happen.\" All of these statements reflect on a team\'s mental performance...how the brain affects outcome. Many times, a restless brain gets in the way of performance. Your body obeys dual voices from your brain. One of the voices is the strong silent type. Your bo
Alternative Training
Every offseason coaches begin their workouts and conditioning drills in hopes of producing superior athletes for the football field. Many exercises are designed to produce faster, stronger, more explosive athletes and reduce the chance of injury. The list of exercises can be endless and many are very sports specific. The goal is to produce explosive, powerful, fast football players, not bodybuilders, Olympic lifters, or strongmen. At the University of Central Florida we use a varie
Focal Tackling - Using Your Eyes to Make Plays
We know that football has become a game played in space – there is no denying that. In the last issue of AFM, we discussed the way that tackling has morphed from a semi-barbaric method of driving someone into the ground, into a more detailed approach based on where you are in the field. Because spread schemes get their athletes the ball in space, most defensive coaches preach to their players to “leverage” the ball or keep it inside the numbers and know where your help is. Tackling used to
The Drills Report: Delaware’s Defensive Line Hip Emphasis Drills
As defensive line coaches, we all know the importance of developing strength, power, quick feet, active hands, and a relentless desire to get to the football. What I also add to that list is the development of the hips in relation to movements necessary to play defensive line. We work year-round on the strength, power and flexibility of the hips. Our training staff and strength & conditioning coaches work year-round improving this area and I incorporate drills that I feel are
Tackling Solutions
Editor’s Note: Due to the overwhelming response we’ve received from coaches on the issue of tackling, we are currently working with a group of coaches to publish a series of tackling improvement articles this off-season. Ok, so we’ve identified the problem. But how do we fix it? Each coach has their own suggestions as to how to improve our tackling dilemma, but we found that it can be broken down into three distinct elements of improvement – position-specific tackling,
The Tackling Crisis
As coaches, we spend countless hours and plenty of dollars sitting in clinic talks on the zone option or the odd-stack defense. These scheme-driven talks seem to motivate us more than anything. We shell out bucks on DVD’s about the most innovative offensive scheme or blitz-busting defense. After a loss, it’s never the scheme that bears the brunt of the loss – it’s fundamentals. “We didn’t tackle well.” If all of football comes down to blocking and tackling, then why are offens
The Off-Season: Preparing for Advanced Level Training (Part II)
This is part II in Dale Baskett’s column on eight elements of speed training in the off-season. In part I, Dale presented four of the eight elements starting with periodization, foundation principles, load work and assisted speed training (to read last month’s column, please visit www.AmericanFootballMonthly.com). This month Dale discusses elements five through eight.
Special Teams Time Management
Special teams is the aspect of the game where the “Hidden Yardage” can have a great effect of the outcome of a game. The MSU “Red Hawks” will win the hidden yardage weekly. This is accomplished through hard work, being well disciplined, knowing and executing the techniques and assignments and playing every play as a 101%er. Solid special teams are directly related to sound and effective time management. The old adage of “Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance” couldn\
If it’s All About Tackling, Let’s Do a Better Job of Teaching It…
When was the last time you saw a clinic presentation on tackling? Or when was the last time you viewed a DVD on just the fundamentals of a pure tackle? We thought so. It is without question the most important aspect of defensive football yet for some reason it gets neglected in favor of some innovative offensive scheme or some zone blitz package. I think Chuck Clemens, the co-defensive coordinator at the University of Central Missouri said it best when he said that he hears all these offensive l
Gear
Digital Video Editing • APEX Sports Software APEX is the top choice of coaches at all levels for all of their game film needs. Time saving features like Live Game Day Capture and Auto Checkerboard enable you to get your games ready for breakdown faster than ever. APEX’s patented Voice Recognition process allows you to simply speak in all of the data for each play. Our Tendencies and Reporting package is consistently rated as the best in the industry. Use the wireless Sidewi
Fundamental Offensive Line Leverage Drills
I want to thank all the tremendous coaches who I have had the pleasure of learning from over the course of my 25 years of coaching. The following fundamental drills are still my favorite for developing offensive lineman. I take great pride in getting my players better every day. I impose the philosophy of never taking a day off or a play off. All my drills are executed to create positive blocking habits. The three things I demand each and every snap are for my OL to learn how to get into their f
Offensive Linemen: Developing Fast Feet
As an offensive line coach, you’ve probably learned by now that a football team has two types of players: skill and linemen. Players that are athletic and agile become backs and receivers while those that are slower, clumsier, and less athletic, inevitably, become linemen. Whereas I understand that backs and receivers need to have blazing speed and the ability to cut on a dime, as a line coach, I know that in order for linemen to be effective, they must have many of the same qualities, alth
The Big Picture
It has been the goal of this article series to provide coaches with the ability to design a safe and productive strength and conditioning program. In this article I would like to reiterate some of the information provided in prior articles and give you a sample template. Before designing a strength and conditioning program it is most important to define what it is you are trying to accomplish. At the University of South Florida we have five program goals: 1. To maximize the genetic po
The Off Season: Preparing for Advance Level Training (Part I)
When you begin the off-season with speed training, one of your major challenges will be organizing and periodizing your product. Obviously your periodization scheme stretches over many months. Your design is critical to the success of the progression you expect to gain during the year. One area that can be a little tricky and can have a distinct affect on your development for team speed is working with large numbers of players who are at two different levels of ability. My experience
Gear
Promoting Players • College Coaches Network College Coaches Network (CCN) recognizes that one of the hardest jobs of the coach is promoting your players – especially your Sub-D I prospects. CCN’s Give Every Player a Chance to Play™ program is designed specifically for high school coaches and leverages the CCN online platform (www.collegecoaches.net) to support the critical role you play in recruiting. Whether helping with your superstars or giving national exposure
The Drills Report: Auburn’s Running Back Drills
We practice a number of drills for running backs on a daily basis. These include ball leverage drills; movement and bag drills; decision-making drills; pass blocking drills; and pass catching drills. For this article, we’ll include our five ball leverage drills: A. Strip Drill-Side: This is protecting the ball from defenders trying to strip the ball in a crowd – usually linemen and linebackers – (See Diagram 1).
The Strength Report: Skill Development
These days a strength and conditioning coach has to be more than a weight lifting coach. They must be a mentor, counselor, nutritionist, etc. However, one area that must be well versed for a team to have great success on the field is skill development. Most seasons are between 3-4 months in length. This leaves 8-9 months of off-season time that position skills are often excluded. There must be a direct transfer from what is being done in those 8-9 months in the off-season to what will be done fo
The Speed Report: Variables For In-Season Speed Training (Part 2)
Last month we described many things that you can accomplish and sustain during the in-season. So very often in-season speed training becomes a burden to the football world in terms of time allotment. Football is about speed and the maintenance of technical applications that produce it. It never ceases to amaze me how much can be accomplished during the season with consistent training reinforcement. Conversely, the dissipation of technique can also be void of consistency when neglecte
Coaching Quarterbacks To Be Effective Runners in the Shotgun Zone Fly Offense
The evolution of the quarterback from a true pocket passer to a passing / running hybrid is one of the most lethal offensive combinations that defenses have ever faced. A player that can beat you in the air and has the skill and confidence to beat you on the ground as well is what many of today’s best offensive coordinators are aggressively looking for. The Shotgun Zone Fly offense relies on this type of hybrid player. The success of the SZF run game, in large part, comes from the a
Gear
Hinged Offset Football Goals • AAE From the “Linc to Lambeau,” AAE’s Hinged Offset Football Goals are gaining popularity in the NFL and schools across the country. The HSG goals incorporate a unique hinged base plate that permits removal and reinstallation of the goals on an as needed basis. So they’re perfect for fields used for multiple purposes – football, soccer, lacrosse, graduations and other special events. And check out the perfect storage solution when goals ar
The Drills Report: Washington Linebacker Drills
We spend more time on block protection and tackling than any other skill sets we teach. Tackling is still best learned in team situations in practice. Getting in a proper tackling position in practice is the best way to simulate the live situations that come up in the game. The coaching points we emphasize in tackling are: 1. Eyes up and in front. 2. Bend the ankles, knees, and hips. 3. Time up the hit and explode on contact – hit through the runner. 4. Club with t
Q & A with Mickey Andrews
For twenty-four years, Mickey Andrews has been coordinating the Florida State University defense. His longevity in such a competitive field and his commitment to stay in one place in such a transitory occupation where most other coaches are looking for the “next best thing” speaks volumes about the type of character he possesses. Now regarded as somewhat of the elder statesman in major college football, Andrews spent some time with Mike Kuchar of American Football Monthly chatting about ever
What’s the Best Way to Grade Your Players During the Course of the Season?
Gary Chilcoat, O-Line and Outside Linebackers Coach Deep Run High School, Glen Allen (VA) “I have used film grades in the past, but they are so time consuming that you really know how they played before you grade. What I have found most effective is grading them during practice. We tell our players they earn the right to play Monday through Thursday. Most people can give great effort on Friday’s, but it takes a true believer to work hard during the week. We expect sta
- More Solutions to Problem #9
Continued from: 32 Solutions for the 12 Biggest Problems You\'ll Face this Season Problem 9: Special teams letdowns – losing a game because of special teams play...what can be done to improve special teams play? Our focus here at Holbrook is on kick coverage and punt/punt return, since these are the biggest change of field plays in the
- More Solutions to Problem #6
Continued from: 32 Solutions for the 12 Biggest Problems You\'ll Face this Season Problem 6: Tackling issues – the team’s consistency in missing tackles..how do you improve this problem? We go back to the basics as a team to reinforce the proper fundamentals of tackling. In defensive individual time we also spend a lot of time on var
- More Solutions to Problem #2
Continued from: 32 Solutions for the 12 Biggest Problems You\'ll Face this Season Problem 2: Your running back has ball control issues... if he’s prone to fumbling, how do you improve his ball security? Ball security by all players is priority #1 in our offense and great care is given to ball security. We have a series of drills where th
- More Solutions to Problem #1
Continued from: 32 Solutions for the 12 Biggest Problems You\'ll Face this Season Problem 1. Not playing to the level of your opponent – avoiding a major let down early in the season... how do you deal with this issue? Are there ways to motivate a team that is under achieving? Our biggest issue is not so much playing down to our opponents,
The Speed Report: Variables For In-Season Speed Training (Part I)
When the season starts coaches become so focused on football that speed development is often the last thing they are concerned with. Speed erosion is greatest during the season. We must be mindful that football is a game of collisions and moving fast to make plays. If speed enhancement is ignored during the season, the off-season becomes a point of diminished return. There is a lot one can do in-season to preserve off-season development and actually improve speed. Time is never your friend durin
32 Solutions for the 12 Biggest Problems You\'ll Face this Season
Monitor and adjust. It’s probably the most useful axiom in the coaching and teaching profession. We’re all regimented people by nature, which is why we get into this in the first place. We have everything accounted for and leave nothing to chance – from the opening stretch period in practice to our awards dinner in December. But what if that plan starts to tumble and collapse right in front of our face? What if your all-area QB tears his ACL during two-a-days? What if your seniors are not
Building Better Bruins
Head Athletic Performance Coach Mike Linn of UCLA has come home. Raised in Southern California, Linn was a two-year starter for the Bruins on the offensive line and stayed with the program after graduation, eventually becoming UCLA’s Head Strength and Conditioning Coach from 1999 to 2002. For the last several years, he’s been training individual athletes and supervising training programs nationwide for Velocity Sports Performance, a leading provider of individual performance training program
Missouri\'s Top Three Principles of Defense
I would like to discuss and illustrate the ‘Top Three Principles of Missouri Defense.’ 1. SPEED TO THE BALL. 2. VISION & BREAK (Break 1/3 The Distance The Ball Is In The Air). 3. TAKEAWAYS. I. SPEED TO THE BALL At Mizzou we take pride in running to the football. We evaluate our players’ effort on every single rep in practice and games. It is very important that Missouri players understand this is our #1 principle. Our succ
The Drills Report: Advanced Quarterback Drills
As with many offenses in this day and age we run a spread out of many different personnel packages and motions. Unlike most offenses, we use the “Gun” exclusively because it fits our personnel best. The problem with this is that quarterbacks left to their own devices in the gun will start to develop bad habits, mainly throwing mechanics. For example, a QB who always throws out of the gun will start to develop lazy feet, bad body positioning, and not getting his shoulders in proper position.
Conditioning: Train Fast to Be Fast
In football, it is often said that speed is the great equalizer. It can negate the size and strength of opposing linemen and make the opposing team look like it is running in mud. It’s no wonder that many coaches devote much time and effort to developing this skill during in and out-of-season workouts. Ultimately, the question becomes, how can efficient speed development be achieved? After all, no one would want to put forth so much time and effort if what was being done was ineffective.
The Speed Report: Maintaining Maximum Speed Capacity During the Season
In the July Speed Report on final preparations for in-season speed, I stressed maximizing speed prior to in-season. Now we are in-season and we must have a plan for sustaining the qualities we worked to develop. The key emphasis here is quality, not quantity. As I have put forward the last two years of writing the Speed Report, everything is quality, not quantity. Speed is a precision skill which must be trained in that manner. Too much emphasis on over working the physical aspects of training w
Gear
No Glare® Flip-Up Sunglasses • Mueller Sports Med Mueller No Glare® sunglasses are the most comfortable and hassle-free sunglasses you’ll ever own. Flip these sunglasses up into the brim of your hat with the flick of a wrist. Your look-out vision is unobstructed. Wraparound design protects your eyes from the sun’s rays and the wind from all angles. Because they’re attached to your hat, instead of your face, No Glare® Flip-Up Sunglasses don’t apply pressure to your
The Drills Report: Special Teams Techniques and Drills - Drill What You Coach
There is more movement of the ball and yardage involved in the special teams game than any other phase of football. It controls field position, creates opportunities for the offense and defense and has the ability to score points. At C.W. Post, we believe special teams are the outcome changer, the difference maker that will lead to success. Bryan Collins, the head coach at C.W. Post, preaches to the players that “special teams are the foundation that great programs are built on.” B
The Speed Report: Final Preperations for In-Season Performance
Many weeks and months go into preparing a team for in-season speed. Can you imagine running ladders or dragging a parachute for seven months? I can\'t either. Hopefully, your off-season speed development was thought out and well conceived for the many phases required. To truly perfect the art and skill of running fast on the football field is like baking a cake. Many ingredients need to be blended in certain amounts and the baker must know just how much of each ingredient is required. Too
Gear
Wireless Headset System HME DX300 HMEYou spend hours preparing for the big game - make sure your hard work pays off! HME’s DX300 Wireless Headset system keeps your coaches in constant touch throughout the game. It takes only minutes to set up and operates on AC or batteries. Dual-slot diversity automatically detects strongest signals for uninterrupted conversations. Digital technology offers superior sound clarity. Up to 20 coaches can communicate in hands-free, two-way conver
Offensive Line Drills for the Inside Zone
Inside zone blocking is a topic that is near and dear to my heart. I always look to see if someone is talking on zone at a clinic or if there is an article in AFM because I don’t have all the answers and I love stealing ideas. I have played in or been coaching in a zone scheme for the past 18 years. At Blue Valley High School, we are an inside zone running team. In the past we were a single back ace and now we have evolved to the pistol formation. Even though we are different in the backfield,
The Drills Report: Auburn\'s Pass Rush for Defensive Tackles
At Auburn, our emphasis is on our players having great effort on each play. We want our players to have ‘relentless pursuit.’ If they get knocked down, they get up and sprint to the ball. We want them to know how to play hard and that loafing is never acceptable. This is the key to playing good defense and being a good pass rusher. We stress a three-and-out principle. Everything we do in practice requires three perfect reps before we leave the field. When you conduct practice that way, it g
10 Mistakes You\'re Bound to Make at Pre-Season Practices
So the summer is winding down and you’ve put a stamp on your off-season conditioning; wrapped up the local seven on seven tournaments; and made all the necessary arrangements to have an intense and productive camp in preparation for another eventful season. But as the lazy days of July morph into the intensely crammed early days of August, there are some major concerns that need to be addressed before heading into summer camp. Sure, every good coach has a plan, but there are some major decisi
AFM Subscribers Ask...with Wisconsin-Whitewater's Lance Leipold
Taking over for his former college coach Bob Berezowitz last fall, Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Lance Leipold led the Warhawks to their first Division III National Championship. After losing to Mount Union in the title game in both 2005 and 2006, UW-W proved the third time is the charm as they upset Mount Union in their third straight meeting, 31-21. In the process, Leipold became only the second first-year coach to ever win a D-III National Championship. Leipold’s coaching career also began at
Gear
Belt Squat • Samson Equipment The new Samson Belt Squat is yet another way Samson Equipment is leading the way in custom, heavy duty weight training equipment. This brand new design limits the amount of floor space needed for this unique piece, while remaining easy for athletes of all different sizes to use. Featuring adjustable handles, a unique load release that brings the athlete’s hands closer together while performing the exercise, an adjustable yoke that allows each
The Speed Report: Minimize Training Time, Maximize Performance
I’ve heard the concerns for years from football coaches that they only have a certain amount of time to implement new ingredients for their programs. Training year-round quite obviously can present challenges for fitting everything you want in place. I’ve discussed in speed training articles that team speed should be developed in phase increments (periodization). To train for speed you must plan for meeting the requirements necessary to get each player faster. My suggestion is to
iFutbol Fever!
As everyone knows, soccer is king in the Mexican sporting world. But did you know that football as we know it, Fútbol Americano to Mexicans, has been played south of the border at the collegiate and professional levels since the 1920’s and today enjoys widespread popularity? Or that the top conference in the ONEFA (the primary collegiate league) is known as Doce Grandes – the Big 12? Or that an ONEFA All-Star team beat a NCAA Division III All-Star team in 2003 to capture the annual Aztec Bo
The Drills Report: Minnesota Wide Receivers Drills
At Minnesota we believe there are keys to playing the wide receiver position in our offense. The topics that I would like to cover all build on one another with one being no greater than the other. The topics I would like to discuss with you are: 1 Route Expression. 2. Release Techniques. 3. Ball Catching. Route Expression Our offense relies heavily on our receivers getting good vertical stretch, running precise routes, and being abl
The Five Keys to Drop Back Pass Protection
Teaching fundamentals of drop back protection can be broken down into five phases. These five areas are the set, relative position, body position, lateral movement, and separation. In this article I will break down each of these phases in detail and provide a sound and proven fundamental approach to each. Before I go on I would like to say that this information has been gathered over several years of listening to and visiting with some of the top offensive line coaches in high school, college
Meshing the Veer and Mid-Line vs. Odd and Even Fronts
It’s amazing what some old-fashioned ingenuity can do. For the most part, running the spread option usually means coming out of trips or four wide receiver shotgun sets and working some type of zone scheme-reading the backside end. It’s the type of option that is all over the collegiate landscape, with teams like Rich Rodriguez’s former West Virginia squad and Urban Meyer’s old Florida teams pioneering the movement. But as more programs decided to move to that scheme, many defenses found
The Speed Report: Quickness & Speed - What\'s the Difference in Football?
