Welcome Coaches to the Tuesday night #swarmfbchat Tonight we are talking all things DL. Tag a buddy and get involved. All questions come from fellow coaches. Let the Intros begin!
Q1: Coach wants to know: BEST drill for hands on OL - from stance to end of play. #swarmfbchat Adds that kids have trouble taking drill from practice to game.
A1: I'll have my kids sit on their knees and shins to the ground and practice thumbs up (and slightly bent out) strikes to another teammates, also on his shins. Works on rolling the hips, and delivering a hard strike to the chest with proper hand placement. #swarmfbchat
Q1: Two OL, 1 DL and make them read the blocks. Has to start with hands on OL then using your eyes. Have one down block, down block and pull, outside step. Two birds with one stone plus they can apply to games #swarmfbchat
A1: I think regardless of the drill for hand placement, you've got to emphasize the footwork. We talk about 6-inch power/read steps. Too many kids stop their feet on contact. #swarmfbchat
Every drill you do should emphasize hands. 6-point hands, 6-point hands and hips, 4-point hands/hips/feet, double teams, pass rush, tackling drills. Hands should be in everything #swarmfbchat
A1: First off, I'd hope that my guys wouldn't have their hands on the OL at the end of the play. But an EDD I did was we had a big, red ball & 2 players were on either side and had to punch it back & forth. If they were too slow, the ball would hit their knees. #swarmfbchat
A1: It’s all about breaking it down in segments and then bringing it together. Have them watch themselves in practice by taping it and they can watch themselves later. #swarmfbchat
A1: 6pt explosion emphasizing hip movement & hand placement 2 start off with, then going 2 3pt drive 4 5yds + working the feet, then 3pt explosion w/ block rec, then 3pt explosion + block rec + block defeat #swarmfbchat
A1. Cnt remember the name of the drill, but emphasis is on firing off the ball and making initial contact on OL. Key teaching points are Hat, Hands, Feet. Strike with your Helmet/facemask not the crown. Get hands on the inside of OL to control and drive feet #swarmfbchat
A1 cont: And not necessarily a drill, but everything we did from the first day of Spring was bringing hands whether it be on a man, on dummies, or on air. Rep it until it becomes muscle memory. #swarmfbchat
A1: Start on their knees, hand strike on partners chest. Progress to hands and hips, get the hip roll and arm extension. We stand up and shade to the right, work on during our of stances, two quick steps and two hand strike. #swarmfbchat
A:1 definitely agree. Ran into this problem early last year. Hammered the importance of the read steps along with our stim-response progression and were much more successful #swarmfbchat
A1: I think regardless of the drill for hand placement, you've got to emphasize the footwork. We talk about 6-inch power/read steps. Too many kids stop their feet on contact. #swarmfbchat
A1 low two point stance facing each other, working violent hands that stay inside and using hips to create the space to step into their gap.
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A2: Honestly, you HAVE to have both. If you have “gap control” but go 10 yards up field you didn’t do your job. No deeper than the heel line is ALWAYS coached up #swarmfbchat
A2: I have always been a believer in movement to heel depth - we call that Level 1. DL on the move are much harder to block IMO. I think if you teach reading OL, they have to be moving and know where to look. #swarmfbchat
A2: depends on scheme or call. Also on Strength/size/speed of DL. 3 man front base 2 gap. 4 man you can 2 gap inside or drive to OL heel. Smaller speed guys it’s all gap control and beating your guy there. Went through all this season. #swarmfbchat
A2 depends on personnel, I like the quick 1 tech that can penetrate and disrupt a lot especially going against pulling guards but the big gap sound 1 tech is awesome against zone schemes too. #swarmfbchat
A2: Always get deep enough to force the ball carrier’s feet to stop or force him to the sideline. There are no points scored on the sidelines. #swarmfbchat
A2: Both. Where else would you expect them to hold their gap? Our job was gap, spill, and screen. If the back didn't run through your gap, you did your job. #swarmfbchat
A2 depends on our guys. We let our smaller and quicker guys off the chain. We like to create as much turmoil as possible. Goal being to spill
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A2: Get to where the OL heels started and control the gap. Depends on if you are slanting or not as well. DE’s on 3rd down get to QB. LB’s will make the DE’s correct. #swarmfbchat
Need to get some extension and penetration but it means nothing if you at the wrong heels. Gap control first. Everyone needs to be responsible for their gap.
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#swarmfbchat 6 point progression from the ground. First step — punch with hands. 2 step punch. Last is hit and drive. But it all starts with a great stance
A2 Need to get some extension and penetration but it means nothing if you at the wrong heels. Gap control first. Everyone needs to be responsible for their gap.
