10 Biggest Mistakes Offensive Linemen Make- Youth Football

(1) Standing Up Too High at the Snap

Mistake: Linemen pop straight up instead of firing out, losing leverage and power. Many youth football linemen, pop straight up, then try and step.

Solution:

-Emphasize power stepping / leverage stepping first. Stepping, then sinking hips, sky eyes, and run feet (drive feet).

-Use chute drills or have them fire out under a rope to train staying low, while stepping first.

Dominate the LOS: The Ultimate Offensive Line Manual

(2) Poor First Step

Mistake: Stepping too big or stepping backward instead of forward with the correct foot. This is a very common mistake youth football linemen make.

Solution:

-Practice first-step drills daily.

-Keep steps 6 inches and violent-  quick and controlled.

-Powerful step, gain ground!!!!

(3) Not Using Hands Correctly / Hand Placement

Mistake: Grabbing, swatting, or not striking with hands at all. Hands aren’t inside.

Solution:

-Teach proper hand placement: thumbs up, elbows in, strike to the breastplate.

-Do hand-strike drills on shields and sleds.

(4) Not Knowing Assignments

Mistake: Linemen block the wrong man or hesitate because they don’t know their rules / blocking scheme.

Solution (mostly on the coaches):

-Keep your blocking rules simple and consistent. 

-Quiz linemen often in walk-throughs and film sessions.

-Rep your schemes against various fronts (pre-season). In season, rep against the defensive front you’re facing that week.

(5) Stopping Feet After Initial Contact

Mistake: They make contact but don’t finish the block. So many kids will make contact, then stop their feet entirely.

Solution:

-Emphasize drive and finish every play- get the kids on the sled!

-Use whistle drills-  block until the whistle, not until you think the play is over.

-Do one vs. one drive blocking drills.

(6) Lazy Stance

Mistake: Inconsistent or sloppy stances cause slow get-offs.

Solution:

-Drill stance and start every day.

-Feet shoulder-width, weight balanced, hands light, eyes up.

See Also: Proper 3-piont Stance for Offensive Linemen 

(7) Looking Down or Not Seeing the Defense

Mistake: Heads down or no awareness of alignment shifts or blitzes. It all starts with a good stance.

Solution:

-Train “eyes up” out of the stance.

-Use recognition drills… line up, ID fronts, point out threats.

(8) Not Communicating

Mistake: No talking on the line leads to confusion with double teams or blitz pickup. Communication isn’t always needed with your offensive linemen, but sometimes it is. More so in pass protection.

Solution:

-Teach linemen to call out defenders and communicate rules (“I got inside).

-Encourage loud, confident talk at the line.

(9) Weak Core and Footwork

Mistake: They rely on upper body strength and get off balance easily. A very common issue is that offensive linemen will reach for the defender, rather than step and get their with their feet.

Solution:

-Include footwork ladders, mirror drills, and balance work in practice. Football is a game of movement- your linemen should be always working on movement / becoming a better athlete.

-Teach proper posture and base width.

(10) Pass Protection Breakdown 

Mistake: Linemen don’t understand or they aren’t given any pass blocking rules or their pass blocking technique isn’t good.

Solution:

-Practice pass protection every individual practice session and during team.

-Make sure you practice not just the technique, but you pass blocking rules.

See Also: Pass Protection Fundamentals 

Emphasize a strong stance, a quick and controlled first step, and proper hand placement on every rep. Linemen should keep their eyes up, communicate at the line, and finish every block through the whistle. When players understand their assignments and build confidence through repetition, they transform from just “blockers” into dominant, disciplined linemen who control the line of scrimmage. Remember — great offenses are built from the ground up, and it all starts with the fundamentals up front.

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Coaching the Combo and Double Team Block

When teaching the combo block you need to start with the double team aspect of the blocking technique. When you are practicing the double team block with your offensive linemen, place a defender or coach with a blocking shield between the two offensive linemen that are executing the double team. Both offensive linemen then will use the defender’s chest numbers as aiming points when executing the double team. The linemen must get hip to hip and drive the defender vertical. The initial steps  will be directly at their respective chest number. Each linemen will block half of the defender. It’s all about getting movement on the defensive linemen while getting eyes on the linebacker. While driving the defensive linemen off of the line of scrimmage, the offensive linemen prepares to engage the linebacker when he shows on either side of the defensive linemen.

Combo Double Team: Tackle / Guard  & Tackle/ Tight-end

If the second level defender (linebacker) shows on the inside of the double team, the inside lineman combos off the first level defender (defensive linemen) and onto the second level defender- then the outside linemen stays on the first level defender.  If the second level defender shows on the outside of the double team, the outside lineman will combo off the first level defender and onto the second level defender- then the inside lineman stays on the first level defender.

See Also: Offensive Linemen Blocking Technique 

Power (Guard / Tackle Combo) 

Here is a look at Power with the play-side RG and RT combo double team. The middle linebacker takes an inside path so the inside RG combos off onto the  M and the RT stays on the defensive tackle.

