Set up two rows of pop up bags (any soft obstacle will do) about 5 yards apart with a bag every 10 yards and staggered.
Get two LBs to run down the parallel rows at the same time passing a football back and forth.
They must make contact in some way with each pop up. This forces them to use their peripheral vision or have their head on a swivel to keep track of the pop ups while focusing on the ball.

It is very helpful in avoiding crack back blocks and such while in pursuit. I have them start at half speed and work up to whatever speed that they can do it at. You can also make it competitive; your players will love it.

Technorati Tags: line backer football drills, football

On the offensive side:
1: Running backs (line up behind QB)
2: Inside receivers (usually the smaller faster guys)
3: Wide receivers (usually the bigger guys)

On the defensive side of the ball I have the following
1: Linebackers
2: Linebackers/DB
3: DB

Then I have a line of 3 or 4 quarterbacks.

In order to get a good flow I have the QB’s let their player know what route he would like them to run. That player then lines up and runs the one on one drill against the defender. As the rep is being run the next QB and receiver combo are discussing the route the next receiver will run.

As soon as the current play is complete or incomplete the next group should be ready. The cycle carries on until everyone has a few reps and it keeps everyone involved. You should be able to run 5-6 reps a minute.

Technorati Tags: football practice drills, football

Using a ten yard width perpendicular to the sideline, establish the out of bounds at the ten yard width and the sideline becomes the end zone.

Start with a safety just in front of the goal line and a linebacker in front of the safety.  Next, a fullback and the running back with the line established behind the RB while rotating RB to FB to LB to FS.

The FB and the HB determine run right and left and the drill starts when they are ready.  The football coach needs to make sure they are rotating in a timely fashion and when the play is finished.

Coaching up proper techniques at all levels is key, but the drill helps establish unity on the offensive and defensive side.  This is a fun football drill and it utilizes four athletes at the same time.

Technorati Tags: football tackling drills, football, football drill

Stagger 4 tackling dummy bags 10 yards apart in both width and length (one on the 10 yard line, one on the 20 yard line, another back on the 10 yard line and another on the 20 yard line). From above the pattern between bags should look like /\/ .

A [/tag]football coach[/tag] holds each bag by putting pressure down on top of the bag. Do not hold the bag but use pressure on top of the bag to provide resistance to the player. Players line up in a single file line with the first player head up on the first bag and in a 3-point stance.

The first player explodes out of his stance, knocking the dummy bag to the ground. He then sprints to the 2nd bag and executes a running tackle, taking the bag to the ground. He repeats this running tackle on the 3rd and 4th bags then sprints to the end of the line.

Coaches can move the bags slightly before contact to make the players focus on the bag and adjust their hit to keep their form when tackling.

Coaching emphasis is on players keeping their heads up when making tackle, being in a great breakdown position so that the tackle isn’t made too high, and getting their arms wrapped around the bag as they make the tackle. Most of all, the focus is on aggressive tackling at a high rate of speed.

This football drill helped turn some of our passive kids into hitters last season and some of stronger players became even more aggressive.

Technorati Tags: football tackling drills, football drill

I tell my players I am “so-and-so” old, worked all day long, made dinner, did the dishes, and even took the garbage out on my way to this very practice. So,If I can do it giving the best effort I can, so can ALL OF YOU, because I am right here with you guys sweating, body hurting/sore, tired, AND LOVING IT.

I tell my football players to be leaders on and off the field, then give them a reassurance of their “leadership qualities & responsibilities,” and explain that those expectations I put on them are also on me–that’s why I am out their doing everything they are with them. YOU LEAD BY EXAMPLES!

The best thing about this technique is that I get them to push themselves rather than me push them.

Technorati Tags: football coaching, football coach, football practice, football

• Line all of your football players up on the goal line and start counting off each player giving them a number 1 through 5.
• Set up 4 cones in a box 30 yards square.
• Group 1 and 5 start at the first corner, group 2 the second, group 3 the third, and group 4 the fourth.
• On the whistle, group one sprints to the first cone and does 5 pushups.
• As soon as all the members of group 1 hit the first cone, group 2 takes off.
• When they reach the second cone they do 5 sit ups.
• Station 3 is jumping jacks and station 4 (the starting line) is 5 up downs.

You can get your whole team doing conditioning at once; you can watch them all to see who is dogging it, and get them to work together as a group.

I like to do this especially at the beginning of the football season, as this football drill tends to get them winded pretty fast. 5 or 10 minutes of this at the end of practice really does the trick.

Technorati Tags: pre-season drills for football, football, football drill

I use an old fire hose (from hose cabinets in commercial buildings; it is light and strong) and cut in 8 foot lengths.  Next divide the football team into teams of 2. The runner places the hose across his hips, the second person holds on to the 2 ends of the hose.

Next set a distance and player 1 runs while player 2 holds back the runner giving resistance. Player 1 must drive with his legs and use proper arm movement otherwise he may go nowhere.

Switch players around and come back to the original starting point. I do 2 reps and then line players up and they sprint without resistance. They feel the difference and speed usually increases for the individual. Try to match up pairs of similar size, to make it fair and not hurt smaller players.

Technorati Tags: football conditioning drills, football drill, football

1 DL vs two OL & ball carrier in a 10 x 10 yd box. DL has about 20 seconds to tackle the ball carrier.

Rule is that ball carier must stay inside the box and each OL is assigned to 1/2 of the box (5yd x 10yd) & (cannot cross over other area). On the football coach‘s  whistle DL has to beat block by OL and get to other box to chase RB and beat second block by OL while RB will run around setting up blocks inside the box.

There are no double teams by OL and each will block DL if they cross into their half of the box.

We used the fastest player to make a tackle and he got out of conditioning at end of football practice. Depending on the effort you may let the clock keep going 30-60 sec until they make the tackle, however most would run out of gas long before then. Great conditioning football drill also.

Technorati Tags: football lineman drills, football, football coach, football practice, football drill

I have all my football players lay on their backs in a large circle and designate who the first player to start the football drill is. At the whistle the first player starts with taking one running step between each of his teammates in the circle until he gets to the end where he goes back to laying on his back and waiting for all his teammates do the same thing.

Once the first runner is 4-5 into the circuit you can use the whistle to start the second player off on the same route ( or your cadence) and so on until you get back to the first player.  I have used two steps, bunny hops and serpentine movements in addition to the single running step.

I have found that this football drill helps in trusting your teammate well as good conditioning.

Technorati Tags: football practice drills, football, football drill

Here’s an example:
Have four “teams” of five football players each.
The first player for each team starts on the goal line.
The next player from each team starts on the 20,
The next player on the 40,
The next player on the opposite 40 and
The last player on the opposite 20.

On the signal, the first player runs a 20 yard sprint going backwards.  The next player runs a 20 yard sprint doing a karaoke, the next player runs a 20 yard sprint doing high knees, the next player runs a 20 yard sprint doing butt kicks and the last player runs a straight 20 yard sprint.

The kids love cheering on their team and don’t even notice that they are doing conditioning football drills.  You can have them run the relay as many times as you like.

Technorati Tags: coaching youth football, football practice, football, football drills