I travel the country month to month installing my progression – designed football speed training system. It deals with quickness and transition speed effectiveness. As teams and their staffs spend a few days learning to use the comprehensive package, I am always asked what’s the difference between quickness and speed? The common thought is that if a player has limb speed (arm and leg cycle frequency) then he has good speed. It’s the general thinking of most coaches but it’s n
Maximizing Your Time on the Practice Field
Detailed preparation and expert organization are essential to every winning program. The practice schedules leading to Saturday must be precisely crafted, minute-to-minute plans designed to produce maximum effort at kickoff. AFM asked Defensive Coordinator Bob Elliott for a specific breakdown of how he gets his San Diego State Aztecs ready for Mountain West opponents. Most important for his players he said is to get them accustomed to the same routine every day. The details of the sess
The Drills Report: Connecticut Secondary Drills
The emphasis that we have chosen to take with our defense, and in this case our secondary, is on fundamentals. There are certainly many variations and philosophies to choose from and we have decided that what we do is the best thing for our program. We believe that tackling is 10% technique and 90% desire. We use a few drills to simulate the different scenarios a defensive back will find himself in throughout the course of a game; they include tackling, block protection and ball skills. The dril
Linebacker Block Protection & Shed Drills
We are an odd man front defense but no matter what scheme you are running, defense is the ability to get off of blocks successfully. To be a great linebacker and to have a defense that is successful against the run, you must know how to defeat and avoid blocks. The progression of how this is taught is as important as teaching it. The players must understand how to deliver a physical blow and to stop the run. 6 Point Explosion Progression We begin by teaching the 6 po
Quarterback Development (off-season)
Many kids want to be the quarterback when they begin playing the game of football. However, few realize how much time, effort, and pressure come with the position. In today’s game, it is essential to establish an off-season “training” program for an incoming or returning quarterback. There are three areas that we focus on during the off-season. They are: mental preparation, mechanics, and recognition. The mental preparation is one of the most important aspects of the off-seas
Developing a Passing Attack that Fits Your Plans and Players
Throughout my twenty-nine years in the profession, I have had the opportunity to coach at both the collegiate and high school levels. During that time, I have had the pleasure of working with various coaching staffs that have helped me formulate my philosophies on dealing with the passing game. At the same time, I have had many athletes with various ranges in athletic abilities. Therefore, I have had to adapt each year to the specific situation. When you are developing a passing at
The Speed Report: Playing Fast Transition Speed is Essential
Playing fast means winning games. Coaches in football love speed. The question is twofold: how do we develop it and what kind of speed works? Football requires what I term transition speed. Whenever an athlete has a change of velocity or changes the direction of any movement, a transition must occur. When this transition happens it may cause a physiological change. It will absolutely change the mechanical function of limb cycle and body positioning to force relationship. As athletes run, motor p
Techniques for \'Effective\' Cover 2
The topic of this article is on playing ‘effective’ Cover 2 techniques. We need to first look at what our idea of effective means. This is crucial in how you teach the LBs and DBs to play their techniques, especially the corners. I truly believe you have to make a decision on what you want Cover 2 to do for you. Do you want to run Cover 2 to help in the pass game or to stop the run? To play effective Cover 2, I believe you need to emphasize one or the other. You can do both; however, you nee
GEAR
VOLT™ • Active Ankle Presenting revolutionary new ankle protection for the higher performance athlete. The new VOLT™ ankle brace from Active Ankle has been engineered to include the latest carbon fiber technology. The polypropylene shell is reinforced with carbon fiber – the same high performance material used in racing cars and bicycles. It also features a molded bearing design performance hinge for smoother range of motion, strengthening ribs for a thinner profile an
The Drills Report - Central Florida\'s Ball Security
One of the fastest ways to lose a football game is by the offense turning the ball over to its opponent. Keeping turnovers to a minimum through techniques and drills that are practiced ensures the team’s chance of success. The offensive coaches’ motto at UCF is, “Ball security is a job, yours and mine.” If an individual is fumbling the ball away too many times, he will be replaced. If a position on the team is losing the football, the coach will be replaced. With this emphasis
Samson\'s I-AA, II, III, NAIA, Juco and HS Strength & Conditioning Coaches of th
Division I-AA/FCS: Henry Briscoe Central Arkansas The Strength and Conditioning Coach at Central Arkansas, Henry Briscoe, has been influenced by a number of coaches and players over the years. But, in addition to that, one book that has helped his strategy is the Book of War by Sun-Tsu. “One of the concepts in the book is to analyze your weaknesses and make them your strengths,” says Briscoe. “We try to do that in the weight room and on the field. This can be
A Man Among Giants
Many football fans probably consider the New York Giants the surprise team of the year in the NFL. Certainly very few prognosticators felt they would make the playoffs, much less win the Super Bowl. After surrendering 80 points in their first two games, the Giants seemed lost, confused and in complete chaos. But they turned it around. Their offensive line improved dramatically; their defense was relentless; and their physical style and presence would make any coach proud. “My feeli
The Drills Report - New Mexico Linebacker Drills & Techniques
Our defensive package is the 3-3-5 out of which we execute multiple fronts, stunts and blitzes. I will talk about the two types of man technique we use in our package: blitz technique and over technique. The focus will be the key coaching points that we emphasize each day. Man-To-Man Pass Defense There are two types of man-to-man pass techniques that we use. Our linebackers will play a cautious man-to-man when they don\'t have help in the deep zones. We call this
Practice Planning For All Levels of Play
\"Winning is never an accident, it is the result of high intentions, determination and skilled executions\" When was the last time you or any coach you know complained of having too much practice time? As a coach with nearly 25 years of experience at the youth leagues, I have never heard a coach complain of this. I doubt sincerely that high school or colleges complain of this as well. One thing I have found out though, in the research I have done of successful coaches at all leve
7 Essentials to Kickoff Coverage
While most people would agree that special teams can be a ‘difference maker,’ the University of Pittsburgh’s Charlie Partridge feels it is especially true of high school programs. “Great high school teams win two or three games a year, I promise you, just on special teams,” says Partridge. Special teams is all too often the stepchild in coaching clinics, behind offense and defense. But the man in charge of the kicking game at Pitt knows better. Like many coaches,
Air Raid Offense Drills
In the book Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose is a quote by the author of Warriors, J. Glenn Gray: “Organization for a common and concrete goal in peacetime organizations does not evoke anything like the degree of comradeship commonly known in war. At its height this sense of comradeship is an ecstasy…men are true comrades only when each is ready to give his life for the other without reflection and without thought of personal loss.” The players on our team must build cohesiveness close
The Speed Report: Training Aids and Apparatus
We looked at sprint assisted and resisted aids in a past article. In this article I’ll discuss a few of the other popular training aids and whether or not they are a good resource for enhancing speed and movement in your program. Since speed and movement can be enhanced through training, entrepreneurs and manufacturers are attempting to make it easier for coaches and trainers to get the job done by offering a potpourri of training aids. Each month I receive magazines and catalogs to
GEAR
Model 1258 Cold Weather Compression Shirt • Stromgren Moisture-wicking compression shirts provide an athlete with excellent upper body compression, moisture-wicking capabilities that will keep them dry. Anti-Microbial treated fabric will help reduce their exposure to staph infections. This garment is an absolute must to wear under football shoulder pads. Contact Stromgren today for more details and free color catalog. For more information: 800-527-1988 •
How To Get The Most Out Of Practice Time As An Assistant Coach
Football programs at all levels from Pop Warner to the NFL have to deal with similar challenges. Your practice time is limited. Your playbook is unlimited. Your next opponent presents numerous difficulties. As a result, many coaches struggle weekly with the same dilemma: How are we going to get all this done? The answer, of course, is that every staff must get the most of practice time. But how? While many clinics, books, and articles advise head coaches how to plan a week or day of practi
Defending the Pass
In today’s brand of college football, teams tend to throw more than they run. In light of this trend, the coaching staff at UCLA has tried to be more creative with regard to how we coach and prepare our players to play against the pass. Also, because of his experience in the NFL, UCLA Defensive Coordinator Dewayne Walker, then with the Washington Redskins, brought information from studies done on \'Ball Disruptions.\' It is well known that combining pressure on the passer with the ja
The Speed Report: Resisted and Assisted Sprint Training
Since speed and movement control are two of the most sought-after athletic qualities, coaches and trainers are always looking for ways to help athletes improve in these areas. In this article, we will look at the topic of sprint assisted and resisted training and try to sort out the good from the not-so-good as it pertains to football. I travel the country and spend time with coaches presenting my Team Speed Workshops for their programs. These coaches constantly ask me what I think abo
Gaining the Pre- and Post-Snap Advantage
It is commonly said that an offense has two distinct pre-snap advantages over any particular defense: one, they know the snap count and two, they know where the ball is going. Once the ball is snapped those advantages disappear, but there are other factors post-snap, such as movement and deception, to help leverage defenses. AFM talked to three of the more prominent coaches in the country: Dale Weiner of Catholic High School in Baton Rouge; Byron Hamilton of Foothill High School in Cal
Navy\'s Deceptive Linebacker Strategy
The Midshipmen also know the fundamentals required to make up for those shortcomings. That’s why Coach Paul Johnson’s program is poised for a fifth consecutive trip to a bowl game. Offensively, Johnson’s patented option attack helps minimize athletic mismatches. But, defensively, it’s tough for the Midshipmen to out-scheme superior opponents. It’s not that they don’t try. “We’re not very big and can’t just line-up and play with some people,” explained Navy
Gear
The Whizzer® • Mueller Sports Medicine Mueller Sports Medicine Holds Clean-Up Cure for Deadly Staph – Cleaner & Disinfectant Kills Drug-Resistant MRSA Strain... As media attention surrounding the staph Superbug MRSA escalates, a Wisconsin sports medicine company has the solution to killing the deadly bacteria. Whizzer®, a concentrated disinfectant manufactured by Mueller Sports Medicine, kills the drug-resistant MRSA when sprayed on hard surfaces. Following recent
The Drills Report - Zone Blocking: Run Game Drills
In this article we will cover some of the drills we use to develop our offensive linemen for the run game. Drills are where you develop your offensive linemen into playmakers. It’s difficult to teach technique and fundamentals during team practice. Instead, in team you should see your drills being put into use. Here are seven important points when teaching drills: 1. Teach a handful of drills. 2. Teach the fundamentals (‘Fundamentals Wins Games’). 3. Rep every
What Do You Mean You Guys Don\'t Bench? Not At All?
\"Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect\"—Mark Twain I can’t begin to tell you how many times I’ve had to answer the title of this article in the past four years—from all factions: fans, players, parents and even other coaches. As you well know, in our profession anytime we go against the norm there is some inherent risk. There is safety in conformity. “If the league champ is running the spread, then we will too. So
4-3 Defensive Line Play
What You Practice Must Mirror Who You Are We are a true Attack 4-3 front with an aggressive Cover 4 scheme behind it as our primary coverage (See Diagram 1). As a base rule we spill all blocks in an attempt to make the ball go east and west before it can hit us north and south. While priding ourselves in being assignment sound, we play fast– but smart– at all times. The drills and techniques we use as position coaches must mirror who we are as far as scheme, personnel, a
Techniques and Drills for Pass Protection
At Upper Iowa, our offensive linemen go out before practice and then stay after to work on proper pass protection techniques. If these drills are instilled on a daily basis, the players can work on their own technique and know what results to expect. When I was hired in January of 2006, my first priority was to have our offensive linemen dedicate themselves to fundamentals and techniques. Last year our offensive line averaged 270 pounds and two of our starters had never played O-Line in their re
The Strength Report: Developing the Explosive Athlete - Auburn's Off Season Tra
Conditioning should be at the forefront of a football strength and conditioning program. This does not diminish the importance of the weight room but there always needs to be a certain level of fitness for each player. You can't overemphasize the importance of conditioning, especially in this day and age. No matter how great the player is in the weight room, if he can't run, he can't play. This not only applies to straight-ahead running but the ability to move athletically, to change direction a
Defending the No-Huddle Offense
The no-huddle offense can give even the most talented defenses fits. In Georgia’s season opener against Oklahoma State, the Bulldogs struggled to get lined up correctly when the Cowboys mixed in the no-huddle on two first half scoring drives. “Early in the game, they were getting us off-balance and we weren’t getting lined up (because of the no-huddle),” Georgia coach Mark Richt said. “That was probably our biggest halftime adjustment – making sure we were lined up on time.
The Drills Report: Defensive Backs: Drills & Techniques
As a former player at Virginia Tech, I feel honored and privileged to have the opportunity to coach at my alma mater and work with such great people, coaches and players. I want to discuss our base footwork drills, the movements within the drills and how they coincide with the movements we perform during practices and games on a regular basis. I truly believe that repetition is the mother of learning. I try to have our base footwork drills mimic the movements that through repetitions n
AFM Subscribers Ask...with Jerry Glanville
The man in black is back...Veteran NFL coach Jerry Glanville accepted the head coaching position at Portland State earlier this year. The former head coach of both the Houston Oilers and Atlanta Falcons, Glanville spent more than a decade out of coaching while serving as a television analyst. He returned to the coaching ranks on the college level two years ago, joining June Jones’ staff in Hawaii as Defensive Coordinator. After two years in Honolulu, Glanville accepted the PSU position on Febr
Quarterbacking: \'The Ritual\'
This can easily be a 20-30 minute practice routine, while it can be reduced/condensed to a pre-game routine. This is something we work with at every practice. As the season goes on, I reduce repetitions and \"speed\" things up to shorten the routine. It is excellent for \"warming up\" the quarterback before he works with running backs and receivers. It is very conducive for either a camp or high school practice situation. The drills are best completed with two or more quarterbacks. One of the n
The Strength Report: Developing the Explosive Athlete - Defensive Backs
The philosophy on training high level football athletes is a basic one with simple principles. Each individual athlete, for the two to five years of their athletic career, will establish specific goals and objectives for themselves. As a commitment to ‘training’ as a high level or elite competitor, what can reliably be improved upon to develop a better skilled player or defensive back? Within the terms of training, for the game of football long term, is the length of the athlete
The Speed Report: In Season Conditioning: Specificity is Key for Game Endurance
Well, we’ve developed off season speed. Now how does it hold up during the season demands? Put on the pads and let’s go through the physical parameters of the body busting hell. Will he endure with the same speed and efficiency that off season was developed in shirts and shorts and no physical pounding? No! Why do you think that the world-class sprinters have not made a great impact in the NFL over the years? The demands of football’s pounding nature doesn\'t lend itself to the infinite pr
Letter From the Editor/Publisher: Requests from Subscribers
In a recent AFM subscriber survey, the question was asked: ‘What would you like to see at www.AmericanFootballMonthly.com that is not currently offered?’ A number of responses asked about video features and, more specifically, including video on the web site that corresponded to articles published in AFM. Some of the responses included: ‘You guys keep in mind that football coaches are football junkies. We can’t get enough. Videos of stuff would be a nice addition to the
How to Get Your Gamebreakers the Ball
University of North Alabama coach Mark Hudspeth has been coaching football in the South for awhile. “I grew up just south of Starkville, Mississippi, watching Emory Bellard run the option. So, I have been an option guy from way back.” Hudspeth has learned that the basic premise behind Bellard’s famous Wishbone offense, developed and implemented under Darrell Royal at Texas, is ball distribution and having the defense decide where the ball goes. Since Hudspeth’s arrival in 2002,
The Drills Report - Advanced Wide Receiver Drills
I have been coaching college football for more than ten years, all of them as a receivers coach at various levels of competition and talent. One of the beliefs I’ve developed over that period of time is that many receivers do not know how to properly catch a football. They have not been taught nor do they use the proper fundamentals and techniques needed to accomplish this basic but critical task. Many coaches believe a player is either born with the natural ability to catch a footba
Aerial Attack with the Tight End
The most amazing aspect of what Texas Tech has accomplished in Mike Leach’s reign in Lubbock is the consistency of a prolific passing offense. Since 2001 the Red Raiders have finished no worse than fifth in the nation in passing offense among all Bowl Subdivision schools. For four straight years – 2002 through 2005 – they led the nation. The players change, but the results don’t. After splitting duties as Co-offensive Coordinator over the past few years, Dana Holgorsen becomes
The Strength Report: Developing the Explosive Athlete - Running Backs
The cadets at West Point are highly motivated. They are at the United States Military Academy because the objective and goal is that they all will be great officers and that is the number one priority; that is, to do everything possible so they will be great officers. The entire training mission at the USMA is to get the cadets to be leaders. At Army, my program is built around a year-long periodized program. We utilize the non-linear periodization cycle and we approach it with the fou
The Speed Report: Preparing for Football Performance: Proper Warm Ups
One of the more important aspects of practice or game performance is being ready to function mentally and physically. Whether your team is warming up for a practice or a game, certain aspects of readiness (prepared for action) must be applied. When elite athletes perform they are very good at mentally processing variable psychomotor movement activities. When a team takes the field to warm up for practice or a competition, they should approach it with a good mental focus each time. Prac
Oregon\'s Defensive Line Prep vs. the Shotgun Spread Offense
In recent years, there has been a major shift back to the old-school principles of the past. More and more teams at the high school and college level are turning to athletic QBs and more option based systems to take advantage of the way defenses play against multiple WR formations. For coaches like Oregon D-Line Coach Michael Gray, it means new drills and rules to work on with his linemen. The premise behind these spread-type systems is that an offense can account for defenders by usin
6 Steps to D-Line Get Off
My first National Football League coaching experience was in 1980 with the Los Angeles Rams. It was a spring research visit. I was introduced to Bud Carson, the famed Pittsburgh Steelers’ Defensive Coordinator. I was awed by this encounter. Bud was highlighted in a 1979 Sports Illustrated article titled “NFL Assistant Coaches: Better Than Working For A Living.” In my 29 years of coaching, although the article’s title was unusual, I have found it to be truthful. My career has been bless
The Drills Report - Teaching Linebackers Proper Technique
Our base defense at SMU is the 4-3-4 alignment which allows our defensive package to include multiple fronts and coverages. With the variety and versatility of offenses today and the adjustments made defensively, it is important to be consistent in teaching techniques to your players. In this article I will focus on my strategy and teaching progression in developing linebackers. Strategy Coaches should have the ability to communicate with students, athletes, coaches a
Coastal Carolina In-Season Offensive Practice Outline
One of the more crucial aspects of in-season offensive practice planning is making sure that everything we plan to have in our arsenal on Saturday has been installed and practiced at some time during the week. Although that may sound simple, the limited practice time constraints we have make it imperative that we have a sound structure to our weekly practice plan so that no part of our game plan is left on the cutting room floor. The following schedule outlines how we break u
The Strength Report: Developing the Explosive Athlete - Linebackers
First and foremost our program is about producing results. Coaches can design the greatest programs on paper, but if athletes are not committed to the program then they are simply pieces of paper. Ground based and multi-joint exercises support the foundation of what we teach and coach. We use squatting, various single leg and hamstring exercises to gain strength in the hips and lower body. It is imperative that the top of the thighs be parallel during a squat – a shallow squat is not as effect
The Speed Report: Athletic Speed Skills for Special Team Plays
Special teams is, of course, a major concern for every football program in America. Coaches must select the right people for the job. They then must teach the proper schemes for executing both cover and return deployment by the troops. The selection of talent available does not always provide the fastest people on the team. A player’s football savvy is sometimes a better skill than pure speed. This fact is often important to the special teams design. However, speed on the field is ne
D-Backs: Playing with Low Pad Level
One of the most important fundamental concepts that we stress in the secondary at Iowa State University is playing with low pad level. We believe as a staff that this improves the capabilities of our players in two ways. First, low pad level allows us to have phenomenal power when striking a ball carrier or when disengaging from a blocker. Second, it allows for quicker cuts and breaks, especially within the secondary. I have had the opportunity to work with both the linebackers as well
GEAR
Weight Equipment • Forza Strength Systems Forza Strength Systems has provided high quality strength training equipment to teams since 1985. Forza offers a wealth of experience in designing workout areas and can assist with consultation in the concept stage of a large project, or just provide your next piece of equipment. Forza’s complete product line includes selectorized, plate load, and free weight equipment, as well as bars, plates, dumbbells, cardio, and flooring.
