From Brent…
THREE HOLE-PICK-A-HOLE

Works with Running Backs and Linebackers

RB- BALL CARRYING SKILL ALONG WITH CUT TO HOLE AND ATTACK ON DEFENDER
LB- PURSUIT AND TACKLE, NOT TO OVERPLAY

TOOLS
4 CONES AND FOOTBALL

Set up running back and linebacker on opposite sides of the cones, behind the 1st cone.  Football coach will pitch the ball to the running back who will secure the football and cut to a hole, keeping low and attack the defender and drive through him.

Linebacker on the pitch will pursue down the line of scrimmage using proper technique.  When the runner cuts to the hole the linebacker will step up, keeping in good hitting position and properly tackle the runner.  Getting head in correct position, feet incorrect position and wrap up the runner the properly.   Try to instill in linebacker “no missed tackles”.

We do this football drill daily to instill what we want fundamentally from our backs and linebackers.

Technorati Tags: football linemen drills, Football coach, football, football drill

From Tommy
The Angle of Attack drill has dramatically helped my defence get to the ball. In this football drill there is a running back and an entire football defense.

The football coach blows the whistle and the running back takes off towards the end zone. The coach blows the whistle a second time and when the defence hears the second whistle they chase after the running back from their position until some one just touches the running back. The running back and the person who touched him stops and starts to chop their feet. The other defensive players all run to the spot where the running back is chopping his feet and chop their feet in a circle around the running back until the coach blows the whistle a third time. Then the defence go back to their original positions in the line up.

It is a fantastic way to teach your defence to get to the ball and not to rely on one football player to make the play.

Technorati Tags: free defensive drills for football, football drill, football defense, football coach, football

From Nick…
My favorite football drill is the mirror drill.  I usually use this as a non-contact offensive and defensive line drill (but can be used with WR’s and DB’s).

You set up 2 cones about eight yards apart and in between these cones represents a line that divides the drill into offensive and defensive sides.  On one side you put an OL and other side put a DL.  The object of this drill is to stay between the cones and not cross the line.  You go on the football coach’s command and stop on the coach’s command.  The offensive lineman has to practice moving his feet, getting position, recovering etc, while the DL has to work to get the OL’s body turned, beat him to the gap, etc.

Great workout without heavy contact.  It works all the fundamentals.

Technorati Tags: football training drills, football drill, football

From Danny…
This is a football drill that my kids ages 8-11 love to do. We call it the linebacker drill.

You take two cones and put them 10 yards apart.Then take 4 more and line them up as holes,1,2,3,4. Make 2 lines,One on each cone.

One side runs the ball,the other line has to slide down the line read the hole, keep his head on the runner’s inside shoulder and attack the ball carrier.

This teaches them to tackle correct, read correct and not to over play the  ball carrier. This also helps the runners vision. My kids love the one on one contact  football drills.

From Brent…
This may be pretty basic but I coach football to 5-8 year olds and the 1 thing that changed my whole practice was SPRAY CHALK. For a couple bucks you can get this stuff and put it on the ground anywhere. The best part that it goes away fast.Spray dots, lines or short pass routes and the kids know where they got to run.  After a few plays its gone.

Technorati Tags: drills for youth football, football linebacker drill, football coaching tip, football drill, football

From Karl,
Football Drill - Linebackers:

I have a tarp spread out with 2 players (or coaches) holding either end tight  (depending on the height of the player it should be about an two inches higher than the linebacker in “read” position - legs shoulder width, bent knees)
I have a football player under the tarp in his “read” position and stutter step for 30 seconds.  (I increase to 45 seconds then 1 minute in successive weeks, particularly during training camp and spring).  The player must be in the ‘read” position and not have the helmet touch the tarp or another 10 seconds will be added for each touch.
The purpose of this football agility drill is to have the linebackers accustomed to playing always in that position on the balls of their feet so they can react quickly without getting caught flat footed.

Tip
For me, I put a very big emphasis on footwork no matter the position.  From receivers who need to make their breaks, corners who need to make their cuts, linebackers who need to react, running backs who need to make their cuts, linemen who need to get off the ball quickly and QB she need to have quick feet to ensure they get back in the pocket quickly to have that extra read time.  I put at least one footwork football drill every practice on getting quicker feet (whether using speed ladders or agility bars).

Technorati Tags: football agility drills, football, football agility drill, football drill

From Mike
I adapted some old basketball drills along with the routine football drills. It is good for conditioning, hand off skills and hand eye coordination skills.

You divide the football team equal as possible with skilled positions and lineman on each team.

