Teaching Progression and Drills for Blocking and Tackling

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Teaching Progression and Drills for Blocking and
Tackling

• Dave DeJaegher - Alleman High School
• ddejaegher_at_allemanhighschool.org

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Fundamentals Win.

• Football is two things Blocking and Tackling.
  I dont care anything about formations or new
  offenses or tricks on defense. If you block and
  tackle better than the team you are playing, you
  win.
• - Vince Lombardi

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3 skills we teach daily

• Blocking
• Block Protection
• Tackling
• super important that we dont compromise
  practice time on teaching these skills

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In Order to Improve

• Make it a top priority
• Need to dedicate necessary practice time
• Takes the commitment of the entire coaching staff
• Emphasize high repetition technique over live
  blocking tackling

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Goals

• Improve Player Safety
• Improve Players Skills Confidence
• Improve your football team and program
• In order to achieve these goals it is super
  important to strike the proper balance of
  practice tempo to game speed

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With all 3 skills we teach the same 4 concepts

• Stance Pre-Snap Communication
• Footwork (heavy emphasis on first 2 steps)
• Leverage (proper shoulder to hip relationship)
• Finish (leg drive)

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BLOCKING(Teach Shoulder Block in Our Program)

• Stance Communication
• Base/Set Position/Down Position/Line Calls
• Footwork (First two steps critical)
• 1st Step 6 Play-Side Step (Goalhead
  play-side)
• 2nd Step Power Step (Shoulder/Leg Concept)
• Leverage
• Proper Shoulder to Hip Relationship to Achieve a
  Power Angle
• Finish
• Leg Drive (Feet Separated for Good Base)

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Base
Set Position
Down Position
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Footwork

• Play-side Step 6/45 degree directional step,
  enable the player to position his head play-side
  on the defender

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• Power Step drive into the defender with a power
  step a shoulder/forearm combo, put the defender
  back on his heels, head has to get play-side,
  steer the defender away from the play with
  off-hand.

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Leverage
Incorrect
Correct form
Shoulder-to-Hip Relationship
Incorrect
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Finish

• Feet separated, good base, drive the defender off
  the ball!!

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Leg Drive
Incorrect feet too close together
Correct feet apart, wide base
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Blocking Practice Drills

• Chutes Boards
• Crowther Sled Routine
• 7-Man
• One on One Live
• Backside Scoop
• Pass Blocking Routine

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Practice Routine
Pre-practice Fundamentals Group Time Team
Monday Hand out blocking sheets and agilities 7-man Intro opponent
Tuesday Work on trap and veer steps Chutes/Crowther routines Play review Script
Wednesday Work on combo blocks and midline steps Pass blocking routine Pass blocking with backs, goal line run fits Script
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Troubleshooting Blocking Problems

• Assignment Overload
• Bad Stance (need air under your heels)
• Slow off the Ball
• (getting off the ball is 1 priority)
• Poor Footwork (review the first 2 steps)
• Poor Leverage (hips too high or low)
• No Finish! (feet stop after contact)

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BLOCK PROTECTION

• Before the defensive player can make a tackle he
  first must deal with the man assigned to block
  him
• Most underrated, under-coached, and most
  important skill a defensive player can have

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3 Main Points of Emphasis of Block Protection

• Diagnose the Play (pre and post snap)
• Attack the Blocker
• Separate yourself from the Blocker

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Block Protection

• Stance Communication
• Align Properly/Good FB Position/Eyes on Read Key
• Footwork
• React to Read Key/Attack the Blocker/Split
  Defender(2/3)
• Leverage
• Front 5 attack with their hands with power step
  and lockout
• LBs attack with a shoulder/forearm combo with
  power step
• Finish
• Either - Jam Offensive player into hole,
  push/pull release, shed defender with off hand,
  or rip and release

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Attitude for Block Protection

• Attack and Stun the Offensive Player
• Get off the block and get to the football
• The blocker is an obstacle on your way to the
  football
• Dont play the blocker play through the blocker

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TACKLING

• Definition Defensive player winning the desired
  collision between himself and the ball carrier
• Safety is the 1 Priority
• Build your players confidence in his tackling
  ability
• Mentality- Be the Hammer and not the Nail

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ABCs of Tackling

• Approach
• Transition from your FB position (stance) and
  close the distance between you and the ball
  carrier (Pursuit)
• Breakdown
• Gather momentum get back to good FB position
  (hips flexed in a good power position)
• Contact
• Correct head placement (Bite the FB), Power step
  with simultaneous contact with the top of the
  shoulder, wrap up the ball carrier, and run
  through the tackle

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Block Protection Tackling Practice
Drills(Emphasis on Repetition, Form, Safety)

• Program Form Tackling Circuit
• Goal 8-10 Form Tackles reps per player
  in 10 Minute Period
• Shed Tackle Circuit
• Goal 4 Block Protections reps 6 Form
  Tackle reps per player
• Sideline Pursuit Angle Tackles (4 reps-2each
  direction)
• Bear Tiger Drill (12 block protect reps 6
  tackle reps per player)
• 7 Man Machine Gun Block Protection (14 reps per
  player)
• 1 Man Form Tackling Routine (4-6 reps per player)
• Mirror Pursuit Drill (multiple transitions of
  shuffle to sprint)

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Contact Information

• Dave DeJaegher
• Alleman High School
• 1103 - 40th Street
• Rock Island, Illinois 61201
• [phone]
• ddejaegher_at_allemanhighschool.org