The Drills Report: Three-Step QB Drills
In this article, I will discuss part of the three-step game that we run at Mendocino College along with some of the drills used for our quarterbacks. At Mendocino, we run a spread offense and rely heavily on the production of our quarterbacks and receivers. This past season, we finished tenth in the state of California in passing yards per game. Our three-step game is just one aspect of how we get the ball in our playmakers’ hands as quickly as possible. Hitches, double-slants and ou
GAME PREPARATION FOR HIGH SCHOOL DEFENSE
It is an honor to contribute to American Football Monthly and to represent the Verona Area High School football program. A common challenge faced in preparing a defense for each game is that of making changes and adjustments to defend the opponent, while maintaining the base structure of the defensive scheme. A second challenge is to maintain a manageable level of sophistication in scheme while eliminating player confusion. Many staffs spend the off-season learning new schemes, mo
DRILLS, SKILLS, & CHARACTER: FOUNDATIONS OF THE O-LINE
\"Skill guys come with me, linemen - go with coach.\" Translation: Fast athletic guys that get to touch the ball get on the field and play catch - husky, slow kids go drive the 800 pound sled a mile or two. Anyone who has played football is familiar with this scenario. Especially those privileged enough to play on the offensive line. The group of young men that play offensive line are used to hearing these expressions. They have grown accustomed to not touching the ball, not gettin
The Strength Report: Developing the Explosive Athlete - Offensive Linemen
Training a football player is a year long endeavor. We have four years to develop the players under our charge. At BGSU we receive tremendous support from Head Coach Gregg Brandon and his staff in emphasizing the program to the players and allotting time for training during the NCAA imposed hour guidelines. The football staff also does a great job in identifying talent. When developing an explosive football player step one is evaluation. Players play certain positions because of body type, skill
Speed Report: Specific Speed Techniques and Drills for Outside Linebackers
Outside linebackers move through many types of speed changes. Sound mechanical control is vital if they are to be successful at each movement phase conducted. The thrust of this article will be directed towards sharing nuggets for outside linebackers. As indicated in the October issue on ‘Increasing Your Linebacker Speed’ once mechanical effectiveness is attained then we can move on to position specific movement applications. This month I will focus on specific movement aspects for some of t
Letter From the Editor: Offense vs. Defense: Keeping it Competitive
How about a spring game in which the defense gets points for turnovers, fourth down stops, and third and outs while the offense receives points for first downs and plays over 30 yards? Well Oklahoma did just that in their annual spring game. “Having a scoring system that rewards the defense as well as the offense makes the game more competitive for all the players,” said Oklahoma’s Director of Football Operations, Matt McMillen. “Normally, teams play 1’s vs. 2’s and 2’s v
GEAR
Coach-to-Player Communication • Telcommand Telcommand makes practices more efficient and effective through better communication. There are two basic components: the Coach’s Unit, which is a headset transmitter and the Player’s Unit, which is a receiver placed in a sleeve that’s worn on the players arm. With a press of a button or with voice activation, a coach can communicate directly to an individual player on the field, giving instructions in a normal speaking voice r
The Drills Report: Defensive Line Drills
Here are the physical and mental characteristics we look for in defensive linemen as well as our philosophy of the D-Line attack: Physical: • Play with his hands. • React on the action. • Play with toughness. • Play the run first. • Attack at every snap of the ball. Mental: • Must be violent in the trenches. • Understands the role of a D-lineman. • Always plays at a high tempo but is under control.
Winning the War in the Trenches
The first thing LSU D-Line Coach Earl Lane impresses on his guardians of the trenches in pre-season is that their contributions are just as vital to the Tigers success as the guys who change the scoreboard. “What I emphasize to my players right at the outset,” Lane says, “is the importance of the positions they play. When most people use the term ‘skill players’ they’re talking about quarterbacks, running backs and receivers. I want my guys to know we’re skill players as well. Foot
Technique Over Talent
Coaching legend Bill Walsh has said that the essence of coaching is isolating the skills necessary to play a position and then finding the best way to teach those skills. And no position is more in need of solid skills than the offensive line. Longtime Cincinnati Bengal offensive line coach Paul Alexander has become known as one of the best technical experts in offensive line play. He has distilled the skills required for consistently solid linemen and has a system in place that consequently hon
Football Speed
Dale Baskett specializes in speed. Football speed. Having worked with college powerhouses like Ohio State and Texas A & M and a number of NFL franchises, he’s been making teams faster for 27 years. A former football coach, Baskett made the transition more than a quarter century ago and, in the process, has trained over 100 NFL players including 21 All-Pro’s. During the last nine months, Baskett has authored ‘The Speed Report’ in AFM which has included definitive drills for spec
Training Revolution
Ed Dudley, Head Football Coach for Walton High School in Marietta, Georgia faced a situation that plagues many coaches at top programs. He was confident that his school had a good strength program, but he knew his team had to become faster and more agile in order to go deeper in the playoffs. “We had several players going to a few different trainers and you could see a big difference in their foot work. I knew we needed to find the best speed and agility program that we could manage ourselves,
Speed Report: Wide Receivers
Last month we covered the idea that just looking at linear (straight) speed is not good enough when preparing a receiver for the type of speed endeavors required. The key to being a truly effective receiver requires a multitude of speed skills. Quickness, the ability to move to a new direction (separation from an angle of velocity travel to another angle of velocity) requires either natural gifts or proper mechanical and physiological training. As you can now appreciate – by reading the articl
The Drills Report: Ball Security Drills
At American International College, through the diligence of our staff and head coach Art Wilkins, the idea of ball security and turnover margin is given our top priority. We have been taught to view this statistic as second only to the score of the game. Also, I have been extremely fortunate to coach talented players with high character and the ability to work hard and buy into our principles. In this article, my objective is to share my beliefs on ball security as it pertains to running backs,
AFM Subscribers Ask... with Tommy Bowden
The first thing that comes to mind when you look at Tommy Bowden’s record is consistency. In ten seasons as a head coach, all ten of his teams have been bowl eligible at the conclusion of the regular season. Each of his last seven teams have finished with a winning record. In his ten seasons as a head coach (two with Tulane and eight at Clemson) Bowden has an overall 78-41 record, a 65.5% winning percentage. A walk-on wide receiver at West Virginia, Bowden’s first coaching job was
Making the Most of 3 and Outs
Sure, some coaches like to preach about how vital special teams are, giving the cliché about it being one-third of a complete game. Yet it usually gets filtered down into pure lip service, with coaches dedicating the majority of their time to what is perceived as more important issues like stopping the spread offense or figuring out how to get their best offensive players in space – special teams becomes an afterthought. But for Lousiana Tech’s new head coach Derek Dooley, he’s
Giving Your Quarterback the Advantage
Quarterback Training & Development’s obligation to offensive skilled position players is to teach them the skills and techniques that give them a chance to succeed against players who are better than they are. We recently received the following email from one of our players: “Hey coach, the camp went really well. We did 1 on 1 drills which built my confidence because I found out that I could definitely play with some of the best.” This is a necessary part of competing at any level. At s
Pressuring Protection in the Trenches
This article will present some brief principles of pass pressure and thoughts on evaluating pass protection. It will conclude with two effective pass pressures versus a common pass protection. One pressure comes from the traditional 4-3 cover 2 shell and the other from the 4-3 eight-man front. Building Defensive Packages with Players in Mind I believe that it is in the best interest of the defense to have a \'base\' defense that the players feel they can play against
The Strength Report: Developing the Explosive Athlete - Wide Receivers (Part I)
Our football players are put through a year round periodized speed, strength and conditioning plan. Depending on what time of year it is, our focus for our football players will also change. The annual plan is broken down into six different phases: Winter Development, Spring Development, Summer Pre-Season, Pre-Season Camp, Fall In-Season and Bowl Preparation or Transition. Our football players are also grouped and categorized by strength and skill level along with the position they play on the f
The Speed Report: Wide Receivers - Seperation Speed and Body Control
As coaches we could look at the receiver position and concentrate our focus on linear speed and figure we’re okay. If our wideouts post good 40 times and catch the ball, then we’re good to go. This is not totally true. Linear speed is only a portion of the package for a receiver\'s speed. As a football coach you are well aware of the fact that running in a straight line fast can be impressive. However, displacing momentum while sprinting at maximum intensity levels on a football fi
Gear
Buy Now – Watch Now Instructional Coaching Videos • www.AFMVideos.com Tired of waiting 5 or more days to receive and watch the instructional coaching videos you just bought? American Football Monthly introduces the smartest innovation in instructional coaching videos: Buy Now – Watch Now. Buy Now – Watch Now lets you buy your videos online and watch the same videos immediately on your computer while the DVD copies of your videos are shipped directly to you (FREE ship
Drills Report: Drills for Defensive Backs
When playing in the secondary, one must understand the thought process of a receiver. A receiver’s stemming throughout a route helps gain leverage on the defensive player. Stemming is the use of angles by the receiver to manipulate the DB into position, where it is difficult to make plays. The stems used by a receiver are utilized for a purpose; that is, what specific route a vertical stem is taken on the DB. The vertical stem will reduce the DB’s cushion and make the DB turn and run. When t
AFM Subscribers Ask...
Ron Vanderlinden, now approaching his seventh year as Linebackers Coach at Penn State, has developed a reputation as an outstanding linebackers mentor. Over the years, he has coached Penn State All-Americans Paul Posluszy and Dan Connor, Pat Fitzgerald and Barry Gardner of Northwestern and Chad Brown of Colorado. He also helped the Nittany Lions defense rank in the top 15 nationally in rushing, pass efficiency, scoring, total defense and sacks in 2005. Similarly, his Northwestern defense in 1995
Letter From the Editor: Intangibles: What Makes the Difference in your Quarterba
About a month ago, AFM caught up with new Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh as he was driving back home from campus in Palo Alto. Harbaugh led Michigan to three bowl games, played in the NFL for 15 seasons, and just completed an outstanding three year 29-6 run as head man for the University of San Diego, a Division I-AA college in the Pioneer League. The Toreros finished 11-1 in each of the last two seasons. “You look for accuracy, location, how a quarterback practices from his on the
The Strength Report: Developing the Explosive Athlete: Defensive Linemen
The job of the defensive lineman is very complex. He must first engage one, sometimes two blockers, gain position, shed the block and pursue the ball. Sometimes the play is coming to his gap and the process is over almost instantly. Other times once he sheds the block he may have to pursue the play to the opposite side of the field perhaps jumping over players on the ground to do it. Our basic philosophy for our defensive linemen at Sam Houston State University is to improve each play
The Speed Report: Developing Quarterback Speed
Baseball pitchers are the most difficult athletes to convince that speed development is important. Why? Because they stand on the mound and hurl the rock forward at incredible speed. That is all well and good. However, we need to look at the physiological aspect of the nervous system enhancement as indicated in our past article on speed for linemen. You will gain an insight on how the nervous system and high end concentration correlate to produce positive physiological changes. We must train sp
Drills Report: C.W. Post\'s Zone Block Teaching Progressive
The purpose of this article is to discuss how we teach the basics of zone blocking at C. W. Post. In our nine years as a staff, we have enjoyed great success. We believe this is due to playing great defense and being dominant in the run game. Over the last few years we\'ve had running backs that have gained over 2,000 yards in different seasons and in 2005 we had two running backs that both rushed for over 1,000 yards. Among all Division II colleges in 2005, we were fourth in total offense (517
Shotgun Movement & Pressure Techniques for Quarterbacks
We have found it very important that we drill our quarterback on certain techniques that can occur during the course of a game that are outside the normal structure of our offense. These are situations that are outside the optimum drop back technique area. These techniques are utilized in situations that can occur anywhere from three to six times a game. Oftentimes these situations can result in big plays or help negate potential losses or momentum swings. Some of these techniques incl
Stripping the Ball
Trailing 3-0 in the second quarter at Florida State last fall, Boston College defensive back Sulaiman Sanni rapidly closed on a short pass to the tight end in the flat. He stood up the receiver, securing the tackle, while another defender came in on the play and began to poke and pry at the ball – just like the Eagles had practiced all season. The ball popped loose. Safety Wes Davis didn’t hesitate, scooped up the fumble and returned it to the FSU 1 yard line. It was the first of three Semin
Running Backs: Speed Skills Can be Taught - Part II
As previously discussed in part one of our article on running back speed, natural gifts are what we would all like to have at our fingertips. The reality is the resource per school doesn’t always match the desire for golden talent. When rubber meets the road, year to year we must be able to develop certain athletes who can perform at a consistant level coming out of the backfield. I am a huge believer that when working with youth you can develop the talent level with any program. The problem w
Gear
GROUND BATTLE CHUTES - RAE CROWTHER The Rae Crowther Ground Battle Chutes are designed to keep players low and maintain a good football position while moving. If your goal is to train as many athletes as possible, in as many varied drills as possible, and in the shortest possible time - then you have found the perfect chutes! The Ground Battle Chutes are the best chutes to place on your practice field because they allow you the most room for your drills. Sizes range from 27
Drills Report: 10 Advanced Drills for Wide Receivers
Our March Drills Report comes from Denie Marie, a veteran high school, college, and professional coach who is now working in athletic administration at Virginia Tech. Marie has coached at various levels for over 20 years including St. Thomas More Prep, the US Coast Guard Academy, Trinity College, Brown, Kent State, Marietta College, Virginia Tech, and the Arena Football League II. Included are a selection of wide receiver drills that Coach Marie used throughout practices sessions. Each drill is
The Middle 2 Defense
I’m presenting a coverage I call Middle 2, a basic form of Cover 2 which allows your Mike Linebacker to defend the deep middle one-third of the field (preferably the two receivers or two speed receivers) but at the same time keeping deep half safeties. This coverage is great vs. a spread formation team (three to four speed receivers) because it gives you excellent position down the middle. Plus, it forces the team to throw short-mid range passes. The following diagrams explain this by position
Strong Beliefs: A Key Ingredient in the Success of a Strength & Conditioning Pro
D I-AA: Kyle Speer • Sam Houston State Kyle Speer has been the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at Sam Houston State University for three years. He has one assistant coach, Brian Wiseman, working with him, and together the two are responsible for 16 sports with more than 350 athletes. In 2005 and 2006, Sam Houston State won the Commissioner’s Cup Championship Award, which is a performance-based award for the best overall athletic program in the Southland Conference. Sp
Lightning Strikes San Diego Chargers\' Dave Redding\'s Unusual Methods to Effect
STRATEGY San Diego’s Dave Redding, the 2006 Samson Strength and Conditioning NFL Coach of the Year, describes football as an “awkward movement sport.” And that description shapes his strategy on training the Chargers. “I could really care less what they bench, squat or power clean one time,” he said. “I don’t test them on that. I do test them on their ability to sustain a very intensive effort for two hours, four days a week, year round. The o
Samson\'s Division I-A Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year: Jay Butler
Rutgers running back Brian Leonard knows strength and conditioning coordinator Jay Butler played a major role in the Scarlet Knights’ amazing turnaround. But that doesn’t mean he always enjoyed Butler’s tactics. “Along with the strength, conditioning and speed, he’ll do things to make you mentally tough,” said Leonard. “He’ll do the worst things you could ever think of. Like after a long day of winter conditioning, you’ll be real tired, and the next day, he’ll wake
The Strength Report
I have had the opportunity to be a strength and conditioning coach for 11 years, and had the privilege of working in some great programs with some great head coaches. From Oklahoma, to Minnesota, to Kansas, I have been fortunate enough to work with many great athletes and had the opportunity to learn quite a bit about how to develop not only sport specific strength, but also position specific strength. Philosophy / Strategy The game of football is ever-evolving; howev
The Speed Report
Coaching is teaching and the successful coaches from year to year are usually good teachers on the field. Over the last 38 years I’ve been coaching I’ve observed that most coaches rely on natural talent and innate speed skills when choosing a running back. Running backs with quicks, vision and intuitive reaction capabilities are a choice commodity. Exceptional running backs come along infrequently. However, developing backs to have quickness, burst and acceleration capability while running w
The Drills Report
This month’s drill has been submitted by Kurt VanValkenburgh, Florida Atlantic University’s Assistant Head Coach and Linebackers Coach. Coach VanValkenburgh brings more than 30 years of coaching experience to the FAU Owls’ program. Coach VanValkenburgh has been an intricate part of the development of the football program at Florida Atlantic and his efforts helped launch the Owls during their inaugural season in 2001. During their third season, the Owls made it all the way to the
The Tools to be a Linebacker
Defining A Hawk Linebacker: In the 50 front, which is the Hawk base defense, the two linebackers are labeled Sam and Will. Sam is historically the strong side linebacker based around the offensive set and normally lines up on the tight end side. The other linebacker is labeled Will and normally plays on the split-end side of the offensive set. In an offensive set that has two tight ends the Sam linebacker will position himself on the tight end side that has the flanker present or a power
Schutt Sports High School Coach of the Year
Steve Tutsie
In just his first year as a varsity head football coach, Steve Tutsie led his Warren Central Warriors to a 15-0 record and an Indiana State Class 5A championship. The Warriors were as dominant as any team in the country, outscoring their opponents 722 to 124 and winning the state championship game by a comfortable 35-14 over Carmel in the RCA Dome in Indianapolis. Tutsie, 41, was so impressive under the head set that he was named the Schutt Sports National Coach of the Year. Tutsie doe
Schutt Sports College Coaches of the Year
DIVISION I-AA Jerry Moore Appalachian State 2006 I-AA National Champions (14-1) Offense: Spread option Defense: An aggressive 4-3 that can play an aggressive zone or man behind it Not long after the Mountaineers finished celebrating their 2005 national title, it was time to put it behind them and focus on the next task – repeating. “We had to tune out everything from the past season and focus on the goal
The Speed Report
Defensive back speed is often perceived by coaches as having an athlete with great 40 speed and ability to spring back well, change direction quickly, etc. Normally speaking, the better athletes are your DB’s. So if their 40 is awesome, the ability to leap and change direction is awesome to awesome plus. But then how do we improve DB speed? Simple – the movement spectrum required athletically is probably the most complex of any position on the field of play. Therefore, I am providing a serie
Lobo Cover 2
Our base defensive alignment is a 3-3-5 that allows us to execute multiple blitzes and coverages from various fronts. One of the primary coverages we have in our package is Cover 2. We will run Cover 2 with three, four and five man pressures. Based on the amount of pressure, the underneath drops and assignments may vary slightly. The one position that remains constant in their assignments and techniques is the cornerbacks. I will focus on our coaching progression with the corners in depth and ta
Attacking Offenses with the 3-5-3 Secondary
Many high school and junior college teams are turning to the 3-5-3 defense as a way to disguise their pressure in stopping both the pass and the run. We talked to Rob Manchester, defensive secondary coach for Georgia Military College in Milledgeville about how his secondary functions in the 3-5-3. GMC implemented the defense in 2001 and has enjoyed great success with it, leading the nation in total defense twice and capturing the NJCAA National Championship in 2001. Manchester\'s strategy:
Coaches: Ways to Lose a Football Game
Everyone knows that brilliant coaching strategies, like those of Bill Walsh on offense and Buddy Ryan on defense, can win teams games. But the opposite is also true. Coaching mistakes can cost your team games. We talked to as many coaches as we could about what the key mistakes are that can cost you games, real world examples of the mistakes and how to avoid them. Here is what they had to say: Jerry Schmitt, head coach, Duquesne University “One thing tha
What a Rush! Getting the Most out of Your Pass Rush
Pass rush is the single most important part of our job. It should be a passion of any good rusher. We are committed to stopping the run to win. As we do this, it will give us more opportunities to rush the passer. It’s very important to be a complete defensive line with the ability to do both. The sack is the most exciting play in football. It brings the crowd to its feet, lifts the defense and destroys the confidence level of a
7 - Keys to Kick Starting Your Special Teams
While all coaches extol the value of the kicking game, the reality is, when faced with the time constraints that all coaches have, the kicking game gets pushed to the back burner and ends up being last on the time priority list. The test of time is a test that every football coach faces each and every year, especially when it comes to the kicking game. The good thing about time is that it is the one thing, unlike talent, that all coaches ha
The Speed Report: Developing Reaction Speed for DBs
When developing a defensive back for speed we must consider the multitude of athletic speed requirements they must perform: • Linear burst speed for short distances. • Linear speed for lengthly distances. • Backpedal speed at varying velocities and angles. • Change of direction speed at high velocity, sudden angle changes. • Multi-movement combinations, backpedal to lateral to spri
The Drills Report: Wartburg College\'s Cut Block Circuit
The cut block is very important to our offense. At Wartburg College, we utilize the cut block in several of our offensive schemes. Although we do believe in the cut block, we do not cut our own players in practice. Because the cut block is so important in our offense, we asked the same question everyone asks, “How do we practice cutting without cutting our own players?” In order to effectively teach the technique and practice the cut block, we
AFM Subscribers Ask
Now in his 20th season as head coach at Virginia Tech, Frank Beamer has established the Hokies as a consistent top ten Division I-A power. Beamer ranks third among all active D I-A coaches in wins and last fall led the Hokies to an 11-2 record and their 13th straight bowl game. Year-in, year-out, Virginia Tech has a reputation of being one of the finest colleges in special teams play: the Hokies led all I-A schools in blocked punts in the 90’s.
