Offensive Line Performance

[Dusty Ol Fart]

I use similar language when teaching the DB's to change direction.  i.e. break on the ball

[Monster]

Of course you would....nobody moves in a direction by stepping that way....they apply force through the ground with the opposite foot. That's why I won't be talking in terms of "step" left or "step" right. I will use  drive/catch instead. If I want want our guys to be quicker off the ball and more violent then I need to use cues and techniques that describe those actions. Steps, bucket step, lateral step etc....all passive terms.
 
If we have a zone play going to the right....we will drive with our left foot and catch ourselves with our right foot. Not only does that better describe our intentions and make us quicker off the ball but from a neutral stance (like the one in the video I posted above) it also keeps the hips square to the angle we want to work through.

Oh. Oh, I like that! "Football players don't step! We DRIVE!"

[Seabass]

I use similar language when teaching the DB's to change direction.  i.e. break on the ball

All movement starts with some kind of force through the ground. For some reason, offensive linemen have been left out of that conversation.

[CoachDP]

"That's the way we have always done it" is no longer an acceptable answer to anything for me anymore.

--Josh, that's never been an acceptable answer because it doesn't answer anything.

If that's all you got when I ask why, you are likely no longer someone I can respect and you are probably part of the problem to whatever it is I am trying to solve.

--Even if someone's smart enough not to answer that way, that still may be the reason they've always done it.

--Dave

[JustPlay]

49.99 for the 1st month. 9.99 there after. 

[Seabass]

We started spring practice yesterday so I had my first opportunity to start teaching some of the new stuff I have been working on over the winter/spring. Our HC allows the players to choose which position group they want to be in for the first 2 days....naturally my group was the smallest in numbers.

In warm-ups I found the 6 dudes that looked the part and introduced myself as the OL coach. I let those 6 know the HC was going to give players the option to choose position groups after warm-ups....with the exception of those 6...they were coming with me.

All but 1 of them (the kid can't hinge yet) picked up the new stance pretty quickly. I also found a kid who really wants to play center. There are a couple of kids pretending to be RB's and WR's until they get their dream's crushed on Wednesday. I should end up with 8-10 guys to work with when it's all said and done. If I can turn 5-6 of those guys into players, we will be in business.

It's been a while since I wasn't in charge of the practice plan....that's going to take some getting used to. It's also weird to be playing games after only 7 practices but that's the deal so that's what has to be done.

[Seabass]

The 3 guys that were living in fantasy land made the right choice (on their own I might add) and came with me to the O-line group yesterday. Now I have 9 capable bodies for 5 spots. That should make the competition real!

[CoachDP]

It's also weird to be playing games after only 7 practices but that's the deal so that's what has to be done.

7 practices?  Huh?

--Dave

[Seabass]

7 practices?  Huh?

--Dave

Yeah....I don't like the idea but it's not my call. It's really a jamboree....we get 20 snaps...they get 20 snaps....rotate teams. It's live with a quick whistle.

[Seabass]

I am now about 6 weeks into our season using this new technique. Maybe it's not fair to call it new technique but it's definitely a new twist.

The stance is different from a traditional neutral stance...that raised a few eyebrows to those that pay attention. I have had to do a lot of explaining in that department. The new stance took a fair amount of time for our guys to get comfortable with but they have it down and it has DEFINITELY put them in a better position to own their angles. They seem to understand why we are doing what we are doing and that has allowed them to make adjustments to their individual stances based on their unique levers and angles.

 It's not a "magic bean." Like everyone else, I have a few guys that will simply never play any meaningful snaps. I'm not naive enough to believe in snake oil. I think the "drive catch" part of the technique could be accomplished out of traditional neutral stance but I'm convinced the "LB" stance is better. It's very evident when you see kids come off the ball in slow motion (on film) that this stance gets our hips on the right track faster and more powerfully.

The "drive catch" method has made us much better and will be used by me as long as I coach the position. We really own our angles when we use the technique. We drill it everyday and we have it down to about 5 minutes... the guys can run it on their own now.

Every week I get a little bit better at teaching this new technique and expect that to continue as time goes on. Anyway, when I came across this stuff it was intriguing...then it became exciting. Now that we are using it...I am finding that it's incredibly effective.

[jvcoach]

I wish I came across this sooner.  I coach HS track & field, and I always coach that force is generated by driving the feet into the ground.  The foot positioning even relates to what we do in the throwing events. Don't know why I haven't used this language and ideas when coaching o-line.  I will chalk it up to "thats how we have always done it."  We started working on adjusting things this week and I am liking what I am seeing.