Power (Tight-end / Tackle Combo) 

Here is a look at Power with the TE and RT combo double team. The middle linebackers takes an outside path so the outside TE combos off onto the M and the LT stays on the defensive end. The TE and T double team combo isn’t as common, but on the youth football level it’s an effective way to block those wide defensive tackles that are giving you trouble.

See Also: The Ultimate Offensive Line Guide 

This is a technique is something that needs to be practice often. When you go into individual offense period take your offensive line and practice this technique. It’s also nice to have game film on your opponent so that you know what defensive look you’re going to see. Knowing what defense you’re going to face will allow you to practice your combo blocks against the look you are going to see on Saturday or Sunday.

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Pass Protection Fundamentals and Techniques

1. Kick and Slide (Tackles and Tight-end)

This is a pass protection set that is used against a wide aligned level one rusher (defensive linemen). This block is executed most of the time by an offensive tackle or maybe even a tight-end that is staying in to block. The first step is with your outside foot, similar to a bucket step. The second step is almost a mirror step of your first, but keep it close to the ground. It’s important that you keep yourself between the rusher and the QB by maintaining your outside half to his inside near half. This is a tough block, especially if you are facing wide defensive ends that are quick. If you are getting beat outside and/or up-field, take him that way- ride him out and let the QB step up.

2. Power Step (for interior linemen- guards)

This is a pass pro set vs. an inside gap rusher, either by alignment or movement (stunt or slant). Using an aggressive gap down technique, step at the defender’s mid-line, keeping square to the line of scrimmage. Inside hand on the defenders far number. Outside hand punch on the defenders near hip- then motor your feet and wash him down.

3. Hinge Technique (back-side of the slide)

This is a backside pass pro set. Invite the man out and up the field. Use a bucket step with the inside foot, now hinge and swing your backside half back- giving the rusher a soft corner (shoulder) to rush through. Once the defender commits himself out and up, turn- club and run him up field. If the defender aligns and slants to your inside, Power Step (2). If the defender crosses your face, use the technique talked about in the Power Step (for interior linemen).

4. Slide Protection (cut down hands- quick passing game- Cut and Gut Block)

This is a great technique that is used to keep the defensive line’s hands down, for when you are executing your quick passing game, or even a quick 3-step drop back. You want your kids to aggressively block the defender to keep the rusher at the line of scrimmage and to keep their hands down.

Cut: Taking as many steps as needed to close the distance (usually 2 steps or so)- then shoot near shoulder and near forearm just above the knee ( thigh is the aiming point), don’t take out the knees!).  Keep your keep and scramble him. This isn’t a chop block.

Gut: Fire out at the base of the defender’s numbers, punching and driving through him as if it were a run play. Keep low, sink hips, sky the eyes.

See Also: Simple Pass Blocking Scheme for Youth Football 

5. Reach (great for wide defensive ends)

This is a pass pro set for defenders that are playing on your outside shoulder. Tackle technique- run him out to the side line if possible. This is a great technique that can be utilized across your entire line. It’s especially effective when defenders are playing in gaps. You can have all the offensive linemen step and reach play-side (reach play-side defenders) and have the backside offensive tackle or tight-end (whoever is the end man on the backside of your offensive line) hinge.

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Running Inside Zone with a Tight End

One thing we really enjoy doing is using a Tight End on the frontside of the Inside Zone scheme. We like to keep our rules very simple so he will keep the same rules as the Offensive Line meaning that he will be responsible for his playside gap. If there is a defender in his outside gap (which most defenses like to have to stop the outside run) he is going to block him out. His rule is that the defender cannot cross his face. If there isn’t a defender on the line in his outside gap he will look to help his buddy by doubling the C Gap defender. While he doubles the C Gap defender, he is still responsible for his playside gap. This means that if there is any linebacker or safety blitzing through this gap he will come off and keep that blocker outside.

We also like using a Tight End on the backside of the Inside Zone scheme. There are really two different ways we can use this blocker. Our base way of blocking Inside Zone with a Tight End on the backside is to keep him responsible for his playside gap. This tends to work well if we have a Quarterback who is not much of a running threat. In this case he is going to take the C gap defender and move him vertically. If there is not a defender on the line in the C gap he will climb up to the next level and look for a linebacker to block. In this our base way of blocking Inside Zone with a Tight End, because the C gap defender is going to be blocked, the Quarterback will always be handing the ball off.

Related Content: How to Utilized a Tight-end in Your Offense 

If we have a running Quarterback, we can give our Tight End an Arch call. This Arch call means that he will not be blocking the C gap defender and block the first threat outside of the C Gap player. This would allow the Quarterback to read the C gap defender and have a lead blocker in the event that he gets a pull read. This can be especially deadly on an even front defense if it is run to the boundary.