Pursuit, Tackling, and Takeaways
As coaches, we have many formative years. We learn to scheme, we learn organization, we learn player relations, how to recruit, how to present, how to teach, motivate, package, adapt. There are certain things that have changed over time and there are some constants. Tackling and pursuit have always been trademarks of great defenses. More recently, takeaways has been a great indicator of team success. The goal of this article is to
Becoming a Complete Back: Teaching Your RBs to Protect Your QB
During my career I have had the privilege to coach some outstanding running backs in high school and college. I have been fortunate to coach backs who have given me their undivided attention and were excited about reaching their potential as complete running backs. Several of the backs I have had the opportunity to coach went on and played in the NFL. Tony Smith, Chris Buckhalter and Harold Shaw all had successful careers. All of
The Speed Report: Increasing Your Lineman\'s Speed
Each month I will be writing an article on football speed and guidelines for each position. Every position has unique speed characteristics that we can focus on for improving effective speed and quickness traits that are germane to football speed. When coaching linemen for speed and quickness we must take into account that they are large, unique people compared to other athletes. It is important to coaches to utilize training applications that are
The Strength Report: Defensive Backs
My philosophy for training the college football athlete is based upon the physical and mental demands occurring during the course of a normal practice and game. Football is a collision oriented game grounded in the physical skills of blocking, tackling, jumping, running, throwing and kicking. These are skills initiated by the lower body and lend credibility to the maxim of football being played on your feet. These highly synchronized skills are ex
The Drills Report
This month’s drill has been submitted by Coach Jason Phillips, Receivers Coach at the University of Houston. Coach Phillips brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Cougars football program as not only a coach but also a former player. Coach Phillips coaching career began with the Spring Football League’s Houston Marshals in 1999 with stops at the Minnesota Vikings (2001), Atlanta Falcons (2002) and Southwest Texas State (2002). While
AFM Subscribers Ask...
Three Heisman Trophy winners in five years… USC’s Pete Carroll has had three of his players – Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart, and Reggie Bush – win football’s ultimate individual prize in his five seasons with the Trojans. He also has two National Championships, a 34 game winning streak (broken in last year’s BCS Championship with Texas) and an overall 54-10 record. Considered one of the outstanding defensive minds in football, Carroll has a combined 31 years of both pro and colle
Secondary Play - Kent State\'s Cover 2 Package
Part of our defensive package at Kent State is focused on defending on-back offensive sets from a 2-deep concept, particularly in pass down situations. When we feel we don’t have to match a lead back or pulling threat with one of our safeties, we like to play with rolled up corners and challenge the release of the receivers. In doing so, we hope to change the rhythm of the offensive play and give the offense something much different than our base Cover 4 look. In Cover
Maximizing Your Down Lineman in the 3-5-3 Defense
It is often said that necessity is the mother of all invention. Such has been the case with the trend of the 3-5-3 (or the hybrid 3-3-5), or odd stack defense. While the scheme’s origins trace back to the mid 1990’s, when defensive coordinators Joe Lee Dunn at Mississippi State and Charlie Strong at South Carolina began penning its initial blueprints – now it’s trickled down to over a couple dozen teams at the collegiate level and some high school programs have even started to cat
The Speed Report: Increasing your Linebacker Speed
Every coach in America selects athletes year to year to play linebacker and must determine various characteristics needed to make the wisest choice. LB’s are the heart of the defense and a player must be multi-dimentional athletically able to hit, run, move quickly, and have the mental tenacity of a lightening bolt on a mission. Finding players each year with these skills sometimes is easier said then done. Lead with Speed S
The Strength Report: Linebackers
My general philosophy of preparing players for competition in the game of football is that the game is played with the hips. Football is played on your feet – running, blocking, and hitting. You have a triple extension of your ankles, knees and hips. You need to be extended into your opponent or toward the ball, when you’re trying to catch it for example. When a receiver explodes off the line, he’s using his hips. When a defensive end exten
The Drills Report - West Virginia\'s Defensive Secondary Footwork Drills
This month’s drill was submitted by Coach Tony Gibson, the Defensive Backs Coach at West Virginia University. Coach Gibson is entering his sixth year as a member of Coach Rich Rodriquez’s staff. Coach Gibson has also made stops along his coaching career at West Virginia Tech University, Cumberland University, Glenville State College and Gilmer County High School. While at West Virginia University, Coach Gibson has been part of three Big East
Letter from the Editor
‘Covering a Great Receiver’, ‘Line Techniques in the 3-5-3 Defense’, and Henderson State’s ‘Scorched Earth Offense’ are three articles that you will see in this issue of AFM. All three are a result of AFM subscriber research; that is, the responses to detailed questions about what are readers want to read about and learn more from. Each quarter our marketing department will issue a detailed survey to subscribers in an effort to determine what specific kinds
AFM Subscribers Ask
with Mike Van Deist A near legendary coach in NAIA circles, Carroll College’s Head Coach Mike Van Diest’s Fighting Saints have won the last four NAIA Championships. During that time Carroll has ranked among the top ten NAIA teams defensively. Last fall they led the NAIA in scoring defense and total defense and gave up only six rushing touchdowns in 14 games. Q. How do you prepare your players concerning the defensive game plan.
Linfield\'s Flat Drop Drills
Because of the high priority placed on defensive pass coverage versatility, many different positions need to learn how to defend the flat drop zone. Many teams will not only use the OLB to cover the flat, but will roll a safety and / or cornerback up to the flat as well. That can result in requiring as many as six different positions to be proficient at a flat drop and that is why we believe is needs to be drilled frequently. Fundamental Concep
In the Heart of Special Teams: Your Best Opportunity to Gain a Competitive Advan
At the University of Cincinnati, we believe that special teams is one area of the game where you can gain a significant advantage over your opponent simply through the commitment of your best players and the commitment of your entire coaching staff. In this article I will share ideas on how we attempt to get our players to buy into special teams and how we attempt to “out coach” our opponents. Whether you coach high school, college or in the pros, each one of us sells
The Speed Report
Football has grown tremendously in the area of athletic development and strength development in recent years. The knowledge level in the weight room alone is nearly off the chart. The advent of the NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Assoc.), which is now approximately 30 years old, provides certification for strength coaches nationally. The journals they supply are written by PHD scientists and are knee deep with physical science infomation
The Strength Report
I’ve been in the business of coaching athletes for over 20 years. I started at the high school level, moved to the junior college level and finally into the D-I College level. Prior to my coaching career I was part of the offensive and defensive line for my entire youth / high school / college football career. So in short I’ve always been interested in how to develop explosiveness and speed in all athletes. Throughout all o
The Drills Report: Defensive Line Progression and Drills: UW-Platteville
At UWP, seven areas are emphasized that will make a defensive lineman successful on Saturdays. These areas are: Stance, Starts, Hands, Blow Delivery, Block Recognition, Squeeze and Escape, and Pass Rush Techniques. We feel that these are the areas that must be repped each day at practice. The first area that we work on is stance. Feet should be armpit width apart with toe to instep relationship. We want the toe to in-s
The Scouting Report
Having earned a reputation as one of the great innovators and teachers during his 36 years of coaching, Walt Harris became the head football coach at Stanford on December 13, 2004. A South San Franciso native, Harris came ‘home.’ Last fall, the Cardinal came within one win of its first bowl game since 2001, finishing with an overall 5-6 record. Approaching his 60th birthday, Harris has coached in 14 bowl games, inc
\'Do Right...\'
As William \"Billy\" Joe sat in his hotel room in Tallahassee on that January afternoon in 1994, awaiting his job interview with Florida A&M University officials, hardly anybody in Florida\'s capital city knew who he was or why he was there. Nearly all of the city\'s residents were caught up in a parade through the downtown streets for Florida State as the city celebrated the Seminoles\' first national title. Little did the football-crazed fans realize that Joe was formulat
The Diary of a New Coach - Part I
Norman, Okla., is 17 miles south of Oklahoma City and perhaps most famous for being home of the Oklahoma Sooners. Football has deep roots in Norman. Norman High School, a Class 6A school with a strong football tradition itself, has nine state championships. NHS runs out of the offset I-formation and our base plays are either 42/43 Crunch (an iso on the playside backer) with a complimentary 26/27 Counter, or an option attack, depending on our personnel. Most of our passing is from a three-step
AFM Subscribers Ask... Texas Tech
Premiering with this issue American Football Monthly begins ‘AFM Subscribers Ask…’, an in-depth Q & A session with a different coach each month. Subscribers are asked to send in their inquiries with specific questions for the coach featured that month. Our first coach to answer your responses is Texas Tech’s Mike Leach. One of the top offensive minds in the game today, Leach begins his seventh season in Lubbock thi
Being a Secondary Technician
Press Man Technique: Defending Against a Receiver’s Release Moves When breaking down the game of football, or any other sport, it comes down to taking proper angles and using them to help increase the odds of making plays which helps teams win games. Angles in the game of football can either make or break a team’s success. Understanding angles through geometry and understanding the physics of the body through the prope
The Drills Report
This month’s drills are from George Godsey, quarterbacks coach at the University of Central Florida. A standout quarterback at Georgia Tech, Godsey played for his current mentor, UCF head coach George O’Leary. Last fall, the Golden Knights engineered one of the greatest turnarounds in college football history – after going 0-11 in 2004, UCF hosted the Conference USA Championship
Letter From the Editor
Over the last year, American Football Monthly has evolved from a magazine that included regular features on coaching profiles to more specific articles on both strategy and x’s and o’s. This has been reflected not just in the subject matter published but also in a new section of the magazine, ‘The Drills Report.’ The change in philosophy has been a result of subscriber research; that is, the results of a number of detailed surveys by our marketing department attempti
Impact Stats: The Most Critical Statistic in Football
Obviously the most important statistics in a football game are points scored and allowed – that will determine the winners and losers. But what comes next? What statistic plays the biggest role in determining a game’s outcome? We asked nine successful coaches that question. And eight of them answered that it’s turnover margin. One said average starting field position. Here are the coaches’ explanations. “Obviously every possession is very valuable,” said Mike
Inside Linebackers: Drills and Assets
At Trinity we run a 3-4 defense with a 4-3 mentality. Our defensive line attacks offenses as opposed to staying on the line of scrimmage and keeping blockers off of our inside linebackers. With this philosophy come some obstacles for our inside linebackers. We begin our first inside linebacker meeting each year stressing the use of our ASSETS. If we are aware of and we master our ASSETS, then we will develop and improve our game dramatically. Our ASSETS help us to diagnose situations and
Pre-Season Practice: The Importance of Making Every Minute Count
Pre-season practice plays an important role in getting your team prepared for the upcoming season. We spoke to two successful head coaches – Mike Leach of Texas Tech and Terry Hoeppner of Indiana University – about how they conduct their pre-season practices and what they hope to get out of them. NCAA rules dictate that teams can begin practice about a month before their first game. Teams aren’t allowed to practice in full pads for the first five days.
Temperature Rising! Pre-Season Practices: Proper Hydration
Pre-season practice means hot weather, which brings with it the risk of dehydration and heat illness. While many people function quite normally with mild dehydration in everyday life, fluid deficits and heat illness are no laughing matters in football. The National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injuries stated that 19 high school football players died of heat stroke on the playing field between 1995 and 2005. We spoke to two experts about how to prevent serious dehydra
The Drills Report: Georgia\'s Offensive Blocking Circuit
This month’s drill has been submitted by Coach Neil Callaway, the Offensive Coordinator and Offensive Line Coach of the 2005 SEC Champion Georgia Bulldogs. Since Coach Callaway became a member of coach Mark Richt’s staff in 2001, the Bulldogs have won two SEC Championships, three bowl victories and three top six finishes in the final polls. Coach Calloway explains his blocking circuit: “We implemented the Blocking Circuit at
Letter from the Editor
I still marvel at the almost daily improvements in communication. The advances in technology can boggle the mind. Just think about ‘Google’ for example; it’s an instantaneous research tool for any one working on a term paper to an editor helping fact check a magazine for football coaches. With the almost hourly advances in this field, we are proud to announce AFM’s new and vastly improved web site: AmericanFootballMonthly.com. As AFM is the #1 resource for footbal
Defensive Line Attack: Read Rules for 6 Offensive Line Steps
This article will focus on the reads for an attacking style defensive front. These reads are based on the idea of offensive linemen being able to take 6 initial steps that will tell the defensive lineman how to react. The reactions are based on whether the defensive player lines up in an inside shoulder technique (a 7 tech for example) or an outside shoulder technique (a 5 tech for example). The reads and techniques are the same for both outside a
Improving Your Running Game
The commitment to run the ball has to start when a head coach lays the foundation for his system. Portland (OR) State’s Tim Walsh sees this mentality as key to any coaching staff. “Coaches have to find a way to instill a belief in their players that they can run against anybody. At Portland State, we’ve created a mindset for players over several seasons.” Walsh and his assistant coaches stress the team’s prior success to new recruits, while returning players have already been in
The Drills Reports: Louisiana Tech\'s Defensive Tackle Circuit Drills
This month’s feature drill is from Randy Bates, Defensive Coordinator for Louisiana Tech University. Under the leadership of Coach Bates last fall, the La Tech bulldog defense ranked third in the Western Athletic Conference. Also, the 2005 defensive WAC statistics ranked the Bulldogs first in overall turnover margin (+13), second in rushing defense, and third in both passing and scoring defense. Coach Bates began his career 24 years ago at Muskingum College as an offens
The Scouting Report
If two words describe Mira Mesa High School in San Diego they are tradition and excellence. One of the top academic schools in the city, the Mira Mesa Marauders also have an outstanding football legacy. Led by Head Coach Gary Blevins and Assistant HC Chris Thompson, Mira Mesa plays in the prestigious San Diego Eastern League. This fall they play Long Beach Poly in a non-league game. Poly, a perennial Southern California power, has the most alums of any school in the nation playing in the
Teaching WR\'s the Critical Skills
One of the main problems that have plagued football coaches for a long time is how to teach the necessary skills needed to play the game during the fifteen to thirty minutes in practice known as individual. Just at the wide receiver position, we must teach stance, start, footwork, route running, releases (press and open field), blocking (push blocking, wall-off, cutting, middle block), catching the ball, running with the ball, and many other skills needed to be a good wide receiver.
An Eye for your Opponents
Mike Van Deist keeps a close eye on personel match-ups and ways to exploit them. It’s been repeated almost too many times to say again. But, here you go: defense wins championships. Hold the urge to roll your eyes until you look at Carroll College in Montana. During Mike Van Diest’s seven-year reign as head coach at Carroll, the Saints have become an NAIA powerhouse, winning the national championship the last four years after reaching the semifinals
The Fundamentals of Combination Blocks
This month’s drill is from Joe Gilbert, Offensive Line Coach for the University of Central Florida. Last fall the Golden Knights engineered the greatest turnaround in Division I-A football. From an 0-11 season in 2004 and a string of 17 consecutive losses, UCF rebounded to an 8-3 regular season, hosted the Conference USA Championship Game and earned a trip to the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl. In Gilbert’s first season at UCF in 2004, he coached the nation’s youngest offensive lin
The Big Squeeze
ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT times to get a football player into the weight room is during the rigorous two-a-day practice sessions before the start of each football season. During this time the athlete\'s body is pushed to the limits of exhaustion. It\'s a time of major concern to most strength and conditioning coaches and athletic trainers because of the chance of overuse/overwork muscle strains and pulls that can occur. During this time the question arises as to what would be the best
Linebacker Play The Minnesota Way
Linebackers are usually the leaders of the defense. The good ones have poise, intelligence, leadership, mental and physical toughness, dependability, intensity and football instincts. They must have knowledge of the defense. They must be able to defeat offensive linemen weighing 320-plus bearing down at them. They must be able to react quickly and trust what they see and know. Finally, they must, must, must, be a
Know Your Field, After All it\'s Your Turf
When it comes to player safety, what is your most important piece of equipment? As a coach you’ve been taught to properly fit helmets and shoulder pads, both essential tools that can keep players safe. But what about your field? How safe is it? Without proper care and maintenance, your field can cause severe injury – just like ill-fitting helmets or pads. With overuse – repeating drills in the same place – and misuse – using a field already in poor condition or beyo
The Drills Report
As coaches, we are always looking for new and innovative ideas to help improve the play of our athletes. As in any other setting, practice makes perfect and practice on the football field involves drills. American Football Monthly’s newest feature is dedicated to finding creative drills that coaches can implement into their programs. The subject matter will be broad in scope and will be selected from coaches of all levels; from high school through professional. This month’s feature
Running Wild
HOW TO CREATE AN EFFECTIVE RUNNING GAME THAT WILL BOOST YARDS AND WINS For all of football’s passing progress over the past decade, the running game remains a fundamental cornerstone of winning football. Whether you’re punching the ball across the line in short-yardage situations or controlling the clock, every team must be able to get the ball into the hands of a capable runner who can read and follow effective blocks downfield, breaking tackles and making defenders miss.
