Enhancing Football Running Back
Staying Hydrated
Drinking plenty of water is all it takes to prevent dehydration, and thus should be an important part of football practices. Make sure that during the football practice players have their water bottles handy and are drinking often. Times have changed and coaches these days should be aware of hydration needs and not use water as a reward, or withhold it as a punishment. Keeping everyone happy and hydrated will go a long way to a successful practice.
Proper Catching Leads to Great Ball Security
Catching the football properly and effectively is fundamental to a strong offense. The points of a proper catch are: First, opening up your hands with an open triangle. Second, keep your eyes on the ball through the entire catch. Third, secure the ball tight and high against your ribs, forearm, and biceps. Bad habits can form easily as many receivers look away mid catch to scan the field for defenders. This error leads to incomplete passes or worse, a fumble. To prevent this, have two receivers throw to each other and as they catch it have them slow down the motion so that they pause at each catch, follow through and tuck.
Ball security: The Gauntlet Drill
Ball security, preventing fumbles and turnovers is perhaps the most important skill the offensive team can have. This of course is even more important for wide receivers and running backs as they handle the ball more than most. That is why the gauntlet drill was created, to test and practice effective ball security. The drill starts with a player protecting the ball as best as he can while running through several opponents. The opponents can line up in any scenario, the most common being two lines and the ball carrier must run through them. Make sure to take the drill slow at first, and to also have the ball carrier hold the ball in several differing positions.
Making a great hand off
Learning the basics in a handoff is essential to a strong offense. The hand off can take place in many ways, but most if not all handoffs occur between the quarterback and the running back. A running back at the start of a hand off should give the quarterback a target by opening up his arms that are in front of his chest enough to allow about one and a half footballs in. When the quarterback slides the ball into the arms, or the pocket as it is called, the running back closes his arms around the ball to protect it. As the running back leaves from the handoff he needs to stay low to react quickly and again to protect the ball.
Drinking plenty of water is all it takes to prevent dehydration, and thus should be an important part of football practices. Make sure that during the football practice players have their water bottles handy and are drinking often. Times have changed and coaches these days should be aware of hydration needs and not use water as a reward, or withhold it as a punishment. Keeping everyone happy and hydrated will go a long way to a successful practice.
Proper Catching Leads to Great Ball Security
Catching the football properly and effectively is fundamental to a strong offense. The points of a proper catch are: First, opening up your hands with an open triangle. Second, keep your eyes on the ball through the entire catch. Third, secure the ball tight and high against your ribs, forearm, and biceps. Bad habits can form easily as many receivers look away mid catch to scan the field for defenders. This error leads to incomplete passes or worse, a fumble. To prevent this, have two receivers throw to each other and as they catch it have them slow down the motion so that they pause at each catch, follow through and tuck.
Ball security: The Gauntlet Drill
Ball security, preventing fumbles and turnovers is perhaps the most important skill the offensive team can have. This of course is even more important for wide receivers and running backs as they handle the ball more than most. That is why the gauntlet drill was created, to test and practice effective ball security. The drill starts with a player protecting the ball as best as he can while running through several opponents. The opponents can line up in any scenario, the most common being two lines and the ball carrier must run through them. Make sure to take the drill slow at first, and to also have the ball carrier hold the ball in several differing positions.
Making a great hand off
Learning the basics in a handoff is essential to a strong offense. The hand off can take place in many ways, but most if not all handoffs occur between the quarterback and the running back. A running back at the start of a hand off should give the quarterback a target by opening up his arms that are in front of his chest enough to allow about one and a half footballs in. When the quarterback slides the ball into the arms, or the pocket as it is called, the running back closes his arms around the ball to protect it. As the running back leaves from the handoff he needs to stay low to react quickly and again to protect the ball.
