Competition is a great way to increase the energy of a practice. It is a great tool to inject some passion and get players to increase their effort level, but it must be used wisely. Football practice is tough. The focus on necessary skills and the endless repetitions of these drills can cause players to […]

I’d heard an NFL running back talk about run the ladder; getting down the sidelines for a touchdown, so I came up with this drill to teach my backs to break to the sidelines and score. Today’s youth football drill is running the Ladder Drill for Running Backs. If you are like me, I’ve got a […]

It’s important that your linebacker coaches really focus on stance, pursuit angle, shock and shed and a solid form tackle. Here are the linebacker progression drills we did at our international youth football camp in Vienna, Austria. These drills focus entirely on the fundamentals of linebacker play. All of these drills are easy to install, […]

Pay attention to coaches: Everything that coaches say must be retained. If players can do what the coaches ask, that will prove solid worth and discipline. Trying out for a new team can be nerve racking. Practice, preparation and mentality play huge roles in tryout performances. Below are five tips that each player should put […]

When the offense is spreading teams out and trying to use the quarterback read to gain a numbers advantage, they tilt the numbers advantage to their side. Offenses around the country have started using the zone read game to have the quarterback attack the backside of the inside zone. On the zone read the linebacker […]

These two plays are a dangerous combination because they can force the defense to respect the full width of the field. The Runway Formation is a great formation for getting the ball in the hands of a dynamic receiver. The set up of the formation is designed to create a great surface for running the […]

I always look for camps that are directed by high school or college coaches – often with their players as counselors – with at least a 10 to 1 camper-to-coach ratio. I know it’s only February and the NFL season just ended, but now is the time of year when parents and players need to […]

If your defense tackles well, you will eliminate those big plays and frustrate the offense. There are four things all championship defenses do well. They all pursuit relentlessly to the ball carrier, they are able to beat blocks, they tackle well and they are able to generate turnovers. If you commit to working on these four things […]

The more prepared you are studying tendencies of the game the smarter player you’ll be — and often times intelligence in on-field situations can make up for any difference in physical ability. High school football is a high-pressure game, especially in some areas of the country. As detailed in Buzz Bissinger’s landmark book Friday Night […]

The major appeal of Quarters coverage is the ability to get the Safety involved in stopping the run while still being sound against Four Verticals. Quarters coverage in football is fast becoming the most popular defensive coverage. The major reason for the rise in popularity is that it allows the defense to get both safeties […]