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Winning the Turnover Battle - Three drills that will help your defense recover fumbles and make interceptions.

by: Matt Gray
Defensive Coordinator Randolph-Macon College
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At the conclusion of each season, we evaluate how effective we have been in various areas. Then we decide what we can do to get our players to be more effective as it relates to our defensive philosophy (See Chart). Although we recognize there is always room for improvement in every area, we ask ourselves what did we do well, and what do we need to emphasis more? We have seen great improvement in the last two years has been point four “Create turnovers and big plays – SCORE!” Our defense takes great pride in stopping our opponents as well as getting the ball back for the offense. They also enjoy scoring points! Our improvement is a result of getting our players to play fast.

In the past two seasons, we have created 45 turnovers. We have intercepted 21 passes and recovered 24 fumbles. While doing so, we have scored 6 defensive touchdowns: 3 interceptions, 1 fumble, and 2 blocked punts. Of the 24 fumbles, many of them were created by getting a host of defenders to the ball. Ball carriers either coughed up the ball because of big hits or had the ball stripped because our players had great pursuit and we had more than one defender in on the tackle. In 2011 we ranked first in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference and 16th in the country in rushing defense. We were able to hold our opponents under 92 rushing yards per game. Stopping the run is our number one objective on defense.

Our goal is to make an offense one-dimensional. When a team becomes one-dimensional, or is forced to throw the ball, we devise different ways to get pressure on the quarterback. By challenging all throws, we believe we can force the quarterback to make poor decisions. We want to have great coverage, take away throws, and force the quarterback to hold onto the ball. This allows our pass rush to get home. If the quarterback does throw the ball, we want our players jumping the routes and driving on balls. We spend a great deal of time teaching our players how and when to break on balls. It is a collective effort by our coaching staff to drive home the importance of WINNING THE TURNOVER MARGIN.


10 elements to Randolph-Macon’s defensive philosophy

1.    Stop the run – Force the offense to throw.
2.     Stop the long run and pass – Eliminate explosion plays.
3.     Pressure the QB – Challenge all throws
4.     Create turnovers and big plays – SCORE!              
5.     Establish field position.
6.     Be simple – An attacking defense cannot be a thinking defense.
7.     Third Down – Sense of urgency to get off the field.
8.     Red Zone – Keep them out of the end zone.        
9.     Take away the offense’s bread and butter.
10.     Have answers for great players.


Practice Plan

Every day in practice we plan a period dedicated solely to creating turnovers. We have labeled that period as “Winning the Turnover Margin” or what our players refer to it as “WTM.” This period is to emphasize the importance of creating turnovers and develop techniques on how to get the ball back. When the offense has fumbled the ball, what is the proper technique to recover it? When you are tackling a ball carrier from behind, what is the best way to get the ball out? When defending the pass, how and when should a defender break on the ball? These are just a few examples of what we drill with our players each practice. After drilling these specific techniques, our coaching staff reinforces them throughout each period for the remainder of the practice.

Our players know there is a premium on creating turnovers since we preach that every day in practice. We tell our players they must compete for any pass thrown down the field. Anytime the ball is on the ground, our players know they must treat it as a loose ball. For example, if we are competing against the offense in a 7-on-7 drill and an incomplete ball is thrown, our defense treats it as a loose ball and tries to scoop and score for a touchdown. Our defense is fast, physical and craves the football. We foster this environment in both meetings and practice.

During our WTM period, the defensive coaches run certain stations to develop skills on how to create turnovers. We rotate each position group through our turnover circuit. Each station is specifically planned to put each position group in situations they may encounter during a game. I have compiled a list of drills and diagrams.

FETAL RECOVERY
(Diagram 1)

Diagram 1.

