A manual of fundamentals and drills for high school football line play

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A MANUAL" OF FUNDAMENTALS AND DRILLS FOR HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL LINE PLAY

A Projeet Presented to tlie Faculty of the School of Education The University of Southern California

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science in Education

by Ralph Dale Lythgoe August

1950

UMI Number: EP46450

All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion.

Dissertation Publishing

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T h is project report, w ritten under the direction of the candidate’s adviser and ap p ro ved by h im , has been presented to and accepted by the F a c u lty of the School of Ed u catio n in p a r t ia l f u lf illm e n t of the requirements f o r the degree

of M a s t e r of

Science in Education.

Date...

A d v is e r

Dean

ii

TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER

PAGE PART I.

TEAM DRILLS

HOW TO WIN BALL GAMES 1.

PAYDIRT:

HOW TO S C O R E .........................

1. SIGNAL DRILL:

2

How to run your plays and

formations in order to remember tliem......... 2. PASSING:

How to protect the p a s s e r .........

3. PUNTING:

How to protect the punter •........... 10

4. CONVERSIONS:

5. KICKOFFS:

How to begin the football game

6. PUNT RETURNS:

How to bring back the ball

7. KICKOFF RETURNS: GOAL LINE STAND:

12

...

14

...

16

How to set up a return play

. 18

HOW TO KEEP YOUR OPPONENT FROM

SCORING.................. ..................... 1. SCRIMMAGE:

24

How to play team defense in dummy and

live drill................................ 2. BLOCK:

8

How to block in the lina on

conversion tries ...........................

2.

2

How to block punts and conversions . . .

24 26

3. RETURNS:

How to stop punt and kickoff returns . 28

4. PASSING:

How to play defense against a good

passing attack .............................

33

iii

CHAPTER 5.

PACE GROUND ATTACK: How to play defense against a strong runningt e a m ......................... 35 PART II.

COOPERATIVE LINE DRILLS

HOW TO HELP YOUR TEAMMATE 3.

FIRST AND TEN:

HOW TO COMBINE JOBS TO WORK THE

PLAY MORE EFFECTIVELY............................41 1.

CROSS-CHARGE: How to execute the cross-charge and resulting b l o c k .............; ........... 41

2.

MOUSE-TRAP: How to work the trap p l a y ......... 44

3.

DOUBLE TEAMING, BOXING, WEDGING, AND INTERFERENCE:

How to work together to perform

these offensive line fundamentals 4.

.

......... 44

COMBINED WORK: How to practice cooperative offensive fundamentals with the b a c k s ......... 34

4.

HOLD THAT LINE:

HOW TO UNITE YOUR EFFORTS TO

STOP AN ATTACK................ 1..

LOOPING: How to work out a looping defense

2.

END AND TACKLE CRISS-CROSS: How to vary your

62 . . 62

defensive p l a y ............................... 64 3.

LINE DIVERSION: How to practice the sliding or slicing technique ........................

4.

64

CUP DEFENSE: How to carry out cooperative line spacing................................. 66

iv

CHAPTER

PAGE

5. BACKFIELD:

How to practice cooperative de­

fensive techniques with, the b a c k s .......... 66 PART III.

INDIVIDUAL DRILLS

HOW TO BE AN ALL-ROUND BALL PLAYER 5. OFFENSE: 1.

HOW TOOPEN UPHOLES IN THEOPPOSING LINE.. 72

REFLEXES: How

2. CHARGE: 3. BLOCK:

to gainquickreaction

time . . .

72

How to charge on offense............73 How to move an opponent out of the way . 74

4. TRAP:

How to pull out of the line and run

interference........................... 5. THE CENTER:

79

How to practice special offensive

fundamentals........................... . . 79 6. GUARDS AND TACKLES:

How to practice special

offensive fundamentals . 7. THE ENDS:

.................... SI

How to practice special offensive

fundamentals....... v . 6.

DEFENSE:

85

HOW TO STOP THE BALL CARRIER WITH

LITTLE G A I N .....................................94 1. CHARGE:

How to fill up a hole on defense

2. TACKLE:

How to bring down the ball carrier

3. THE CENTER:

...

94

. . 95

How to practice special defensive

fundamentals...........................

102

V

CHAPTER 4.

PAGE GUARDS AND TACKLES:

How to practioe special

defensive fundamentals...................... 105 5.

THE ENDS:

How to practice special defensive

fundamentals............................. 6.

FORMATIONS:

108

How to vary your individual

defensive techniques against different offensive systems off o o t b a l l .............. BIBLIOGRAPHY .

109

.................................... 114

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ILLUSTRATION

PAGE

1.

Dummy Scrimmage....... .......................

5^

2.

One Side Scrimmage

3.

Line Pass Protection

4.

Triangle Punt Protection..................... llS

5.

Wedge Conversion Drill

6.