Inside Zone is a great offensive blocking scheme that uses simple rules to create vertical push on defensive linemen. By adding in a Tight End, the offense can add an extra blocker into the box and outnumber the defense to create better matchups.

Related Content: Wall Tag off of Inside Zone with a Tight-end

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The Offensive Line Pre-Practice Steps

Our pre-practice steps are designed to get our players warmed up by working on their flexibility and their stepping patterns. We go through four simple exercises that allow all of our linemen to be fully warmed up and ready for practice in a short amount of time.

The first thing we do is our Duck Walk. In our Duck Walk players will start with a great posture. This means that their hips should be low with their chests up. Their hands need to be in a striking position 6 inches from their belly and tight. We use the phrase that they want to be rolling a meatball as they go through the drill. In addition, they need to keep their elbows tight. We tell them that they want to rub the fat off their sides with their elbows.

As they go through the drill they want to be moving with six inch steps and striking with their whole foot. By striking with their whole foot they can get all of the power that they need from the ground. As they start moving through the drill it’s important that the coach has them focused on staying low and in a great posture while keeping their steps short.

Related Content: Simple Pass Blocking Scheme for Youth Football 

The next drill we do is the Icky Shuffle. In this drill the linemen will start with the same great posture only now they will be working on an angled step. The whole group will start by stepping to the right. They will start by taking two quick power steps with their right foot at a 45 degree angle. Once they have completed those steps they will take two steps with their left foot at a 45 degree angle. The key coaching points here are to keep their weight on the lead leg while keeping their hips and shoulders square to the line. This is a step that linemen in a Spread to Run Offense will use often which makes it a great step to work.

The next drill is the Backwards Icky Shuffle. They will be doing the same action as the Icky Shuffle but now they will be doing it backwards. The area where most of them struggle is keeping their hips square. Just like in pass protection, they want to keep their hips square to the line of scrimmage so they can react to the pass rushers move. This is the drill that can take some time to master but pays huge dividends in the long run.

Related Content: Offensive Line Blocking Techniques 

The fourth, and final, drill is the Partner Race. In this drill each player will grab a partner and line up facing each other. They will both extend their left hand and grab each other’s shoulder pads. They will then work to beat their partner by taking a sideways step with their lead foot. The key here is to make sure they keep good posture and stay low while they are moving through the drill.

These drills are not complicated, but they form the base of the movements for the offensive line. By mastering these movements in pre-practice, the players are able to gain more confidence in controlling their bodies and executing the steps that they need for each scheme.

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Gap vs. Zone Run Blocking Schemes

Zone Blocking Scheme 

A Zone scheme is based around the idea that the line will be responsible for the gap to the side the play is going. They are not blocking a man but an area. This means that they will run their path and deal with any defender that shows up. The idea with this scheme is for the offensive linemen to stay attached to the defender that is in their zone. They do not need a physically dominant block, instead they need to ensure that they cover the defender up and create a clean read for the running back.

One of the key elements of this scheme is the running back. In the Zone scheme the running back has to be able to understand the blocking assignments and how they fit into his path. We give our running backs an aiming point where he is going to try to get to. If he gets to this point and the hole is open he will attack downhill. If he see that hole being close he will look to cut it back and get directly up field.

Related Content: Inside Zone Wham Series 

Gap Blocking Scheme 

The other type of blocking scheme is a gap blocking schemes. A gap scheme uses leverage to give the offensive linemen an advantage over physically superior defensive linemen. In a gap scheme the offensive linemen on the playside will block down, or away from the gap where the runner is going. This will leave one defender unaccounted for outside of the gap where the ball is going. The offense will pull a lineman from the backside of the play to block this defender out. The result is a hole that develops between the pulling offensive lineman and the down blocks that should combine to form a wall.

The running back in the gap scheme is equally important as in a zone scheme. While he will not have as many reads, it is more difficult to get him to stay tight to the wall and stay patient. We tell the running back that he wants to ride the wall as tight as possible. If he can stay tight to the wall the pulling lineman will knock any defender out. Because the wall blocks come earlier in the play and have the advantage of leverage, they tend to be more stable blocks than the kick-out block. This makes it a smoother surface for the running back to base his path on. We tell the runner that he is going to ride the wall through the box. Once he clears the box he should have one Safety to beat.

Related Content: Zone Blocking Plays for Youth Football 

Gap and Zone schemes both have an important role in an offense. As a general rule Gap schemes are more effective if your offensive linemen are not physically as strong as the defensive linemen and can help to deal with stunts and twists. Zone Schemes are great ways to feature a runner with great vision and punish fast flowing linebackers.

Playbooks 

Gap Scheme Playbook for Youth Football 

Inside & Outside Zone Playbook for Youth Football 

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Weekly Progression For Preparing the Offensive Line

We start the week by going on a whiteboard and showing what we expect to see and how we want to block it. This is a great whole group instruction and is especially helpful for the visual learners. To make things a little more concrete we will also use poker chips and set up the expected front and how we plan on blocking it. This tends to work very well for the tactile learners but is an effective tools for visual learners as they start to see how we will form the wall on our gap plays.

