30 Drills for Building Defensive Line Fundamentals

Using practice and game footage, Partridge takes you through 30 individual and group drills you can incorporate into your practice to teach proper fundamentals for the defensive line.

RUN DEFENSE
The first set of drills focuses on stopping the run. Using these drills, your players will develop:

• agility and athletic movement to defeat cut blocks
• quick feet and "violent hands" for turning the corner on a pass rush
• a powerful strike and maintain pad level when coming out of the stance
• the ability to stay ahead of the block when the runner is working away from you
• and more

PASS RUSH
Wisconsin's pass rush is a reaction oriented respond based on relationship to the QB and how they are stacked against the lineman. To gain this understanding, Partridge shares eight drills that focus on getting your lineman's hips open and away from blocker. You will also see how to sell an inside move, then come back inside with a chop technique; to avoid getting blocked in the back once your ends have won a speed rush; and how to get under elbow of a bigger offensive lineman and arm bar around lower part of blocker's body.

The groups drills focus on clearing feet to defeat cut blocks, shedding a tight end block and specific drills for beating the blocking assignments of spread teams.

In addition to all of these drills, Partridge shares his "Defensive Line Gospel," that is, the fundamentals your linemen need to be make a difference on every play. The bulk of the DVD centers on building the line by fine-tuning the seven fundamentals.

Defensive line play is an important ingredient in any defensive system. Using these drills, the Badgers lead the Big 10 in rushing defense in 2009 (allowing just 88.2 yards per game). Incorporate them into your practice and dominate up front.

76 minutes. 2010.