Football Plays and Drills Extras

As a running back, you must change your running style as you prepare to drive into a tackler or go through the line. To best keep your balance, you want to widen your legs. This will help you stay upright when a defender comes in to hit you from the side.

As you prepare for contact, be sure to shift your body weight forward and run lower to the ground. Be prepared to explode into the potential tackler. This type of body position will help you gain more power.

Also, learn the art of balance in your running. Sometimes, you want to to be running full speed for good momentum. However, when you're running full speed you lose balance. There are times when you want to slow down and be under control. This will allow you to cut, fake and set up your blockers well.

I suggest you study a running back such as Walter Payton for an example of power running. Watch how Payton used to absolutely explode into defenders, knock them off the ground and keep going. Jim Brown can also show you a good power running style as well as shifting from half speed into full speed running.

July 2, 2006 16:38 - Bengals' Chris Henry Has Trial Date Set

I know I've talked about Chris Henry of the Cincinnati Bengals before, but it's notable that he's been set with a trial date regarding his latest run-in with legal trouble. Henry will stand trial on Sept. 26 on three counts of unlawful transaction with a minor.

The trial date was set by Kenton County (Ky.) District Court Judge Douglas Grothaus, who had presided over the earlier hearings in the latest legal entanglement involving the troubled wide receiver. When Henry was set free on a $2,500 bail last month, he was ordered to stay away from alcohol and minors.

That last order just has me laughing in disgust. This guy (an adult) needs to be told that he shouldn't have contact with minors? I guess so, since this whole mess he's in is because he provided alcohol to three under-age girls last April 29th.

One of the girls was 18, but the other 2 were 15 and 16 years old. They were in Kentucky where the legal drinking age is 21. Henry was found with all three girls in his car. What is this guy doing with girls that are 15 and 16 in the first place?

I've said it before here and I'll say it again. This guy has been arrested 4 times in the last 6 months. He needs help with how to act in society. He has a problem with alcohol as he was arrested after this under-age problem again on June 3rd for driving drunk.

Are the Bengals or the NFL going to get him help or just pass all this under the bridge because he's a good football player?

July 6, 2006 16:14 - Ashley Lelie Wants Out Of Denver

The Denver Broncos should probably just let Ashley Lelie go. He's a former first round pick but has been mostly inconsistent. Yes, he has shown some flashes here and there, but the Broncos will probably be better off cutting ties with him.

Head coach Mike Shanahan seems to be the type who really wants dependable players at his disposal. Lelie is prone to concentration lapes and can't be counted on to always be there in the clutch.

I feel Lelie is expendable because the Broncos have two other wide receivers to pick up the slack. Rod Smith has had an extremely productive 11 year career. Also, Shanahan and the Broncos picked up Javon Walker in a trade with the Packers this off-season. While Walker hasn't had the career Smith has had, he looks much more dependable and explosive than Ashley Lelie.

Lelie has been a no-show for the Broncos latest minicamp and had previously boycotted all 14 of the Broncos' voluntary organized team activities (OTAs) workouts and has publicly reiterated his desire to move on. He's unhappy and not much good comes from keeping unhappy players unless they're your superstar player.

Ashley Lelie is not the Broncos' superstar player. Let him go and move on.

July 8, 2006 13:38 - Kickoff Fundamentals

You can use a soccer-style or straight-ahead style on kickoffs, although the soccer-style method is the more preferred one these days. It will help you kick the football farther than the straight-ahead method.

Usually the kicker should start the kickoff approach about 10 yards back and 5 yards to the side. However, each kicker should find the spot that feels most comfortable during the approach and then find a way to mark this very spot off before each kick.
When teeing the football up, the most effective way is straight up, although, again, some kickers like to change this up with some sort of tilt to the ball.

On the approach, you should use more speed and longer strides than on a field goal attempt. The kicking leg should flow through a greater arc than a field goal try in order to gain more speed. You want a good quick snap of the kicking leg in order to gain more power than you need on a field goal kick.

Use the whole body. Accuracy isn't as vital as it is on your field goals. Many times, kickers will lift the whole body about two feet off the ground during the kick for more power.

July 9, 2006 20:30 - Kickoff Fundamentals - Part 2

If you can get a hang time of about four seconds, you're doing great.

After you follow through with your kickoff, you should land on your kicking foot. This is a bit different than the technique for field goals where you should land on your other foot.

If you're kicking soccer style, on the approach, place your plant foot about six to eight inches to the side of the tee and two to four inches behind it (if using a two inch tee). If using a one inch tee, place your toe about two to four inches in front of the football. Obviously, each kicker will find the area that works best for him.

