Maximizing Practice Time for the Wing

the distance.
Meaningless drills will now hecome
meaningftil to the players. Linemen
will see the connection between their
performance during ihe individual
session and their execution oi play in
a team setting.
Don't practice something you inosi
likely won't do. For instance, it makes
absolutely no sense to practice speed
(or jet) sweep pulls if there is no
chance that the play will be run during ihe cotusc of the week.
Maximizing Practice
Time for the Wing-T
Offensive Line
By Steve Czekalski, Former Line Coach
West Deptford (NJ) High School
O
ffensive line coaches
can borrow a phrase
from high school
English teachers as a
giilding principle in the use of alliteralion: "Prior Preparation and Planning
Prevents Poor Performance Pain."
If the coach's goal is to maximize
practice time, increase performance,
and avoid the withering glai e of an
angry head coach, following are some
steps he can take to avoid "perform;ince pain."
24
2007
DESIGNING THE INDIVIDUAL
PRACTICE SESSION
The Wing-1 offensive lint- coarh
must design and implement drills that
emphasize the techniques used to
execute the plays slated for the practice session.
Buck Sweep and Waggle mean that
Down Blocks, Sweep Pulls, Waggle
Pulls, and Log Technique are logical
choices. Double teams, Escape
Technique, and learning how to trap
are essential for the Guard Trap to go
A SAMPLE SCHEDULE
We'll assinnc lliat M) mintiies
have been set aside for the individu.tl position coaches lo instruci iheir
players. A coach who decides to
wing it" will find that his players will
he as poorly prepared for the game
;is he was for practice.
The line coach should mix basic
technique drills such as Shoulder Skills
(hills. Stances and Starts, and driving
ihe sled with more specialized or playspecific drills such as Sweep Pnils.
A good slrategy to follow is U)
break down the time allotted into
approximately five-minute intervals
and change up every few minules.
The early preseason camp individual
practice session is designt^d:
4:00: Stance and Starts Through
Chutes.
4:O3: Shoulder Skills on Heavy
Bags from 3-Point Stance
(On. Gap, Do^tti).
4:10: Intro Plays of the Day: Guard
Trap & Buck Sweep vs. 5-2, 44, and/or 4-3.
4:15: Post-Lead {Double Team)
DriU.
4:20: Tackles/Tight Ends - Escape
Technique, Guards - Pull Trap
Technique.
4:23: Tackles/Tight Ends Gap/Down Teclmique
Guards - Buck Sweep Pulls.
4:28: Run through Plays of the Day
as a Unit vs. Various Fronts.
COACH AND
Maximizing Practice Time for the Wing-T Offensive Line
Obviously, each coach will have to
consider factors such as practice
schedule, number of athletes, coaches
on staff, and equipment and facilities.
For example, more than one coach on
hand means more than one pair of
eyes watching for errors and making
corrections.
The ultimate goal in running the
Wing-T offense is to develop a quick,
rhythmic, machine-like tempo. By
maintaining a fast pace and quickly
.switching drills, the coach adds a conditioning element and gives the players little opportunity- to be bored.
IMMEDIATELY BEFORE
PRACTICE
Anticipate what equipment you
need and either go out early and get it
out yourself or assign your players the
responsibility. Countless minutes of
practice time is wasted each season
with the retrieval and set up of equipment. If you have enough room, set
up your drills in advance.
In addition to chutes, sleds, and
heavy bags, the most vital tools of the
trade for the line coach are spacing
strips and cones.
DURING PRACTICE
1. Explain the drill and why it is
important.
Drills develop and reinforce proper
execution of specific techniques.
Excellent technique is the foundation
of all Wing-T line play. The angle
blocks that are typical of the Wing-T
offense are especially advantageoiw
for the undersized linemen playing a
bigger opponent. Faulty technique
equals failed play.
It is imperative that coaches
explain what is trving to be accomplished. Coaches are also teachers
and must always explain in detail what
the drill entails, how to perform the
drill, and why the drill is important.
2. Coach every rep of every
driil.
Plavers nt'cd feedback. Poor tech-
26
nique that goes uncorrected becomes
poor habit and will lead to poor performance in the game. As a coach, it is
imperative to always move around,
always he active, always he encouraging,
and to coach every rep of every drill.
WTiile our focus may tend to be on
our stai ters, we have to keep in mind
that our younger players uill be the
starters of die future. No player should
go through a practice uncoached.
The coach should also have consistency of instruction. That means that
every repetition gets coached the
same way every time. It requires the
coach to teach something the same
way, utilizing the same verbiage and
coaching points with his athletes.
