RonVanderlindenLBCoach@PennStateUniversity Session#1:LBfundamentalsandtackling

SESSION#1: LBStance FeetShoulderwidth Kneesoverthetoes Shouldersoverknees

WarmUpDrills: WaveDrill o 4LBsatatime o Workingonshufflingandchangeofdirection PSUusesareachslidetechniquefortheirLBs o DrillendswhencoachdropsthefootballandtheLBscoopandscore PassDrops o Sameconceptaswavedrillbutnowweareworkingonpassdrops o Workatleast2changesofdirection o Drillendsoncoachescommand AllLBscloseontheball Apexplayersshouldbehiptohipinfrontoftheball Wingsinsidefootshouldbeontheoutsidefootoftheball carrier DownhillShuffle o Sameconceptagainbutnowweareworkingdownhill o Drillcanendwithfumbleorclosingontheball DefeatingtheBlockerprogression: CoachingPoints: LBstrikeallblockerswithelbowsinandthumbsup o Stuntechnique Thisperiodis10minuteslongintotal

Kneeldrill: Usedtoteachexplosiveness,punchandlockout o LBisonhiskneesandapartnerisrightinfrontofhimwithabag Bagisheldtighttohisbody o OncommandtheLBwilllungeandstrike Punchandlockout NOFLOPPING Perfectfitdrill: Worksthelockout,shedandfinish o LBisonhisfeetalongwithapartnerwithabag Bagisheldtighttothebody BagmanwillleanheavilyontheLB o LBwillbeinthePerfectFit Elbowsin Thumbsup Justlikewewouldbeonthepunch o OnthecoachscommandtheLBwilllockoutandthenreload Earlyonweshouldchecktheirlockoutsfirst o OnthenextcommandtheLBwilllockoutshedtheblockandbeina positiontomakeaplay Thisdrillalsoshouldendinatackleoraturnover Formorfullgotackle BesuretheLBissheddingtobothsidesasweprogress Oncethishasbeenmasteredbacktheplayerup1yardapartandincorporate thepunch o Thistimethedrillwillbefullspeedwithnoresets o Otherwiseitproceedsjustliketheabove. StunDrillandVariations: Worksourbackersagainstthelookstheyarelikelytoseeinagame Allthesedrillsshouldlast8seconds Allthesedrillsendwithatackleoraturnover

DownhillStunDrill:

Coach

LB Hereweareworkingdownhillversusanoutsideplay.TheLBshufflesthenattacks theblockwiththestuntechnique.Thistimethedrillfinisheswiththecoachdropping theballandtheLBscoopingandscoring. LateralChangeofDirectionStunDrill: 5 2, 1,3 4

LB

Thisdrillworksoutandbacktheplayersarenumberedintheprogression.Thistime thedrillfinisheswithaformtackleoramattackle. PSUoftenuseshandshieldsintheirtacklingfor2purposes o Savinghitsontheirplayers o Forcinglongarmsonthetackle PSUisanewschool/oldschoolhybridwiththeirtackling Theytacklechesttochestandeyestothesky Andwrapthelegs/buttarea

ShortChangeofDirectionDrill: 3 1

Coach/DL LB

Likebeforeweareworkingourshuffleandstuntechniques.Playersareorderedina progression.CoachorDLorextraLBaretheirtomakethedrillmorerealisticasfaras negotiatingthetrafficattheLOS

5MansledDrills: Worksthepunch,fit,lockout,andshed o Canbedoneseveralways 2atatimew/1dummyinbetween hitdummies1and3 retreatandshuffle hitdummies2and4 retreatshuffle hitdummy5andrecoverafumbleortackle ChopBlocks: 1. Givegroundtogainground 2. Pushtheblockersheadintotheground 3. Playoverthetop 4. Drillscanbeworkedlaterallyordownhill o Defeatthecutandfinishwithtackleorturnover TacklingFundamentals: Bend@theknees o Notthewaist Eyestothesky Tacklewiththechest ArmsdoubleuppercutorgrabhammyBrokebackLB

o Elbowsinsideonthehit,thishelpskeeptheheadup. TacklingDrills: FormTackleonPartnerw/bag o 1yardapart o bagheldtighttobody saveshitsonthearms forcesdefendertolongarmthetackle MatTackling PSUusesthematstohelptacklerfinishthehitbutalsopreserve theirpartnersbody Handshieldsarealsousedforthispurposeinthesedrills o DiveandFinishstraightontackle Tryanddrivethroughhimandputhimallthewayoffthemat

MAT

1yard

BC

1yard LB

AngleTackle MAT BC

LB

Drillcanbedoneinashorterorlongerarea. o LBneedstoregainleverageontheRB(BackHip) Longerdrillmayneedtoruntoregainleverage o Onceleverageisregainedresumeyourshuffle o DecreasetheAngle(Close)ontheRB o Finish Eyeopeners:

RB

LB Theoldpickaholeorpicketfencedrill Thisdrillendsinaformtackle LBneedstomaintainleverageandclose o Donotletthemstepoverthebags

ShuffleAlleyPress:

RB

LB

TheLBstartswithleverageontheRB,sohewillbeinhisshuffle.Atsomepoint betweenthesidelineandhashtheRBwillturnupandtheLBmustformtacklehim.

ShuffleAlleyPursue:

RB

LB

NowwestarttheLBoutofphaseandhehastoalleypursue(ShoulderssquaretoLOS buthipsturnedtorun),onceleverageisestablishedregainyourshuffle,closeandfinish.

TeamPursuit:PSUusesthedoublewhistle.Firstoneprotectstheballcarrier,andall defensiveplayersneedtobeonthewayifnottotheballbythesecondwhistle.