As you make contact with the ball, keep your shoulders and hips parallel to the end line. If you're right-footed and the football hooks to your right, try placing your plant foot a little closer to it. If you find the ball hooking to your left, then your plant foot is most likely too close to it.

When you make contact with the football, kick it from just below its center.

July 14, 2006 00:32 - Kickoff Fundamentals - Part 3

If you do decide to kick with the straight-ahead style, place your plant foot about four inches to the side of the football. If you're looking for more hang time and height, use a higher tee.

Whichever tee size you use, here's the general rule of thumb: Keep your plant foot about one foot behind a one-inch tee. Off a two inch tee, keep your plant foot about 14 inches behind the tee. Off a three-inch tee, keep your plant foot about 18 inches behind the tee.

Sometimes, in order to kick away from a good returner or to alter the opposition's return game, you may be instructed to use a squib kick. You'll kick a squib kick down to about the 20 or 30 yard line.

The point of the squib kick is to make the ball hard to handle and hopefully cause a fumble. Place the ball on its side and parallel to the end line and kick it to the side of the center. This will cause the football to bounce in an odd manner.

July 14, 2006 21:40 - The Pitchout

If you're a running back, you should catch the pitch-out with two hands. Look the football into your hands and cradle it in the correct carrying position before you begin to take on any tacklers.

Be sure to place your index and middle fingers over the end of the ball (or you can cup the ball with your hand). Squeeze the ball with the fingers at the end, your rib cage and the inside of your elbow.

If the quarterback tosses a bad pitch, concede the play.

Instead of trying to find the ball in order to pick it up and gain yardage, just fall on the ball. As soon as defenders see the ball on the ground, there will be a mad dash for it. As soon as you try bending over to pick it up, you'll most likely be hit from all directions and your chances for keeping possession are slim. Just get on it and live for the next play.

Too many running backs end up fumbling the football in these types of situations.

July 15, 2006 15:44 - Ball Carrying Fundamentals

Usually, most coaches want the football to be held in the arm that is furthest away from potential tacklers. Therefore, if you're running to the right, you'll want to hold the ball in your right hand. If it gets punched out by a defender, there's a good chance it'll just be punched harmlessly out of bounds.

If the ball had been in your left hand in this case, there would have been a good chance that the ball would bounce toward the middle of the field and then recovered by the defense.

Remember how devastating it is to your team when you fumble the ball away to the opposing team. You've just cost your teammates at least 35 yards in field possession because you probably would have gotten that much in a punt.

In order to greatly reduce the chance of fumbling the football, be sure to cover it with both hands just as you're about to be hit by a defender. This will help reduce the effectiveness of any defender's attempts at stripping the ball from your arms.

Whether you're the quarterback, running back or receiver, you must learn how to protect the ball when it's in your possession.

July 16, 2006 15:52 - When Running Backs Block

Running backs need to learn the same blocking techniques that are taught to offensive linemen.

Of course, your job is a bit more difficult because the defender you're trying to block has time to react and fake around you. Plus, most defenders are larger than the back trying to make the block.

One advantage the running back has is the opportunity to get a running start at the defender in order to deliver a bigger blow than an offensive linemen.

If you're a larger back, you'll most likely use the drive block as you pave the way for a teammate running through the hole. Smaller backs will usually aim lower on the defender to compensate for the size difference. One of the areas smaller backs have a distinct disadvantage is pass blocking when they're taking on much larger defenders who have had a chance to build a head of steam as they rush the quarterback.

This is why backs who can pass block are a great commodity. It can be difficult to find one with the needed heart, desire and courage.

July 18, 2006 22:59 - Punting

Normally, you'll put your punter about 13-15 yards behind center. Your fullback should be about five to seven yards back to protect the punter while the running backs are in the center-guard gaps.

This basically gives you a nine-man line, although there have been times when some teams have used eight-man or ten-man lines when punting.

In the "tackles-back" punt formation, you can get seven men releasing into coverage. However, you still have the advantage of three linemen protecting the punter.

For extra protection, use the "tight formation". What you gain in protection, however, you lose in coverage. This is usually the formation to use when you're backed up near your own endzone and you want to avoid a block at all costs. Your punter usually has less room to work with and is lined up about ten yards back instead of the normal thirteen to fifteen yards.

Take the coaching of your punt team seriously. Help your players become effective in all the formations you may have to use on game-day. A good punt can help you gain 30, 35, or 40 yards in field position. Get your team good at protecting the punter but also good at getting down in coverage to stop the return.

July 19, 2006 23:29 - Passing on the Goal Line

As you develop your football coaching philosophy, you may want to seriously consider adding some passing plays into your goal line package.

Especially in youth football, most defenses are going to play the run quite heavily on the goal line. You can add an element of surprise when you can pull off a well-executed passing attack at this end of the field.

