Football Practice Drills – Pursuit Drill

One of my favorite football practice drills I learned in college; it’s is a pursuit drill. I’ve taken parts I liked and added more.

Basically you line the defense up in your base defense. The football is snapped and everyone takes their 1st steps.

Linemen step and shoot hands.
Linebackers take aggressive forward step-no false step.
DB’s take their three back peddle steps.

Next the ball is pitched to a RB running left or right to the sideline and all the way down the field. Every player on defense is then required to chase down the ball carrier at an angle of pursuit. Make sure that no one trails another player and the slower players take a very, very deep angle.

Every player must get to the ball carrier and breakdown into a tackling position and touch the ball carrier’s upper legs. The players must remain in that position until all players touch and the football coach blows the whistle. If any part (breaking huddle, 1st steps, no touch) is not done correctly they must sprint back to the huddle and do it until it is done right.

This football drill is great for pursuit angles and forces the players to get used to running to the ball. Use as a defensive warm-up or conditioning at the end of practice.

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