Defensive Back Ftball Drills By Jeremy nn INTODUTION: During Individual Perid there are tw different grups f drills we d with ur players. There are EDD s (Every Day Drills) which shuld be dne every day. These are fundamental drills that teach, reinfrce and simulate ftball mvements. There are als alternate drills that are used peridically in the year t teach ther skills r the same skills but in a different drill (keep players excited). Drills used shuld simulate ftball situatins. Never use a drill that isn t teaching r simulating a mvement, actin, r play that yur players will have t execute in a game. There are thusands f different drills that yu can use, use the drills that are the mst efficient fr yur system. Make sure t give the drills a name. This name will allw the players t get used t a drill and the cach can simply say the drill s name and the players shuld knw what t d. Make sure t explain why they are ding the drill (what they are wrking n, imprving) and when the skills being learnt are used in a game situatin. Have fun, get lts f reps with high quality executin. If ne player is having prblems with the drill have yur psitinal assistant cach wrk with him r wrk with him at anther time during practice r utside f practice. D nt let players stand arund while yu are helping nly ne player. Stp the drill and re-explain with demnstratin if multiple players are nt getting the drill. Keep in mind the players will get the hang f it and get better the mre they d it, dn t give up n a drill if it lks ugly at first. Hwever, yu may need re-evaluate the drill and decide if it is the best drill t use t teach that skill. Drills are meant t islate skills and have players execute thse abilities. einfrce the idea f getting better every day thrugh drills. The drills may seem bring and repetitius t sme players but let them knw the real fun cmes in scrimmage situatins and game day. Withut these drills and learning these basic fundamental skills the players will never be able t succeed in a real ftball situatin. 1) Stance EDD s
-2 pt, narrw stance -n balls f feet, ready t slide backwards -knees bent, butt ut, bent at waist, shulders ver knees cver the numbers = cach shuld nt be able t clearly see players frnt numbers. This ensures the players are bent ver with shulders ver tes. -pad level lw, eyes up, head up and back -arms hanging lse, hands inside f frame MOVEMENT DILLS 2) Frm Backpedal -Start in stance, usually 3 lines -On g cmmand by cach players execute back pedal 5-8 yds -Maintain narrw base, keep pad level same -Arms pumping, eyes up, gd balance 3) Back and Up -Backpedal n g, n break quick feet stp and back up t cach -Lk fr quick feet t change directin, nt wide base -Players must accelerate after break, nt jg back up 4) Back and Out -Backpedal, break 90 degrees n cach s break cmmand -G left and right, then g n cach s pint directin (react t stimuli) -Keep eyes upfield, sprint after break at least five yds (use lines) 5) Back and rner -Backpedal, break 45 degrees t crner r pst -G left and right, then g n cach s pint directin (react t stimuli) -Players must accelerate ut f break 5i) Duble Mve Drills a) Back and crner, spin t ther crner -Player backpedal, break t crner n cmmand, n spin cmmand spin arund snapping head arund and g 45 degrees ther way
O b) Back and ut and up -cvering the wheel r chair pattern -Players backpedal, break t ut n cmmand, n spin they spin (1/2 turn really eyes stay n man ) and turn upfield O ***On these drills a ball can be thrwn fr the player t intercept nce the mvements have been executed crrectly. Players must d these Everyday and the ball intercept will keep themint the drill. They must yell bing n interceptin and hustle back t SOE Yu may r may nt have a cnsequence f pushups fr drpped interceptins. ALTENATE MOVEMENT DILLS A) M Drill -Players back pedal n angle, plant, sprint 45 up and repeat dwn the line
D B) Small M Drill -Quick feet, back 2 yds, plant, cme up quick, repeat -Shrt chppy quick steps, stay lw, eyes up ) Quick Feet Drill -cnes are place dwn line -Players d quick circle feet arund cnes then accelerate up t next cne O D) Back and Spin -Players backpedal, n cmmand d 360 spin, cntinue back pedal -Wrking n balance, crdinatin, ftwrk, maintain pad level, arm mvement E) Partner hase -Players are lying n back, ne is 4 yds ahead f ther
t -On g cmmand players spin arund, get up, and back player tries t catch up frnt player. ***Hand slap technique t catch up t player can be taught -may want t start in trail psitin t teach hand slap n catch up F) Wave Drill with tip return -3 at a time, Players backpedal and react t caches directinal cmmand -Drill can be 45 r 90 breaks -ach thrws ball, ne player catches, then thrws ball up simulatin tip -Anther player catches ball, yells bing, and returns it with ther players leading G) Weave -Defender faces mck receiver with prper cushin alignment -Mck receiver runs dwn line weave n either side f line 2-3 yds each way -Defender must mirrr, maintain psitin, and cushin H) Mirrr Speed Stutter Drill -Mck receiver runs directly at defender -When receiver stutters (simulates break cming) DB s must stutter and get ready t break -Teaches ftwrk and reading receivers rute, see his break cming ATHING 1) me t Me -Line facing cach -On cach s hand cmmand players cme t cach and catch ball -Highest pint catch, lw ball catch, and t each side catches -Player must yell bing after catch, give cach ball ALTENATE ATHING DILLS A) Break 90, 45 degrees -me t me drill, n caches cmmand players make break then catch ball B) Tip Drill -me t me setup, first player cmes frward, tips ball t next defender -May need cach t be tipper t get better reps (need thrwer) ***Drills with balls being thrwn and tipped can als be OMBAT drills, this is when players in drill bth attack ball and try t make catch r knck ball away withut pass interference. mpetitin drills will rekindle players enthusiasm.