3. Double and triple your reps.
We've all been there: linemen
snaking back into the distance, waiting
for their turn at a drill. Repetition
means that players get enough practice performing the skills and tech. nlques required to become good linemen and function automatically with a
minimum of thought. Having to think
and then do requires a split-second
longer than automatically doing.
That miniscnie difference in lime
translates to missed assignments, lost
opportunities, and fewer yards. The
goal of constant repetition, especially
with the offensive line, is to have the
entire unit respond in machine-like
fashion.
How do you increase the number
or reps? By setting up multiple stations, depending on the number of
players you have. You should have at
least two and possibly as many as four.
Two or three is usually ideal.
For example, if we need to practice
double-teams we should have enough
linemen to set up two stations abotit
five yards apai t. A coach should position himself in between the stations
and in front so that he can ea.sily
switch his attention from one group to
the other. He'll give a cadence and
the group on the left will go. He will
then focus to the right and those play-
ers will perform the same technique.
UTiile the one group is going, the
other group should be getting in its
stance, and someone should be husy
getting the bag and holding it in
position.
All of this eliminates the time wasted retriexing the fallen bag, putting it
in position, and having players fussing
over getting into their stance. Wliile
one group goes, the other group is
getting ready to go. We can get a rep
going every couple of seconds, thus
adding a conditioning element,
increasing reps, and finding the time
to work on other skills.
There are two important points to
keep in mind. First, always simulate
the same cadence in drills as you do in
a game ("Set" - "Ready Set" - "Go").
It makes no sense ro use some generic
command such as "Go" or "Hit". You
want that cadence ingrained in the Olines minds, and to vary it as well so
that the line gets used to going on
sound, on one, and on two. That
helps eliminate those aggravating offsides penahies.
The other important point is that if
tliere is a major problem with the execution of a technique or if a player has
a question, don't be afraid to stop and
explain or "coach thing.s np." We
always would rather do one rep right
than a dozen reps wrong.
AFTER PRACTICE:
Just because practice is over doesn't
mean the coaching stops. As you walk
into tlie locker room, make contact
with as many of your players as possible.
Maybe someone had a tough practice. Pick them up. Maybe someone is
feeling discouraged and wants to know
wh;it they have to do to get better. Tell
them what they need to work on.
Maybe you chewed someone out.
Discuss what happened in a calm tone,
tell them something that they did well
during practice and give them a pat
on the hack.
It's your job to keep them up. to
COACH AND ATHLETIC DIRECTOP
F
%lflNG-T LINEMAN CROSS
REFERENCE GUIDE
PLAY
Guard Trap
Buck Sweep
TECHNIQUES
Escape
Post-Lead
Pull Trap
Gap/Down
Pull Kick Out
Pull Wall Off
DRILLS
Escape Drill w/ Shield
Double Team vs. Heavy Bag
Pull Trap Drill
On
Away
Cut Off
Waggle
Gap
On
Pull Log/Kick Out
Away
Pull Escort
Pul! Check
iiuikf ilu-ni IVt'l good, lo leave practice
wauling to come back the next day.
Wlmt you are doing, in short, is setting
youi"seU up to have a good practice
iht- next day.
GET AN EARLY START:
Whether you meet as a staff on the
weekend or are waiting to receive your
cue Irom Uie head Coach or oflFensive
c(X)rdinatoi", you know your own
offense and you should have an idea of
vour opponent's deiensivc tendencies.
Determine whai plays your team
will want tu nm. If the opponent runs
.1 .Vi knnw lliat hiside Trap. Down,
and Buck Sweep may be big plays
while Belly and Power might be preferred against a 4-3.
Of course, a lot depends on personnel match ups as well. By the end
oi the weekend or, at the latest, by
Monday morning, know what the
"plays of the week" will be.
Also study film and familiarize yourself witli till' opposing personnel and
defensive schemes. Be aware of any
stunis or shifts that may ronfiisc your
linemen and disrupt their a.s.signmenus.
Armed with this infonnalion, start
to think about the assignnu'nLs and
techniques that your linemen will need
to make practice sessions crisp and to
perform effectively on game day. •
USA's G€t-Away Coaches Clinic
2 O O 8 Las Vegas Super Clinic
February 2 8 - March I
(Date Change - Thursday 12 p.m. - Saturday 5 p.m.)
at the
Riviera Hotel &
/
;
Presented By:
/
Coaches Clinics, Inc.
Featuring: ^^
Top Pro, NCAA & High Scnool Coaches
3idas
• Football • Volleyball • Track & Field •
^ Baseball ^ Softball ^ Soccer in
acHoas
www.usacoach6s.com or Call I-8OO-Coach-I3
CIRCLE READER SERVICE CARD #30 OR GO TO WWW.COACHAD.COM