Shedding Blocks

Once you get hands on, what's you technique on shedding? I personally believe shedding all comes down to effort, but then again, I would like to be a little more refined in coaching the how-to aspect.

My favioite technique for beating an offensive lineman is the push - pull technique. I would recomend using this technique to start almost any other type of move. When you come out of your stance get your hands on the o lineman immediately. Teach your players to punch as hard and as fast as they can. The punch should be aimed at the edge of each breast plate and right into the arm pits of the blocker. Once you have your man extended away from your body quickly pull him back toward you and you can go right by him. IMO this is the absolute best move to use against an o lineman who has a bad habit of leaning to far forward. Once you have your blocker off balance and falling back toward you you can then execute almost any other type of move. You can push-pull then rip, push-pull then swim etc, etc... Another key point you should teach your d lineman is to grab ahold of and/or knock the o linemans hands down. If you can get control of the blockers hands then you have him whipped!

If you get a kid who has really fast hands the push-pull move can be nearly unstopable. A kid who has fast hands and masters this move can be by an o lineman in the blink of an eye, especially on known passing downs. I remember last season seeing a kid on our middle school scout team who was just getting whipped every play. I pulled him aside and asked him if anyone had ever taught him how to use his hands, he says no. I spent about 5 minutes with him teaching him how to use his hands and how to execute the push-pull move. He then went back in on scout team and all the sudden he is making plays all over the place. This is an example of just how efective the push-pull can be.

Coach,

I don't think I would be able to offer anything that may help you at this point, as the concept of not having a pass rush but running stunts, etc. is completely new to me. Stepping laterally, to my understanding has always been to avoid getting stalemated by the OLM and is a very sound technique. If your guys are quick, it should alleviate the need for a whole lot of work on shedding. Exactly what are they doing to you? If you step laterally they should step with you at an angle of course, which makes them very vulnerable to the club (Howie Long was the best clubber in the NFL when he played!) Getting your hands on them first and fending off any attempt to hold them by grabbing cloth, you DLM should be by them, imo. If they are being held, OLM has the hands together and full of cloth, you defeat this by driving your hands up and through and spreading their arms forcing them to let go, or you come down and through with your hands and arms causing the same loosening effect. Other than that, I would not have much to offer in the way of help. Just curious- How does the no conventional pass rush work out for you?

Coach Easton