Strip Tackling

There is a golden rule in football defense, get the ball to the offensive team as quickly as possible. The fastest way to gain possession of the ball is to force an offensive player to fumble the football. This drill practices with two players. Have the defender move up on the offensive player, trust his arms back and then forward with his fists clenched. The defender will practice stripping the ball by bringing his hands up quickly with a clenched fist to grab the opponent and as he does so to aim to knock out the football. This drill is most effective if you start it slow focusing on the motions needed to be effective, and then speed up over time.

Drive Block

Simple drives are important for linemen to practice and perfect. The drive block is the most fundamental and should be practiced often. When you want to remove an opponent effectively you will use the drive block again and again. If the Defensive lineman is aligned slightly to the right of the offensive linemen then the drive block with pus the defender to the right. When driving start with your play side foot. Bring the other foot up quickly and make a solid contact for your drive.

Some fundamentals of ball security

You cant run with the football until you have learned some basic ball security measures. There is nothing worse than almost getting a first down or even a touchdown and fumbling the ball, for this reason there is a great need for ball security. Basic ball security can be broken down into four steps. First grab the football with your carrying hand with the tips of the football being covered with your fingers. The second point is your forearm wrapped around the ball and shielding it from the defense. Third, pull the football in close to your bicep to protect it from opponents jabs and attempts to make you fumble. Fourth, pull the football up and tight against your ribcage closing the gap on the football from all four sides. Practice holding the football and having defensive players try and knock out the football by any means possible. In this way you can practice great defensive moves to force a fumble, and also focus on offensive ball protection.

Football tackling 101

Learning how to perform a proper tackle is fundamental to the game of football. If you, or your players dont take tackling seriously you will not stop the offense and could also cause injuries. Here are three important steps to practice:

First is to cut off your opponent by placing yourself directly in front of them. An excellent technique is to plant your foot in the middle of your opponents. At the same time you want to bring your arms back in anticipation for the next phase.

Second, push your other foot keeping your knees low and bent, and in sync with your feet throw your hands up hard around the offensive player. As your feet plants your head should be making its first contact. Never, ever, ever tackle with the top of your head down, keep it up and square against your opponent. Tell yourself, or your players to imagine that they are biting the football.

Third, at this point you have successfully grabbed your opponent and all thats left is to lunge your hips forward and bear all of your momentum against your opponent. The more momentum that you bring to the table on steps two and three the more effective your speed will be in this last step.