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A2 It depends on what you got. We dealt with a pretty undersized DL, so we tried to use quickness up front to force the big guys across to move. #swarmfbchat
Q3: Coach would like to know how you teach angle/slant tech to your DL regardless of scheme. #swarmfbchat What are your coaching points? Key words/phrases?
A2: IMO, you can do both. Emphasize bgo explosion to heel line & hands to the OL, but you have to be able to react to the block by the OL & work lateral afap. Thus why bgo explosion & hands are vital. #swarmfbchat
Q3: Coach would like to know how you teach angle/slant tech to your DL regardless of scheme. #swarmfbchat What are your coaching points? Key words/phrases?
A3: yeah. I think every defense has a slant to give some change of pace to the offense. Unless you for roughly 3-4 MONSTERS up front that can dominate lol. When I coached a 3 man front it was every play we did something so it was taught everyday #swarmfbchat
A2: I think of the d-line controls their gap and gets to the heel line to force the ballcarrier to bounce or stop their feet then they have done their job. I think they can still be aggressive as long as they do not run up field. #swarmfbchat
A3. If it's a called stunt we use a knife tech. OL faces cut under OL blocks down we are thru the hip. We'll combo this with a backer or run as a solo "slant" #swarmfbchat
A3: when we slant, I have my guys aim at the hip of the man on the outside of the gap they are attacking. This ensures they are getting across the man in front of they’d face and that they give themselves room to climb. #swarmfbchat
A3: With slanting, you've got to talk vision keys - where are your eyes...then hand placement and footwork. What is the ultimate goal? Penetrate or gap control? Always give the player a finish line. #swarmfbchat
A3: Going back to Q1, I wanted my guys to get hands on the guard while the first step is toward the assigned gap. Then the preferred move off and squaring up on 2nd step. We felt that if we didn't get our hands on the man in front of us, we'd get washed too easy. #swarmfbchat
A3: all about eyes and hands when slanting. Get eyes to near shoulder of man slanting to. If it disappears then run with. You get numbers at you, then fight to disengage because play is at you. #swarmfbchat
A3: (1/2) tighten alignment if needed, lateral step with the foot in the direction your slanting + pushing off with other foot (think electric slide step), dip rip grabbing grass, & rip up. Key would be hip of near OL ur slanting 2.
A3 I like to have a lateral step and the work towards OL that I’m slanting to and reading his block. Getting hands on working to control my gap #swarmfbchat
#swarmfbchat Q3 key words (flat step. Rip. Redirect. ) flat lateral step with foot of direction you are going. The rip allows you to bring your body and second step along with arm movement. Then gain ground and redirect to the ball
A3: “rip grass” less surface area to o-line. You still need to be going upfield as you slant. Slant to the gap and eyes to that O lineman. Keep hands on him and then eyes to the backs. #swarmfbchat
We use a hip approach as a point of reference regardless of LOS approach or penetration style works well ... get to directional hip regardless of shade or head up alignment eliminatesthinking #swarmfbchat “slant to the hip” also focus on 2nd step as our reaction step to block
Q3: Coach would like to know how you teach angle/slant tech to your DL regardless of scheme. #swarmfbchat What are your coaching points? Key words/phrases?
A3 cont: Made sure their eyes were inside, looking for first threat (on any reads) then sit in their gap. Our gaps were our lifeblood, no matter the offensive scheme. #swarmfbchat
A2: As an oline coach, Dlineman who maintain position in gap present more problems than those who penetrate - even heal depth - we can trap em. #swarmfbchat
Q4: When facing a pulling OL - coach wants to know if you follow the puller behind LOS or attempt at running lateral down the LOS? How do you coach it? #swarmfbchat
Q4: When facing a pulling OL - coach wants to know if you follow the puller behind LOS or attempt at running lateral down the LOS? How do you coach it? #swarmfbchat
A4: to prevent us from running up field. We crashed down LOS. Took up every cut back lane. And forced runner to his assignment or bounce. More experience guys could chase, youth crashed down LOS. #swarmfbchat
A4. If the qb is a threat to run we’re staying in our gap.... if qb is not a threat to run we’re in the hip pocket of the guard... we do half line during Indy everyday if we face a team who pulls a lot! #swarmfbchat
A4: I tell them follow the puller lateral to the LOS. Once again, no more than a yard upfield. If the force player can set the edge, you might get yourself a TFL because the BC should be turned back to you and you won't create a vertical seam by going upfield. #swarmfbchat
A4 We work to read the guy replacing the puller. If his step is too flat we will work down the line and cross face. If he steps too far foward we will follow the puller behind LOS. If its a "perfect" step you have to sink down and squeeze the gap. #swarmfbchat
A4: running down LOS. That is where the back will end up running. If I follow the guard and he takes a bad/false step, or gets too deep. DL can’t make the play anymore #swarmfbchat
