Prevent fumbles with strong techniques
One of the fundamental aspects of running with a football is ball security. Nothing is worse for your offensive team then turning it over carelessly to the other team in a fumble. A great way to teach tight ball security is with four points. First grab the football with your carrying hand with the tips of the football being covered with your fingers. The second point is your forearm wrapped around the ball and shielding it from the defense. The third point is securing the other point of the football with your bicep making sure that it is right up against it. Fourth, pull the football up and tight against your ribcage closing the gap on the football from all four sides. As a player, you will want to make sure that you are well practiced in this skill, and as a coach you should dedicate some time to ball carrying skills. In this way you can practice great defensive moves to force a fumble, and also focus on offensive ball protection.
Conditioning: Five dot jump
Conditioning drills are effective in training and helping athletes be strong and reactive. The intent of this drill is to increase accuracy, timing, and speed. The drill set up is a mat or place on the field with 5 dots about a foot away from each other forming an X shape, exactly in the same shape as you would see diamonds arranged on a number five card in a poker deck.
This drill begins with the player starting on two of the outer dots and jumps feet together to the middle dot and then out again to the edge dots separating their feet. The second phase is having the player touch each of the dots with only one foot, and then switch to the other foot. The next step is jumping on all five dots with both feet together. The end step is similar to the first jumping jack step except that this time the player will turn 180 degrees after jumping on the two dots. Remember that speed and accuracy are important on this drill so coaches should start players off slow and then proceed to full speed constantly watching accuracy.
Receivers: Ball Security Drill
When a receiver catches the ball they need to immediately put it into a secure ball carrying position. The points of a proper catch are: First, opening up your hands with an open triangle. Second, keep your eyes on the ball through the entire catch. Third, tuck the ball away security, keeping your eyes on the ball, so that it is in a high tight position. The problem is that receivers have a tenancy to start looking down the field before they have the ball properly secured. Taking your eye off the ball increases incomplete passes, fumbles, and turnovers. In order to increase catching and ball security effectiveness have two receivers pass to each other, when one of them catches the ball make sure that they slow the motion down pausing when they catch, follow through, and secure the football.
Secrets to a good hand off
Handoff skills can secure yardage on the field and increase your overall success. The hand off can take place in many ways, but most if not all handoffs occur between the quarterback and the running back. The running back starts the hand off running towards the quarterback with his arms open creating a pocket for the quarterback to slide the football right into the running backs chest. When the running back receives the football he clamps down both arms hard on the football to protect it. As the running back runs off with the football it is important to stay low to increase agility and speed.
One of the fundamental aspects of running with a football is ball security. Nothing is worse for your offensive team then turning it over carelessly to the other team in a fumble. A great way to teach tight ball security is with four points. First grab the football with your carrying hand with the tips of the football being covered with your fingers. The second point is your forearm wrapped around the ball and shielding it from the defense. The third point is securing the other point of the football with your bicep making sure that it is right up against it. Fourth, pull the football up and tight against your ribcage closing the gap on the football from all four sides. As a player, you will want to make sure that you are well practiced in this skill, and as a coach you should dedicate some time to ball carrying skills. In this way you can practice great defensive moves to force a fumble, and also focus on offensive ball protection.
Conditioning: Five dot jump
Conditioning drills are effective in training and helping athletes be strong and reactive. The intent of this drill is to increase accuracy, timing, and speed. The drill set up is a mat or place on the field with 5 dots about a foot away from each other forming an X shape, exactly in the same shape as you would see diamonds arranged on a number five card in a poker deck.
This drill begins with the player starting on two of the outer dots and jumps feet together to the middle dot and then out again to the edge dots separating their feet. The second phase is having the player touch each of the dots with only one foot, and then switch to the other foot. The next step is jumping on all five dots with both feet together. The end step is similar to the first jumping jack step except that this time the player will turn 180 degrees after jumping on the two dots. Remember that speed and accuracy are important on this drill so coaches should start players off slow and then proceed to full speed constantly watching accuracy.
Receivers: Ball Security Drill
When a receiver catches the ball they need to immediately put it into a secure ball carrying position. The points of a proper catch are: First, opening up your hands with an open triangle. Second, keep your eyes on the ball through the entire catch. Third, tuck the ball away security, keeping your eyes on the ball, so that it is in a high tight position. The problem is that receivers have a tenancy to start looking down the field before they have the ball properly secured. Taking your eye off the ball increases incomplete passes, fumbles, and turnovers. In order to increase catching and ball security effectiveness have two receivers pass to each other, when one of them catches the ball make sure that they slow the motion down pausing when they catch, follow through, and secure the football.
Secrets to a good hand off
Handoff skills can secure yardage on the field and increase your overall success. The hand off can take place in many ways, but most if not all handoffs occur between the quarterback and the running back. The running back starts the hand off running towards the quarterback with his arms open creating a pocket for the quarterback to slide the football right into the running backs chest. When the running back receives the football he clamps down both arms hard on the football to protect it. As the running back runs off with the football it is important to stay low to increase agility and speed.