Inside Linebacker Play & Progression
Like any position on the football field there are a lot of different ways to prepare your players for game days. Of course linebackers are the backbone of almost every type of defensive scheme. They are involved in every run and pass play and must have the skill to find the football on every play. Since there are so many multiple defensive schemes a linebacker must be ready to line up in a three point stance and stop the run or line up against a flanker and cover against the pass. Ther
Running Wild How to create an effective running game that will boost yards and wins. By Richard Scott
Samson\'s College and High School Strength and Conditioning Coaches of the Year
Division I-AA: Russell Patterson-Appalachian State The pace of an Appalachian State football game is dictated by their no-huddle offense.The breakneck scheme results in a high number of plays and keeps both sides of the ball in constant readiness. Having them prepared for the full 60 is the job of strength and conditioning coach Russell Patterson. It must be working. The Boone, NC Mountaineers captured the Southern Conference title with a 6-1 mark, were 12-3 overall,
The Need for Speed
From the time young football players figure out they’re faster than the other players on the field, many assume speed is simply a gift that some have, some don’t. They figure it’s all a matter of nature, genetics or a divine blessing. While it’s true that some young men are simply born and raised faster than others, no football player has to be content with his speed – or his lack of speed. “A lot of the kids we recruit have
Texas Sized Strength
Speed kills. Just ask most of the Texas Longhorns’ opponents during the 2005-06 season. That can be attributed largely to the players that head coach Mack Brown and his staff recruit. As big of a factor in the team’s success, however, is the strength and conditioning program the Longhorn players endure. Sure, endure. “Oh, I’ve been known as a guy that works them and works them hard,” laughed Jeff Madden, the University of Texas as
The Drills Report
Sponsored by: Rogers Athletic Company As coaches, we are always looking for new and innovative ideas to help improve the play of our athletes. As in any other setting, practice makes perfect and practice on the football field involves drills. American Football Monthly’s newest feature is dedicated to finding creative drills that coaches can implement into their programs. The subject matter will be broad in scope and will be selected from coac
Cover Story
Samson\'s D I-A College Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year: Texas\' Jeff Madden The BIG MAN on campus: How Jeff Madden Builds Power and Speed at Texas By Matt Fulks
Pass Efficiency Defense
One of the more crucial categories relevant to the success of a team at any level is turnovers. No coach or even member of the media can argue that a team’s Turnover Differential at the end of a season is analogous to that school’s success or failure. Even more sophisticated today is the statistical category, Pass Efficiency Defense. Important to every team, Pass Efficiency Defense evaluates the following categories that result in an overall PED rating: • Opponents pa
Heart of a Lion: Joe Paterno
Football is a funny business. It is a war-like game in which the biggest, strongest and toughest will often come out on top. Throw in the elements of brains and intelligence and it can either amplify the preceding characteristic or eliminate it. The teams on the sidelines – on a given autumn afternoon or evening – want to humiliate, eliminate and defeat their opposite numbers. It is the most competitive of all sports. Yet there is a fraternity among its players and coac
Scouting Report
Coach Jim Kunau just completed his 13th year as head coach at Orange Lutheran High School. In 2004 the Lutheran Lancers received the ultimate prize: a CIF Championship. With an overall record of 131-32-3, Kunau has seen it all and established LHS as one of the elite programs in southern California. From a school approaching 500 students in which 22 players were football players a decade ago, Orange Lutheran has evolved to an enrollment of nearly 1,200 with 200 student-athletes now a part of a hi
Swinging Momentum With Int’s
Few plays in a game are more significant than an ill-timed interception. Offensive coaches can argue that there’s never a good time for one but no play seems to have more of a psychological impact than the interception. Last fall some of the leaders in passes intercepted included Troy, Boise State, USC, Coastal Carolina, Cal Poly, Shippensburg and Carthage. Coincidentally, all those colleges had outstanding seasons. “The interception—more than just about any other play – swings
Quarterback Fundamentals
Throughout the course of football history there have been many great quarterbacks to play the game of football. Some of the quarterbacks that I have enjoyed studying over the years are Joe Montana, John Elway and recently Peyton Manning and Ty Detmer. Ultimately the one thing that each one of these quarterbacks has in common is great fundamentals that took each one of their games to another level. In our offensive scheme there are many demands on the quarterback. So repetition is the m
True Football Speed
We can all agree, speed is one of the most important factors in football. And in recent years we have seen a huge increase in the availability to many effective and productive speed and plyometric training workouts. Unfortunately, most of these workouts are made to increase linear speed and not true football speed (TFS), a multi-directional, non-consistent type of speed that is determined by reaction to someone or something. In this article, I will illustrate plyometrics specifically
Point-Counterpoint
There is no need for punt coverage, if the punt is blocked. “A blocked kick can turn the momentum of the game more than anything else,” said Air Force legend Fisher DeBerry. “It’s won a lot of football games for us and created some field position for us.” Yet, more and more coaches, including DeBerry, are utilizing the “Shield Punt,” which, admittedly, sacrifices protection for coverage. “There’s been some kicks blocked if the shield breaks down,” DeBerry said. “
Fire Zone Scheme
Coaching defensive football has taken on a whole new look in recent years with the advent of the “Fire Zone” or what is popularly referred to as the “Zone Blitz.” These schemes, first utilized by several NFL teams in the late 1980s and early 1990s, allow defensive coaches the capability to send five rushers (and in some cases six) while still being able to stay in a zone coverage shell behind the blitz. This scheme first evolved to help defenders take away the offense’s ability to thro
It Starts in the Trenches
Juan Castillo has coached offensive linemen at the high school and Division II level. He’s also spent the past 11 years with the Philadelphia Eagles. Throughout this career, the daily principles he brings to his job have remained the same. “To me it’s still the same – it’s all about fundamentals,” Castillo said. “When I was at Texas A&I, I was fortunate to learn a lot of my drills from NFL coaches and major college coaches, but I still break it down the way I did at the s
Zone Blitz Package
Diagram 1. Flex: Okie Sword Wk 2 Diagram 2. Flex: Okie Sword Wk 3
No Fly Zone: Containing the Air Raid Offense
Let’s say you’re going up against a team with a potent air raid offense – a team like Texas Tech, or Boise State or Louisville. How do you stop these pass-happy attacks? We asked five coaches of college and high school teams around the country with outstanding pass defenses. The coaches have a wide variety of suggestions — from constantly changing your formations to physically intimidating the opposition. They offered strategies of how to pressure the quarterback; details of pr
C.W. Post Defensive Line Play
Defensive line play at C.W. Post has been an integral part of our team’s success over the past eight seasons. We have led the country in rushing defense four out of the last five years. Despite losing players to graduation we have been able to stay on top of most conference defensive categories such as sacks, tackles for loss and rushing defense. Our defensive line teaching progression has been consistent throughout our years at Post. The progression is basic and allows our players t
Spreading It Out
At Santa Rosa Junior Coillege our offensive philosophy is to spread people out with formations and to keep the pressure on with a no huddle attack. We want to spread the ball around to our four WR’s and RB and throw the ball short to people who can score. We also believe in keeping it simple. We only run a few plays but expect our players to execute to perfection. By keeping our play list short, it allows us to utilize our practice time to prepare for any defensive look we may see
Tuesday Morning Quarterback
Most of you have experienced plenty of Monday morning quarterbacking from fans, media and even parents. You don’t need more of the same old thing. You need someone on your side, someone who believes in you and your profession. That’s why this column is called Tuesday Morning Quarterback. While the out
The 25% - 75% Rule
The training program I designed is real simple, and on paper, or in a clinic talk, is probably not going to turn a lot of heads. Our emphasis instead is on cultivating attitude and effort, combined with a year-round climate of discipline and toughness. In summation, 25% of our program is WHAT we do, while 75%
Heavy Impact
It’s the youngest, and certainly in many respects, the most important element in developing winning athletic programs, especially football, other than the head coach himself. The strength and conditioning coach and his staff can be difference makers between a winning program and mediocrity. Before the earl
Postion-Specific Training
When you lose your keys, you’ve often left them in the last place you’d think to look. Coaches and trainers, in search for a competitive edge, do the same thing. Typically, they look outside for answers when the secret ingredients for a successful training program might already be right und
Cover Story Gorilla Warfare: Chuck Broyles\' Pittburg State Gorillas\' Scary Offensive Attack Chuck Broyles doesn’t pretend
10 Impact Stats to Build a Championship team • #9 - Turnovers Gained
Turnovers Gained, the statistic that ranks No. 9 in the overall listing of “10 Stats to Build a Championship Team” correlates to the success of teams at all levels of competition. USC led all Division I-A schools with 38 Turnovers Gained and, in the process, won their second consecutive National Championship. Hampton was the Division I-AA leader with 43 Turnovers Gained and they finished last fall with a 10-2 mark.The colleges with the most interceptions in Division II and
Gear
Sideline Kit Schutt SportsNew for 2005 from Schutt®! The VARSITY AiR® Sideline Kit holds all the necessities needed for any inconveniences on and off the field. Just some of the gear it contains are 12 ARMORGUARD® Elite™ loo
Kicking It In
There is a saying among football coaches that “kicking a football is like swinging a golf club.” This statement is true because both incorporate the upper and lower body to work simultaneously. However, the two skills are very different. As a former Division I-A place kicker, I have included in my article a set of techniques and drills for soccer style kickers to help any coach work with their athletes.
Get a Grip
I have been asked to write about the program that our offensive staff implemented this past season for ‘Ball Security.’ In 2004 we were fortunate enough to go through the entire season (695 touches) with only one offensive lost fumble. This put us first in the Big Ten and tied us for first in the nation. Ball Security is an aspect of our game that our team and coaches take personally and very seriously. We make it a priority at each position to make sure our players understand that fu
Tackling Circuit Drills
We feel that one of the most important fundamentals is the ability to tackle and tackle well. As a staff, we try to emphasize the proper tackling techniques through a tackling circuit. The ability to tackle well shouldn’t ever be taken for granted. We use a four station circuit that touches on four key points that we must emphasize in order to be a good tackling unit. Although each position coach works tackling techniques into their individual periods, we use the tackling circuit to fur
High Powered Passing Offenses: Why Are They Really Successful?
High-powered, spread-’em-out, throw- the-ball-on-every-position offenses come and go. Or do they? Are aerial offenses that treat a running back with limited respect fads and gimmicks? Or are these offenses formulas for success that can win on a consistent basis over the long term? Keith Simons is one coach with an answer. All he has to do is point to his record. Simons’ Santa Rosa Junior College Bears won the Mid-Empire Conference Championship with an 11-0 record and finishe
Turnover Margin
Of the more than 20 statistics the NCAA publishes, one of the most important – and maybe least recognized – is Turnover Margin. It’s not just a coincidence that consistently successful teams place high in this category. Last fall the leaders in this statistic included USC (Division I-A); Coastal Carolina (Division I-AA); Valdosta State (Division II); Carthage College (Division III); and Central Methodist University (NAIA). Over the last five years, the D I-A leader is Miam
The Buzz
Learning how to adjust to the strengths of your athletes without straying from your defensive philosophy is essential at the Division III level. At Baldwin-Wallace College we do not eliminate players from our recruiting pool based on what they look like or their size. Our goal is to recruit quality people who are productive in the classroom and on the field. As a result of this philosophy we may have players who don’t fit the traditional mold of their position, but have abilities that c
Hammer Force Defensive Technique
“The new scheme, combined with our players’ great attitude, paid giant dividends for us in stopping the run last fall.” - Santa Cruz & Willmer In the spring of 2004 we made the switch from an even front to an odd for its recruiting advantages (since it is difficult to recruit four solid defensive linemen at our level) and for its aggressive nature. The new scheme, combined with our players’ great attitude, paid giant dividends
The Secrets to Efficient Practices
“Whatever you accept (in practice) that’s what you’re going to get. If you accept lackadaisical performance or lack of effort, then you can be assured that’s what you’re going to get.” - Kansas State Head Coach Bill Snyder Richland (Fort Worth, Texas) head coach Gene Wier has a problem. “I’ve not had many good practices in my time,” he said humbly and with a chuckle. His six state championship rings beg to differ.
Defensive Drills for Every team: Pursuit & turnovers
Sponsored by Rogers Athletic www.RogersAthletic.com As I talk to many coaches across the country, I have learned the #1 drill each defensive player must perform exceptionally is the Pursuit Drill. The main goal of the drill is to set the tone for everyone on the field to get to the football every play. Over the past months, I have reviewed game film from the past few years. I have been ama
Cover Story 10 Impact Stats To build a championship team. AFM has researched and ranked the top statistical categories t
Boise State\'s Defensive Line Run Technique
“The instant we recognize the blocking scheme we shed the block and either make a play or run to the ball.” - Romeo Bandison Between the 2002-2004 season, Boise State ranked in the top 25 at number 12, 15 and 13 in the final collegiate poll. In those three seasons, our defense has also been in the top 20 in the nation versus the run: #16 - 2002, #11 - 2003, and #10 - 2004. At Boise State we play a
Kentucky's Best Passing Game Drill
Football coaches often ask each other, "What is your best drill?" At the University of Kentucky, our best offensive drill is called Routes On Air. It is the cornerstone of how we teach and practice our pass offense with our quarterbacks, receivers, and running backs. One of the reasons that our staff was hired at the University of Kentucky was because of our pass-oriented offense. This same offense was very successful for us at Valdosta State and Iowa Wesleyan. At both schools,
3 High School Programs - 3 Different Strategies for Success
They seem to be there every year. Like a leaf changing color in the fall or students grumbling about going back to class, the high school football elite return each season to reclaim their dominance. These high school powerhouses didn’t earn their reputations overnight. But how did these teams reach this unique place? What road takes a football program to the pinnacle and then keeps it there for season after season after season? Players change. Even coac
The Multiple Screen Passing Game
Various screen passes have been an important part of our multiple offensive attack at Iona College and all the other schools I have coached at (St. Joseph’s College, Morehead State University, Lehigh University and Fordham University) throughout my career. We have always emphasized the use of multiple formations, multiple personnel groupings, and a multi-dimensional offense that attacks the whole field and attempts to keep the defe
Feeder Frenzy
No one would have predicted it. No one in Elizabethtown, Ky., in 1998 and ‘99 would have looked at the seventh and eighth graders playing for T.K. Stone Middle School and guessed they would someday reach the 2003 state championship game as high school seniors. “I don’t remember their record but they were pretty much a .500 team in seventh and eighth grade,” former Elizabethtown High School coach Brett Burnett said. “But that was a group of
Defending the Red Zone
All football coaches understand the importance of winning those two or three games each season that are won (or lost) by a touchdown or less. The difference in those types of games can usually be determined by getting at least one big stop in the red zone. We spend two 15-minute segments per week on our red zone package. Our red zone coverages are easy adjustments (1 zone and 1 man) from our base coverages. In this article we will concentrate on t
Back to Basics
During the last three years, the Ponderosa football staff has committed itself to focusing on the fundamentals of defensive football. The first twenty minutes of every defensive practice are spent on either a team pursuit drill or a circuit. Our circuits are something we feel are unique and they have allowed us to emphasize the importance of executing basic football skills. Since the inception of this philosophy in 2001, we have amassed 53 inte
In Good Hands
PURPOSE: To increase the number of catches per day in a short time period. COACHING POINT: During each drill, the coach can emphasize the proper techniques he is teaching. Emphasis should be placed on stance, start, release, controlled run, stick and separate. Also very important is stem, quickness in and out of the break, proper route technique, steps (plant foot), body control and hand and eye coordination.
Five-Step Protection Scheme
At Olivet Nazarene University we base all of our passing philosophies on protecting the quarterback first. Our five-step passing game is based on three different protection schemes, the ability to have 7, 6, or 5 men to stay in and protect the passer. Which protection we use is not always based on formation, but rather we base our protection scheme on the needs of a particular route concept. Sometimes we will line up with two backs in the backfield. But a par
April 2005 Cover Story Redefining Murphy\'s Law By David Srinivasan
Coach of the Year - A Season for the Ages
He knew it was over. Tommy Tuberville and his whole staff would soon be shown the door, despite four consecutive winning seasons, four bowl games and share of thee division titles in five seasons at Auburn University. One more game, against archrival Alabama, and they would all be out looking for new jobs. “I had already put in my application to be a greeter at Wal-Mart,” he would later joke. Laughter helped. Gallows
Can Your Quarterback Handle the Clock?
