Coaching Ball Disruptions for Winning Football

with DeWayne Walker,
UCLA Defensive Coordinator

Ball disruptions are a defensive tactic to adversely affect the normal flow of an offense by applying direct pressure to the football on every play. Past coaching experiences with the likes of Pete Carroll and Bill Belichick has given Coach Walker a wealth of knowledge on this tactic. Ball awareness is the most important element of this concept and is defined as a player trained to locate the ball handler and the position of the football at all times. In teaching disruptions, five areas take on great importance: The altered pass, batted balls, forced fumble, pass break up and the interception. Using an overhead, Walker details the teaching methods of all five areas. Then, by using game footage, he shows the technique and strategy used to gain possession of the ball. By implementing a practice production point system, coaches are able to measure the amount of disruptions made by the defense in detailed fashion The value of disrupting the ball can be seen in national statistics; consider: of the top 25 teams based on turnover ratio in 2006, 21 of those teams were bowl eligible!

34 minutes. 2007.

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