Getting Down to the Basics: The Stance

Playing offensive line is an artform while at times it looks as though a couple of big, dumb brutes are simply  hitting each other repeatedly . However, fundamentally, lineman have to be technically sound in their technique and training in order to be successful. This edition of my blog will focus on the fundamentals of playing offensive line.

    "A good stance leads to good footwork; good footwork leads to proper targets; and proper targets lead to solid blocks," says Pat Ruel, offensive line coach for the USC Trojans. "Being balanced in your stance is the key. If you are balanced, you have control, and when you have control, you can maintain your blocks."2 Before a play takes place  the proper stance must be employed.  Whether it is a three point stance (one hand down) or two point stance (no hands down), the stance has to be balanced in order to step with either foot depending on the play direction. The stance is the perfect balance of being able to do everything a lineman needs to do without giving it away (ex. leaning back indicating pass or leaning forward indicating a run play). In order to get into a good stance, linemen need ankle and hip flexibility so they can keep their whole foot on the ground and sit their hips down while in their beginning stance. Linemen with a wide stance or having the back foot up on their toe point can indicate a deficiency in hip and ankle flexibility. Because lineman are just naturally big people, hip and ankle flexibility drills must be a regular task. Such exercises may include stepping over hurdles and squatting under high hurdles. The picture above depicts the ideal three point stance for an offensive lineman.

• Both feet are flush on the ground and they aren’t too wide
• Hips are down and his head is up (not looking down) which creates a flat back
• Finally he is balanced and ready to attack for any situation, whether it is run or pass situation.
• A good way to test the player's stance is to quickly remove the hand from its anchor to the ground. If the player falls forward, too much weight was supported on the hand.1

1.The 3 Stances of Offensive Linemen. (n.d.). Retrieved February 14, 2016, from http://www.active.com/football/articles/the-3-stances-of-offensive-linemen

2.How USC Linemen Get in Their Three-Point Stance. (n.d.). Retrieved February 14, 2016, from http://www.stack.com/a/how-usc-linemen-get-in-their-three-point-stance