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AFM Magazine


Drills Report: The Down Block

by: Rob Armstrong
Head Coach, Rutherford High School (FL)
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If you are a tackle or tight end and you can down block, then you will play. We have reminded our players of this for the last twenty years. The down block is the most important block in our offense.

There are four phases to the proper execution of the down block. The first phase is footwork. To be a good down blocker you have to bring your feet to the block. The first drill that we do every day is “One-Step Bird Dog.”

FOOTWORK

Start all offensive linemen in a stance with their heels on a line. On command, they will take their first step and hold their position. This step should change their foot placement from toes pointed to the goal line to the sideline. Their inside foot should now be on the line. If their foot is past the line or in front of the line, their first step is incorrect (Diagram 1).


The next footwork drill is a two-step bird dog drill. The first two steps are a skate more than a step. As you turn your inside foot, you also push off with your outside foot to help gain ground with the first step.  The second step should be as close to even with first step with a good base.  Your stance should be square at the end of these two steps. You cannot get in good blocking position without the second step (Diagram 2).


 
PUNCH

The second phase is the punch. The punch should be delivered as the second step is being made. Punch with the heel of your hand aiming for the bottom of the near number on the back of the defender’s jersey. We are trying to get our facemask on the defender’s far hip. If the defender continues to penetrate, work your hands from the punch to the proper position on the defender’s chest.  If the defender is trying to play over the top of the down block, a good punch will allow the O-lineman to square up the defender and at least force a tie.

The punch drill is done just like the two-step bird dog drill with a stand-up dummy added for the punch (Diagram 3).


 
HAND PLACEMENT

The third phase is hand placement. We discussed the punch with the outside hand in phase two. The inside hand should punch the defender’s far number. If the defender is attempting to penetrate, you should continue to work your outside hand from the punch to a good inside hand placement. If the defender is attempting to play over the top of the down block, the outside punch should bring you back to square. Continue to work your hands inside and maintain contact.

The hand placement drill is done just like the punch drill. This drill is a drive until the whistle. When the whistle blows, the offensive linemen should freeze until the coach has checked his position for hand placement, pad level, hips, and feet.
 
FINISH
   
The final phase of the down block is the finish. Run your feet through contact, keep a good base, and get your cleats back in the grass as fast as possible. Work to keep good hand placement and continue to replace hands during the block. Block until the whistle. During a game, block until the referee taps you on the shoulder and tells you the play is over.

ADDITIONAL DRILLS
 
Here are a few additional drills that can be helpful for your linemen to learn proper technique for the down block:

Fit Drill – Place the O-linemen in the fit position. This will give them an idea of proper technique.

Fit and Drive – Start in the fit position. Drive on command and stop on the whistle.

Fit and Replace – Start in the fit position. Drive on command and, on the whistle, the man on defense will replace his hands in the fit position and drive. Blow the whistle and the first player replaces his hands in and drives. Repeat this dill as often as you can.
The bird dog and the punch drill can also be done in chutes. All of our drive blocks are done live and we use hand shields to check position and technique. s
 
About the Author: Rob Armstrong became the head coach at Rutherford High School (FL) in May. He had been both the assistant head coach and OC at Clark Atlanta University. A 1988 graduate of Graceville High School (FL), Armstong has been a head coach there as well as two other Florida high schools – Marianna and Chipley – and  Berrian High School in Nashville, Georgia.

 






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