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BLOCKING FUNDAMENTALS

SPLITS (HORIZONTAL ALIGN) = 18"

VERTICAL ALIGN (OFF THE BALL) = HELMET ON CENTER'S BELT.


STANCE:

Explosive and balanced to enable the blocker to move in four (4) directions with vertical leverage. Eyes are up (strain thru the eyebrows).


LANDMARK:

Point of aim, target. Area on defender to place the hands and direct the feet.


LEVERAGE:

A. Vertical: Pad under pad (PUP)
B. Horizontal: Lateral


FOOTWORK: (Step at landmark with vertical leverage).

A. First step = directional; playside – 6” step – step at the landmark. Adjust your first step to the horizontal alignment of the defender (I.E. width and depth).
B. Second step = quickness to get this step down to create power and suddenness.


HAND PLACEMENT:

Thumbs up with the elbows in tight to your framework.


FINISH!!!!!


BASE DRIVE BLOCK

PURPOSE:

A) Used at the P.O.A.
B) 1 on 1 block.
C) Take defender where he wants to go.
D) Get movement – sustain.
E) Back – option run.



1. Explode out.
2. Short first step (1/2 way to fingers of down hand; knee rolls over toe – NOT behind).
3. Back flat.
4. Bull neck.
5. Proper aiming point (aim face at throat of DLM; base of #’s of LB). Look the block in.
6. Second step MUST be beyond first step to win. Make contact on second step (most important step). Hit 1 yard through defender.
7. Whip the arms.
8. Blocking surface (drive the elbows inside & make contact with a triangle of hat & hands (thumbs up) to a lockout; contact the short ribs & “lift him out of his socks” on a 45 degree angle with fork lift motion).
9. Shoot the hips (unlock the power).
10. Driving steps.
11. Feet under you – good base.
12. Maintain contact.
13. 2nd & 3rd effort.

QUESTION: When do you whip the defender?
ANSWER: When he tries to escape the block – you come alive and finish (STAY ON BLOCK).




REACH BLOCK

PURPOSE: Used to prevent a defender a defender from escaping laterally to playside. Drive defender off the ball and reach him later.

1. Step up and out with the near foot.
2. A.P. = playside arm pit.
3. 2nd step bisect the crotch.
4. Inside hand to chest.
5. 3rd step – outside defender’s shoe and upfield.
6. Control the playside shoulder.
7. Knock defender off the ball – work to get hips square.
8. Footwork – 1, 2-3, 2-3.



CUTOFF BLOCK

PURPOSE: A backside block used to seal off lateral pursuit to the playside (example: outside zone block on play that will cut back).

1. Step up and out with near foot.
2. A.P. = playside number, arm pit, helmet in gap.
3. 2nd step bisect the crotch.
4. Dip and rip backside forearm through playside number (inside hand to chest). You use shoulder & forearm, OR hat & hands to a lock-out.
5. Work to stay square.
6. Good head and neck squeeze.
7. Work defender upfield.
8. Prevent defender from crossing your face (IT IS A “PRIDE” BLOCK)!



DOWN BLOCK

PURPOSE: Stop penetration and prevent defender from escaping laterally by blocking him from outside-in.

1. Step with near foot – for far heel of opponent.
2. A.P. = the nose of your helmet for the near tip of his shoulder pad, hip, or belt buckle (belt buckle if expecting penetration; or hip if he’s fighting outside; or near tip of shoulder pad when you don’t know what he is going to do).
3. Strike – inside hand to chest (stops penetration) and outside hand to just above bicep.
4. Must control the near shoulder and keep a good base.
5. If penetrator:
- aim for belt buckle
- lift near shoulder

If reader: control near shoulder

If spinner: - work defender upfield
- control near shoulder

If he aligns off ball
- put ear on near hip and wall off



LINEBACKER FLOW BLOCK

PURPOSE: Used to prevent a Lber from escaping laterally to the playside.

1. Good route.
2. A.P. = playside number (Inside Zone), and outside armpit (Outside Zone).
3. Dip before contact.
4. Use running drive block (Inside Zone), or running reach block (Outside Zone).
5. Finish with hips square.



PASS PROTECTION



1. BE AGGRESSIVE (on 3, 5, & 7 step drops). Step & strike like a boxer.

2. Shuffle & slide – don’t cross over. Stay flat footed (not on balls of feet). Be like a defensive basketball player.

3. Get set QUICK (snap up quick – snap hands up – snap butt under you). Your outside eye on his inside eye.

4. Jab step – get foot down – strike (come over foot) with power. Don’t come over both feet – keep one foot at home. Keep post foot – inside foot – up.

5. Step and strike on the rise – strike up (not out). Do not overextend (over-extension is the biggest problem in pass protection). Don’t bend at the waist. Don’t wind up on punch.

6. Balance and feet: Give ground grudgingly – stay low (“sit down”) –don’t overextend.

7. OT vs.edge rusher – first step shouldn’t be too deep, or turn your shoulders. Use two cones to get the proper first step: OT doesn’t step back or laterally. Short first step on an angle between the cones (below).

RT-C
-C



“THROUGH REPETITION YOU WILL ACHIEVE SUCCESS”

Books -

Coaching Offensive Linemen - Dave Christiansen (Missouri)
The Assembly Line - Milt Tenopir (Nebraska)
Coaching the Offensive Line by the Experts - Earl Browning
101 Offensive Line Drills - Steve Loney
Coaching the Fontliners - Harold Etheridge
Developing Successful Pass Protection Schemes - Stan Zweifel

If you had to choose two get the top 2.