From here we will go onto the field and walk through our new installs. This is done with the whole team against air. While I would like to say the line is a focus during this time, it is mainly a time for the skill players. The majority of our plays are based around 2-3 run blocking concepts so there isn’t much new learning for the line. After this period the line will work on their blocking techniques through their Everyday Drills. Here there is almost no attention paid to the upcoming opponent, instead the focus is on the skills that we will need to make our blocks.

Related Content: Set and Punch Drill for Offensive Linemen 

We finish practice with a tempo period on bags. Here the line will get a chance to go through the run schemes against the looks we expect to see. This is a good time to see the base level of our offensive line and how much they understand each scheme. While this is happening our offensive line coach is standing behind the team with a play sheet and marking down each one that the line makes a mistake on. During this period the goal is tempo so we are not correcting mistakes then. Instead, we take notes of what plays we need to correct and then address them during our barrels period.

During our barrels period we will take the offensive line, quarterback and running back and have them take off their pads. We then set up barrels to represent the defensive front. We’ve used a lot of different things for barrels including trash cans and water storage barrels but the best by far are the orange construction barrels that have the handle on the top. Once we have our barrels set up we will go through all of our main running schemes against the barrels. This is a time when the linemen are allowed to ask any questions and get clarification on what they are doing. Once we have moved through the schemes we will go back and rerun any play we made a mistake on.

Related Content: Protect your QB with the Half Slide Protection 

By going through our new run game installs in a systematic way we ensure that we have addressed the learning needs of our whole offensive line. This has been a system that has developed over time, we have changed our approach to meet the needs of our players. I’m sure as time goes on we will continue to change and add different approaches to prepare our players to do their best.

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Using the Sugar Huddle to Create Defense Misalignment

The Sugar Huddle itself is a simple wrinkle that is easy to install and execute yet adds a massive amount of stress to the weekly defensive preparation. In the Sugar Huddle the offensive line will create the huddle 2-3 yards away from the ball with their backs to the ball directly behind their position. The goal is that when the huddle breaks they are able to get aligned in a three point stance and run the play in the shortest amount of time possible. When the Quarterback steps into the huddle he will tell the play to any receiver who will be on the perimeter of the formation first and send them out to their position.

Once the Quarterback has sent the receivers out to their position, he will then step into the bulk of the huddle to tell the rest of the team the play. Once he has repeated the play twice he will say break and the players will quickly line up in their positions so that the offense can snap the ball in under 2 seconds. The result is that the defense must adjust to the formation and get aligned quickly.

Related Content: Create Alignment Conflict with the Bling Formation 

While simply aligning in a formation can stress the defense out, the major advantage of the Sugar Huddle is when the offense uses it to get into unbalanced formations or run trick plays. Unbalanced formations are always difficult for defenses to align to, but when the offense adds the stress of the Sugar Huddle it forces the defense to align in a matter of seconds. The result is normally an overload that the offense can exploit to get the first down.

A popular strategy for combating the Sugar Huddle is to have a set defensive front for the defense to align in. This allows the defense to align quickly regardless of the offensive formation. The obvious downside of this is that once the offense knows how the defense is going to align it can attack the weakness of the defense.

To add extra stress to the defense offenses can run shifts out of the Sugar Huddle. If the defense is using a base alignment that they are using to all formations out of the Sugar Huddle they will align quickly. Beyond attacking the weakness of the formation the offense also has the ability to use a simple shift to add an extra blocker to either side of the formation and create an advantage against the defense.

Related Content: T Formation Plays for Youth Football 

Every offense wants to find simple ways to stress the defense. By adding the Sugar Huddle to your attack the defense will be forced to recognize and align to formations quickly before getting their mind on the next play. The effect is a defense that is either misaligned, not focused on the play or both.

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Set and Punch Drill for Offensive Linemen

The basic set up the drill is very simple. One lineman will get in a stance while three bag holders and a fourth linemen will line up outside of him. On the coaches cadence the lineman will take a drop step and punch the first bag and then continue down the line to punch the remaining bags. As he punches the third bag the fourth lineman, who does not have a bag, will start attacking outside of him to simulate a defensive end trying to run the hoop to get to the Quarterback. The lineman who is going will push him further than he wants to go to protect the pocket.

Related Content: Run Blocking Technique for Youth Football 

There are a few key coaching points that the coach must keep an eye on while the lineman is doing the drill. The first is that the player is keeping a good posture and keeping his hips low and chest up. As the practice goes on linemen begin to lose their posture and start allowing their knees to get more straight and begin to bend at the hip. This puts them in a position where they lack power, can’t see the defender, and have a shorter punch: so it’s critical that the coach stays on them to keep their posture throughout the drill.

