Loving Middle School Defensive Habits}

Loving Middle School Defensive Habits

by

Wellington W

Prevent fumbles with strong techniques

A team that prevents fumbles is a team that wins. Nothing is worse for your offensive team then turning it over carelessly to the other team in a fumble. There are four points to protecting the football. The claw position is the first point, meaning that you grab the football clawing at the point of the football with your fingers. The second point is making sure that your forearm is wrapped tightly on the outer rim of the football. Third point is to have the ball held tight against the bicep to prevent defenders from punching up through from behind. Last point is to hold the back of the football right up against the ribcage and as you run keep it high and tight. Practice holding the football and having defensive players try and knock out the football by any means possible. As your ball carrying continues to improve you will insure less turnovers and greater success on the field.

Gauntlet Drill for Ball Security

Ball security, preventing fumbles and turnovers is perhaps the most important skill the offensive team can have. This is especially true for a running back or wide receiver as they will carry the ball more often than others on the field, but it is a good idea for all positions to practice a little ball security. One drill that has been used several times to improve ball security is called the gauntlet drill. The point to the gauntlet drill is to have a player run through several opponents that try to dislodge the football. The opponents can line up in any scenario, the most common being two lines and the ball carrier must run through them. To be effective with this drill have the ball carrier run the drill holding the ball in several different positions.

Secrets to a good hand off

Handoff skills can secure yardage on the field and increase your overall success. We will explain this in a common scenario between a quarterback and a running back. A running back at the start of a hand off should give the quarterback a target by opening up his arms that are in front of his chest enough to allow about one and a half footballs in. When the running back receives the football he clamps down both arms hard on the football to protect it. As the running back leaves from the handoff he needs to stay low to react quickly and again to protect the ball.

Around the world: Improved Ball Handling

This drill is used to increase players ball handling skills on the field. Players will move the football from one hand to another hand around differing parts of their body. The drill starts with the head moving the ball in a circular motion from hand to hand, then proceeds to go under the arms, around the waist, then the knees, and finally through and in between the players legs.

Coaches can mix up the drill by shouting out body parts that the players will have to start circling with the football; they can also reverse the direction that the ball is traveling by calling, reverse. Changing the direction of the football ensures that they dont form a habit, and that they remained focused on the ball and controlling the movement.

We recommend that you end this drill by doing several football drops. The player will drop the ball and quickly pick it up again. To further increase pickup skills have your players change up the hands that they are using so that both their strong and weak hands are developed.

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Loving Middle School Defensive Habits}