A cone is place 20 yds down field in front of each team. The first runner goes around the cone but on the way back he must put the ball between his legs three times stopped or running pending on his ability. If he drops the ball, he must go back to the cone and start over. Once he gets the three leg passes done, he returns to the next guy who takes the hand off, but he doesn’t run. He passes the ball over his shoulder to the next man and this continues down the line until the last man in line gets the ball. He then runs and repeats the same sequence until the last hand off to the last guy who now must run to the cone and then finish; however, now every step the ball must pass between his legs. Of course you want a receiver. RB or QB as your last guy.

You can also make this football conditioning drill work by making the players do every other (over shoulder under the crotch) until the last guy in line gets the ball and starts to run. This will add a little more difficulty. If the ball ever touches the ground whatever the skill is started again . If the ball is dropped half way back over the shoulder the ball goes back to the front of the line and the over under is started again. If the hand off is fumbled the player must go back to the cone take 3 under the leg passes and run to the handoff spot again.

As stated before, this drill works on great hand eye coordination, hand off skills, and conditioning. The kids have fun as they love to compete against each other.

Technorati Tags: football conditioning drill, high school football, football, football drills

From George,
My quick football tip seems rather obvious but a lot of teams don’t do it:

On punt and kick teams, always kick the ball to the side. Never kick it down the middle. This effectively makes the field smaller, and I have found you frequently will get a recovery, on kickoff, as most little league teams do not spread out to cover the field on return teams.

Also you avoid the return teams “best back,” as he is typically sitting in the middle of the field waiting for the ball.

From Joel,
The purpose of this football drill is for “Line Get-Offs”. Its called Tag.

Pair football linemen together. One Defense and One Offense. The Offensive player stands at the depth of an offensive guard or tackle.
The defensive player is in his stance (Take Charge or Jet).
At the simulated snap the Offensive player back pedals as fast as he can and the defense player explodes of the snap, shooting hands and grasps the offensive player as quickly as possible.

Technorati Tags: football tips, football tip, football drill, football

From Jason,
This football drill is great for conditioning and the kids really enjoy it as well.
Form large circle with helmets, 30 ft wide.
Have boys take off shoulder pads…
Have them take their shirt or jersey off and tuck in back of pants with good amount hanging. Have all kids in circle, blow the whistle and they have to take out the shirt of others. Last one standing with shirt wins. They get to sit out of sprints. It really wears them out towards end, staying alive. If they go outside circle they’re out; if they hold their own shirt they’re out; and if they hold or push they’re out.

From Mike
My football drill has to do with the backfield.
I need to remind you that I am working with 4-5 yr old kids. Their minds seem to wonder off. But anyway, my idea is to have a wishbone formation and have one of the backs run to the left and the quarterback follow the other backs to the right. The reason for this is to draw the linebackers and safety’s toward the back who runs to the left.

Technorati Tags: football drills, coaching youth flag football, football drill, football

From Wayne…
This is a football open field tackling drill that I do with my players.  It emphasizes proper foot width and proper steps approaching the tackle and through the tackle.  There’s a diagram of the set up at the bottom.

Have the players partner up.   For each set of partners you will need an agility bag (or a step over bag as some like to call it.)  Then what you do is put the partners 10 yards apart.  Then you put the A-Bag in the middle of them with it barely overlapping the line and the majority of the bag on the offensive players side of the line.  On the coach’s command the defensive player sprints from his stance to the bag and when he gets to the bag, he runs with a foot on each side of the bag and throttles down to make the tackle on the approaching offensive player.  The offensive player will start to jog 1/2 speed from his starting point once the defensive player reaches the bag.  Once the defensive player gets over the bag, he should explode through the tackle and run his feet through it for five yards.  You can also have the offensive player break to the right or the left when the defensive player is finished coming over the bag.

Coaching Points:
1. No false steps for defensive players at the start of the football drill.
2. Ensure that the defensive player sprints to the bag to work on closing the distance between himself and the ball carrier.
3. Good pad level/ arms extended at 45 degree angle/short choppy steps while going over the bags.
4. Good form on the tackle at the end and running the feet through contact for 5 yards.

________OP_________    Offensive player

_________I________    A Bag

________DP_________    Defensive Player

Technorati Tags: football training drill, football tackling drill, football, football drill

From Jerry

I call this football drill the Pancake Drill.
I am an Offensive-Line and Defensive-Line Coach but the drill can be used for any players position.

You need (4) shields held by a player. Space out each player with their shield every Ten Yards in a straight line and tell them to get ready and dig in.  Your other players will form a straight line and the player in the front of the line will go first one at a time. The first player gets into their proper stance and at the whistle fires out and attempts to knock down (pancake) the 1st player with the shield.  After that hit, which hopefully is  a pancake, the player continues down the line to the next player and attempts to pancake him.  After the player has completed the course of the (4) players and shields the drill is complete.

The kids get pumped up for this football conditioning drill. It brings out some aggressiveness and toughness. It’s very competitive and it’s also part of the conditioning of practice.

Technorati Tags: football conditioning drill, coaching football defense, football, football drill