Mastering Balance in the Pocket: The Blind Push Drill for Offensive Linemen
The Blind Push Drill is a unique and valuable tool for developing essential balance and body control in offensive linemen, particularly for pass protection. This drill challenges linemen to maintain proper upright posture while reacting to unexpected contact, simulating the unpredictable nature of defenders’ rushes during live plays.
Purpose
- Developing Upright Posture: The drill emphasizes the importance of maintaining an upright body position during pass protection. This allows for better leverage, power generation, and improved ability to redirect defenders’ rushes.
- Enhancing Balance and Body Control: By reacting to unexpected contact while blindfolded, linemen develop a heightened sense of balance and body control. This translates to improved performance in live situations where they need to adjust their positioning and maintain stability against defenders’ movements.
- Refining Reaction and Recovery Skills: The unpredictable nature of the drill trains linemen to react quickly to sudden contact and recover their balance efficiently. This translates to better performance when facing defenders’ blitzes or stunts during live plays.
Description
Drill Setup
- Offensive Lineman Positioning: The offensive lineman assumes a proper pass protection stance (upright posture) in the center of a designated circle with a 2-3 yard radius. Their eyes are closed throughout the drill.
- Defender Positioning: Two designated defenders stand outside the circle, each holding a hand shield. They slowly jog around the offensive lineman, simulating a defender’s movement before a rush.
- Coach’s Role: The coach stands directly in front of the offensive lineman, ensuring their eyes remain closed throughout the drill for safety purposes.
Drill Execution
- Initiating the Push: On the coach’s signal or point, one of the defenders rapidly rushes the offensive lineman from their current position within the circle. They utilize the hand shield to simulate contact with the lineman’s chest or upper body area.
- Maintaining Balance: The key element for the offensive lineman is to maintain their upright posture and absorb the contact from the defender. They should use proper footwork and body control to maintain balance and avoid being knocked out of the circle.
- Drill Duration: The drill continues for a designated period (5-10 contacts) or until the offensive lineman demonstrates a good understanding of maintaining balance and body position.
- Multiple Stations: This drill can be run simultaneously at multiple stations, overseen by coaches or assistant coaches, to maximize efficiency and training time.
Coaching points
- Safety First: Emphasize the importance of safety throughout the drill. This is not a “bull in the ring” scenario, and the goal is not to injure players. The coach’s presence in front of the lineman ensures their safety and prevents accidental contact with the face or head area.
- Proper Upright Posture: Continuously remind linemen to maintain an upright body position throughout the drill. This allows for better leverage and stability when absorbing contact from the defender.
- Footwork Focus: Stress the importance of proper footwork for maintaining balance. Linemen should take short, controlled steps to adjust their positioning and absorb the defender’s rush.
- Body Control and Recovery: Encourage linemen to focus on good body control and quick recovery after being pushed. This translates to regaining their balance and maintaining proper positioning after contact occurs in live situations.
- Drill Movement: As the lineman shuffles their feet to maintain balance, the drill circle should adjust slightly to accommodate their movement. This ensures they remain within the designated practice area.
Equipment
- 3 Players (1 Offensive Lineman, 2 Defenders [can be substituted with 12th man players or assistant coaches])
- 2 Hand Shields
The Blind Push Drill is a valuable tool for developing essential balance, body control, and reaction skills in offensive linemen. By incorporating this drill into their training regimen, linemen can refine their pass blocking technique, become more adept at handling unexpected contact, and ultimately improve their performance in protecting the quarterback during live plays.
Originally contributed in 2007 by Coach Tom Langton, at that time Offensive Line Coach at Kean University – The Kean Cougars are playing in the NCAA III – New Jersey Athletic Conference.
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