The topic of clock management can be one that is talked about a great deal in coaching meetings, but one that can be easily overlooked, especially in the overall preparation of the quarterback. I hope you will find the following information helpful in some way. Clock Management as defined is the QB’s ability to control the clock efficiently in all situations:, A. Dea
Defending the Triple Option
At UW-Platteville we run a 3-4 defense because we believe it gives us the best opportunity to compete in our conference (See Diagram l). Diagram 1. We utilize speed because we are often undersized on the defensive
2005 December 2005 Innovators of the option • From Scouting Report to Game Plan • True Football Speed • Quarterback Fundamentals November 2005 It Starts in the Trenches • Attacking Defenses with the Veer • 4 Technical Components of Punt Coverage • Teaching
Science & Common Sense
Systematic resistance training and conditioning has become accepted as a precursor to increased athletic success and an important component for reduction of athletic related injury. Nearly all high school and college football programs participate in some type of weight training, speed, agility and conditioning regimens. The football coach can find the available information relat
Strength in Numbers
Tommy Knotts Quarterbacks Coach, Duke Former Head Coach, Independence High School Charlotte, N.C. 2003 football team: Class 4A State Champions Whether it be a rigorous strength and conditioning program or an abundance of talented players such as Florida quarterback Chris Leak – most likely the two feed off each other – Tommy Knotts has mastered high school football in
Discipline & Confidence
Related Videos American Football Monthly now offers a full line of coaching videos. So, if you enjoyed this
Pride in the Work Place
Tommy Moffitt demands and gets results. He’s just not always there to see them. Moffitt, AFM’s Samson Strength & Conditioning Coach of the Year, helped tighten up Tennessee as the Vol’s head associate strength and conditioning coach from 1994-97. In 1998, after Moffitt had accepted a position under Butch Davis at Miami, Tennessee upset Florida State in the Fiesta Bowl to capture the first BCS National Championship. Bad timing. Moffitt spent the next two y
Football Speed
If you’re the fastest team on the field, great! If not, you have a problem. So let’s prevent that from happening. Sound easier said than done? Well, it’s easier than you think. In most cases, when a linebacker gets beat by a running back around the corner, we simply think the running back is just faster. But in more cases than not, the running back didn’t get around the corner because he had more speed;
Black Bear
Related Videos American Football Monthly now offers a full line of coaching videos. So, if you enjoyed this
Leading the Charge
Every college football head coaching job is tough in its own way. Every job presents its own trials, its own pressures. For Miami (Ohio) coach Terry Hoeppner, some of the most unique and heavy challenges in the history of college football surround him and try to stare him down every day. Every college football head coach has an office, too. None of them are like Hoeppner’s office complex. His place of work is
Rodeo Circuit
Related Videos American Football Monthly now offers a full line of coaching videos. So, if you enjoyed this
Defensive Creativity
Each year an opponent’s offense, becomes more and more complex. Defending multiple formations and special play designs has become a daily occurrence. No matter where you are as a defensive coach, you must be able to adjust and deal with changes and find an answer. You have more players with multiple abilities these days that increase the anxiety level of all coaches. Using the one-gap system will help, in many ways, to defend the multiple
West Coast Offense
I have always been a proponent of the controlled passing game, mainly because my career has been highlighted with examples of its effectiveness. One instance in particular sticks out in my memory during my time as Head Coach of the London Monarchs in the World League of American Football (WLAF). The WLAF (now known as NFL Europe) was in the process of kicking off its inaugural year. Unlike many new leagues, teams in this leagu
Maximizing Player Performance
Coaches don’t need as much reminding these days. The summer of 2001 brought heat-related football illnesses to the forefront. The death of the Minnesota Vikings’ Korey Stringer in 2001 brought a rash of media attention to the issue of staying cool during football training camp. It was indicative of a larger issue – from 1960 to 1998, there have been 91 documented heatstroke deaths related to football. When the story became national news,
Cover Story 510 & Counting: A Look at John McKissick, Football’s All-Time Winningest Coach By David Purdum June 2004 TABLE
The Long Red Line
As football coaches, we have all heard the theory that the difference between winning and losing close games often comes down to special teams play. At Monmouth College, we believe sound execution, communication and efficiency in the kicking game are the cornerstones for success. Special teams demand a great deal of preparation, organization and attention to detail. Philosop
Crunch Time
Diagram 1. Diagram 2.
Maximizing Player Performance
It’s the summer of 2003, and the Oklahoma Sooners football team doesn’t have much to complain about. The squad is ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press and the ESPN/USA Today Coaches’ Preseason Poll, and the Sooners are enjoying the return to national prominence brought upon by coach Bob Stoops and his dominating defense. The team is preparing for a season that would see it lose the National Championsh
National Footbal League Coaches Association
American Football Monthly and the National Football League Coaches Association have formed a partnership that will include periodic information on NFLCA projects as well as clinic articles by both former and current NFL coaches. Included below is Executive Director Larry Kennan’s letter to AFM readers on the NFLCA’s new Affiliate Membership Club.
3-Step Passing Game
It is my pleasure to share with you the cornerstone of our offense at Blinn College which is our 3-step passing series. This series has been the foundation of our offense and helped us be very successful as an offensive unit. During the past two seasons we have completed 73% of our 3-step passes and averaged 12.2 yards per completion using this series. At Blinn College
Zone Read
The theory behind the Zone Read Play: • Simple in its’ scheme • Can be run to the TE or SE side • Can be used out of a one or two back set • May be run out of a variety of formations • Offensive line does not need to be overpowering to be effective
In the Eyes of the Beholder
It’s been about fifteen years since video tape has come into the world of college and high school football. It has imparted many changes on the way coaches do business. Film was the format of the day. It was a great format with a few important exceptions. It was not easy to work with, attested by the phrase cut-up as in actually cutting it up to get what you wanted. It was not an easy process to get the final product as it had to be sent out for proce
Identity
Out of all the special teams units at Southern Illinois University the kickoff team may be one of the most important units to our football program. We strongly believe the kickoff team creates the identity and establishes the attitude of our football team. This unit must set the tone for the game. It is critical that this team send a message to the opponent that
Three-Step Pass Protection
The Doane College football program has an historically successful tradition. Over the past 20 years Doane College has competed in the national playoffs during the 1980’s and 1990’s (last appearance in 1999), and has proven the test of time with consistency by accumulating a .603 winning percentage. We run the “West Coast Offense” at Doane College. Our offensive philosophy is a balanced attack that u
Into the Void
In the early years of football an end was not overly involved in the game. An end lined up next to a tackle and usually blocked the man over you, blocked the man inside of you or, on occasions, ran a post route or a corner route. Well, times continue to change and most coaches under 40 probably don’t remember when there weren’t wide receivers on an offense. Those of us that
Rebirth of the \'Blue Death\'
Family. Above all else, the one element that most contributed to our success as a team and as a defensive unit was a family atmosphere brought to the program in the Spring of 2003 by our head coach, George Small. More important than the success experienced on the football field was the way that kinship maintained us as we endured the passing of one of our young and most talented
Getting the Most Out of a Football Clinic
It’s been a good but not great season. A 6-4 record was good enough to finish in second place in the division, but not good enough to earn a spot in the postseason playoffs. The year has been strangely similar to last year and the year before. It seems that a rut has developed and your team is stuck in it. That’s not all bad since there has been a lot of winning - but not en
Being in the Right Place at the Right Time
There are several key points that can be helpful in developing your Defensive Backs. Many coaches have used these ideas and techniques over the years. It is my hope that you will gain something that will help you in some way 1. Stance - Specific Points for Stance: • Head and eyes should be up • Outside foot up with a heel/toe relationship on the inside
The Spread Shot-Wing Offense
For years, we were a basic Delaware Wing T football team. We had great success with it, using the 3 basic series (buck sweep/trap; belly/down and power) and mixing in a good dose of play action and 3 step drop-back passes to keep defenses honest. But four years ago we started a 15 year old freshman at quarterback whom we knew was going to be somebody special as far as throwing the football before he g
Combo coverage from a cover 3 look
Diagram 1. Diagram 2.
Maximizing Player Performance
Every year in the month of August thousands of coaches from around the country prepare their players for yet another season of football. And every year thousands of football players are at risk of succumbing to the threat of heat illness linked to dehydration. In recent years several athletes from high school to the professional ranks have died from heat stroke, causing many to take a closer look at the importance of proper cooling and hydration techniques f
Marching to the Beat of a Different Drum
With such noticeable improvements in training regimens throughout the years, there is one method that is still underutilized – resistance “speed” training (RST). RST is a method that will add explosive power and speed to any athlete, if done correctly. The reason for this is because muscle contraction force is generated by the recruitment of the necessary number of muscle fibers to meat the load demand placed
Two-A-Day Recommendations
The key to a successful two-a-day training regime is full awareness of dangers, appropriate planning and preventive measures. The following tips could help your athletes get the most out of two-a-day practice while remaining safe: Plan every minute of two-a-days carefully and stick to your plan. Be sensitive to varying factors of heat, humidity, tempo of practic
Coaching the Player
I appreciate the opportunity to share my thoughts concerning coaching the player. As you well know, the hub of your program is the players and the effective job you do in coaching them. I. Coaching – Teaching and Parenting II. Challenge of Coaching (raise his self image) A. Making each player the best he can be. Total Person – student, player and person.B. It starts w
Indiana: Turnover Drills
Much like a lot of football programs, we work hard to force turnovers. At Indiana, there is no exception. We work a turnover circuit at least once a week during the season. We divide the defense into three groups: Defensive Line, Linebackers, and Defensive Backs. At each circuit, we work a turnover drill that is position specific. • The drill is set the same for all positions.• The drill is set with two stand-ups on the s
OSU: Defensive Fundamentals
Two basic defensive fundamentals that we teach at Oklahoma State are 1) How to defeat a block and 2) Pursuit angles to the football. Both fundamentals are key to the success of any defense. In order for a player to be productive, he must first get himself in position to make the play. Defeating a block The first block sequence that we teach is how to defeat a base block. The progres
Building the Best Defensive Linemen
When building the best defensive lineman, you have to think outside the box of traditional training. You have to be innovative in your training program as much as you are in your defensive stunts. The following are a few of the defensive linemen drills we use with some of our clients that include such names as Tommie Harris (University of Oklahoma), Casey Hampton (Steelers), Shaun Rogers (Lions), Juliu
Cover Story CEO: Fisher DeBerry Leads Coaching into the New Era By Aaron S. Lee December 2003 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Tiger Attack
If you liked this article, here are three others just like it:
Stalking Down Ball Carriers
If you liked this article, here are three others just like it:
The Last Rep
Offensive schemes are becoming more intricate with every season that passes, so American Football Monthly recently sat down with six of the top defensive back coaches from around the country to get their thoughts on some of the major issues concerning their positions. When facing a balanced offense, what can you do to help give your seconda
Cover Story Resurrection - Hal Mumme and Woody Widenhofer return to football to revive Southeastern Louisiana football and their careers. Read the complete article >>> April 2003 Staff Meeting
Scorching the Competition
If you liked this article, here are three others just like it:
Times Change: So Should Your Workout
If you liked this article, here are three others just like it:
Making \"Quality\" a Priority
If you liked this article, here are three others just like it:
Maximizing Player Performance
Presented by Gatorade Sports Science Institute By their very nature, football coaches are always looking for the latest drills to teach championship-winning techniques, for the best strategy for goal-
Using The Inside Screen as a Weapon
It is an honor to have the opportunity to be a part of what I feel is the best football publication in the world. I have had the chance to read American Football Monthly religiously in my collegiate coaching career. I will be a first-year offensive coordinator at Marietta College. I came from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire where I began coaching tight ends as a graduate assistant and eventually became an offensive line coach. I have
In Your Face and Aggressive!
In order to be successful against today’s high-powered offenses, and all the skilled personnel they can throw at you, defensive backs must possess incredible physical talent and mental tools. They must be able to run with the fastest, jump with the highest and hit with the hardest. In addition, they must have very selective memories, be without conscience and have no guilt or remorse. Their abilities and
The Last Rep
Although playing both ways is very rare in college and professional football, coaches are often forced by need to utilize two-way athletes to increase their team’s odds of success. American Football Monthly recently sat down with six of the top college position coaches in the nation that have experience in working with two-way athletes. How do you prepare a two-way a
The Punt: The Most Important Play in Football?
I would like to first say thank you to American Football Monthly for allowing me the opportunity to write this article for my peers. Additionally, I thank our head coach Don Hill for giving me the chance to control such a big part of the team’s success. It has been a great experience to be part of such a big turnaround. Under his guidance, we were able to take a team with a 23-year losing streak and go
LSU\'s Offensive Line Drills
First of all I would like to say it is an honor to be able to represent head coach Nick Saban and the LSU football staff in American Football Monthly. As coaches we know the game is always changing, but some things never change. You must know fundamentals, you must be able to block and tackle. There are many ways to skin a cat but these are some of the basic fundamentals that we “hang our hat”
Getting an Edge on the Blitz
This past season at Emporia State University we finished with a 9-3 record ending our season with an overtime win in the Mineral Water Bowl. Our defense is based out of the 4-2-5 set. Our defensive philosophy with the eight-man front is to stop the run while having an aggressive blitz package. One of our most efficient blitz packages this past season has been our edge blitz game.
Dominate 4th Down
Starting a program from scratch in 2000 brought enormous challenges for the coaching staff at East Texas Baptist University in Marshall, Texas. One key foundational element that allowed us to challenge the best teams on our schedule in such a short period of time was the commitment to be productive offensively on fourth down. Field position gained by effective punting has become a trademark of ETBU fo
Cover Story Anyone. Anywhere. Anytime... Three coaches, Three schools, One Philosophy... A look inside college football\'s most underrated football programs...By Aaron S. Lee July 2003
Pressure Points
If you liked this article, here are three others just like it:
Cover Story Focus - The man behind the camera. Take a close look at what video coordinator Brad Helton is doing for Marshall’s football team both on and off the field . By Richard Scott Cover Photo by Jim Robinette Cov
Releasing is the Key
Through the course of coaching receivers at four different colleges, one thing has stood by itself as being the task that has frustrated both players at that position and some coaches on those staffs. Invariably, the release (a clean release without sacrificing vertical speed) is what we are all striving for on pass plays. But that has become a bigger issue to deal with as offenses have attempted to
The Staff Report
Career: 8 Guidlines for the High School Assistant Coach So you dream of becoming the head coach someday? Well, there are a few things you need to know and do that will help you earn that dream job you’ve been looking for. Anyone who wants to be a successful assistant coach and eventually a successful head coach must have certain qualities that set them
Solid Ground
If you liked this article, here are three others just like it:
unCommon Ground
At this moment, it’s probably rainy in Juneau, Alaska, sunny and hot in Key West, Fla., hot and humid in El Paso, Texas, and dry and windy in Howells, Neb. In The Bronx, it’s doing whatever New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner says it’s doing. OK, just kidding. But we’re not kidding about this: in these five culturally, socially and economically diverse areas, some
Choosing the Right Football for your Program
Sponsored by Rawlings Great coaches everywhere have one thing in common. A thirst for knowledge, particularly
Gold Rush
In 1969, a 22-year-old college student, nine credit hours shy of graduating, accepted an offer to become the head football coach at John Curtis Christian High School – the school his father, John Curtis Sr., had founded eight years earlier in River Ridge, La. It was a dream come true for the young coach, and he eagerly arrived that summer to meet with players and organize a weight program. The summer wound down, and on the first day of pract
The History of the Wing-T
It is an honor to have the opportunity to write this article and especially since the article deals with a topic as dear to my heart as the wing-t. In my 33 years of coaching I have seen many different cycles of football but the wing-t has remained a fixture since the time before I played and throughout my time as a player and a coach. I am sure that it will continue to be a very popular system long
Undersized? No Problem
If you liked this article, here are three others just like it:
Letter From the Editor
You know, I have been fortunate to meet some of the best people that the football industry has to offer, establish some longlasting relationships and have the opportunity to hear some pretty fantastic stories along the way. One of my new favorite stories, which – depending on who asks me and when – changes daily, was a story told to me by Tommy Condell, the offensive coordinator at the University of Louisiana at Monroe.
Getting Footballs Game Ready
It doesn’t matter whether you purchase a dozen footballs at a time or 244 like Auburn equipment manager Frank Cox has each of the last five seasons. Once they are delivered, these footballs have to be made game ready. While you could simply throw the footballs out of the shipper’s box and into your players’ hands, there are a few guidelines you may wish to follow. While routines vary from program to program and even season to
The Last Rep
Practice scheduling is becoming more important with every season that passes, so American Football Monthly recently sat down with six of the top head coaches from around the country to get their thoughts on some of the major issues concerning their industry. How important is practice scheduling? “Practice is the most important time that you have. T
Marching to the Beat of a Different Drum
Over the last 13 years, I have had the opportunity to train over 40 NFL players. Some of the players I have trained are: Brian Urlacher, NFL Rookie of the Year and three-time Pro Bowl player, Garrison Hearst, Pro Bowler and NFL Comeback Player of the Year, Keith Brooking, Champ Bailey and recent top draft picks, Dewayne Robertson, fourth pick in the 2003 NFL draft; Terrance Newman, fifth pick in this
Cover Story Gold Rush: J.T. Curtis In his 33 years as head coach, J.T. Curtis has brought John Curtis Christian High School’s trophy case a national record 18 gold footballs. And counting... By David Purdum A TV Star too
Urban Development
The record book said Bowling Green was in trouble when Urban Meyer went to interview for the university’s head coaching position in December 2000. The record book said the Falcons hadn’t had a winning season since 1994. The record book said the university had replaced coach Gary Blackney in mid-season that year after nine years on the job and two conference championships. Meyer loo
Maximize Player Performance:
Basic strength training is the cornerstone of any football program. After all, stronger muscles produce more force, thus increasing the athlete’s ability to produce greater speed and power, that typically means a higher level of on-field performance. Well-conditioned athletes are also less susceptible to 4 Tips to maintain speed and agility while buildi
The Staff Report
Within the game of Football the difference in many athletes performance stems from flexibility of the hips. Whether your need is to engage a man on the line of scrimmage or to come in and out of your cuts faster, your results will depend on this. An interior lineman will be able to drive through the more forcefully and the skill position athlete will be able break down faster and more efficiently. Throughout
Straight Through the Uprights
History As field goal percentages at the pro level have risen in the last 10 years, kickers’approach angles have become narrower and the steps back shorter. Soccer-style kicking took the sport by storm in the 1960s because it utilized torque to create added power. But it wasn’t until kickers began to “manage” their torque properly that soccer-style kickers’ field goal percentages
Roll Call at the Ball
In order to have a great defense, you must have great pursuit and gang tackling. In order to have great pursuit, you must emphasize running to the football throughout the entire practice. This includes the time spent in our individual and team periods. You must grade the effort of your players everyday. We’ve had outstanding defenses the past few seasons. In 2000, we finished first i
High School News & Notes
With fall drills just a few months away, AFM begins its preview of the 2002 high school season. Here is our first look at some teams across the nation that figure to be contenders for national rankings during the upcoming season. 10 Teams to Watch (Please note: This list is not at all final nor comprehensive and the teams are listed in alphabetical order.) De La Salle (Concord, C
Georgia Military College’s Devastating 3-5 Defense
Following the 2000 season, our staff met to discuss what we needed to do to give our team a chance to play for something special in 2001. We had just finished the season 7-3 with the #2 ranked defense in the NJCAA, but we knew we had the talent returning to do better in 2001. One of the things we decided to do was to revamp our defense and change to a 3-5 scheme. While some may question the sanity of rebuilding
Special Delivery
At Missouri Western we try to make special teams special. Many coaches have made the statement that special teams are one-third of the game, but actually as far as time spent on the field, they are less than that, but in impact they are more. Special team plays have a major effect on the results of the game. Blocking a punt for a touchdown or returning a kick for “six” more often than not results
The Swedish Airforce
When head coach Dr. Ted Kessinger arrived at Bethany College 26 years ago, he brought an offensive philosophy in which the pass will set up the run. During this time period the Swedes have relied on the passing game to move the football. The offensive philosophy at Bethany College is based on the following ideas: 1. Always attack - we must have the attack
In The Line of Fire
A good pass rush is at the core of good pass coverage. A defensive scheme must choose between maximum rush or maximum coverage. When the Front 4 can pressure the QB on their own, this will allow the defense to commit 7 players down the field to be in position to intercept the ball. This will then allow the linebacker blitzes to become more effective as an element of surprise rather then the norm.
