Daily Drills Pt. II

       Not only should offensive linemen do drills which work  on balance, foot speed, and flexibility, they should also work on drills which  will improve blocking techniques in the run and pass games. Like the drills stated in my previous blog, these drills are meant for off-season, summer workout,  or in season pre-practice warm-up and they  can be done in 15 minute sessions daily. I strongly encourage these drills be a staple when working the technique aspect of offensive line play as they can definitely give you the competitive edge needed to win football games!

1. Board Drills - Board drills are an excellent way to work on footwork for run and pass blocking techniques.1 Boards are a great way to establish good angles which  linemen need to take when they are blocking. They are a great way to develop the proper first step an offensive lineman needs to take because without a good first step there is no second step. Another alternative way to do board drills is to have another player on the opposite side of the board to simulate a defensive lineman and teach blocking angles and leverage.
2. Med Ball Punch - Offensive Linemen need to have strong hands because they are our only weapons. This drill can be used to develop strong hands, hand eye coordination, and can teach aiming points and timing to strike the opponent. Med ball punches can be used to teach both run and pass game situations
3. Pass Sets on Air -Speaking from experience and currently coaching, there are offensive linemen who have never been  coached on how to pass set properly because they played in more run - focused style of offense. Pass sets on air are a great way to teach novices the finer techniques of pass protection in a closed and stable environment.2

References:

1Fun Football Blocking Drills - The Board Drill - Football Tutorials. (2009). Retrieved February 26, 2016, from http://www.football-tutorials.com/fun-football-blocking-drills-the-board-drill/492/

2Football Offensive Line: Pass Blocking. (n.d.). Retrieved February 26, 2016, from      http://www.playsportstv.com/football/football-offensive-line_pass-blocking