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Building a Hungry Defensive Line

By practicing the right drills, your front four will eat up the competition
by: Charley Wiles
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Our overall philosophy with our front four is to create 1-and-1 match ups as quickly as possible. We are fast flow with our inside linebackers, therefore the 2-on-1 combinations quickly turn into 1-on-1 blocks. We expect our defensive lineman to win those 1-on-1 battles. We expect these guys to be playmakers, not space eaters. The only situation that we actually tie up two is the double-team block with our three technique. Other than that exception, we are coaching technique to escape blockers and make plays.

Technique and Fundamentals

We are very fortunate here at Virginia Tech that our practice format allows the defensive line a minimum of 30 minutes of individual time each day to concentrate on technique and fundamental work. Each practice, he work on what I call "our daily musts" - hand placement, get off and escapes.

There are several ways we work inside hand placement. One such drill is something we call the gun fighter. (Diagram 1) Players get in a six-point stance with their hands, knees and toes on the ground. The emphasis is on moving the hands quickly from low to high, keeping the eyes on the target, which is the "V" of neck to the inside breast plate. Players should hit with the heel of their hand, thumbs up, elbow tucked and grab a handful of cloth. We finish the drill with our aggressive lock out, creating separation.

Diagram 1.

Next in the progression, I give the kids a leverage hand or power hand (right or left). We want to leverage a gap and escape a gap. This helps teach the kids gap responsibility. They are told to push with power, pull with the trail, step 45 degrees and escape. It is the same drill until after we get full separation. Then, we push with our power hand and pull with our trail hand creating leverage in our gap. We go back and forth between the player's left and right hand.

In the off-season we do drills to help the players with their hand-eye coordination. For this we get bags and number the corners of them. Then, we call out a number. For example, Right 2 (right hand to No. 2) left hand No. 4. Again, the purpose is to teach quick and accurate hand placement. Remind players not to cock their hands.

Hand Violence

Another drill is our "hand violence" drill. (Diagram 2) We get lines of three in a single file with a defensive lineman in front facing the three in a six-point stance. The three players come at the DL in a rapid manner exiting right, left, right. The DL shoots his hands with an emphasis on the right hand, then left hand, finishing with the right hand, reloading his hands to the ground each time. It takes a couple of reps to get the timing of the service guys right.

Diagram 2.

Get Off

Next we move to our "get-off" station. (Diagram 3) I consider this to be the single-most important drill we do as a defensive line. As a defensive line we must play on the offensive side of the ball. We measure get-off by our feet in the neutral zone. Our feet must be in the neutral zone once the ball disappears in the center's crouch.

Diagram 3.

Emphasis in this drill is, of course, get-off, but also, pad level (no one can hit the cage) and hand placement. We teach get-off in two ways. First, we get a ball and four offensive lineman under a cage. We set up the offensive linemen and instruct them to hold hand shields tight against their bodies, being careful not let the shields fail around. They are deep in the cage.

The defensive linemen crowd the ball at the edge of the cage. Each group goes at least three downs in a row. We put emphasis on getting off the field - three downs and out.

However, the DL must all have great get off, great hand placement and pad level to move to the next down. If anyone jumps offsides, the offense gets a new rack of downs.

We do four quarters in the cage. The offensive linemen give ground grudgingly, fighting pressure. I give the DL a right or left call. This tells them which gap to escape to at the whistle and which hand will be their power hand and trail hand. A right call equals right hand power hand, with everyone escaping the right gap. A left call makes the left hand the power hand, and everyone escapes left. I hold the whistle to put emphasis on running their feet. On the whistle, everyone escapes and hustles back for the second down. This is also part of our conditioning.

Sled

We also have a five-man sled that is weighted with an eight-inch tube of sand to make it real heavy. We practice "get offs" on the sled once a week. (Diagram 4) We use the same three downs and out format that we use in the regular get off drill. The same emphasis is placed on pad level and hand placement. I give a quick whistle and there is no escape portion to the sled.

Diagram 4.

Escapes

A third "daily must" is what we call escapes. (Diagram 5) We match up with an offensive lineman. The DL gets into a good fit with the offensive lineman - inside foot up, feet slightly staggered, good inside hand placement. On command, the DL explodes and separates while running. Again, I will designate a power hand with a right or left call. The offensive lineman gives pressure while the DL fights to gain leverage in his gap. On the whistle, he escapes his gap with a rip technique. We operate this drill on the same three downs and out. If anyone takes a poor or lazy snap, we repeat the down. Three good snaps, first, second, third down, and switch groups.

Diagram 5.

Next we escape backside blocks or cut off. We do this with a wipe technique. Again, we get into a good fundamental fit position with the offensive lineman. On command, the defensive lineman works down the line of scrimmage to simulate a cut off block. On the whistle, he wipes aggressively with his outside hand or arm (forearm area) and knocks the OL's hands from his body. This turns his shoulders and flattens his angle down the LOS to a good pursuit route so he can intersect with the ball carrier. A common mistake is that defenders tend to leak up the field. This wipe technique doesn't allow any cutback by the ball carrier.

Watch for daily improvement

We work our "daily musts" every Tuesday and Wednesday. I really believe this is a key to developing our defensive linemen. By using these drills, you can assure that you have worked all 1-on-1 blocks - frontside and backside. You have also worked hand placement escapes and get off - all necessary fundamentals of being a great defensive lineman.

Then we break up into DT / DE and work our 2-on-1 blocks. Next, we move into a half-line situation vs. the offensive line, followed by a live tackle to the ground middle drill.

I believe if you stick to teaching sound techniques and fundamentals your kids will improve each practice. That is our goal at Virginia Tech.






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