New Equipment
LOK-CUP SHOULDER PAD Austin Athletic Mfg. Co. 800-813-7706 www.austinathletic.com The Lok-Cup™ shoulder pad is back by popular demand. Austin Athletic Mfg. Co. presents a new and improved line of our popular Lok-Cup™ shoulder
Snake Bitten
Our defensive philosophy is to have 11 hats with speed to the ball. We accomplish this by doing a pursuit drill every day, and by coaching effort on every play. We also watch film after every practice to evaluate fundamentals, techniques, proper execution of the defensive scheme and, most importantly, effort. We believe that with great effort from all 11 players, we have a chance to win. We feel that playing with great effor
Practice With a Purpose
It is an honor to represent head coach Nick Saban and the LSU football staff in American Football Monthly. As coaches, we constantly stress to our players the importance of knowing what to do, but do not always explain when and how a scheme applies itself in a game situation. Here at LSU, we stress to our players knowing what to do, how to do it and when it applies. Our in-season practice schedule helps ou
Coach\'s Guide to Training Room Strategies
As coaches, you certainly want athletes who can give it their all day after day. Training camp is a high stress time for you as well as for your players. Not only can this experience be mentally trying, but it is physically demanding as well. Everyone is well aware of the heat-related deaths that received national attention last summer. The bad news is that summers aren’t going to be any cooler, traini
Linebacker Key Drills
The objective of this drill is to get as many reps as possible with all the linebackers. This drill lets a coach focus on flow and pulls by the offense. With small linebacker groups, you can still get quality work. First, have the offensive line hold bags to lower the impact, however, the offensive line must still bend down into a good stance. Then place the
Words of Wisdom.
The address for the Georgia Tech football office is 150 Bobby Dodd Way NW. The mere fact that a school would honor a coach with a street name speaks volumes of the accumulated respect and reverence the institution has for the coach. But, naming a street on campus after Coach Dodd hardly begins to tell the story of the adoration this distinguished gentleman of southern football
New Equipment
Recruiting Software From CyberSports 1-315-732-4333 members.home.net/cybersports CyberPalm allows you to take all your recruits information on the road with you, and sync any changes you made on the road when you return to the office. Now all the coaches can have access to any new information you have gathered on your recent recruiting trips. With a few clicks of the mouse, selected prospec
Using Video Technology to Enhance Performance
It’s the middle of the off-season. And like normal you find yourself searching for techniques and tools that can help your athletes become better, more fundamentally sound football players. As a coach, you know there are certain attributes that make athletes successful on the field of competition. Diehard performance in the weightroom, for example. Crafting bigger and stronger athletes enhances perfo
A Big New Play from Pasadena
I selected the Statue play to write about because prep coaches and college coaches alike constantly ask me about it. It is simple to install and it’s a lot of fun. Statue is a glorified lead draw. It is a deception causing defenders to react to a pass. It is a mis-direction as the ball carrier runs off tackle away from the pass action. There is a signific
Attacking the Line of Scrimmage
Philosophy: At the University of Arkansas our attitude is to attack, disrupt and create a new line of scrimmage. Our terminology is to attack, bend and spill the ball outside. We want to create one on one match-ups for our front. Our LB\'s are fast flow, thus creating stress on an offensive lineman to execute two-on-one-combo blockers. We expect to turn those two on one combo\'s into one on one match-ups. Our linemen are playmakers are not space eaters. The only exception would be tru
On the Circuit
At the University of North Dakota, we have one major goal for our defense to attain each season. That goal is to lead the North Central Conference in fewest points allowed. This is not an easy task in one of the most balanced and powerful Division II conferences in the country. Yet we have reached our goal of allowing the fewest points in our league in six of the last nine seasons. During six of the last seven seasons, we have also been first or second in our conference in total defense. While w
News & Notes
Veteran NFL assistant coach and New England quarterbacks coach Dick Rehbein died during training camp. The 45-year-old Rehbein died of heart failure at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. The Patriots said Rehbein, who had heart disease, checked himself into the hospital complaining of discomfort. Rehbein joined the Patriots in February 2000. Rehbein, who had an internal pacemaker because of cardiomyopathy, suffered an apparent heart attack and extensive resuscitation efforts failed.
Prehabilitation
There are many goals that the weight room and conditioning fields wish to obtain in order to increase the strength, stamina and speed of a football team. One of the most important facets, however, lies in their ability to prevent injury. By properly utilizing available resources, it is possible to recognize and steer away from potential injuries that could eventually take away from the team\'s caliber. This type of preventive measure is known in the field as prehabilitation. It is important to b
Equipment Room
Defensive Reaction Machine From Rae Crowther Co. 1-800-841-5050 www.raecrowther.com B.C. Cruncher Two-Man Sled Defensive Reaction Sled (DFR) \"Over 70 Years of What Works...\" www.elitestrength.com From Elite Strength Training www.elitestrength.com Elite Strength brings you a total strength training site from experienced sports conditioning specialists. This site was put together to give coac
Equipment Room
Defensive Reaction Machine From Rae Crowther Co. 1-800-841-5050 www.raecrowther.com B.C. Cruncher Two-Man Sled Defensive Reaction Sled (DFR) \"Over 70 Years of What Works...\" www.elitestrength.com From Elite Strength Training www.elitestrength.com Elite Strength brings you a total strength training site from experienced sports conditioning specialists. This site was put together to give coaches the chan
The Relentless Pursuit of Excellence
Each year coaching staffs spend countless hours and large amounts of money searching for new and innovative ways to improve their defensive performance. Descriptive phrases such as \"swarming defense\" and \"relentless pursuit\" depict the type of play coaches are seeking from their defensive units. While using innovative coaching aids, advanced computer technology, and attending professional clinics can help a coach in his pursuit of these levels of performance, perhaps the most effec
Level the Playing Field
When we came to Martin a year ago, we knew that we were nearly starting from scratch. We only had thirty-eight players on our team for our first spring practice. Knowing that our numbers were low and we were going to have to play a very tough I-AA schedule with many young players, we had to try and find a way to do something different that would level the playing field. Having seen the Academies become very successful with less talent than their opposition by playing option football, and
Equipment Room
Rogers Lev Sled 1-(800) 248-0270 www.rogersathletic.com Utilize the power of leverage to achieve more gridiron victories. Only the Rogers Lev Sled requires the blocker to drive the pad to compress the spring - then he is able to elevate the pad. From Rae Crowther Co. 1-800-841-5050 www.raecrowther.com The most effective football sleds and machines in the game. 68 years of what works. 1, 2, 5, and 7 man sleds. Off
Letter From the Publisher
Storm clouds gathered over the landscape of football. The first effects were felt in Tallahassee in February when freshman linebacker Devaughn Darling died after a strenuous off-season workout. Then, on July 25, incoming University of Florida freshman fullback Eraste Autin died six days after he collapsed following a voluntary workout. As if these tragedies were not enough to make everyone associated with the game of football look hard at the types of workout programs athletes are participating
Multiple Looks Create Havoc
We are often asked, \"Just what is your base front and coverage?\" When people who watch us play or opposing coaches ask, I know we are accomplishing our top priority of creating multiple looks. I believe our defensive system is one that is very simple to teach, and creates problems for opposing coaches (especially in preparation), plus it allows our players to be athletic, creative, and develop ownership. We have developed a teaching progression of both assignment and technique that
Play Action for the Big Play
The past three seasons we have experienced much success at Jones Jr. College. In 1998, we were fortunate enough to finish the season 12-0 with a #1 ranking in one national poll. Our no-huddle, one-back offensive attack has averaged 29 points per game in the three seasons we have been together. In the spring of 1997, our staff decided to put in the one-back offense with the objective of spreading the defense. Our offensive philosophy is fairly simple. We want to determine where the defen
News & Notes
Tragedy strikes Florida as freshman FB, Autin diesEvery coach and parent\'s nightmare happened in Gainesville, when incoming Florida freshman Eraste Autin died of complications related to heat stroke, six days after collapsing and falling into a coma following a workout with teammates. Autin fell unconscious just outside Florida Field in late July while jogging back to the locker room after one of the football team\'s voluntary summer conditioning sessions. Although no autopsy wa
Equipment Room
Body-Solid Strength Training Equipment From Fitness Factory Outlet Commercial Sales Division 1-(888)-477-6888 1900 S. Des Plaines Ave. Forest Park, IL 60130 Fitness Factory Outlet, the Commercial Sales Division for Body-Solid Strength Training Equipment, offers an extensive line of Single Station Weight Stack Equipment, a Complete Line of Commercial Freeweight Equipment, and Multi-Station Gyms. This 48 page, full color catalog gives in
Practicing What You Preach
Too many times, we as coaches are guilty of talking out of both sides of our mouths. We stand before our players in meetings or in front of our peers at coaching clinics and expound on our philosophies, values and beliefs about the keys to winning football games. Yet, when we go out to the practice field, our practice structure does not mirror these beliefs. Instead, we spent too little time on what we say are the important things and get caught in the trap of using our limited practic
Tightening the Tight End
Tight ends are deeply involved in the run game, the pass game, formations, and pass protection. We want our guys to be competent in all of these areas. A one-dimensional player is going to have a difficult time excelling on a full-time basis.Football has changed tremendously in various areas. However, through the years, some basic fundamentals remain constant. Players must learn to play with a base, play with a knee bend, have sound footwork, and play with leverage, both vertically and
Cover Story Lou Holtz February 2001 Division 1-A Coach of the Year Lou Holtz - It was enough that the Notre Dame coaching lege
Equipment Room
Rogers Lev Sled 1-(800) 248-0270 www.rogersathletic.com Utilize the power of leverage to achieve more gridiron victories. Only the Rogers Lev Sled requires the blocker to drive the pad to compress the spring - then he is able to elevate the pad. From Rae Crowther Co. 1-800-841-5050 www.raecrowther.com The most effective football sleds and machines in the game. 68 years of what works. 1, 2, 5, and 7 man sleds. Off
Equipment Room
Body-Solid Strength Training Equipment From Fitness Factory Outlet Commercial Sales Division 1-(888)-477-6888 1900 S. Des Plaines Ave. Forest Park, IL 60130 Fitness Factory Outlet, the Commercial Sales Division for Body-Solid Strength Training Equipment, offers an extensive line of Single Station Weight Stack Equipment, a Complete Line of Commercial Freeweight Equipment, and Multi-Station Gyms. This 48 page, full color catalog gives i
The Power Behind The Thrown
They\'re the Rodney Dangerfields of the football world. They\'re overworked, underpaid, overlooked and under-appreciated. If they do their jobs well and their teams win, they get little, if any, glory. But, if they put a squad on the field that can\'t go the distance and collapses in the fourth quarter, there\'s hell to pay.In short, with rare exception, strength and conditioning coaches just don\'t get no respect.\"The unofficial rule when dealing with the football staff
Big Man On Campus
When Boyd Eply told Nebraska head coach Bob Devaney he was going to teach his Cornhuskers how to lift weights, Devaney was about as excited as if Eply had told him he was going to teach them how to fumble in the end zone.\"Why would you want to do that?\" Devaney asked. \"I have a friend at Michigan State and he doesn\'t lift weights. I have a friend at Ohio State and he doesn\'t lift weights. In fact, I don\'t know anyone in the whole country who lifts weights. The way I understand it
Building Stronger, Faster Players In the Off-Season
There is no doubt that strength training has become one of the most integral parts of football programs at all levels, including high school, college and the professional ranks. Increasing explosive strength helps improve performance and also helps prevent and reduce injuries. Increasing explosive strength is also integral to increasing movement and the development of speed.Absolute strength, although important, is not the essential ingredient of playing football. The ability to dev
Running On Empty
FOOTBALL PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN TIMING PLAYERS in the 40 yard dash for years and making evaluations based on the results. But while the test is time-honored, is it really an accurate assessment of how fast a player will be on the field on any given Saturday?As an expert in speed development for football players, I feel that straight line sprint speed is only a partial assessment of an athlete\'s playing speed. The reason is obvious. Few football players run full bore for 30 to 50 yards dur
Cover Story The Godfather March 2001 Big Man on Campus - Nebraska's Boyd Eply didn't set out to change the game of football
Equipment Room
Defensive Reaction Machine From Rae Crowther Co. 1-800-841-5050 www.raecrowther.com The most effective football sleds and machines in the game. 68 years of what works. 1, 2, 5, and 7 man sleds. Offensively or defensively this is how to teach the delivery of a blow. The Crowther Defensive Reaction machine. When you master the Defensive Reaction Machine, you master the line of scrimmage. The only football machine available with a moving helmet for player
Building a Hungry Defensive Line
Our overall philosophy with our front four is to create 1-and-1 match ups as quickly as possible. We are fast flow with our inside linebackers, therefore the 2-on-1 combinations quickly turn into 1-on-1 blocks. We expect our defensive lineman to win those 1-on-1 battles. We expect these guys to be playmakers, not space eaters. The only situation that we actually tie up two is the double-team block with our three technique. Other than that exception, we are coaching technique to escape blockers a
May 2001 Cover Story The Information Age - Computers and the countless software applications have forever changed the face of coaching... a look at how the changes have affected coaches like Pittsburg State's OL coach Bill Kroenke.
Evaluating Offensive Linemen
Assessing the abilities and skills of an interior lineman is one of the most coach\'s job. Many coaches do not realize the true capabilities of their players. Countless times determinations and selections are made solely on the candidate\'s height, weight, speed and potential as a football player, without much, if any, regard for the player\'s ability as a performer on the field to actually \"get it done.\" There are all types of offensive linemen. Some are short and stout. Others are simply
Equipment Room
Rogers Lev Sled 1-(800) 248-0270 www.rogersathletic.com Utilize the power of leverage to achieve more gridiron victories. Only the Rogers Lev Sled requires the blocker to drive the pad to compress the spring - then he is able to elevate the pad. From Rae Crowther Co. 1-800-841-5050 www.raecrowther.com The most effective football sleds and machines in the game. 68 years of what works. 1, 2, 5, and 7 man sleds. Off
High five
At Mississippi State, we play with five defensive back all of the time as a part of our base package. We have used this personnel grouping for the last five seasons with great success. It is our opinion that with all of the different formations and personnel groupings offensive coordinators are currently employing, it is in our best interest to be able handle these multiple and varied looks and personnel groupings with our base defensive package. It is our philosophy that the best way to pl
Gaining an Edge Through Special Teams
As football coaches, we have all heard the theory that the difference between winning and losing close games often comes down to a special teams play. At Arizona State University, we believe that in order to achieve success, sound execution of special teams play is paramount. We approach special teams with the perspective that the difference between winning the PAC-10 Championship and finishing at the bottom of the league could very well be determined by the effectiveness and efficiency of our s
Northwestern University Offense Practice Sturcture
It is an honor to represent our Head Coach Randy Walker (one of the best coaches in the college game today); a tremendous offensive staff (Mike Dunbar - TE / FB; Howard Feggins - WR; Jeff Genyk - RB; James Patton - OL; and Kevin Johns - Offensive Graduate Assistant); and the best group of young men that I\'ve ever been associated with in college athletics with this article for American Football Monthly. We are truly blessed here at Northwestern University with excellent opportunities that are
Moving Target
Over the last several years, no team in Ohio Athletic Conference has attempted more passes and completed more of them than Capital University. Needless to say, we are a passing team and philosophically go into every ball game thinking pass first and run second. Our pass offense is multi-dimensional. We use multiple formations, but for the most part use one back and four wide receivers. We throw from a variety of launching points, use a multitude of actions, and run patterns designed fo
The Linebacker Shuffle
We, as coaches, spend countless hours trying to develop the ideal offensive or defensive scheme. As impotant as these schemes are they cannot be practiced at the expense of developing fundamentals. As we all have witnessed, in crunch time it is the execution of fundamentals that often determines the outcome of a game. This is exemplified at the linebacker position in many ways but none more than stance and movement. A coach can drill key reaction and devise schemes to get a linebacker
Just for Kicks
The punt return means big play time for us. Players at Western Maryland pay special attention to this part of the game. We have had success blocking punts and we have returned punts for touchdowns multiple times over the past four seasons. More importantly, we make things happen on every punt return and have an opportunity to score. Statistically, having a return average of 10 yards or more is important, but the goal should be to accumulate yardage consistently on each return. Put Pressur
News & Notes
Fassel gets giant raise While Jim Fassel didn\'t win the Super Bowl, he won the respect of the New York Giant\'s brass. Exactly a month after the Giants lost to the Baltimore 34-7 in Tampa, team officials announced that they had signed Fassel to another four-year contract even though he had another year left on the contract extension he signed after the 1999 season. While the terms weren\'t available, Fassel will reportedly earn $11 million over the four years - more than doublin
Quarterbacking the Quarterback
The fundamentals of any position are important, and perhaps they are most crucial at the quarterback position. Quarterback fundamentals are both physical and mental. We have a list of beliefs in training a QB and they are:1. Never take a sack. Know when to take a chance and when not to by considering down, distance and field position.2. Throw against blitzes every time. Every play is a blitz until proven otherwise. This teaches the QB to be prepared, play under control and not to hu
So Sue Me!