Conversion D r i l l ............................. 15

7.

Kickoff Defense.......... I.................... 17

8.

Returning the P u n t ............ .

9.

Returning the Kickoff

.

7

........................

9

. . ................. .

13 ^

19^

..................

10.

Blocking Punts— Up the A l l e y .................. 27"'

11.

Blocking Punts— Through theM i d d l e ............. 29"/

12.

Blocking Punts— Criss-Cross...................

13.

Blocking Punts— OverloadingOne S i d e ........... yiy/

14.

Cross-Charging

15.

Pressure Blocking............................ 45 ^

16.

Trap Blocking................................ 4 6 "^

17.

T Cutback P l a y ..................... .........47*^

18.

Double T e a m i n g ................. '............. 49/^

19.

Boxing the Tackle.............................50y^

20.

Wedge B l o c k i n g ............................. 52

21.

Running Interference......................... 53^

22.

Cooperative Dummy Scrimmage........... . ' . . . . .

..................

.......

43 ^

55^

ILLUSTRATION

PAGE

23.

Punting Drill.................................. 57

24.

Pass Receiving.................................58

25.

Looping........................................ 63

26.

End and Tackle Criss-Cross...................

65

27.

Line Diversion

67

28.

Linebacker Pass Defense..........

29.

Charging B a g s .................................. 75

30.

Blocking Practice..............

78

31.

Charging Contest

80

32.

Check Blocking

33.

Pulling Out of the Line forInterference.......... 84

34.

Running Shoulder Block

35.

Individual Pass Protection .

36.

End Pass Maneuvers

37.

End on the Tackle............................... 90

38.

The Head-on T a c k l e ............................. 98

39-

Side Shoulder T a c k l i n g ........................ 100

40.

Live Tackling Practice

41.

Tackling and Blocking Co m b i n e d ............

42.

Backing up the L i n e ............................ 104

43.

Charging and Tackling C o m b i n e d ................. 107

44.

Defensive End Drill........................... 110

...............

69

.............................

......................... 83

.......................

86

.................... 87 .............. 89

.

..................... 101 103

viii

PREFACE Football as it is played today is one of the most difficult of all athletic events to learn.

This is due to

its dependency on detailed team coordination and timing; to the large number of players the coach must handle; and to football’s great popularity and accompaning pressures upon the coach.

Too often, valuable practice time is

wasted by the players because they do not know how to set up methods of learning the fundamentals on their own time^, Drills are one of these important methods of learning. That is why special attention is given to drills in this syllabus.

But drill for drill’s sake is not the desired

product; it must be purposeful. ful to the doer.

The act must be meaning­

Therefore, every attempt has been made

to enliven each practice with realistic drill techniques. The more each practice drill resembles conditions encount­ ered in an actual game, the better the results will be in the game. Also, as the team is of first importance, primary con­ sideration should be given to team offensive and defensive techniques rather than to isolated individual stunts. Part I of this syllabus concerns team offensive and defensive fundamentals and drills.

The next two divisions

give helpful hints on what cooperative and individual

is techniques need practicing and how to carry out the learn­ ing process of each. Many advanced individual, cooperative, and team fundamentals have been ignored in this project because of the inexperience of the average high school football player. Illustrations of most of the drills and stunts described in this syllabus are also included.

Ralph Dale Lythgoe

1

PART I. ■TEAM DRILLS HOW TO WIN BALL GAMES Even though blocks and tackles and runs and passes are made by individual players, it is the team that wins or looses football games.

No runner can score through

the line without the help of his blockers up front. one player can stop the offensive attack.

No

It is all the

job of a closely knit unit playing together at all times. The coach is naturally more concerned with the team than with any team members.

He spends a large percentage of

his time working on team plays and defenses.

Part I gives

many suggestions for learning team fundamentals and for practicing team skills.

2

CHAPTER 1.

PAYDIRT

HOW TO SCORE A.

MOTIVATION:

Rewards you will receive if you know how

to outscore your opponents. 1.

SUCCESS:

If you know Row to score, and. you out­

score your opponents, you are naturally going to have a winning team. 2.

CHAMPIONSHIP:

Everyone wants to win the game, be

champions, and go on to an undefeated season, and these may be yours if you are able to score. 3. ALL LEAGUE SELECTIONS:

If you are on a championship

team, you may be considered for the all league team. 4. SATISFACTION:

It should give you a great deal of

pleasure to know that you are doing your bit in outscoring your opponents. 5. AWARDS:

You will receive a gold inscribed football

and football letter if you play on a winning team. 6. MORE GAMES:

If you win your league, you will

probably earn the right to meet another championship team. B.

DIRECTIONS:

Some practical hints on how to practice

team offensive maneuvers. 1. SIGNAL DRILL:

How to run your plays and formations

3

in order to remember them. a.

