Teaching Progression and Drills for Blocking and Tackling

Dave DeJaegher - Alleman High Schoolddejaegher@allemanhighschool.org

Fundamentals Win. Football is two things:

Blocking and Tackling. I don’t 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

3 skills we teach daily:

• Blocking

• Block Protection

• Tackling

* super important that we don’t compromise practice time on teaching these skills

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

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

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)

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 (Goal=head 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)

Base

Set Position

Down Position

Footwork• Play-side Step – 6”/45 degree directional step,

enable the player to position his head play-side on the defender

• 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.

Correct form

Incorrect

Incorrect

Leverage

Shoulder-to-Hip Relationship

Finish

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

Incorrect – feet too close togetherCorrect – feet apart, wide base

Leg Drive

Blocking Practice Drills

• Chutes & Boards

• Crowther Sled Routine

• 7-Man

• One on One Live

• Backside Scoop

• Pass Blocking Routine

Practice RoutinePre-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

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)

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

3 Main Points of Emphasis of Block Protection

• Diagnose the Play (pre and post snap)

• Attack the Blocker

• Separate yourself from the Blocker

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

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

• Don’t play the blocker – play through the blocker

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”

ABC’s 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

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)

Contact Information

Dave DeJaegher

Alleman High School

1103 - 40th Street

Rock Island, Illinois 61201

(309) 786-7793ddejaegher@allemanhighschool.org