WHEN NEWS SURFACED THAT A GEORGIA TECH offensive lineman and his mother wanted criminal charges filed against head coach George O\'Leary after the 314-pound player was roughed up in practice, everyone had an opinion.\"This is getting out of hand. Soon we will have to arrest Dale Earnhardt for a hit-and-run accident at the Daytona 500,\" one Atlanta man wrote in response to a reader survey conducted by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.Still others, had a far different view. \"This
Mickey Andrews\' Secret
Wickey Andrews doesn\'t mince words when talking about Florida State\'s early-season loss to Miami, a defeat that hung over the Seminoles like the state\'s ever-present humidity, threatening to wash away their hopes for a second consecutive national championship. \"It was a mistake on my part,\" he offers even though the question isn\'t on the table. \"My biggest mistake was I didn\'t play more kids than I did. I had kids that played almost the entire game. By the end, they were pooped
Flash
In an effort to create a fully dimensional offense it is the opinion of this author that protections must be changed constantly to create defensive dilemmas. The ability to \"free release\" the running back in a one-back offense is critical to create a burden on the defense. It is essential that the running back be perceived as a viable receiving threat. This can only be accomplished through a protection that allows for the running back to release without regard to protection and a patter
Equipment Room
Computer Software for WindowsFrom Big G Software1-800-222-3965Fax: 1-979-732-3443• Football Stats• Football Scouting• Baseball Stats• Basketball Stats• Volleyball Stats• Off Season Stats$59.95 to $99.95See Screen Shots and Sample Reports at www.biggsoftware.comServing Coaches since 1982 Rt 2 Box 111 • Alleyton, TX 78935 Rogers Athletic Co.1-800-248-0270www.rogersathletic.com
AIR RAID Running Back Techniques and Drills
The most productive running backs in the SEC over the last three seasons combined have been from the University of Kentucky. Anthony White and Derek Homer have combined for more yards (rushing and receiving totals) than any other two-back combination. White had three straight 1,000-yard seasons from rushing and receiving yards combined, and Homer combined with White in 1997-98 to put the pair over 4,000 yards combined for those two seasons. White also became the third player in NCAA h
September 2000 Staff Meeting Letter from Publisher News and Notes Dick Curl leaves Europe and joins the Chiefs... Bama's DuBose makes a sick young man's day...NCAA legislation may hurt I-AA football...Mizzou seeks to get out of future
On Target
During the 1990s many defenses were transformed from \"read and react\" defenses into attacking defenses. An effective attacking defense is not just a loose cannon, it\'s a guided missile. To be effective you have to know when and where to attack. Sophisticated scouting software of an opponent\'s offense through statistical analysis gives the defensive coaching staff the tools they need to create a \"smart-weapon, guided-missile\" attacking defense. Creating Defensive Call Sheets t
Rolling to Victory
The 1999 season was very successful for the players, coaches and staff of City College of San Francisco. We were fortunate enough to complete our season with a perfect 12-0 record and win the 1999 J.C. Gridwire National Championship and California state championship. We also achieved this same feat in 1994 after completing the season 11-0. In the 90s, we won our conference nine times in 10 years (1990, 1992-1999) and we are three-time defending Northern California champions. In all, we ended the
Behind Bowden
With two national titles, 13 years among the top four teams in the country and six Atlantic Coast Conference championships in the 1990s, the Florida State Seminoles have the track record to prove they know what it takes to be a champion. It is that knowledge of the means to reach success that has not only fueled FSU\'s success on the field, but also it\'s success in the Don Fauls athletic training facility. Randy Oravetz, the Director of Sports Medicine at FSU, heads up the te
The Diary of A New Coach
THIRD GAME WEEK: As I said before, our number one objective is really not to win, but to prepare. This week was the exception. We were playing our cross-town rival, Norman North, a school that had never scored against any Norman High team in their two-year existence. Our varsity and J.V. had already scored shutouts the week before so this was a must win. For the game Tuesday, our emotions were high. Our team was more pumped up than they had been all year. We got the b
High School Notes
Early Season Top Performers Cline Engle from Burns (Lawndale, N.C.) kicked a 61-yard field goal on Sept. 1 to establish a new state record. Unfortunately, the boot was the Bulldogs only points in a 48-3 loss to Shelby. Noah Ingram from Ruleville (Miss.) broke his own single-game state rushing record with a 506-yard outburst against Gentry (Indianola) on Sept. 9. Ingrams Tigers won the game 74-71. Running back Frank Gore from Coral Gables (Fla.) is off to a
Equipment Room
Segment TimersFrom Mcconnell Team Sports1-800-579-2025mcconnellsports.com \"Where\'s the manager, who\'s tracking time?\" - Sound familiar?Segment Timers eliminate errors and improve practice efficiency. Portable, battery powered units • 9\" & 18\" large display units • Voice announcement • Remote Control Practice Execution TimersEmphasizes execution time by applying realistic game pressure to 7 on 7 drills, passing leagu
Schutt Sports High School Coaches of the Year
SOUTHJohn Parchman,Hoboken HS, Hoboken, NJRobert E. Lee HS, Midland, Texas 1999: 15-0, Class 5A, Div. I state champsRecord at school: 57-8-1, 5 yearsWhen you win a football state title in Texas, you\'ve done something. When you do it two years in a row, that\'s really special. And special is a very accurate way to describe coach John Parchman\'s Midland Lee Rebels. In the last two seasons, Lee High School has claimed back-to-back Class 5A Texas Bowl
Do It Your Way
Throughout my twenty-two years in the profession, I have had the opportunity to coach at both the collegiate and high school levels. During that time, I have had the pleasure of working with various coaching staffs that have helped me formulate my philosophies on dealing with the passing game. At the same time, I have coached many athletes with various ranges in athletic abilities. Therefore, I have had to adapt each year to the specific situation. When you are developing a passing attack, it
Nothing teaches like an example...
You could call it Jeff Tedford\'s School for Quarterbacks. Graduates include NFL first-round draft choices Trent Dilfer, now with the Baltimore Ravens, and Akili Smith of the Cincinnati Bengals. The professor\'s preferred prerequisites for admission are toughness, intelligence, competitiveness, athletic ability and arm strength. In that order. Required supplies are pencils, paper, a VCR and a football. Oh, yes, and a set of checkers. Class is in session virtually all year at the Unive
Equipment Room
Playbook PowerFrom SimpleLife, Inc.1-888-717-5535www.pbpower.comIn time for the Holidays! Our new computer system with Playbook Power: Ultimate Xs and Os software for $950.00 +shipping and handling. Computer specs: 380 MHz computer w/ 2 GB hard drive, 32 MB RAM, 8 MB video RAM, 3-D sound, 48 x CD-Rom, 56K fax modum, Speakers, floppy drive, mouse, keyboard, Windows 98 AND 15\" MONITOR (1 yr parts warranty. Software: Off. and def. play diagraming,
Speed Training for Combines
Whether a player attends the NFL combine in Indianapolis, or one of the ten NFL-sanctioned Scout Camp regional football combines, he will be tested in a variety of areas. But when the combine is over and all the data has been collected, there is typically only one question that gets asked about a player: How fast is he? Because this is the reality of the situation, all combine participants should be well-prepared to face the \"holy trinity\" of combine tests: the 40- yard dash, the short shu
Husker Power
Looking back, it\'s hard to believe it. But just 30 years ago, coaches at the University of Nebraska were actually discouraging athletes from lifting weights for fear it would make them muscle bound and slower. My, have times changed in Lincoln. I first came to Nebraska in 1968, competing as a pole valuter on the track and field team. A back injury halted my valuting career in the spring of my junior year. To rehab my back, I went to the weight room every day where a few injured Husker foo
The Winning Business
The work ethic that has steered Larry Kehres to some amazing heights in college football coaching began to take shape a long time ago. The man who has earned four AFMA Coach of the Year awards at Mount Union College in Ohio, Kehres as a youth performed tasks before and after school and had his first job when he was just 10 years old. \"We didn\'t feed chickens every day or anything like that,\'\' says Kehres, who grew up in rural Palmyra township near Alliance. \"But when I was t
Passing Drills for Young Quarterbacks
Coaching quarterbacks is unique for a number of reasons. First, the spaced repetition time needed to master the mechanics of throwing, setting up to throw, optioning - along with all of the footwork that accompanies the position - is extensive. Secondly, the mental preparation is more demanding than with any other position on the field. Finally, the need for the quarterback to be an on-the-field extension of the head coach and offensive coordinator requires that a unique bond develop between pla
February 2000 Would you like to read a past article from American Football Monthly Magazine? Or are you looking for an article on a specific subject not in this month's issue? Try back issues. Staff Meeting
Robber
With today\'s high-flying passing attacks getting all the national acclaim, here is quite arguably the finest mode of counter-attack. So many times defensive coordinators have to change their entire defensive package just to deal with a one dimensional aerial circus, but here is the way in which you can pressure their protection schemes, all the while baiting the quarterback to throw into a mine field known as Robber coverage. The following is an outline of the Robber coverage package we run at
The Conductor
While other coaches spent the off-season boning up on the latest offensive drills or figuring out how to defend against the pass, Texas Tech\'s Manny Matsakis was curled up with the latest issue of Psychology Today and wondering whether the heavy metal band Metallica could help his kickoff coverage team stop the run-back. So far, Matsakis is convinced his time was well spent. \"Every time we play it, something good happens,\" Matsakis says of his growing love for Metallica w
Frantastic
When Texas Christian University stomped Arkansas State in its third game this year, it was more than just another win in a season that is supposed to put the once hapless team on the map. The 52-3 drubbing stretched the Horned Frogs\' winning streak to eight - their longest since 1938 and the fourth longest in the country. TCU Coach Dennis Franchione shrugs amicably when asked about the historic victory. \"The only stat I worry about is the \'W,\'\" he says.
Equipment
Issues | November 1999 Equipment Room Chronomix Corp.1-800-538-1548www.chronomix.comThe Practice Timer is a multi-use training tool. It can be programmed for circuit interval training or practice segment timing. When not running programs it can be used as a hundredth of a second stop watch for timing the forty yard dash or laps. Accessories
Follow the Leaders
Contrary to the opinion of many people, leaders are not born. Leaders are made; and they are made by effort and hard work." —Vince Lombardi Providing leadership is one of a football coaching staff's fundamental responsibilities. Coaches are expected to dictate the direction, set the standard and mold the attitude and character of their team. One of the outcomes of effective leadership is the development and empowerment of other leaders. Are you devel
New Equipment
HeavyRopefrom Strength Systems, Inc.800-451-5867www.strength-systems.comThe HeavyRope is a weighted jump rope, allowing an athlete to gain both a cardiovascular and upper-body strength workout at the same time. It is available in one, two, four, five and six-pound weights. A suggested training program is included with each rope.The reason that it's called a HeavyRope is because the rope is weighted with sand. The product is made of a rubber materia
Complete Coach
The smallest edge on your competition can mean the difference between a championship and a season-ending loss. Complete Coach is an educational series helping coaches learn more about products and services dedicated to giving you the edge you need. As a coach some things are out of your control. After all, athletes are born—not made, right? The biggest players always have the biggest heart. And you can't teach someone how to be fast, right? Wrong. If t
Frank Lenti Q & A
Q.Is "pride" a word you would use to describe how you feel when you see a former player like Donovan McNabb or Simeon Rice selected in the first round of the NFL draft?A.I guess pride is an acceptable term. More than pride, I'm probably just happy for them. There's a saying, "When the sun shines on one, it shines on all of us,"...at Mount Carmel, we helped develop their value system, their work ethic and we helped develop their athleticism. We spent a great deal of time not just
Equipment Room
Chronomix Corp.1-800-538-1548www.chronomix.comThe Practice Timer is a multi-use training tool. It can be programmed for circuit interval training or practice segment timing. When not running programs it can be used as a hundredth of a second stop watch for timing the forty yard dash or laps. Accessories are available for printed results or automatic timing. ContinentalAthletic Supply1-800-544-5564www.continentalathletic.com
Innovations
When Ron Dayne broke the Division I-A record for career rushing yards, we couldn't help but measure him against history. If we have any affinity for college football, we can't help ourselves. We plead for perspective. We beg for a sense of where the current era fits in the historical landscape of college football. Is Dayne better than Ricky Williams? Herschel Walker? Tony Dorsett? Archie Griffin? O.J. Simpson? Elroy "Crazy Legs" Hirsch? Doc Blanchard and Glenn Davis? Jim Thorpe?
Complete Coach
As a coach, your time is not only valuable, it's also restricted. And with a finite number of hours in a day, you can only accomplish so much. While many of your daily obligations - such as family, school and boosters - have little or nothing to do with coaching, these obligations force you to become more effective during the short stretches of time when you actually get to focus on coaching. With this in mind, how can you both save and manage your timemore efficiently? The answer li
Oklahoma's Passing Game Drills
For over 10 years, I had the opportunity to work with University of Kentucky coach Hal Mumme. I was his offensive coordinator at Iowa Wesleyan, Valdosta State and UK, and we were fortunate enough to enjoy some tremendous success. Mumme is as committed to moving the football through the air as any coach I have ever known, and, needless to say, I learned a great deal from him. Since we were going to commit to the passing game, we created an offensive practice plan around developing the ski
Techniques and Drills. Part One of a two-part series.
JAM TECHNIQUEThe Jam technique is one of the most important techniques a corner must master when his responsibility is to roll up to defend the flat or when it is a pass play, such as in two-deep zone. At the snap of the football, the corner's alignment should be five-to-six yards deep and head up on the receiver with his outside foot up. The defender's key should be the quarterback. If the quarterback comes straight down the line of scrimmage, as when running an
June 1999 Staff Meeting Letter from PublisherReader Feedback News and Notes Eddie Robinson Cla
Family First
For Houston Nutt, his coaching philosophy is crystal clear. It's all about family. Sounds simple enough, but when he arrived at the University of Arkansas, the plan didn't look so easy. He was dealing with 15 seniors who had one season left in a football program that certainly had seen better days in the Southeastern Conference. The players went to him and said, "Coach, we want to win, and we are willing to do whatever it takes to do it." Nutt could have slid into a pessimistic fra
\'The Punch\'
*Photos/Diagrams are no longer available* Every snap is a hand-to-hand war at the line of scrimmage. Somewhere along the line offensive linemen have been taught that they should be passive and \"take the blows,\" \"deflect the force,\" or \"re-direct\" their defensive line opponents. I do not buy into that thought process; never have and never will. That type of thinking will get you beat. I believe that the \"PUNCH\" technique has revolutionized how offensive linemen are tau
The Other Side of the Ball
While most of the attention on our football team during the last few years has been focused on the offensive side of the ball and the great job of our former head coach Gary Crowton (now offensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears) and the play of our quarterback Tim Rattay and record-setting wide receiver Troy Edwards, we've also had some success on defense. We have accomplished this success by working as a staff to discover new and innovative ways to maximize the time we have with
New Equipment
Chronomix Corp.1-800-538-1548www.chronomix.comThe Practice Timer is a multi-use training tool. It can be programmed for circuit interval training or practice segment timing. When not running programs it can be used as a hundredth of a second stop watch for timing the forty yard dash or laps. Accessories are available for printed results or automatic timing. ContinentalAthletic Supply1-800-544-5564www.continentalathletic.com
Re-Examining Spearing
Every few years the problem is rediscovered in the media by a cervical spine injury in the NFL. Most recently it was Detroit Lions linebacker Reggie Brown. Television networks show the hit numerous times and stories appear in newspapers and magazines. But the injury is always portrayed as an unfortunate accident. It's not used to educate the football community that there is an identified cause for these injuries. No one says, "Reggie Brown made the mistake of loweri
Complete Coach
The adage is the bigger they are the harder they will fall. Not necessarily. If your athletes can develop speed and agility along with size, they may very well be able to withstand almost anything the competition throws at them. The key to developing bigger, stronger, more agile players is the weight room. How do you as a coach get the most out of each weight room session? How can you create a weight room, or revamp your present facility into one that helps your players achieve their goa
New Equipment
Chronomix Corp.1-800-538-1548www.chronomix.comThe Practice Timer is a multi-use training tool. It can be programmed for circuit interval training or practice segment timing. When not running programs it can be used as a hundredth of a second stop watch for timing the forty yard dash or laps. Accessories are available for printed results or automatic timing. ContinentalAthletic Supply1-800-544-5564www.continentalathletic.com
Win-Win Situation
If it had been a marriage last January - so sudden, so shockingly surprising - the town gossips would have had a field day. Dashing Dennis Erickson, the coach who won two national football championships at Miami, and Oregon State, the ungainly spinster of college football? No way. It can't last, the gossips would have said. Oregon State just got him on the rebound from that nasty mess in Seattle. Gosh, he can't be the desperate, can he? After all the bright lights, and the fame
New Equipment
Creatine Edge EffervescentFrom FSI Nutrition888-331-6601FSI Nutrition, an Omaha, Neb. company, now offers Creatine Edge Effervescent. With Creatine Edge Effervescent, creatine molecules break down in water and become readily available to the body, giving athletes an absorption rate of about 95-99 percent, compared to about 35 percent with conventional creatine pills and powders. This absorption rate, proven by two independent university tests, frees athletes from
Slant to Win
To say that the war is won by winning the battle in the trenches is not a cliche. As the defensive line coach at Boston College, my entire philosophy about defensive line play is based on this idea. However, winning the battle in the trenches does not necessarily mean that defensive linemen have to make plays. To win, we must have an impact on the run and pass game. In the run game, the battle up front is won when we keep the offensive line off of our linebackers and safeties, and co
It's Not About the Plays . . . It's About the Players.
Twice a year, after the college football season and again after spring drills, University of Oregon coach Mike Bellotti arms himself with a yellow legal pad, and a supply of pens, and spends most of several consecutive days in his office. He isn't, on those occasions, scribbling Xs and Os. He isn't tinkering with the sophisticated offense that has placed Oregon in the top 20 in the nation in passing in five of the last six seasons. He isn't refining the strategies that
New Equipment
New Equipment Chronomix Corp.1-800-538-1548www.chronomix.comThe Practice Timer is a multi-use training tool. It can be programmed for circuit interval training or practice segment timing. When not running programs it can be used as a hundredth of a second stop watch for timing the forty yard dash or laps. Accessories are available for printed results or automatic timing. ContinentalAthletic Supply1-800-544-5564
Main Attraction
It's not like Mack Brown didn't have enough to worry about in his first year at the helm of the University of Texas football program. There was picking up the pieces from a dreadful 4-7 season and the enormous expectations of the "Hook 'em, 'Horns" faithful. Not to mention the separate controversies that precipitated his arrival in the Lone Star State. One being the firing of his predecessor, John Mackovic, and the other the bitter feelings that lingered in North Carolina when B
No Time to Huddle
Huddling when you are behind is like lighting your cigar with $100 bills. Let's say your team is behind by five points with 10 seconds left to go in the game. You have the ball first and 10 at midfield. You can run two plays before time runs out, if you can stop the clock after the first one. To go 50 yards in two plays, you have to average 25 yards per play. The rule I am applying to arrive at that answer is: The number of yards you need on your next play is whatever you need to ge
The Warhawk Way
Special teams practice and organization of time is always critical to any good football team. At UW-Whitewater, we have been very fortunate to have an offense that averages 40-plus points per game over the last three seasons. Along with a high-point average, comes a huge number of kick-offs and field position changes for our defense. We select kick-off coverage personnel mostly from the defensive side, particularly linebackers and defensive backs. Occasionally, we will use a fast, agi
Techniques and Drills
TECHNIQUE DRILLSIn part one of this article, I covered some of the philosophies and techniques we use to defend and control our opponent's passing game. I outlined our teaching progressions for the jam, trail, streak, close the post, post flat, press (bump and run), and the sideline and go techniques. Also, I discussed how we teach proper alignment and how to strip the ball from wideouts. Now I will detail the drills we use to teach our fundamental techniques.Drill No. 1: Press (
July 1999 Staff Meeting Letter from Publisher Reader Feedback News and Notes Notre Dame booster drama • Auburn saga continues
Youth Issue
The following pages dedicated to youth football are the first of what I know will become an annual supplement to our magazine. This is our effort to help the thousands of men, who give so willingly of their time to enrich the lives of the young men playing youth football at parks and sandlots across the country. Whether it be Pop Warner, Police Athletic Leagues, Park and Rec. leagues, or NFL Flag teams, the youth coach is the backbone of the sport. These teachers are coaches and mentors in th
Power & Protection
The Washington Redskin offense, under head coach Norv Turner, is a power running football team. There are two things we must do to be a power running team. One, we must be physical. We must finish blocks, and we must finish runs. As ball carriers, we must run behind our shoulder pads with great pad level. We call it downhill or north-south running. The second thing we must do is protect the football. We stress tucking the ball away with two fingers over the nose of the football and both
Letters to AFM
Last issue, we asked for your letters stating your feelings about why football is the game America loves. We'll continue featuring selected letters here, as we did the following two. Keep them coming, we want to hear from you!Dear AFM: I just read AFQ publisher Barry Terranova's letter in the newest issue and I thought I would give you a response to add to your survey. Before I do that however, let me first tell you how aprreciative I am of your magazine. I consider AFQ the "Bible" for
Parting the Waves
The single most important ingredient of a receiver is football intelligence. The skills and abilities required to become a good receiver can be learned and developed to be a complete receiver. "Getting open" requires numerous skills such as reading coverages, running stems, getting in and out of the cut (separation techniques of the route) and bursting full speed away from the defender. While all these skills are requirements to becoming a top receiver, for the purpose of this articl
Volume 4, 1st Quarter Spotlight Coaches of the Year, Various Divisions Alabama's Blount HS Head Injuries: A Current Drama Delaware's Tubby Raymond When
The #1 resource for football coaches — innovative X's & O's, strategy, drills, and coaching insight, published by AFM Media.