Also, besides focusing on the run, the defense will usually be in man-to-man coverage in the secondary down on the goal line. A good play to run against this type of coverage is a crossing pattern.

You can cross two tight ends or a tight end and a wideout. This will usually free at least one of these players as the defenders get caught in their man coverage and "lose" one of the receivers in the confusion of the crossing pattern on the short field.

Another pattern you can run is a delayed pattern. Here, one of your receivers first makes a move to block his defender. Once the defender is fooled into thinking a run play is coming, the receiver then releases out into the pattern behind the defender.
You can also use a play action pass or a quarterback bootleg down at the goal line with success.

July 21, 2006 23:53 - The Dropback Pass

The "dropback" is the most typical kind of pass a quarterback will perform. You'll either backpedal or turn to the side and move backwards as you perform the dropback pass.

Usually, a quarterback will dropback one, three, five, or seven steps, depending on the kind of play and depth of pattern the receivers are running.

The advantage of the backpedal dropback is that the quarterback can scan the entire field as he moves back. This enables him to more quickly and easily read the defense. Whenever I personally think of the backpedal technique, I immediately see the great Dan Fouts backpedaling for the San Diego Chargers in the 1980's.

Of course, when you utilize the "turn and drop" technique, it allows for a quicker dropback. This allows for the quarterback to get to his throwing spot more quickly than with the backpedal technique. This becomes more important when you're utilizing quick, timing passes and the football must be thrown after a short one or three yard drop.

As you can see, each technique has its advantages and disadvantages. The type of pass play will determine whether you must use the backpedal or "turn and drop" technique.

July 23, 2006 11:55 - Play Action Pass

The "play-action" pass can be an effective play for your team. It can be particularly useful in obvious running situations or just whenever you begin to notice that the defense is cheating up and not respecting your passing game over-all.

The "play-action" pass will usually open up the zones underneath the linebacker coverage. You'll most likely be able to complete a quick pass to a running back or tight end over the middle or to a wide receiver running a quick slant.

With a "play-action" pass, the quarterback will fake a handoff to a running back and then deliver the pass. If the fake is performed well, you'll "freeze" the linebackers who are fooled into playing the run play.

One of the keys to this play is the performance of the offensive line. They must really sell the run play. By being effective at making the play look like a run at first, even defensive backs can be fooled. If you can fool a DB well, one of your wideouts may be able to get behind them for a deep completion.

One of the drawbacks to the "play-action" may be that the offensive line can't protect the quarterback well because a defensive lineman may get in quickly before the offensive linemen can recover to pass block effectively.

Over-all, a properly executed "play-action" pass will result in a win for the offense more often than not.

July 26, 2006 22:10 - NFL Rookie Contracts Ridiculous and Insulting

I've got to sound off on the annual struggle in the NFL to sign the rookies.

The NFL is so backward it's ridiculous. Here we have a bunch of unproven, PROSPECTS. That's all they are. Prospects. These guys played great in college, yes, but we all know that this in no way whatsoever guarantees a productive pro career.

So, we have unproven people holding out or complaining about what's their fair share of the pie before they've shown you or I anything of value.

Then, you sometimes have PROVEN veterans getting stiffed on getting major contracts. What's wrong with this picture?

Try going into work right out of college and demanding to your boss that unless you get the penthouse office and stock options like your supervisor, you're not coming in for your first day of work. And you won't being coming in at all until your demands are met.

Riiiiight!!! Start pounding the pavement for new work.

There was a discussion last week on "NFL Live" regarding this. One guy said he can't understand holding out for $45 million when you've been offered $43.5 million. Another guy said it's justified because of that extra $1.5 million.

C'mon. Does this sound as ridiculous to you as it does to me? That's like fighting over getting an extra $15 bucks when someone's trying to give you $1000.

Here's how we solve this problem. Every rookie gets somewhere between $100,000-$500,000 (depending on draft position) for their first year. No negotiating. Just set up a set scale.

They play a year. Then, and only then, do they and their fat agents get to negotiate for a better contract. Prove something to us and earn your money.

The whole system is ridiculous and insulting to the fans.

One last thing. I absolutely love Reggie Bush as a football player. Mesmorizing player. However, Mr. Bush, you blew your chance at making what a No. 1 pick gets back in April. The fact is, you were not drafted No. 1. The Saints should pay you based on what a No. 2 should be paid.

You blew the No. 1 spot, not the Saints. I hope both sides do the right thing and you get your butt in camp now. The people of your city, more than any other player, need to see you do the right thing this year. Many of them have been left with nothing and don't deserve to see a selfish kid posturing for excess. Do the right thing, Reggie.