Developing Fundamental Running Back Skills

Get the most out of your running backs on each play.

The running back position is the ultimate skill position. The back not only must be able to see the hole and run to day light, but also block and catch the football as well. In this instructional football DVD, John Settle guides you through how the training regiment he uses at Wisconsin.

Settle uses extensive game footage to highlight and illustrate essential skills.

Coach Settle's instruction falls into three areas of training the running back:

• Neck Up - This area features the mental side of being a running back: Communication, knowing the playbook, understanding offensive adjustments, getting a pre-snap look at the defense, understanding defenses, and more.
• Waist Up - The waist up focuses on shoulders and hands. The alignment of the shoulders, ball security, upper body strength, pass protection, yards after contact, and more. Settle shows you the five pressure points for holding the football, which will limit turnovers.
• Waist Down - The waist down involves executing footwork for the play call, hip flexibility to win the one-on-one battles, and the importance of lower body strength to run through and pull out of tackles.

PASS BLOCKING
Coach Settle examines pass blocking and the factors that control the spot of contact. Settle breaks both the tailback and fullback positions down in regard to shoulder contact, hand placement and footwork to teach blocking fundamentals. He explains various drills to help teach the zone run game, gap schemes, outside runs, draw run game, sprint draw, as well as pass protection.

CATCHING
In the final section, Settle focuses on pass catching, including the inside route and screen action. He discusses Wisconsin's catch, tuck and cover technique, which will help train you backs to catch balls in the middle of the field and in traffic and to take care of the football.

Running backs are a vital part of any offensive system and this DVD will give you some ideas as well as drills to use to improve your effectiveness of the running backs.

84 minutes. 2010.