DC - Wing T questions

"We had a decent full back, but he got injured and is out for the season. Our back up full back is a good athlete, but he tends to slow down as he takes the hand off and goes through the line."

Place a fast kid 3 steps behind his FB position. On snap, the fast kid gets to tackle your FB from behind when he runs 23/24. This 1) forces him to run for the handoff and 2) keeps him going w/o any moves.

Once you install this (The "chase" kid is called a "rabbit"), KEEP IT IN for every play he runs in scrimmage. Without the "rabbit" he'll quickly go back to his old habits.

Next, place two defenders in the LBer position shown below, each holding hand shields:

                   B1        B2
                           c
                   C     
                   FB

Coach (C) has football and plays QB. Set a cone (c) for RT. Run "24". B1 and B2 make a sandwhiche between them out of the FB. The FB starts in a 3 point and hits line low (If you can hold a piece of PVC pipe neck high at the LOS, perfect.). He will DIP HIS SHOULDERS even LOWER as the bag holders make contact, so that only the top of his shoulderpads make contact with the handshield and not his chest. His head is UP, eyes AHEAD. If head is not UP he is UNSAFE.

Once he can make contact with the handshields with only his pads, and HEAD UP, the two LBers throw aside their shields, lay on the ground on their backs (helmets towards LOS) and get up on snap count and tackle the FB. FB lowers pads, keeps HEAD UP, and delivers a blow. The defenders are on their backs so that they have no forward momentum on contact. This way if your FB lowers his head, and does stupid, no ambulance is called. Check to make sure the FB's head is up and that he's using his shoulderpads to drive through both tacklers.

Odds are, that all three players will be on the ground first try. It will be like all three of them hit a wall. Repeat until FB is safe on the drill. Then teach him to put a hand down to catch himself after he hits the "wall", regain his balance, get up, and keep going. The two defenders must always perform this drill on their backs, EVERY TIME. Then just keep telling your FB to HIT THEM HARDER each time and that he must SMASH THROUGH THEM. If he smashes through, he WINS. If he ties, catches himself, and keeps going, he WINS. If he loses, falls forward, and gains one more yard, he WINS. No rabbit is used in this drill.