Coaches
We have found that these drills will help you and your team get ready for the season! Hope they help!!
Flag Pulling Drills
CHASE DRILL - Set cones 3-4 strides from middle in a circular pattern. Create 2 Circles. Have players stand on cones behind one another with ball carrier in the front. The objective is to run around the circles in a figure 8 direction. The ball carrier is to lead while being chased by a defensive player. Pull the flag or finish the figure 8 and the drill is over.
The PIT - Set up a large circle using cones. Each player starts by standing next to a cone. Once the whistle is blown all players will enter the circle aka The PIT and attempt to pull each other's flags. Once a player's flag has been pulled you will leave the circle until 1 person is remaining.
The GAUNTLET - Set up 3 cones 10 yds apart. Set up another 3 cones 10yds across from one another. You should have made a rectangle once cones are in place. Set 1 player in between each set of 2 cones. Those players will be called the defenders. Defenders are only allowed to move laterally (left or right) inside the rectangle. Have a ball carrier approx 10-15 yds from the front of the Gauntlet rectangle. The ball carrier is to run in between the cones moving in any direction they want to avoid each defender as they navigate through the Gauntlet. If the flag belt is pulled by a Defender, then the drill is over. If the ball carrier navigates through all 3 Defenders without having the flag pulled the drill is over.
Rapid Fire Pull - Set up 2 cones 3-5 feet away from one another. Place 2 defensive players on each cone. Defensive players are not allowed to move their feet. They are to use their hands to pull flags for this drill. Create a single file line with as many players as you have remaining for this drill. Each player in line will sprint between the 2 defensive players. No jukes or spin moves allowed to keep the flow of this drill. Players in line will be released one at a time in a rapid sequence approx 2 seconds or less. Challenge the 2 defensive players to pull everyone's flag as the sprint through the 2 defensive players.
Grab N Go - Line up a minimum of 3 and up to 10 players shoulder to shoulder or arm's length apart. This group will not move and have arms above their heads throughout this drill. Have one additional player 10yds away from the first person in line. This will be the flag puller. Their objective will be to sprint to the line and side shuffle while pulling each person's flag in line. Goal is to pull everyone's flag as fast as possible while focusing on footwork and lateral movements. Mix up which side they start on to work on both left and right side shuffles while pulling.
Defensive Reaction Drills
Me vs U2 - This drill is to work on pursuing a ball carrier while in a zone defense. Set up 2 defensive players 10 yds apart. One player will be a ball carrier 20 yds away positioned between the 2 defensive players. A coach will hold a ball and stretch it out in any direction(left, right, low, or high) The defensive players will work on side shuffling to follow the ball's direction given by the coach while staying in their zone. After 3-5 seconds of the coaches movements the ball carrier will be released and attempt to reach the other side of the 2 defensive players. The defensive players goal is to corral and not crash in on the ball carrier by maintaining their space and pursuit of the ball carrier. Once the runner has chosen a side it will be one defensive players goal to stay in front of the ball carrier while the other defensive player protects the back side of the ball carrier as they try to cut back in a different direction.
Team Defense - Set up a 6 man defense. Have a coach move a football in all directions like the Me vs U2 drill. This is to teach spacing and movement throughout a play. Zone defense. Each defensive player should only move 3-4 side shuffles, back pedals, or crash in steps towards the ball before they leave their Zone. This drill is to help keep spacing throughout the play and eliminate players from reaching other players zones which causes weak spots in a defense if not done correctly.
Hot Pursuit - Set up a center, QB, and Running back on one side of the ball. Set up a Middle Linebacker and Outside Linebacker in front of the offense approx 5-10 yds away. Work one side then the other to help develop overall technique to pursue a ball carrier in the game. The offense will hand the ball off to the running back where he will sprint to the outside corner. The defense should pursue the ball carrier with the outside linebacker as the first attacker and the middle linebacker as the sideline attacker if the outside linebacker fails to pull their flag. The outside linebacker will go for the flag first as they are the closest. The middle linebacker will sprint to the sideline to meet the ball carrier as the second attacker if the first one fails to pull the flag. Set up a sideline approx 15-20 yds from the Center and QB. Be sure to emphasize staying in front through side shuffles and not lunging at the ball carrier to help slow them down and be in position to use both hands to remove the flag belt.
1v1 Flag Pull - This will involve 2 players. A defensive and offensive player. The defense will work on footwork while pursuing a Receiver. Line up approx 3-5 yds from each other and on the coaches que the receiver will run a slant, whip, or fly route. The objective for the offensive player is to run crisp routes to help them create space between them and the defender. The defenses goal is to stay within reach of the Receiver through proper footwork. Once the coach yells "PULL" the defensive player must pull the Receivers flags within 2 seconds. No balls are needed for this drill. It is vital that you match up similar speed to keep this drill fair for all.
