Football Plays and Drills Extras

Check out our thoughts on football. We'll be commenting on our favorite subject, whether it's about a football play, drill, fundamental or something happening in the world of youth, high school, college or pro football.

April 24, 2006 19:40 - Pop Warner Little Scholars Org. Awards 11 Fallbrook, CA youths

The National Office of the Pop Warner Little Scholars organization named eleven Fallbrook, CA elementary and junior high students as 2005-2006 second team All American Scholars on April 1.

The students named were Andrew Arnold, David Handy, Justin Hukill, Axel Eyers, Trevor Labanz, Richard Riddle, Cody Moyles, Trevor Salyers, Bruce Wallace III, Michael Mapston and Kyle Volan. In order to be eligible, the students needed an overall GPA of 96 percent or higher and submit a complete prior year’s report card. These Fallbrook boys represent the top one percent of the 360,000 Pop Warner participants in 41 states.

Pop Warner Little Scholars, the largest youth football, cheer and dance program in the U.S., teaches fundamental values, skills and knowledge that children will use throughout their lives. Their mission is to enable children, aged 5 to 16 years old, to benefit from participation in team sports and activities in a safe and structured environment. Source: Fallbrook Village News

April 24, 2006 23:35 - Injured High School Player's Story Is An Inspiring One

This past November, Ben Bass was tragically injured while starting as an offensive guard for the Mansfield Wolverines. During the High School Football Division 2A playoffs against Rayville and with about two minutes left in the first quarter, Ben suffered a helmet-to-helmet injury that broke his neck. The team doctor and doctors at LSU Hospital stabilized Ben's neck, but he wasn't able to walk. Ben was paralyzed and in a neck brace for three months.

"I cried when they told me I couldn't play football again. That really hurt me because I had a passion for it and I really wanted to play.", said Ben. Ben won several awards at his football banquet in Mansfield. Since he couldn't walk, he was transported in a medical van by Renee McCuller, a Willis Knighton Health System Rehab Nurse Practitioner. Ben had to attend the banquet in a wheelchair and neck brace.

However, things have turned around quite a bit after months of hard work in therapy. Ben is now walking. His mother, Susie Myers, remembers. "Ben was walking with the walker and I was like, thank you, God." And while he can't play football anymore, he and those close to him are thankful he's still here. McCuller says, "I feel like it's divine intervention that he did what he did. I really don't believe in luck. In rehab, we can offer somebody the means to get better, but they've got to have it in here [in their hearts]. And he had it in there twice as much as most people."

This young man is quite an inspiration to us all, don't you think? He could have quit and felt sorry for himself. Instead, he's proven to us all that he's a winner.

Source: http://www.ktbs.com/health/2687431.html

April 25, 2006 13:07 - Defensive Back Technique - Stance, Start, Backpedal

An important part of football defensive back training is teaching the correct stance, start and backpedal techniques.

Stance - A correct stance allows for an effective backpedal. The weight needs to be balanced over both feet (feet about shoulder width apart and staggered with a heel to toe relationship). The DB's back should bend at the waist so the back is a bit rounded. Keep the head up, knees bent and the tail up. Keep the arms relaxed and keep the eyes on the quarterback.

Start - You must avoid false steps, meaning you can't allow either foot to come forward. The backward run must begin with a step back. The best thing is to teach DB's to push off with the inside foot and step back with the outside foot. Be sure the center of gravity stays over the balls of the feet.

Backpedal - During the backpedal, keep the waist bent, shoulders over the thighs, stay low and keep the feet a bit less than shoulder width apart. Swing the arms as if running normally. Reach back with each step and pull the body over the feet just like you would do if running forward. It's the same type of motion.

Check out our Defensive Back Drills

April 26, 2006 00:07 - Anticipation of the NFL Draft

3 days to the National Football League college Draft. I love the NFL draft.

It's exciting checking up on all the prospects:
where will they go?
will they succeed?
will there be a blockbuster trade?
which teams will do well
which ones will bomb?

There always seems to be a few teams that have a great plan and make some fantastic picks. On the other hand, there's always a few that just can't seem to get it right. Take the Oakland Raiders, for example. They've had quite a few questionable 1st Round picks in the last ten years - Tyler Brayton (2003), Phillip Buchanon (2002), Napoleon Harris (2002), Matt Stinchcomb (1999), Charles Woodson (1998), Mo Collins (1998), to name a few.

Granted, a few of those players had a good season or two, but none of these players are 10 year All-Pros. Making the same mistakes year after year always adds up to a team struggling to find its way. The Detroit Lions have had some disappointing returns from their last few 1st rounders, also.

But the great thing is that come Saturday, everyone has a clean, slate and has a chance to make this year's picks count.

For the players, this is the day they've been
dreaming about all their lives. Once picked, it's off to mini-camps and then the big test:

Training Camp.

The Big Time.

The Next Level.

April 27, 2006 01:09 - More NFL Football on TV & Brett Favre Is Back

Looks like we're going to get more chances to see NFL games this season - Replay Style!

NFL games will be replayed in a 90-minute format on NFL Network during the upcoming season.