The next coaching point involves the weight of the lineman’s feet. As he goes through the drill it’s critical that he has the majority of the weight on the front foot and isn’t allowing his weight to shift back to his kick foot. If he gets into a position where his weight is sitting on his back foot defenders will be able to beat him to the inside and get a more direct line to the quarterback.

Related Content: Best Offensive Line Drill for Youth Football 

The final coaching point is on the run by portion of the drill. Many times defenders will take a wide path to get to the Quarterback. Where linemen can get in trouble is if they set too far outside and open up space for the defender to beat them inside. When a defender takes a path that is too wide all the lineman needs to do is take a vertical set and flatten the defender’s path so it takes him further away from the Quarterback. This will leave space for the Quarterback to sit in a clean pocket and make the throw downfield.

One of the best parts of this drill is the efficiency. When it is running properly there should be only about 5 seconds between the end of one rep and the start of the next one. This, combined with the technical aspects of the drill, make it a great drill to work in the pre-practice section as players begin to warm up.

(See Also) Skip Pull Technique 

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Blocking the Counter Play

The Counter scheme is a simple Gap blocking play. In reality the offensive line only needs to change one block in order to keep it identical to the Power concept. Both plays are based around the frontside of the play blocking down to create a wall while a player pulls to kick out the C Gap player and another pulls and leads on the playside linebacker.

The playside tackle is responsible for the playside B Gap. He will step down and block any defender that happens to be in the B Gap. As he blocks down on this defender he will keep his outside arm free and his eyes on the backside linebacker. His rule is to take the down lineman to the backside linebacker. If there is not a down lineman in the B gap he will continue on his track to the backside linebacker while staying as tight to the playside Guard as possible. If there is not a down lineman in the B Gap he must step down and prepare for a defensive stunt or blitz that will put a defender into his gap as he continues to climb up to the backside linebacker.

Related Content: Split-back Formation Counter Play

The playside Guard maintains the same rules as the playside Tackle. He is responsible for his inside gap. If there is not a down defender in his backside gap he will help the Tackle by doubling up to the backside Linebacker. While he is doubling the B gap player he is still responsible for the A gap so he must keep his head up in case a linebacker blitzes into this gap. If there is an A Gap defender the Guard must come down hard and get his head across to stop any upfield movement. In this situation he doesn’t have to worry about his backside or coming off the block, just securing the A gap defender.

The Center is responsible for replacing the puller. The backside Guard will be pulling to kick the C Gap player. As a result the Center is responsible for the first player to his inside. Similar to the playside Guard, he must get his head across to ensure that the defender does not get penetration into the backfield. If the defender is all the way in the B gap the Center has two options. The first is to rely on the Tackle’s Crush block to buy him some time to get there. The other option is to make a Cut call. The Guard must relay this to the Tackle so the Tackle knows not to touch the lineman and risk a 15 yard penalty.

The Backside Guard is responsible for pulling and kicking the C Gap Player. This is the only major difference between the Counter and the Power Play. On Power the Guard is pulling and leading for the frontside linebacker while on Counter the Guard is going to be kicking the C Gap player and letting the H Back or the backfield deal with the playside linebacker. On this pull the Guard must get downhill and make contact on the defensive side of the Line of Scrimmage. It’s critical that he does not get beat inside.

Related Content: Creating Space for Your Playmakers with the Ubbie Package

The backside Tackle has a Crush block. On this block he is responsible for both the B and C gaps. He will take two pound steps in to ensure that no defender comes through the B Gap. If there is a down lineman in the B Gap he will give a strong punch and move him back towards the Center. After he takes two pound steps in he will rotate out to slow any defenders in the C gap. There are several critical teaching points for the Crush block. The Tackle must be aware that his first priority is the B Gap. This is the most direct line to the ball carrier so it must be protected first. Once he has guaranteed that the B gap will be secure he can move out to the C gap.

When the Tackle moves his attention to the C Gap he must run out of the block. Most players will just turn out to the C Gap and accept the pressure from the lineman. There are two major issues with this. First, the defender has momentum so the Tackle will be moving backwards. The second major reason for running out of the block is because it helps buy time for the Running Back to get to the hole. These steps can be the difference between the Running Back being run down in the backfield or him getting to the hole and gaining yardage.

The H Back will be responsible for the playside linebacker. This is different from the Power play where he was responsible for the C Gap Player. His rules will stay the same as the Backside Guard’s rule on the Power Play. He is going to come tight to the wall formed by the playside Guard and Tackle and block the linebacker out away from the wall. This will create a seam so the Running Back can ride the wave up to the Safety and make a play.

The Counter concept makes for a natural addition to the Power play because of their similarity. By switching the person executing the kickout block and the side the H Back is aligned to the defensive linemen and coordinator will struggle to get a bead on the offense.

