Football Defensive Drills – Read, React, Pursuit

These are good [tag]football defensive drills[/tag] to work on reading and reacting while at the same time being good conditioning drills for all players.

In an attempt to help the defense read, pass and drop into coverage quickly or read, run and take the proper angles of pursuit, I have the defense line up in their positions against a skeleton offense, call a defensive play (stunt/blitz), shift to play.   The offense will snap the [tag]football[/tag] and initiate a play (pass or sweep).   The defense will have a fixed amount of time to react by either dropping into coverage or taking the proper angle of pursuit all the way to the sideline.   There will be cones set up in 5 yard increments along each sideline that the players will run to based on their defensive position and alignment.   If necessary we will stop the play at any time and analyze where the defenders are and instruct them on their assignment.

We will rotate between 1st string and 2nd string and mix up the plays (pass or run)

The offense will not run the play, but will simply give them a play to read.   However, we will pitch the ball to a running back and have him run to and down the sideline and make each defender hustle over and touch him following his proper angle of pursuit as the running back runs up field.