This drill is to teach the proper way to recover a fumble. This is the first phase of winning the turnover margin we work on. It may seem elementary, but I have seen many times where a player is in the pile and thinks he has recovered the fumble and then another player rips it from his hands. When the ball is on the ground, we want it to be ours. We leave nothing to chance. The technique is exactly what it sounds like. When the defender recovers the fumble, he immediately curls up into the fetal position leaving no part of the ball exposed. This assures the defender, and the officials, that the ball is his.

The drill begins with the defender running laterally over agile bags. The coach running the drill puts the ball on the ground for the defender to recover. When the defender clears the last bag, he sprints to the fumbled ball and performs the fetal recovery. We have a coach inspect the technique and make sure no part of the ball is exposed. We don’t want the defender to slide into the ball causing it to deflect off his body. We want him to close the distance on the ball, come to balance, lower his body, press the ball into the ground and curl up, leaving no part of the ball exposed.


2nd MAN IN
(Diagram 2)

Diagram 2.

This drill consists of three players. 1)  ball carrier 2) tackler and 3) the 2nd man in who strips the football from the ball carrier. The best thing about this drill is the coach can teach proper tackling technique as well as forcing a turnover.

The drill starts with the ball carrier holding the ball in the opposite arm of where the tackler is aligned. The tackler is aligned 2.5 yards away and angled in towards the ball carrier. On the coach’s command the ball carrier runs straight ahead trying to gain yards while the tackler performs an angle tackle. The tackler should have good bend in his hips, knees and ankles and attacking the ball carrier with his eyes up and neck bowed. The tackler must get his head across the ball carrier’s body, drive his arms up and through grabbing cloth and running his feet on contact.

The third person in the drill, or the 2nd man in, is aligned 5 yards from the ball carrier and strips the ball from the ball carrier and advances the ball in the opposite direction. Again, the focus of this drill is to teach proper tackling and getting more than one person to the ball carrier and attempting to strip the ball.


PASS BREAK-UP
(Diagram 3)

Diagram 3.


The purpose of this drill is to teach pass defenders to drive on the ball when it is thrown. The intent is to intercept the ball. The worst case scenario, however, is to disrupt the thrown ball and break the pass up forcing it to be incomplete. We use this drill with both LBs and DBs. We even incorporate our DEs into this drill if they are going to be dropping into coverage. The emphasis is on reading the “directional/delivery key” of the QB. The “directional key” is the front shoulder and eyes of the QB. For example, if the ball is snapped and the front shoulder of the QB turns immediately to the sidelines, we tell our players to drive on the 3-step route or bubble screen. If the QB takes a 5-step drop and his front shoulder is elevated, the ball is going to be thrown deep. The “delivery key” is when the QB’s front hand comes off the ball. If a receiver’s route comes through one of our defender’s zones, he knows to drive on the ball when he sees the delivery key.

The drill is first set up with two receivers aligned 15 yards from the line of scrimmage. I place them 15 yards apart from each other in the area the linebacker will be dropping. They are stationary and facing the QB during this drill. I start the linebacker in his pass drop by simulating a snap and taking a five-step drop. The linebacker pushes to his zone at a depth of 10 to 12 yards. He settles and squares up to the line of scrimmage. I give him a “directional key” by aiming my shoulder at one of the wide receivers. When he reads this, he shuffles laterally to the area of the intended receiver. I then give him a “delivery key” where the quarterback’s front hand comes off the ball and he turns and drives on the ball with the intention of intercepting it. When he catches the ball he returns it for a touchdown. You can make the linebacker change direction by changing the “directional key.” The idea is to make this as game-like as possible.

At Randolph-Macon we try to keep things as simple as possible and drill things we think are important to winning football games.

About the Author: Matt Gray enters his eighth season on the Randolph-Macon staff in 2012 and fourth as DC. He previously was an assistant at Illinois Wesleyan during the 2003 and 2004 seasons. Gray also coached linebackers and special teams at St. Joseph’s College (IN). A 2000 graduate of Albion College, Gray was a three-year starter at linebacker and four-year letterman






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