Offensive Drills
Receiving Tree - Line up a QB and a Receiver 5-20yds (depending on age and skill level) The receiver will be stationary for this drill. Have them face the QB and pump there arms as if they were sprinting. The QB will throw the ball and the Receiver is to catch it and tuck the ball. After 3 throws turn the Receiver to the left side and again, have them pump there arms and receive a pass and tuck it. Repeat this for forward, left, and ride side catches by the Receiver. To work on jump balls and balls above the head have your player sit on the ground with there feet in front of them. Toss balls from close range above there head to allow for over the head catches. Receivers should be pumping there arms as with the receiving tree to simulate running. Try to toss the ball so the player has full extension of there arms above there head and teach them to control the fall back with there core muscles.
Pitch Perfect - Set up 2 QBs 5 yds apart with a Running Back directly behind each QB. Each running back will be running to their side of the field for this drill. On the QBs hike the running backs will sweep to the outside for a pitch from the QB. Focus on a straight and firm toss with little hang time to get the ball into the RBs hands quickly. RBs are to jog until the ball is received and then sprint hard to the outside once they have gotten the pitch from the QB.
Lateral Drill - Position a Center, QB under center and RB directly behind the QB for this drill. Have the center run a quick out route after hiking the ball. The QB will throw the out route to the center. Once received by the center, the center will then toss a lateral to the RB who will be trailing him. Focus on clean catches and firm lateral tosses to the mid section of the RB. Focus on spacing of the Center and RB once the ball is hiked. RBs should maintain space of 3-5yds(depending on age) from the center once they have received the ball to allow for a lateral in his or her direction.
Bullseye - Set up 4 circles with cones. 2 sets of circles approx 7 yds in diameter in the center of the field and 2 sets 3 yds in diameter one on each sideline. This drill is to work on accuracy and footwork of the QB. Have them start under Center and in shotgun. The larger circles will count for 2 pts and the smaller ones will count as 4 pts. See which player can accumulate the most points. To give credit to footwork you can add 1 pt for each target they hit with good footwork.
Agility and Directional Movements
4 Cones - Set up 4 cones in a square approx 10-15 yds apart. Line up all your players at one cone and have them start by sprinting forward to the first cone. Once they have gotten to the first cone, have them breakdown with short choppy steps and begin to side shuffle to the next cone. Once they have gotten to the second cone, they will backpedal to the third cone. After reaching the third cone they will explode with a sprint to the final cone.
Around We GOOOO - This drill is to work on rapid footwork while controlling and keeping your body centered as you go through the drill. Set up 6 cones 3-5 yds apart in a straight line with a 7th cone as the start cone 20 yds away. Begin by sprinting to the left side of the first cone and with choppy short steps circle the cone. Once you have completed the circle around that cone and are back to the left side you will sprint to the next cone and repeat this until you and circled each cone. Body control and short steps are key to allow for you to navigate cleanly around each cone. Make sure to work both left and right sides each time through so that footwork is being learned both ways.
Zig Zag - This drill is to work on balance and body control. Set up cones in a zig zag approx 3-5ft from one another over a 10 yd stretch. The start cone will be 10 yds away. The player is to sprint to the first cone where they will begin to hop from one cone to the next in a zig zag motion landing on one foot at each cone. Focus on balance and not speed with this drill. The sprint will create momentum and the hops will allow for them to learn body control and build lower body strength.
Dueling Shuttle - Position 3 cones. 2 cones will be 10-15 yds apart with one cone in the middle. 2 Players will face off in the middle and on the Coaches "Go" they will turn and sprint to a cone predetermined left or right. Once they arrive at the first cone they are to breakdown and tap the cone and sprint to the furthest cone 10-15 yds away. Once they have arrived at the second cone the will breakdown again and tap the cone and sprint to the middle where they began. This should be a quick and short race. The idea is to compete while learning to stop and go quickly through good footwork.
Slide N Spin - This drill is to work on ball handling moves for receivers and RB's. Set up 5 cones close together in a line horizontally with another single cone 10yds away from the last horizontal cone that has been lined up. The starting cone will be 10yds away from the 5 horizontal cones. Position your starting line to be directly in front of the furthest left horizontal cone and your final cone 10yds past the furthest right cone of the horizontal cone. Start your players by sprinting to the horizontal cones where they will side shuffle along the 5 cones and sprint to the final cone where they will use a spin move to complete the drill. This is to simulate moving in traffic as a ball carrier. If your group isn't ready for spin moves that's ok. Replace the last step of a spin move with a juke to the left or right of the final cone. Set this up so that players are working both sides with moves.