(See Also) Wishbone Offense for Youth Football 

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Maximizing the Power Blocking Scheme

The basic concept of the A Gap Power is split into two sides. On the front side the linemen are responsible for their inside gap. If there isn’t a defender in their gap they will double team any linemen in their outside gap. On the backside of the play the Guard will be pulling around for the playside linebacker as a lead blocker. The backside Tackle will make a crush block where he steps to ensure defenders don’t get through the B Gap and then hinges out to ensure no one comes through the C Gap.

The different ways to run the A Gap Power all revolve on how to deal with the Playside C Gap player. There are two things to do with this player, the offense can either block him or have the Quarterback read him.

By blocking the C Gap player the offense can ensure that the ball will be run through the A Gap player. This is a great way to force the defense to deal with a hard running back and get guaranteed yards. The most popular way to block this C Gap Player is by lining up a Fullback or H Back inside of the Tackle so he can have leverage to kick the player out.

Related Content: 3 Ways to Run the Power out of Spread 

While the traditional way of running Power is to block the CGP this can be a difficult block. Many teams will teach the defender to wrong arm the block and force the runner to bounce the ball out. This takes the runner away from his lead block. The solution to this is to read the defender. A defender who is hard to block is easy to read. By reading the defender the offense will slow him down and make him think about his assignment. Once the CGP starts to slow down he has now become easier to block and you can go back to running the ball through the A Gap.

Power Mesh from 2×2

One of the best things about this scheme are the different ways the offense can read the CGP. The most basic way can be run from a 2×2 set with only one back. We have traditionally called this play Power Mesh. In this play the Running back will be running the Power track. The Quarterback will read the CGP. If he comes down to tackle the Running Back the Quarterback will pull the ball and run outside. If the defender stays where he is or runs upfield the Quarterback will hand the ball off to the Running Back who will run the A Gap Power.

While Mesh is very straight forward sometimes there is a dynamic runner who is better on the outside while the Quarterback is a better Power runner. In these situations the offense can move to the Inverted Power. In the Inverted Power scheme the Running Back (or Receiver running a Jet Sweep) will now run the outside path while the Quarterback will be running the Power path.

While there are many different ways to run the Power the last one we will talk about is Arc Power. In Arc the offense will line up with a Fullback or H Back in the backfield. On the snap of the ball he will move towards the CGP making it look like he is going to block him. At the last second he will loop around the defender to the outside. This allows him to be a lead blocker if the Quarterback does pull the ball. The result is that the CGP doesn’t know if the blocker is coming to get him or arcing past him. This alone will slow him down and make him easier to block on future plays.

The A Gap Power is a great blocking scheme. While it is expensive to install and it does take time the ability to run it with multiple different backfield actions makes it a great addition to any offense.

(See Also) Power Pass out of the Diamond Formation

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Drill # 1:  The 3-Point Stance

The 3-point is something that needs to be taught right of the bat. The offensive line will start every play in a 3-point stance, so it’s important that the kids are able to get into proper stances. A good stance will allow them to fire out and utilize strength and leverage.

Drill Setup

All the players line up across the field and the coaches instruct the proper 3-point stance. Once instructed, the kids get into the 3-point stance and the coaches check to make sure every player is in a proper stance. We will have them relax and then go through it another 2-3 times until all the players get into perfect stances.

Technique Focus

• The feet should be about shoulder width.
• Feet should point straight ahead. This will allow for a faster fire-out.
• Once the feet are set, drop into a squatting position and extend the down hand slightly inside the near foot, in front of the body.
• The body weight should be around 70% on feet/hips and 30% on your hand. I always have my players put a lot of their weight on their feet and hips so they can maximize power on the get off.
• The arm/hand that is not on the ground needs to be ready for quick use
• Back should be flat and head should be up.

Drill # 2: Fire-out and Power/Leverage Steps 

Drill Setup 

Put the players in 4 different lines. They will execute the power step on the whistle.  We will do 3 power steps right, and then 3 power steps left. Then they go to the back of the line and the next players do the same thing.  Steps are initiated on the whistle (ideally on a snap count).

Technique Focus

Phase 1:

• Short 6 inch step, strong step. “Power Step Right”, First step with right foot. “ Power Step Left”, First step with left foot.
• Power step, going forward.
• Sink Hips and Sky Eyes.
• Reset into stance. ( could go on whistle or snap count).
• Hands inside, elbows in, thumbs up, shot hands.

Related Content: Offensive Run Blocking Techniques for Youth Football

Drill # 3: Drive and Finish 

Drill Setup

Players stay in their lines from drill # 2  and drive the coach with the blocking shield until the whistle blows. You can utilize blocking shields or a blocking sled. If you are limited as far as practice equipment goes, just have them drive a player that is put in front of them.

Technique Focus

• Taking all the techniques learned in drill #s 1 & 2 and applying them to actual blocking.
• Good stance, fire-out, power steps, technique, and finish needs to be the focus.
• This is all about making sure the kids are implementing all the techniques that they were taught in drills 1 and 2.