have to consider the offensive split, alignment, play tendency and OL pulling if a Gaurd & center back blocking for short trap with tight split hard 2 chase cross face - pulling T or TE with RB backside seal we feel we can chase through ball then redirect but SPLITS #swarmfbchat
Q4: When facing a pulling OL - coach wants to know if you follow the puller behind LOS or attempt at running lateral down the LOS? How do you coach it? #swarmfbchat
A4: Let him go. Our job was our gap. We knew that if a guard was pulling, we had to prepare for a down block from the OT or an out block/cut from the center. #swarmfbchat
A4 I like to chase OL down the LOS without running up the field. Beat the scoop block and/or try not to get pushed up field by OL blocking back #swarmfbchat
A4: It’s dependent upon our personnel. If we have a stud who can beat the down block we let him chase. But for the most part, I teach my guys to anticipate the down block and fight across or almost wrong arm and pursue. Especially against pin/pull OZ concepts #swarmfbchat
A4:Your man pulls you follow. If you can follow his butt then do so. If not then understand someone is going block down and you better be ready to rip. No excuse to not follow a puller. Explode of ball every down #swarmfbchat
Depends. I’ve had kids who could cross a back blockers face with ease and kids who could hip pocket really well due to speed. Depends on the guy doing it. #swarmfbchat
A4: teach it 2 ways for DTs. If the dwn block OL Head is in front of you = engage & put OL back in gap & crossface & fill 1st open gap (mainly for NT) if dwn block OL Head is behind you = turn the corner & get in hip of pulling OL flat dwn the line #swarmfbchat
#swarmfbchat q4: simple ... quick trap fight pressure- work across face if you have the athlete to do so. Vs puller grab cloth and look to chase down play.
A4: Follow definitely. If pulling a G, tackles 'typically' have hard time pull-checking for vacating guard. A quick D Lineman can all kinds of having shooting that vacated gap to mesh. I've had this type of dude pull ball carriers down from behind #swarmfbchat
Also LB play is a big part also in a 2 LB scheme with an even front a cross face can leave a cut back and have you 2 guys in 1 gap 3 LB set allows you to have cutback guy ... as we all know it’s one big puzzle with a bunch of pieces #swarmfbchat
Q4: When facing a pulling OL - coach wants to know if you follow the puller behind LOS or attempt at running lateral down the LOS? How do you coach it? #swarmfbchat
Attack half a man on G. When the 2nd pressure gets to you, drop uncovered knee to the ground and shoulder between the hips. If they stay, make a pile. If one releases, pop up and squeeze to ball. #swarmfbchat
A5: pick a man. You vs him. Sit down on the other guy. Attack and post shoulder, rip down, punch and step through at same time. SUPER DUPER EASY. SIDE NOTE:nothing more annoying then offensive guys celebrating double team blocks... It's 2 on 1
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A5: have to defeat the base block first then throw hips into the down block. Once again key for us is teach defeat hand early. Never seen a good double team when the first guy can’t engage #swarmfbchat
A5: (1/2) depends on the kid. Big strong kid engage primary pressure, flip hips into secondary pressure when he FEELS it with eyes in gap (like boxing out) knees bent feet moving, & rip off make play if RB attacking gap #swarmfbchat
#swarmfbchat Q5: so the DE must be in a 5 or 7 tech. If that’s the case the OLB is in blocked and he is making the play. But we teach all DL to fight through the guy you are alighted on and sit on the knee of the guy who is doubling. Finish with rip
We teach seat bench/grab cloth/ roll when we can’t split easy way to cause pile and we feel fight to grass is hard to do when you feel yourself “beat” lost leverage offense under pads already other wise split it attack post hip get skinny then hip to hip square #swarmfbchat
A5: In a head up technique (which we are in 95%), I keep it simple and tell my guy to still attack the man in front, and then fight to pressure, in this case, the second blocker. #swarmfbchat
A5: also don’t really like to teach the pull down and pile method first. If your getting killed then I get it. But we would never teach another position to give up. Principal thing for us #swarmfbchat
A5: Get hands on inside man like any other play, then lean into pressure until you beat first man, get hands on second man and beat his block. If they're in their gap, I consider a fight, if not a split, a win. If getting driven, sit on the barstool & make a pile. #swarmfbchat
A5: (2/2) smaller kid. Engage primary pressure, when he feels secondary pressure dip & rip through crotch of OL (think single leg) while pulling primary pressure down with you. Create a pile & don’t get pushed back #swarmfbchat
Hopefully, our coaches who posed questions got some helpful info - lots of good sharing tonight. Very productive staff meeting :) Keep answering and asking questions - make sure to follow each other! #swarmfbchat
Hopefully, our coaches who posed questions got some helpful info - lots of good sharing tonight. Very productive staff meeting :) Keep answering and asking questions - make sure to follow each other! #swarmfbchat
