Clinic Season

Every play is drawn up to score

Had the privilege the last few weekends to attend the All-Sports Clinic as well as the Glazier Clinic in Seattle.

So as I mentioned in last years clinic post, I don't go into theses sessions to learn grand schematic changes. I am only looking for better ways to teach, insights that I find interesting, maybe a drill or two that complements what we do, and ultimately if I get one or two 'nuggets' it has been a great clinic. So here you go. Enjoy.


1. Wisconsin D-Line vs Run and vs Pass by Charles Partridge (Asst H.C./D-Line/Co-Defensive Coordinator) at Glazier

***** Went to this session to learn the 'anti-technique.' We are oil and water and we need to know what 'they' are doing in order to defeat it*******

      a. Pass Rush: Outside arm reach= key to having a good pass rush
      b. Pass Rush: Defensive Ends- Must have depth awareness. Defensive Tackles- Must have ratio awareness
      c. Pass Rush: Vertical for 3/4 steps before making decision. Most Ends want to take the path right through the tackle.
 

2. Faster than the Fly: Rocket Sweep by Blair Hubbard (Head Coach at Faith Christian High School (CO) ) at All-Sports

      a. 'Hyperactive Outside Zone'
      b. Pre-Snap motion means defense has to 'cheat'- roll, move and try to set leverage
      c. The speed of the ball getting to the edge means you can false pull and set-up huge backside action      (screens and counters to take advantage of the over pursuit of the defense) 

Some film from Coach Hubbard


3. Wyoming Spread Run by Head Coach Dave Christenson at Glazier

      a. They use huge splits because they don't have great personnel. Allows them to only have to 'wall-off' instead of block
      b. QB depth was 6 and TB path crosses the face of the QB for 2 steps before either bouncing or banging
      c. It was great to see a college offense using the same types of schemes as you. This was validation for some of the things we will put emphasis on next year. Which I thought was pretty cool.




4. Inside Zone and Outside Zone by Aaron Best (Offensive Coordinator/O-Line Coach at Eastern Washington University) at Glazier

      a. In general O-Line coaches have to love technique more than most positions. They are going against guys that are better than them on every snap.
      b. "Replace guys"- that will put you were they are at.
      c. Think about this: We are the only position on the field with our backs to the ball.

Outside Zone

Get the edge set...

One the better compliments to the 'tight' zone we run is the 'outside' zone.

We tell our tackles and guards on the playside to 'secure' the playside, and everyone from the Center back will 'punch through the fat guys' and 'get out and run' to the big uglies.

In practice we go over the different kinds of combinations that the tackles and guards can see and the appropriate blocks to run through the edge. After that I just make sure everyone is running to a spot.



Here is some film. With the type of kids we consistently get this is probably our number 2 running play.

Outside Zone

Lineman Camps in Washington

I recently had the opportunity to head up the Lineman Skills camp at the Barton Football Academy. For Washington, we offer sessions every weekend during this off-season time to prepare kids to go into the season ahead of the curve. The emphasis of these sessions will be on the development of proper technique, footwork and fundamentals of offensive and defensive line play.

Offensive Emphasis: Run blocking fits, playing with angles and leverage, and utilizing solid pass protection footwork.

Defensive Emphasis: Proper explosive get-off, use of proper hand technique and defeating blocks.

Regardless of level or system these fundamental tools will help any lineman become a more rounded and explosive player. Sessions are held on Saturday and Sundays at local high schools throughout the area and are open for registration on-line. Please see the website http://www.bartontraining.com for more information.

Also, see here for a little video of a recent session: http://www.northwesteliteindex.com/articles/jordan/feb12/bartonevent1.html

 More about this opportunity will be upcoming.

Lets Rock-n-Roll!

Boo-Yah!

Practice

"I'm a strong believer that the structure of your practice is the singularly most determining reason for your success or lack of success as a coach."  Bob Knight

So this article took shape a long, long time ago. It has just been very difficult to FINISH it...but here is what has been completed. 

Practice tenant: "The faster we go the better we get."

I have approximately 20 minutes on Tuesday and Wednesday of game week to do our individual drills. We split those two days up, Tuesday being a station day and Wednesday being a refinement/scheme/mental day (depending on what needs to be emphasized or prepared for.)

Tuesday-3 stations. (I do have the privilege of  having 2 assistant line coach who I absolutely trust. They are extensions of me and I am very fortunate to have them.)

We have two stations that that never change: a Drive Station and  a Screen station.

Drive Station: 7 or 8 players driving the sled. For us, the sled is not some mystical object that requires us to move it so much per season or per day. For us it is a way to ease the banging on the body (as the JV guys just played the day before) while allowing us to work the fit and the feet.

Screen Station: Here is essentially what we do. See the video is the best way to show it.

The final station I usually lead. It rotates between a pass pro drill and a zone station. The pass pro I call the 'hot box drill' and it's emphasizes a quick pass set and the quick short post/set steps that come from that.

For the zone station, we use a target system for the foot movement and step over bags for the track.

Most of this is here. This is from our summer skills rotation: