DRILLS FOR THE SECONDARY
The following drills are used to teach individual and team techniques for the defensive secondary:
Defensive Cuts Drill (6-8 men):
With a defensive man standing in a good football position, the coach will move the ball back and forth, and the player will plant, pivot to the inside and sprint in the direction the coach is pointing the football. He will then throw the football and the defensive man will sprint to catch it. The Defensive Cuts Drill is illustrated in [Figure 120].
Figure 120
Intercept Drill (8-10 men):
Eight or 10 secondary men will line up behind each other. One player at a time will run toward the coach who will throw the football directly at the player, or to either side of him. The defensive man should intercept the pass, as illustrated in [Figure 121].
Figure 121
Tip Drill (8-10 men):
Following the same line up and procedure described previously for the Intercept Drill, instead of the player catching the football he tips it back to another player who is training him, who intercepts the pass. The Tip Drill is illustrated in [Figure 122].
Figure 122
Running the Line Drill (6-8 men):
A defensive man will line up straddling a line about 35 yards long, facing the coach. On a command from the coach, the player will start backwards using a cross-over step but keeping his eyes and head on the coach. He will try to change direction as many times as possible, always using a cross-over step, keeping his eye on the coach (passer), as he zigzags properly from one side to the other down the 35-yard line. (Running the Line Drill is not illustrated by diagram.)
Covering Third-and-Fourths Drill (2 complete defensive secondaries):
The entire secondary can be set up in a 4-spoke or 5-spoke defense, as illustrated in [Figure 123]. A coach, simulating a passer, will stand facing the unit. He will simulate either an action pass or a drop back pass, and the men must react properly to the simulated backfield action. When the ball is thrown, all defenders must sprint for it. The ball is placed on either hash mark and in the middle of the field and a full offensive backfield may or may not be used to establish flow for the defensive secondary’s proper reaction.
Figure 123
Dog Fight Drill (For defensive halfbacks and corner men) (6-8 men):
Place a defensive halfback or corner man in his regular position. A pass receiver runs a direct route in front of the defensive man’s regular position. A coach or passer throws the ball, and we want the defender to play full speed through the receiver for the football, as illustrated in [Figure 124]. It is merely one-on-one and gives both the receiver and defender practice fighting for the ball.
Figure 124
Dog Fight Drill for Safety Man (8 men):
We put a safety man in the middle of the field and receivers on each hash mark. On a signal from the coach, the receivers start down the field and the passer drops back with the football. The safety man must stay in the middle of the field as he gets depth in order to be in a position to cover both receivers. When the ball is thrown, the safety man sprints full speed for the interception, as illustrated in [Figure 125].
Figure 125
Outside Drill (15-25 men):
We set up a skeleton offensive unit of ends, center and a complete backfield versus the defensive ends and secondary, as illustrated in [Figure 126]. The offense works full speed running its outside plays and passes, and the defense is drilled in stopping the wide attack.
Big Tip Drill (2 complete secondaries):
The entire defensive perimeter is used in our Big Tip Drill, illustrated in [Figure 127]. A coach will establish flow by running to his left or right simulating backfield action, and the defense must react and rotate accordingly. The coach will then pass the ball, simulating an action pass, and the defender nearest to intercept the ball will yell an oral signal indicating he is going to tip it. The other defenders get in a good football position, and look for the tip. As the first man tips the ball, the defender nearest to it will intercept it and return the pass. The others will head downfield as blockers.
Figure 126
Figure 127
Tackling Drill in the Secondary (8-10 men):
[Figure 128] illustrates a drill which we use on the sideline, teaching our backs to utilize the sideline properly as the “twelfth man.” The dots represent shirts which are placed six yards from the sideline. The defensive tackler (T) gets in a good football position, which I have described previously, and makes the ball carrier come to him. The ball carrier may take any course or use any individual tactic he wishes to evade the tackler, as long as he stays inside of the six-yard area. We do not want the tackler to meet the ball carrier head on, but we want him to approach his man from an angle, keeping leverage on the ball carrier in order to force him out of bounds. The tackler should keep his head in front of the ball carrier, and should try to butt the football with his helmet.
Figure 128