Correcting American Football Practicing Suggestions

Forcing the Fumble

In order to win football games you need to have possession of the football. Win your games by training your defense to use a strong tackle that strips the ball from the opponent. A great way to practice is have two players line up, one as the defense, the other with the football as the offense. The defender will practice stripping the ball by bringing his hands up quickly with a clenched fist to grab the opponent and as he does so to aim to knock out the football. Start the drill slowly, and reward for a strong tackle that affectively tackles and makes an attack to dislodge the offensive players grip on the ball.

Practicing the Hand off

Because hand offs are such a vital part of a running offense, running backs should practice hand off skills every day. One great hand off drill starts by having two separate lines of players facing each other: line A and line B. A player leaves line A with the football and runs at line B. At the same time that the first player leaves player B leaves his line towards player A, as they pass each other in the middle player A hands off the football to player B. Now player B has the ball and will hand off the ball to the next person in Line A who will hand off to the next player in Line B. The motion should be constantly moving from one line to another in this drill, almost like a juggling pattern. This is a great drill to help running backs practice hand offs, and should be run every day.

Strength and conditioning: Up Downs

Up downs is an excellent conditioning drill that will improve reaction time and endurance. Players will start this drill by running in place as fast as they can, keeping their knees high as possible. Then at random a coach will yell, down or blow a whistle at which the players must dive to the ground do a push up and then jump back into running in place. This drill is an excellent workout and should be worked in slowly at first and then increased in intensity and length over time.

Football Catching Fundamentals

When a receiver catches the ball they need to immediately put it into a secure ball carrying position. There are three steps of a great catch: First, place your hands in front of you with your palms open and thumbs out forming an open triangle for the football. Second, follow the ball through with your eyes. Third, roll the ball into a secure ball position before you take your eyes off the ball. 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.