An In-Depth Look at High School Football Practice

American Football Monthly conducted a survey to high school football programs about the details of their practices – here are the results. We’ve included feedback from survey respondents (high school coaches) on practice circuits on tackling, turnovers and special teams.

Speakingout

Briefly describe the stations
in your tackling circuit.

“All of our tackling is done by position. We attempt to simulate the types of situations that each position on defense or on special teams is going to encounter during games.”
Paul Miller, Dawson County High School

“Four group rotation: 1. On knees vs. teammate – fall forward letting your hips sink, grab cloth, face mask should start square leaving your head up and slide head to side; 2. Teammate stands and tackler moves in and sinks hips, slides helmet to side, grabs cloth and rises through; 3. Angle tackle – teammate walks at 45-degree angle and tackler gets head across, sinks hips, rises through, grabs cloth and changes direction of the teammate; and, 4. Finish by full tackle on tackling dummy. Use all the techniques.”
Rick Casko, Cass High School

“One-on-One (LB and DL vs. RB) RB starts on the 5 yard line and the defender on the goal line. It is up to the defensive player to keep the RB out of the end zone. Width of the drill is also five yards. DB vs. WR, drill is 10 yards wide and 20 yards long. The WR starts running down the line and catches a hitch from the QB, then turns up-field. Upon seeing the catch, the defender reacts and performs an open-field tackle.”
Joe Mlinaric, Ontario Football Alliance

“We always have four stations and we like to mix it up when it comes to scheduling these stations during the practice. For some of the days, we like to complete the stations before team and sometimes we will complete the tackling stations after team. I feel you become a poor tackling team when you are tired, so we like to complete the stations when we feel we are tired in practice.”
Chris Solis, Shelby High School

Briefly describe the stations in your
takeaway/turnover circuit.

“We incorporate a strip drill into the tackling drill and sometimes will do this as an individual drill: 1. Form tackle and have second tackler added to strip the ball; 2. Chase the runner and punch up through the runner from behind while making the tackle to cause the fumble; 3. Teach recovery of fumble drill – get on ball in fetal position and the redirect scoop and score; and, 4. Scoop and score drill – where tackler causes fumble and teammate scoops and scores.”
Rick Casko, Cass High School

“Open-field tackle drill that all players go through that includes a second tackler at the end that strips. We also do a fumble recovery drill where a ball is bounced on the ground and players practice recovering it.”
Terry Martin, Cecilia High School
“First, Takeaway Circuit – Strip Drill. Three players in a straight line two yards apart.The first man is the ball carrier, the second is the stripper/tackler and the third man scoops the ball and scores. The ball carrier runs in a straight line at about half speed, the stripper comes from behind, lifts the elbow away from the body, punches the ball out from either the top or bottom of ball carrier’s arm depending on body position to ball carrier. After knocking the ball loose, the stripper takes the ball carrier out of the play and allows his teammate to scoop the ball and score. The scooper must sprint past both men to score. Second, Takeaway Drill – One-on-one Strip. There is a ball carrier and a stripper. The ball carrier runs in a straight line at about half speed with the ball in tight against his body. The tackler comes in from behind him and gets as tight as possible to the ball carrier. The tackler will pin the ball carrier’s free arm against the body of the ball carrier with his arm, then the tackler will use his other arm to either claw and rip or punch the ball out of the grasp of the ball carrier, then disengage the ball carrier and recover the football. Third, Takeaway Drill-Triangle Strip Drill. Three cones aligned five yards apart. A ball carrier at one end and the two tacklers at the other points of the triangle. The ball carrier will run directly at one of the tacklers, the defender will secure the tackle and hold up the ball carrier, and the other defender will come from the other side and strip the ball. After the ball is loose, the tackler takes the ball carrier out of the play and enables his teammate to scoop and score or at least make the recovery. This becomes one of the most competitive drills we do and the defenders take a great deal of pride in getting the ball free. At the same time, we have ball carriers that won’t give up the ball without a fight.”
John V. Dowtin

“We utilize a pop-up dummy with arm attachments to hold the ball as we tackle the dummy and swat the ball out. We also use the ‘Indian Chief’ drill, which is a reaction drill where we have two players set in a cross-legged position facing a coach who holds two batons of different colors - one will be designated right and the other is left. When the coach pulls one baton from behind his back the players go in the direction designated by the color and touch the designated object, such as a wall, dummy etc. Then they dive back to the start area and cover a loose ball.”
Mike Heckahorn, Oakwood High School

Briefly describe the stations in your special teams circuit.

“We will run our special teams in two units. Most of our special teams will be segmented into right and left or front and back groups. They will run an assignment and coaches will coach and immediately following the other group will go. For example, front line on KO return will check for onside and go to their blocking assignments. The next group will be wedge and returners who will then go next. We then put them together and run the KO return. This will go on in all the other special teams. Right/Left, Front/Back.”
Rick Casko, Cass High School

“We have a field goal/extra point block drill that we work on with DB’s and LB’s running the edge to get the block and then scooping the ball after the block. We do a drill that works on kickoff coverage - guys staying in their proper lanes after avoiding a blocker and then redirecting to the football and maintaining leverage on the ball carrier. We do a half-line punt protection drill, working on stunt pick ups and teaching the blockers how to avoid shortening the edge for rushers and we also incorporate some overloading protection. We like to use this drill to work some of our punt rush stunts and games as well.”
John V. Dowtin