Two games will be shown each Tuesday and Wednesday night. Games shot in high definition will re-air in HD. Which games will be re-aired will be announced Mondays.

It will be the first time in league history that games from the NFL regular-season or playoffs will be shown outside their live window. The network expects to show 75 replays altogether.

Sounds like fun!

On another note, I thought all along that Brett Favre had earned the right to make his retirement decision when he was good and ready. The Packers should have been preparing to build a solid product no matter what Favre decided to do.

He wasn't hurting the team like some may have thought because they need an improved offensive line whether he was going to be under center this fall or whether it was gonna be Aaron Rodgers.

Well, now we know it'll be Brett Favre one more time and I'm looking forward to seeing it. The guy can still play, there's no question there. The only question now is whether the team can put something around him.

Any comments?

April 27, 2006 21:20 - 5 Vital Ideas About Your Personal Football Coaching Philosophy

The thoughts behind your philosophy are why you coach football. It helps you know what you're attempting to learn and the knowledge you're trying to pass to your players as you coach them. Obviously, you...

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April 28, 2006 17:17 - Great Story About Former East Carolina Football Star Jerry Tolley

Here's a quote from an article about Jerry Tolley,

"Tolley admits that of the titles he has had the honor to own, there are none better than that of coach.

'I just love being called coach,' he said. 'I talk to the assistant to the president and she always calls me coach and I say, ‘You know, I really appreciate that.’ And one of the things I do is wear a baseball cap all the time and it says Elon-something on it. I only wear it during the winter because it keeps my head warm. And she always said, ‘You always wear that hat so I call you coach.’ (Wearing the hat) brings back a lot of memories all the time."

Coach Tolley grew up in a small town of only about 5000 - Edenton, NC. He played High School football for the Pirates in the area and then went on to star at East Carolina. He set records at the High School level and at East Carolina and then was a successfull coach.

Very interesting article about what the game of football means to all of us and how it affects our lives.

Read more...

April 29, 2006 08:02 - Fundamentals of the Center-Quarterback Exchange

This is the most important fundamental in the game of football. If the QB & center can't get this right, you won't be running many plays effectively. Make sure this football technique is practiced over and over and over some more.

Center-Quarterback Exchange
Center Fundamentals

• Position the football laces up
• Position the feet a bit wider than shoulder width
• Grip ball with right hand and form a "V" with the thumb & forefinger (splitting the seam on the ball)
• The heels should be just a bit off the ground, with the left hand positioned on the thigh or on the ground
• Keep the head up, but the back parallel with the field
• Lock the wrist and snap the football up quickly
• Feel the ball hit the quarterback's top hand securely

Center-Quarterback Exchange
Quarterback Fundamentals

• Stand behind the center with the weight on the balls of the feet, knees bent slightly
• The right hand should be wrist deep with the index finger positioned in the middle of the center's rear
• Rest the left hand under and next to the right hand, with the thumbs fitting in natural grooves
• Keep the arms bent just a bit
• Move with the center as he snaps the football up, closing the left hand on the ball as it hits the top hand
• Bring the ball straight into the stomach and execute the play that was called

April 30, 2006 11:51 - NFL Draft Notes

The NFL Draft had a few twists and turns, didn't it?

First of all, the Houston Texans, in my honest opinion, made the biggest blunder yesterday. Yes, Mario Williams should be a fine player, but how in the world do you pass on what some call the "Michael Jordan" of football - Reggie Bush? Bush has been a major player ever since his high school football playing days. I have no doubt his dominance will continue in the NFL.

The Texans tried to rationalize that they need better defense to stop the Colts in their division. Good point, except that almost none of the proven dominant defensive linemen in the NFL have gotten to Manning. The Texans just passed up maybe a couple of extra touchdowns Reggie Bush would have supplied each time they play the Colts for maybe, if lucky, a sack by Williams.

Again, I'm sure Mario Williams will be a fine player, but I strongly feel the Texans will be regretting this decision in the years to come, while the New Orleans Saints will be rejoicing that they got Bush.

On another note, I always find it a bit amusing that the last player left in that "Green Room" is meant to feel like some kind of failure or something. Come on, guys, these young men are going to sign for millions of dollars no matter where they go while there's people struggling to find the next meal for their families. And I'm supposed to feel bad for poor Matt Leinert because he fell all the way to #10?

The guy should feel grateful he went to a team with two outstanding receivers and a great running back in the Edge! He has a good coach in Dennis Green, a new stadium and he's close to home (LA). And then some analyst says he's one of the losers of the draft? Yeah, he may lose a few million being in that slot, but he's also getting a lot more than any of his paying fans will ever see. He's going to a better team than one of the top 5 that he might have gone to.

Sorry, I just can't feel sorry for him, Bush (for sliding to the Saints), or LenDale White. These guys need to have a bit more respect for the game and understand that there could be a lot more things that could be worse than falling a few steps in the draft. It usually works out anyway, just look at Big Ben in Pittsburgh.

Anyway, over-all I really enjoy watching the NFL Draft news and the excitement of potential. Now it's time to check out what these guys can do in the fall!