) Turn and G -Players backpedal, turn n cmmand and sprint -Eyes upfield n receiver until hear ball call as cach thrws ball and teammates yell ball. Lk back n ball call, catch ball, yell bing, and return it D) Knck it Out -First player hlds ball up high as if just caught ball at highest pint -Mck receiver jgs frward, next player in line is defender -Defender catches up, grabs back f receiver, punches ball ut f his hands -Mre reps, every rep has high quality TAKLING 1) Angle Tackle -2 lines, ballcarriers and defenders, switch after rep -Players break at 45 degrees tward each ther (use cnes t set path) -Tackler executes frm tackle, head in frnt, pads lw, arms club -Defender must drive runner back after tackle 1a) Angle Tackle and Strip Ball -Defender punches dwn with hand near ball (head side) -Ensure prper angle while attacking ball in attempt t create turnver 2) Knee Tackle -3 lines, facing bags, ne knee dwn -Execute frm tackle and lift bag -Hit with shulders and side f neck, arms club, hips explde, eyes t sky -At beginning f year this drill shuld be first tackling drill ALTENATE A) Behind Strip -Defenders in chase psitin f ball carrier -B jgs frward hlding ball, defenders chase, grab, punch ball ut -Use uppercut r tmahawk chp t get ball ut B) Open Field Tackle -Ball carrier and defender in 10 yd bx, defender must make tackle -Start with frm temp tackles, finish with live speed tackles ) Alley Tackle -nes set up t simulate ffensive recievers, defenders are in their nrmal psitin -Ball carriers in backfield, pint t defender wh is t make tackle -Ball carrier runs t Pint f Attack, defender cmes up making frm tackle -Get players used t make tackle frm their psitin
-Ball carriers can attack a pint then bunce it either way, DB s must adjust S S unner chses side f cne t run D) Ball Wrestle -Gang tackle simulatin and turnver drill -Defender is put n ball carrier as if already has wrap -Defender starts in fit psitin n side f ball, hands n ball -On g ball carrier runs up field, defender tries t rip ut ball -Defender must use vilent arm rip t get ball ut a) ach shuld be able t see this rip actin -Simulates jining gang tackle, 2nd, 3rd, 4th man ges fr ball E) rss bdy Tackle -Open field tackle, especially versus bigger man -me up t make tackle, breakdwn, lay ut sideways t bring ball carrier dwn -Desperatin tackle ne n ne, use bags t simulate ball carrier GET OFF BLOK DILLS 1) a)ip Drill b) Swim Drill -Bag hlders, defenders facing -Player execute rip t bth sides -Teach in phases at first, juke step-elbw slap-arm rip-get skinny-step past ALTENATE A) Frce Drill -Start with ne defender versus mck blcker -Player attacks blcker, squeezes him inside, maintains utside cntrl -Incrprate ball carrier fr tackler t get t -an becme 2 vs 2-Blcker and ballcarrier versus rner frce and Safety pursuit
etc...) -Simulate respnsibility versus tss / sweep play (als reverse, btleg run D B) Mirrr Escape -Within 5 yd area -Defender facing mck blcker -On g cmmand receiver shuffles side t side, defender mirrrs maintaining psitin f leverage (Ink=inside, Orc=utside) -On secnd g cmmand blcker attacks defender, defender must get by blcker as quick as pssible, get Upfield break dwn n cne 5 yds behind blcker, -ftfire till cach says break, switch lines ) G Get him -Bx drill, player in middle, player n each side f bx -Middle player catches ball frm cach, turns and runs tward ne defender -That defender makes frm pen field tackle -Other defender catches up, gang tackles, and rips ball ut frm ball carrier
D D OVEAGE SKILLS 1) 1 vs 1 patterns -ver in man cverage simulatin, n ball then with ball -vs Hk, Out (shrt, medium deep), slant, pst, rner, Pst crner (duble mve), g, cmeback, wheel, hk and g etc... 2) Zne Drps -Defensive backfield practice prper zne drp technique -flats frm psitin, deep thirds r halves frm psitin 3) Tw in a Zne -Defender facing tw receivers five yds in frnt 8 yds apart -eceivers run upfield, defender back pedals -eceivers lk back t cach inside, cach turns t ne receiver befre thrw -Defender breaks n lk, intercepts r kncks dwn ball D
ALTENATE a) Trail drill -Defender ne yard behind receiver n a Ink / Orc psitin -Defender fllws receiver upfield -eceiver makes break, defender mirrrs -Ball can be thrwn, defender lks back n teammates ball call b) Bump and un -Jam eceiver at the line -an use ne hand r tw hand jam -D nt lunge at receiver, maintain balance -D nt get beat at line, keep receiver in frnt f yu -an als drill fake bump and bail, thrw ff receiver and QB reads ONLUSION These are sme basic and cmplex drills that can be used with defensive back caching. Only use drills that are needed fr are defence. Fr example if we dn t use bump and run then dn t practice bump and run. Their are many ther drills yu may feel are equally imprtant. heck with me r yur defensive crdinatr befre yu use them. me t every practice with a plan. Usually yu will have yur grup in Individual segment f practice fr 20-30 minutes. Have yur drill package and prgressin planned and n paper with yu. heck with D.rdinatr befre practice r during stretch. ealise he may want yu t wrk n specific skills. Dn t take anything persnal, fllw ur plan. Any prblems can be addressed in meeting after practice r by writing a nte t D.cridinatr. Have fun, d yur best, research teaching methds and ther drills. Just like we tell the players, caches t must als wrk t get better everyday.