Lineup without giving the play away. (1) Do not change your stance or position on certain plays. (2)

Either look straight ahead at all times or look at the same spot each play.

(3) Avoid looking at the hole or man you are to block as you come out of the huddle. (4) Hun your assignment without having to ask someone, but if you have completely for­ gotten, it is better to ask than to do the wrong job. b.

Do not minimize the importance of running your plays up and down the field every day. (1) This gives you practice in recalling your assignments to mind as the play is called and helps you keep in shape by running hard. (2) Run each play to the left and right at least three times. (3) This drill also breaks up the monotony of live scrimmage because it is fun.

c.

Run your plays against a defensive team holding blocking bags. (1) Here, the linemen can actually make their

charges and blocks. (2)

One team or unit should call and run a given play and then return to the outside while the next unit is running the same play.

(3)

The coach or first group quarterback can call the play.

(4)

This type of dummy scrimmage is used to check on individual assignments and to teaeh team play assignments.

(5)

See Illustration 1.

Run your plays against a defensive team of stationary live opponents. (1)

The defensive team should react to the play as they would in a game only at quarter speed.

(2)

With this arrangement, the defense can move quickly into changing defenses.

(3)

Give the defensive team a chance on offense.

(4)

Any defensive man in a position to make the tackle who is not blocked should make it known then so that assignments may be straight-ened out.

(5)

This type of dummy scrimmage or signal

□

ILLUSTRATION

1

DUMMY SCRIMMAGE

drill will give you practice on play assignments, play execution, and offensive techniques. e.

Scrimmage in several "one-side-of-the-lineonly" games at the same time. (1)

Only 22 boys can scrimmage at once under regular conditions.

(2)

See Illustration 2.

f. Scrimmage against live opponents but bring the ball back to the same starting spot each play. (1)

This gives those not playing a chance to see and hear about any mistakes made.

(2)

This type of scrimmage does not, however, make for realism as in regular game conditions.

g. Scrimmage against live opponents under actual game conditions. (1)

This gives you a chance to run plays according to the down, defense, and yards to go.

(2)

Play on a marked area, use a yard marker for first downs, and wear contrasting jerseys.

(3)

The defensive team should major in the defense that the week’s opponent uses.

o ILLUSTRATION

2

ONE SIDE SCRIMMAGE

(4)

If you are not scrimmaging, you may stand behind the offensive team and profit from their mistakes.

h.

Scrimmage on forward passes only. (1)

Every player is active, but there is no tackling.

(2)

The defensive team tags the passer and receiver.

(3)

The passing team keeps the ball until it is lost on downs, or until it is inter­ cepted, or a touchdown has been scored.

PASSING: a.

How to protect the passer.

Run your pass patterns in a dummy scrimmage. (1)

The defense should come at the passer one quarter speed to begin with and later one half speed.

b.

Practice either with individual blocking where you are assigned an opponent and are responsible for him or the wall- or cup bideking where all players come together and let no one go through. (1)

Certain pass patterns may call for one type'of blocking while other plays require another type.

(2) c.

See Illustration 3.

Run your pass patterns against live opposition

s>,

a.

Individual blocking assignments

Wall defense

ILLUSTRATION

3

LINE PASS PROTECTION

under scrimmage conditions. (1)

The blocking for pass plays is just like the other types of blocking where guards may pull, tackles criss-cross, and ends knock the tackles in.

(2)

Do not let up with your block until the pass has been caught.

d.

Do not block your opponent on the side of the line you are throwing a screen pass. (1)

Move out to the side and form a wall behind which the pass will be caught.

(2)

The pass will be thrown before the defensive linemen can break through.

PUNTING: a.

How to protect the punter.

Form a human triangle with the ball or center as the apex of the triangle. (1)

b.

Favor the side the kick is being made from.

Drill on the individual assignment or the wedge type of punt protection. (1)

c.

See Illustration 4.

Do not charge forward or retreat if you are a protecting back, but wait and let the defense come to you. (1)

You are responsible for keeping the defense from the middle lane.

ILLUSTRATION

4

TRIANGLE PUNT PROTECTION

(2)

Always force the defense to the outside around you.

d.

Do not charge forward or leave the line too soon if you are an interior lineman. (1)

Keep your ground with sharp lifting shoulder charges.

e.

Do not start down field immediately if you are an end if there is too much pressure on the interior linemen.

f.

Execute the cup defense against punts.

g.

Practice puntformation protection in signal drill, dummy and live scrimmage,

CONVERSIONS:

How to block in the line on

conversion tries. a.

Form a human wall or wedge against the defensive team by turning towards the center. (1)

It is illegal to hold on to each other, but you can get together as close as possible.

(2)

You should probably use the wedge defense in high school football.

(3) b.

See Illustration 3.

Do not allow anyone to break through or to hurdle over you. (1)

Let any defensive blockers run around the

13

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