Gauntlet Drill for Ball Security

Ball security, preventing fumbles and turnovers is perhaps the most important skill the offensive team can have. This is especially true for a running back or wide receiver as they will carry the ball more often than others on the field, but it is a good idea for all positions to practice a little ball security. A great drill called the gauntlet practices ball security. The drill starts with a player protecting the ball as best as he can while running through several opponents. A coach can set up short fast runs or longer relays with several obstacles and defenders prying at the ball. Run each of the gauntlet drills slow and then speed them up as each player gets better at effective ball security.

Some fundamentals of ball security

One of the fundamental aspects of running with a football is ball security. There is nothing worse than almost getting a first down or even a touchdown and fumbling the ball, for this reason there is a great need for ball security. There are four points to protecting the football. First grab the football with your carrying hand with the tips of the football being covered with your fingers. Second, wrap your forearm completely around the football. The third point is securing the other point of the football with your bicep making sure that it is right up against it. Fourth, pull the football up and tight against your ribcage closing the gap on the football from all four sides. Run a couple of drills were the ball carrier runs through a pack of defenders to practice. In this way you can practice great defensive moves to force a fumble, and also focus on offensive ball protection.

Conditioning: Dot drilling

Conditioning drills are effective in training and helping athletes be strong and reactive. For this reason, coaches like this drill for its focus on speed and accuracy. In order to execute the drill you will need a place with five dots, either marked on the grass or on a mat, forming an x shape much like the dots for the number five side of dice.

The athlete starts at the edge of the mat placing their feet on two of the outer dots and proceeds to jump with feet together on the center spot and then out again quickly to the outer dots similar to a simple hop scotch motion. Next proceed around the dots one at a time jumping with one leg only, and then change to the other leg. Then continue around the dots with both legs together. The last phase is really returning to the original starting phase of jumping together and apart, however this time the athlete will change directions after they have jumped to the outer dots. Because this drill is intended for accuracy and speed, it is recommended that players start out slow and deliberate and then speed up to their maximum time.

Open field tactics: covering ground with angle tackles

The reason for angle tackles is simple, cover the shortest area to get to the tackle, but there is still a great need to practice this technique. This can be done by having a player run with the ball on a straight line with the defender at any angle. It is great to take this in slow steps to show the defender in a fluid motion how to the quickest angle to take towards the ball carrier, plant his cleats squarely in the middle of the ball carrier, and to always remember safety and effectiveness by placing the head in front of the offensive player. The defender follows through with the tackle by straightening his knees in a lunging type motion, wrapping his arms around the ball carrier to pull him down to the ground or push him off sides.