These progression drills are very simple to setup and are drills that should be done regularly with your team. You can adjust these drills to fit your offensive scheme. Regardless of scheme, these are offensive line techniques that need to be taught. Come back tomorrow to see the defensive line progression drills we implemented in our Austrian football camp!

(See Also) The Best Offensive Line Drills for Youth Football

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Protect your Quarterback with the Half Slide Pass Protection

The beauty of the half slide protection is how simple the rules are. There is a slide side and a man side. The slide side includes the Center. Each man on the slide side is responsible for the gap to their outside. This means that the Center is responsible for the A Gap, the Guard is responsible for the B Gap and the Tackle is responsible for the C Gap. The effect is that the slide side is very sound and protected.

Opposite of the slide side is the man side. On the man side the Guard is responsible for the first down lineman past the Center and the Tackle is responsible for the next down lineman. The Running Back will fill in and take any blitzing threat or the third down lineman. The idea is to put the linemen on linemen as the offensive linemen tend to be big enough to handle the larger defensive linemen. This puts the Running Back on the linebacker who tends to be smaller and show later. As a result of him showing later the Running Back doesn’t need to hold his block as long as the linemen.

(See Also) Simple Pass Blocking Scheme

There are a couple of key coaching points that need to be emphasized for the half slide protection to be effective. The general rule is all linemen need to avoid setting to no body. This means that while the slide side guard is responsible for the B gap to his side if he does not have an immediate or imminent threat he should help the Center against any A gap player. The second part of this rule, which is critical on the slide side, is that the linemen must keep their eyes in their gap. One of the most dangerous things that can happen is for a linemen to help away from his gap and completely miss a looper or blitzer. This takes great eye discipline and must be coached daily.

The half line protection can be used for the short game or the drop back game. In order to give linebackers a run read we use an aggressive set where the linemen are firing out into the defenders. This gives disciplined linebackers a false read which will slow down their pass drop. When using it for the drop back game linemen will take a more traditional set and force the defender to come through them.

The key to any scheme isn’t the X’s and O’s, it’s the ability of the players to execute the scheme at a high level. By using a single pass protection scheme the linemen are given the chance to truly maximize their skills and become experts at their jobs.

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Technique: Pulling Offensive Linemen in Youth Football

While most offensive linemen are not fast they can maximize their game speed by being efficient in their movements and not having any wasted steps. This starts with the first step of the pulling linemen. While it is critical that the lineman does not false step, when he is pulling his first step must move him closer towards his goal. This initial step serves two purposes. First it opens his hips and shoulders to the direction where he is going. Beyond taking the correct step he needs to throw his pulling side elbow back. By throwing the elbow back he will get his body facing his target. Once he has his hips and shoulders on track he can start to gain the speed and power he needs to deliver an effective block. The second purpose of the step is to gain ground. If the first step only opens his hips and he does not gain any ground he has put himself at a disadvantage to get the defender. Instead this initial step must be outside of his cylinder. If he does not gain ground on this initial step he the defender will have a full step advantage over him.

In general there are two different types of pulls for linemen. The first is a kickout block where the linemen will be blocking a defender who is on the line out so that the ball carrier can run the ball inside of him. The other type of pull is when a linemen serves as a lead blocker for the ball carrier. He could be leading the ball carrier to the inside (like the Power play) or on the edge (like a Sweep or Pin and Pull play). The path, aiming point and mentality of the linemen varies based on his assignment.

Kick-out Block Pull 

When the linemen is pulling for a kick out block he has one absolute rule, do not get beat inside. The one thing the puller can not allow to happen is for the defender to get inside of him, this objective drives everything about the block. Because he can’t let the defender inside of him, he will take a checkmark path to his assignment. This means that after he makes his clearance step, he should be heading down hill on a path so that he makes contact with the defender on the defensive side of the ball. This allows him to dig out any defender that might be making a stunt down the line. If he finds that he is in too tight he will be able to adjust so that he can get enough of the defender to free the ball carrier. If he makes the mistake of not getting down the line and tries to adjust to the inside he will normally get beat by the defender. This is why it’s so critical that the lineman gets across the line.

As he goes to make contact he must keep in mind that his primary objective is to not get beat inside. Many times these can be huge blocks where the linemen makes great contact on a defensive linemen but the thing he can’t do is whiff. I tell the linemen that I will never get mad at him for making solid contact and running his feet. We all love the big hit but it’s important to stress not to go chasing the big hit and whiff.

Inside Pulling- Lead Blocking 

The other type of pulling block is the lead block. These blocks are slightly more complex and have more variables that the lineman must think about. The thinking of the blocker depends on where the ball carrier is running. There is a different thought process to outside pulling plays than inside pulling plays.

