Defensive Back Drills

(Skills and Drills)
By: Romison Saint-Louis

EDD’s
Big Hips: Down a line feet together hips rotating side to side. 180 degrees. Emphasis on turning it all the way and jumping high.

Quick Hips: Same as big hips but emphasis on speed.

Foot Fire (over a line): Stepping over and back down a line without touching the line. Emphasis on speed.

Eyes on hands: DB’s break when front hand comes off ball. DB works a back pedal/shuffle and then break and call ball when front hand comes off ball.

Do EDD under Chute to keep players low in BP and breaks

1) Stance
-2 pt, narrow stance
-on balls of feet, ready to slide backwards
-knees bent, butt out, bent at waist, shoulders over knees
“cover the numbers” = coach should not be able to clearly see players front numbers. This ensures the players are bent over with shoulders over toes.
-pad level low, eyes up, head up and back
-arms hanging loose, hands inside of frame

MOVEMENT DRILLS

2) Form Backpedal/shuffle
-Start in stance, usually 3 lines
-On ‘go’ command by coach players execute back pedal/shuffle5-8 yds
-Maintain narrow base, keep pad level same
-Arms pumping, eyes up, good balance
– Backpedal: Same side break. Finish with tackling air.

Stick the foot: Works on proper planting out of the shuffle. The front foot is the plant foot. Finish at line and tackle air.

2A) Form backpedal/shuffle through chutes: Works on staying low.
2B) Form B.P/shuffle sled press: Works on breaking down and taking on blocker.
-Also do through chutes and sled press

2D) Sprint and backpedal/shuffle: Backpedal/shuffle, turn hips to a sprint, turn hips to a backpedal/shuffle change every 10 yds (All one motion)

3) Back and Up
-Backpedal/shuffle on ‘go’, on ‘break’ quick feet stop and back up to coach
-Look for quick feet to change direction, not wide base
-Players must accelerate after break, not jog back up

4) Back and Out
-Backpedal/shuffle, break 90 degrees on coaches ‘break’ command
-Go left and right, then go on coach’s point direction (react to stimuli)
-Keep eyes up field, sprint after break at least five yds. (use lines)

5) Back and Corner
-Backpedal/shuffle; break 45 degrees to corner or post
-Go left and right, then go on coach’s point direction (react to stimuli)
-Players must accelerate out of break

5i) Double Move Drills
a) Back and corner, spin to other corner
-Player backpedal/shuffle, break to corner on command, on spin command
spin around snapping head around and go 45 degrees other waydouble move drill

 

 

 

 

 

 

b) Back and out and up
-Covering the wheel or chair pattern
-Player’s backpedal/shuffle, break to out on command, on ‘spin’ they
spin (1/2 turn really – eyes stay on “man”) and turn up fieldback and out and up

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

***On these drills a ball can be thrown for the player to intercept once the movements have been executed correctly. Players must do these Everyday and the ball intercept will keep them into the drill. They must yell bingo on interception and hustle back to “SCORE” You may or may not have a consequence of pushups for dropped interceptions.

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