Youth Football Fundamentals: Shedding Blocks and Creating Turnovers

Jack Gregory discusses the importance of attacking the blocker and winning the physical battle up front. In this DVD of football fundamentals, he looks at two of the most important aspects of the game from a defensive standpoint - shedding blocks and creating turnovers.

Shedding Blocks
Youth football players need to learn the basic techniques of defensive line play. One of the most overlooked skills is the proper way to shed a block. Coach Gregory emphasizes being "violent with your hands" and taking on only half of a man when defeating a block. With his shiver, post, and speed rip techniques, he shows how to build a foundation for proper block shedding. He uses the shiver as a starting point and then demonstrates how to use the post to enable a quick player to out flank his blocker. He also demonstrates the Rip Club, Bull Rush, Bull & Jerk and Hump Move to give players a variety of ways to get off a block.

Splitting the double team is a necessity when it comes to stopping a solid run game. Coach Gregory demonstrates how defenders need to "flip the hips" into the hole to break through the double team and destroy the play. He takes players through a lock-arms-and-knee-drop technique that will build a pile at the point of attack and force the ball carrier to bubble and bounce the play sideways to the other defenders.

Creating Turnovers
Forcing turnovers is an integral part of successful defenses. However, players often go for the turnover and give up extra yardage. Coach Gregory teaches the finer points of creating turnovers without giving up yards. He uses three techniques to separate the ball from the runner - the punch, the finger chop and the finger chop and elbow strike combination. His drills teach the first man in to tackle the ball while the gang tacklers are coached to take it away.

This DVD will strengthen the ability of your defensive unit to destroy blocks and create turnovers. Coaches at the youth and high school level will benefit from this presentation. The techniques described here teach players to win the game by stripping the ball away in a clutch moment .

80 minutes. 2013.