Purpose
The Team Defense Perfect Play Drill helps to get the whole team working together, everybody doing his job and relying on the others doing their job…
- Also getting all defensive players to take correct pursuit angle on sweep plays and the like.
- Also good for conditioning.
Description
- Put a ball in the middle of the field on the i.e. 40 yard line. (Don’t make the field too short, otherwise the drill doesn’t make sense for the CB on the opposite side)
- Put a DB (or other fast player) on each hashmark about 5 yards behind the ball.
- Line up a defense on the ball. For easier alignment you can put cones for the OL (and TE) players. Eventually even for the WR.
- Call a lineup, coverage, and eventually a stunt or blitz.
- Then another player or a coach will pick up the ball and pitch it to one of the two DB’s standing at the hashes, who both will, upon snap count, start running parallel to the LOS towards their respective sideline and then will turn upfield about 4-5 yards inside the sideline.
- All defensive players execute their first step(s) and then will pursue the ballcarrier, and touch him with both hands at his hips, without stopping him.
Coaching Points
- Make sure the players execute their assignments before they start pursuing (i.e. the DL’s should penetrate, execute a called stunt. LB’s take their correct first steps, etc.).
- It is also important that the players really touch the ballcarrier’s hip with both hands, otherwise they wouldn’t be able to make a tackle if it were “live”. But the should not hinder him to run further on, otherwise they obstruct the drill for their teammates who have deeper pursuit-lanes.
Equipment
- Football