Offensive Line Drills

 Southern Oregon’s 4 Every Day Drill OL Circuits


Chris Fisk
Offensive Line
Southern Oregon


 Introduction:

southernoregonNational championships are won one yard at a time. Here at Southern Oregon, we believe that each of those yards is hard won as a result of detailed technical drills. Over the past 3 years, we have averaged over 4.5 yards per play and less than one sack per game. This consistency and production is a direct result of the detailed focus we take into our drills. In this clinic report, we will look at four drill circuits that have been and will be critical to our success.


Before we get into the drills, it is worth mentioning that these drills reflect the rules that we expect our linemen to live by. Those rules include:
1.No one touches our QB! (From 2012 – 2014, we only gave up 1 sack for every 30 passing attempts.)
2.Be smart!
3.Bet the best!
4.Out-hustle everyone!
5.Do it the SOU way!
6.Block through the echo of the whistle and FINISH the play!

Each of these drills is done EVERYDAY in the spring, summer, and preseason. From there, we will do some every day and others every other day through the season. We believe these are the cornerstones to what has made us effective in all parts of our blocking game.


Circuit #1: Agility Circuit


Be great in space.


We do these because we do a lot of screens. This is done every day in the summer and every other day in the season. These skills are essential to the success with our screens.


Drill 1: Angle Cuts (cones)


We treat this like WRs. Toe in at the top of the cone and toe out with of the inside foot at the next cone. Chin over chest and chest over knees.


Drill 2: Fast Feet (cones)


We are trying to get our guys to lower their center of gravity with their chin over chest and chest over knees. This allows them to change their direction in space.


Drill 3: You Chop, I Chop (line)


This teaches our guys to identify the target, and when the target converts to a chop, they need to chop. This is a concept that we got from our special teams drills and we think it connects well to what linemen do in space.


Drill 4: Mirror Drill (line)


This is a sprint out drill. We teach our guys that they must mirror the guy they are blocking. If he is sprinting, then our guys need to sprint. If he chops, our guy needs to be chopping. If they break down, then we break down.


Drill 5: 4 Corner Drill (cones)


Basic old school agility drills. Every kid on our team back-pedals every day for the posterior chain benefit in addition to general athletic development.

The following is from Joe Bugel (AKA: "BOSS HOG"), one of the all-time GREAT O-Line caoches:
MOST of these are before you get to the pads (OTA's):

JOE BUGEL – OFFENSIVE LINE DRILLS (REDSKINS)

“FOUR CORNERS” = Better warm up drill that stretching. For a guy who is stiff – improves feet. Go ¾ speed. Put 4 cones at the corners of a square – 10 yds. apart. Teaches how to run (over exaggerate arm pump) . Go forward-lateral-backward-lateral. RUN to first cone & come under control – SHUFFLE to next cone (with a slight stagger of L foot if going L & R foot if going R) in a bridge position (sit down & bend, with a wide base – bridge neck – keep hands up - be sure to SHUFFLE – not gallop). BACKPEDAL – then SHUFFLE again. NOTE: Your feet can move TOO fast in pass pro.

“SHUFFLE DRILL” (pass pro) = Break down in good “football position” – wide base – don’t worry about speed. Shuffle to lines - 5 yds. – 10 yds. – 5 yds. When changing directions at line - don’t stop & plant to change – keep on balance – keep wide base – don’t gallop or get crossed over.

“STRAIGHT LINE DRILL” (like the Secondary’s “Run the Line” drill) = Straddle line – run backwards – coach waves off & he turns hips keeping eyes on coach. Everything in football is usually below the waist – “you block with your feet”. Teach stiff kid how to turn – break down & stay low, working feet & hips.

“BAG DRILL” = Over the bags – another shuffle drill. Keep hands up – neck in bridge position – back & forth, back & forth, & break. NOTE: How you FINISH any drill is important – put towel 15 yds. downfield & he has to break on ball to towel.

“UP & BACK DRILL” (4 bags in a straight line) = Back-shuffle-forward-shuffle (moving feet) – up & back, up & back. Don’t go 100 MPH – concentrate on moving feet quick - keeping shoulders square – moving in a good “football position”.

“SOFTBALL DRILL” = Used to teach big man to bend at knees – go down & pick up object where you have to use hand & eye coordination to see it (moving target). Use an area with 2 cones 10 yds. apart. Roll softball to farthest point of cone – he runs shuffles laterally & he has to bend knees with both hands down – pick up ball with both hands & throw it to coach. Coach then rolls it to the other farthest point. Direction drill where big guy has to bend & pick it up. GOOD CONDITIONER.

“PUNCH DRILL” = Teaches man how to roll hips, get under target, & deliver blow. Vs. shield, get man in football position – move feet (not a chop) with just bounce movement – step & hit UP – roll hips & hit up thru target. Step & deliver 10 right & 10 left.

“MIRROR DRILL” (pass pro) = Get in perfect fit position with bridge back – service guys grabs rt. arm – blocker sits down & applies pressure (he’s on rt. shoulder). Back & forth a couple of times on a juke – guy tries aggressively to jerk him (doesn’t try to penetrate). Blocker never stops moving feet (doesn’t have to be too fast). “Stack the deck” so offense wins!

“2 MAN BULL SLED DRILL” = Teach how to be explosive. 2 step blow delivery (don’t drive the sled after second step). Parallel stance – frontal position – step – blow delivery. OVER EXAGGERATE use of fists or heels of hands (with thumbs on top) by taking first directional step & second step is 100% BLOW DELIVERY – throw arms out of sockets on first step (wind up with elbows back for good arm thrust) – second step hit & lift sled up in air.

“TRIANGLE DRILL” = Blocking Lbers (base or cutoff). Use on hand & face on outside number – stay square.

“DRIVE DRILL” = Cutoff drill. Get a perfect fit – drive 10 yds, - stay square.

NOTE: No longer run wind sprints after practice because players will pace themselves. Get the running by: #1 TEAM PERIOD – 40 PLAY SCRIPT – THROWING - line sprints 15 yds. downfield on each pass to cover (like covering punts). #2 “RIGGO DRILL” = 15 plays (40/50 GUT) & RB/Line sprints 30 yds. on each snap. “SELL THE RANCH” during these two drills!!!