About the Author of this post:
Jerry Campbell has over 30 years of high school and college coaching experience. He has experience as a head coach, offensive coordinator, and various position coaches. He has written numerous football coaching articles in various publications, is the author of over 30 books on coaching football, and has produced 12 coaching video series. Additionally, he is a nationally sought after speaker on the coaching clinic circuit.
Click here for Linebacker Drills and Techniques Part 1
Click here for Linebacker Drills and Techniques Part 2
10. Step-Over and Back Drill
The step-over and back drill is an excellent drill for maintaining vision on the ball while maintaining balance. Player crosses bags while maintaining vision on the coach, don’t look at bags. Keep shoulders square to the L.O.S.; keep knees bent (Don’t stand erect). When player reaches the end of the bags, he then returns to the starting point, and finishes the drill with a hard five-yard sprint. Start you players off slowly so as not to trip over the bags. As they master their step-over, increase the speed of the step-over drill. Make sure players do not look down at the bag; keep vision on the coach, which represents the ball carrier. Keep shoulders squared to the coach.
11. Hot Stove Drill
Linebackers will sink their hips while stepping froward with play side foot. keep eye’s focused on the coach. hnd shiver the back end of each bag as if to keep defender off your legs. meet pressure at pressures level.
Player attacks each back with shuffle movement down the full length of the bags. Finish drill by sprinting straight ahead for five yards. Attack each bag low, with play side foot up, whip arms into bag with great hand shiver. This drill helps teach your linebackers to sink, and keep offensive blockers off their legs. Start drill with freeze step; keep shoulders square to the L.O.S., and eyes focused on the coach
12. Bag and Cut Work Drill
On command from the coach, player will begin to shuffle across the bags, while maintaining a good playing position, with shoulders parallel to the L.O.S. Position two players holding bags. As players shuffle across the bags, players with bags will toss the hand held bags at their feet. Player must be able to sink his hips, and keep bags off his legs. Keep eyes focused on the coach, and don’t look at bags while shuffling across them.
13. Hand Shiver and Shuffle Drill
Drill is designed to teach sink, shuffle, hand shiver, and vision on ball carrier. Player will step up with play side foot, and deliver hand shiver to bag.
Player will step, deliver blow, and then shuffle, keeping shoulders squared to the sled. Player should step towards the middle of the bag, splitting it down the middle.
Step with near leg. Strike a blow with both hands, lock out elbows; demand quick feet. Finish drill by sprinting a hard five yards when coming off last bag.
14. Seat Roll Drill
Butt roll drill should emphasize good stance with legs bent, feet shoulder width apart, and great shuffle without crossing over the feet, or losing proper base.
Coach gives players a direction in which to start their shuffle. As players start their shuffle, maintain eye contact on coach. Coach will give the command to drop to their hops, and butts, and will perform a seat roll. After seat roll has been completed, players will come back into proper playing position.
Look for knees bent, back flat, and head up. Players will finish drill on command from coach by sprinting straight ahead for hard five yards.
15. Read, Shuffle, and Fill Drill
