Defensive Line Pass Rush and Force Fumble Drills

Purpose

The purpose of these Defensive Line Pass Rush and Force Fumble Drills is to work on the ultimate goal of a passrush: the sack with forcing a fumble and recovering a fumble.

Description

  1. Put a heavy stand up dummy at the QB launch point (7yrds behind LOS) with a football attached with a strong rubber band or similar. The football should be at about shoulder height of your players or on a smaller dummy as high as possible.
  2. Line up 2 defensive linemen in their normal stance at their normal position.
  3. 2 other defensive linemen line up as offensive blockers opposite to the two rushers.
  4. The coach stands behind the pass rushers signaling to the blockers who should give serious resistance and who should give light resistance, just enough to make the pass rusher to make a move.
  5. The first rusher reaching the Quartback / Dummy tackles the dummy and tries to slap the ball free, but mainly focussing on tackling .
  6. The second rusher should then find the ball and recover it, once the first  pass rusher securely tackled the dummy to the ground, he will also go for the fumble, trying to recover it – or if it’s already recovered by the second pass rusher, secure his recovery (protecting him from offensive players trying to steal it from him again.

Coaching Points

  • Make sure that the main goal for the tackler is still to tackle and not chasing the fumble!
  • Make sure both pass rushers don’t arrive at the dummy at the same time.
  • Blockers might use hand shields
  • Ball should be firmly attached so it won’t fall out on the slightest contact
  • Stipping the Football and tackling should be one combinend action

Equipment

  • heavy stand up dummy
  • football
  • evtl. shields
  • pylons or linestrip to mark the LOS