Defensive Drills for Every team: Pursuit & turnovers

Defensive Coordinator, Georgia Military College
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As I talk to many coaches across the country, I have learned the #1 drill each defensive player must perform exceptionally is the Pursuit Drill. The main goal of the drill is to set the tone for everyone on the field to get to the football every play.

Over the past months, I have reviewed game film from the past few years. I have been amazed by the ability and desire of our players to get to the football. Two universal factors that affect the Pursuit Drill are speed and desire. For us, Pursuit Drill is the first drill we do everyday after stretch exercises. I believe it sets the tone for practice.

There are many variations to the Pursuit Drill. I place the defense in the huddle and give them a defensive call. The players break the huddle and get lined up. I will simulate a snap and the players will perform an Up/Down. Once they get off the ground, I point to a coach standing on the sideline. The players will sprint to the coach and break down on “Tempo.” After playing a game last year, I noticed our players had bad pursuit angles by running to one point, so I started setting cones up every five yards. Once they performed an Up/Down, I point to a sideline and the players sprint to a cone. The coach on that sideline will bring the defensive unit together and breakdown on “Tempo.” While I was visiting Scot Sloan and Joe Tresey at Georgia Southern this past spring, I continually heard them stressing to the players to “PLAY FAST.”

As the Defensive Coordinator, I want us to be a great tackling unit and cause turnovers. I like to perform a Tackling Circuit after Pursuit Drill. I feel you must perform some type of tackling drill each day at practice. We perform a Tackling Circuit early in football camp. The Tackling Circuit consists of three stations (Angle Tackle, Sideline Tackle, and Goal Line Tackle). Each drill is set with proper distance to ensure proper tackling fundamentals are being used and injuries are minimized.

After two-a-days and when school starts, we perform some type of tackling drill during our individual drills. When we are in the season, we will perform a Turnover Circuit to emphasize the importance of turnovers. Our secondary coach, Rob Manchester, will have the DB’s, Dogs, and LB’s pass drop and make an interception. He will have the DL pass rush and work on getting their hands up before the QB throws the ball. Our defensive line coach, Desmond Coleman, will have each position work on gang tackling and ripping the ball out. I will have each position work on making a tackle from behind and knocking the ball away. If you want to be great tacklers, you must tackle. If you want to cause turnovers, you must work on causing turnovers.

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