DRILLS FOR THE DEFENSIVE INTERIOR LINEMEN
The following drills are used to teach individual and team techniques to the interior linemen:
Butt Ball Drill (8-10 men):
An offensive man is given a football and told to run a straight line laterally back and forth, carrying the ball on the side he is moving toward. The defensive man must be in a good football position moving back and forth with the offensive man, butting the football with his forehead. He bounces back and forth and keeps butting the football trying to knock it out of the ball carrier’s arm. The tackler’s head should be up and his back straight. (The Butt Ball Drill is not illustrated by diagram.)
4-on-1 Drill (6-8 men):
[Figure 131] illustrates four offensive blockers playing one defensive man. The coach stands behind the defensive player, and indicates by hand signal the starting count and the blocking assignments of the offensive men. The defensive man must react to the various blocks—double team, wedge, trap, etc., and fights pressure.
Figure 131
A & M Wave Drill (9-12 men):
On a signal, the offensive men will uncoil on the defensive men, illustrated in [Figure 132]. The defenders must control the blockers with their hands and forearms, locate the ball and pursue in the direction the coach points or runs with the football.
Figure 132
3-on-3 Drill (16-24 men):
The offense runs a hand-off to the right or left halfback, or to the fullback. The coach, standing behind the defensive team, indicates which back will carry the football. The defensive man varies his techniques from head on, inside, outside or linebacker. If the play is in one defensive man’s area, he must whip his blocker and make the play. The other two defenders take proper pursuit angles on the ball carrier. The drill is full speed both ways, and we do not want the men stopping until they hear a whistle. [Figure 133] illustrates our alignment for the 3-on-3 drill.
Figure 133
Middle Drill (14-25 men):
The middle drill is similar to the previous drill, only the interior linemen are used offensively and defensively, as illustrated in [Figure 134]. The defensive alignments are changed around and the offense runs all situations. At times we use the down marker and chains simulating down and distance when doing this drill.
Figure 134
7-Man Spin-Out Drill (8-12 men):
[Figure 135] illustrates a player moving from a good defensive position hitting the sled, spinning out, and hitting every other pad on the machine. If moving to the right, we want the players to hit the sled with the right shoulder, keep a tight arc, spin out correctly, and deliver a good blow to the alternate pad. We drill the players right and left as we want to give them practice spinning out both ways.
Figure 135
Circle Drill (5-7 men):
One player gets in the middle of a circle about five yards in diameter in a good football position. On a signal from the coach the middle man starts moving his feet, body crouched, pivoting slowly. The coach will call out a boy’s name who is on the outside of the circle, who will rush in facing the defender and deliver a shoulder blow. The defender should step with the foot closest to the rusher and deliver a forearm shiver or shoulder blow to the man. He should play only two or three men, and then get out of the circle, permitting another of the men to move to the middle. [Figure 136] illustrates our circle drill.
Figure 136
Leverage Drill (8-12 men):
[Figure 137] illustrates our Leverage Drill and we have two groups going at the same time in opposite directions. Four blockers are lined up one behind the other, with the defensive man lined up on the outside shoulder of the blocker facing him. On a command by the coach, the defender must play the first blocker with a shiver and the other blockers one at a time with the forearms, shoulders and hands as he retreats and reacts, not permitting himself to be hooked from the outside and blocked in.
Figure 137
Explode Drill (9 men):
The offensive men will line up with their inside knee on the ground, and the defensive man in the gap between the two offensive men, as illustrated in [Figure 138]. The defensive player will explode and uncoil on his count with his tail down, head up, and feet moving after bringing them up under him after his initial contact. The coach will give him a hand signal, and the defensive man must spin out properly, ending up in a good football position. It is important for the defensive man to get under the offensive men on his initial charge. We also let the blockers go full speed and teach the defensive man to react from a two-on-one block.
Figure 138
Defensive Reaction Drill (14-18 men):
With the interior linemen from tackle to tackle, we place defensive men head on the center and tackles, as illustrated in [Figure 139]. A coach will stand behind the defensive men, facing the offensive men, and give hand signals indicating starting count and blocking patterns. The defensive men must react and pursue the football properly.
Figure 139
Alabama Wave Drill (8-12 men):
Four men line up facing a coach, in a good football position, feet moving as illustrated in [Figure 140]. The coach points to his right and the players using a cross-over step must react in that direction. He then points in another direction and the players stop, plant and start in this direction as quickly as possible. The drill is not only a good conditioner, but teaches quickness, too.
Figure 140
Rushing the Passer Drill (12-16 men):
Using the two-man Crowther sled, two defenders explode into the machine with a good hard blow on the snap of the football, spin out laterally, and rush the passer playing through two blockers (X), as indicated in [Figure 141]. The defensive men must hit with the inside shoulder before spinning out to play through the blockers at the side and rear of the sled.
Figure 141
Gauntlet Drill (10-12 men):
We are primarily concerned with the tacklers in this drill. Two rows of jerseys five yards apart is the area the ball carrier (X) is permitted to run with the football. The tacklers (T) are five yards apart one behind the other. The ball carrier tries to get by the tackler, and the coach is checking on the latter’s football position—bend at the knees, back straight, hit on the rise, and follow-through. If the coach stands behind the ball carrier, he will be in the best position to observe the tacklers, making certain they do not close their eyes on contact, etc. [Figure 142] illustrates our Gauntlet Drill.
Figure 142
Defensive Bucker (4-6 men):
The individual Bucker Drill, not illustrated by diagram, is used when we work in small groups. It teaches the correct form for delivering a blow with the hands, shoulders or forearms. A coach or manager moves the ball to simulate the start of a play, and the defensive man reacts and moves quickly on the sight of the ball.