On an inside pulling play the pulling linemen wants to have a downhill aggressive approach to blocking. The most popular scheme that features an inside pulling lineman is the Power play. On the Power play the backside Guard will be pulling around for the playside linebacker. On this play the lineman wants to hug tight to the wall that is being formed by the front side Tackle Guard and Center blocking down. As he comes around the corner he wants to maintain contact with this wall so that he can maintain inside leverage on the playside linebacker. As he comes down the wall he wants to see the playside linebacker and go directly through his inside shoulder so he place himself between the linebacker and the wall. The running back is taught to keep his track tight to the wall and ride that wall to the daylight the emerges as the pulling guard turns the playside linebacker out.

An outside pull is a completely different thought process for the lineman. When he is pulling as a leader blocker inside he being aggressive and creating a space for the running back. When he is pulling to the outside he is now in the Running Back’s world with players who are much better in space. Because of this, his job is to force the defender to pick a side and then rely on the Running Back to make him right. Many times you will see a linemen come around the edge and run full speed at a smaller player and inevitably whiff. Many defensive coaches call this “Semis on Ice.” In these situations because the linemen is moving so fast he can not change directions so it takes only a simple move from a DB to get around the block and make the tackle. The lineman is much better off to slow down and pick a shoulder of the defender to run through. If the defender wants to avoid the block he has to go around the blocker which gives the Running Back a clear path. Many linemen do not like pulling because it puts them in situations that they are not comfortable in. The way to improve lineman’s ability to pull is by giving them simple rules and allowing them to rep it until they are comfortable.

(See Also) Run and Pass Blocking Technique

(See Also) Skip Pulling Technique 

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Maximizing the Outside Zone Blocking Scheme

One of the most common ways the Outside Zone has been used is from Under Center with the Stretch play. This concept was made famous by the Denver Broncos and their legendary offensive line coach Alex Gibbs. The concept is that the Running Back will be coming downhill and taking a handoff deep in the backfield. He can then read the block of his Playside Tackle to determine if he will press the ball outside or make a single cut back to the Inside. This can be run from a variety of different formations and sets which makes it particularly difficult to defend.

One advantage of running this play from Under Center is the Play Action potential it opens up. By having the Running Back coming downhill the defenders are forced to react or risk being beaten to the edge. Peyton Manning was a true master of this where he would sell the fake so well that the defenders would come downhill to stop the run only to see Marvin Harrison or Reggie Wayne going streaking by them.

One of the toughest parts of running the Stretch play is in coaching the Running Back. It is critical that he is able to read the Tackle. If the Tackle is able to seal his man then the Running Back is free to get the ball to the alley and attack downhill. If the Tackle is unable to seal his man the Running Back must plant with his playside foot and cut vertically upfield. This can be particularly difficult for younger running backs as they hear the Stretch play called and want to run the ball to the outside no matter what. They must be taught through practice and game reps to get a feel for when the Tackle does not have his man sealed so they can turn it upfield to gain yards.

Another common way to utilize the Outside Zone blocking scheme is to get the ball to the running back out of the backfield. In this instance the Running Back will line up next to the Quarterback opposite of the play call. When the ball is snapped the Quarterback will take the snap and step directly back as the Running Back come across his face.

The Running Back is still making the same read on the Tackle. Many Running Backs can find this to be a more difficult read because they are moving directly sideways which makes it difficult for them to cut and get upfield. Again it’s important to drill this technique so it becomes second nature to the Running Backs.

Some teams will have the Quarterback read the backside Defensive End on this play. When the Quarterback is reading the end he is checking to see if he can run it for four or more yards opposite of the play call. Many teams have moved away from this because it’s very rare for the backside Defensive End to be able to run down the Running Back.

One of the more popular ways to use the Outside Zone blocking scheme is by utilizing the Jet Motion to give the ball to a fast player running at full speed. This can be a great way to get the ball on the edge and utilize a WR who might not be getting a lot of passes thrown to him.

There are a variety of different coaching points that must be mastered but one of the key things is that the runner gets the ball at as close to full speed as possible. This can only be accomplished through practice with the backs running at full speed.

One way to handle the handoff to the Jet man is by having the QB drop the ball down to him. By doing this a couple of different things are accomplished. The biggest one is that if the ball is dropped by the runner it is considered a forward pass and the play is dead. This helps eliminate some concerns especially if you are pulling a fast player over from defense to run the play.

The other major advantage is that some players feel like it allows them to run faster. While I don’t really believe this is completely true, I am a full believer in the power of the placebo effect. I believe that a player who thinks he can run fast will beat a player who thinks he is going to be running slow. As a result I normally give the players the option if they would like to get the ball dropped down to them.

Regardless of how the handoff takes places the Jet man will be getting the ball and stretching the edge of the field. Due to the speed the runner is moving at he will not be reading the playside tackle and is automatically trying to get to the edge. The added speed of the runner makes it more likely that the Tackle will be able to make the block but many teams will use the Running Back to seal the edge to guarantee that the ball carrier can get to the alley.

(See Also) Inside Zone Wham Series 

(See Also) Zone Running Plays 

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