Offensive Line Drills and

Progression
Matt Weber
Belleville High School (WI)
weberm0@Belleville.k12.wi.us
 Overview
• Stance
• Run Blocking
• Feet
• Punch
• Hips
• Finish
• Pass Protection
• Feet
• Punch
• Demeanor
• Drill Progression
• Run Pass
 Stance
• We need to be able to move laterally therefore, a balance stance is
necessary. Lineman need to learn both a left and right handed
stance.
• Teaching a Proper Stance:
• Toe to Instep stager at shoulder width (go to armpits)
• Bend knees like your going to sit in a chair and set forearms on knees
• From that position place hand to ground of which ever foot is staggered
• Off hand should be on the outside of the knee ready to strike; not underneath
making shoulders unbalanced
• Hips should be slightly lower than shoulders
Stance, Continued
• Easiest to teach in large group by
going through each part of the
stance progression
• Notice Heels are in the ground;
can check balance by knocking
out hand (players should not fall
forward if balanced)
 Run Blocking
• Description
• Offensively, we work on a zone principle. That means, we are going to try and
create lanes for a back to run, NOT JUST A SINGLE HOLE. Therefore, an
offensive lineman needs to cover up and/or remove a defensive lineman. By
simply covering up a defensive lineman, we do not need exceptional athletes
at offensive line as long as they become great with technique!
• Rarely do we work vertically (with the exception of double teams) we always
want to work on the angle to use the defenders own body against them.
 Run Blocking, Continued
• Feet • Drop Step
• Drop Step
• 1st Step-Lose ground and gain width
• 2nd Step-Step through the crotch of
defender
• 3rd Step continue to gain ground and 3
accelerate feet 2
• Bucket Step
0 0
• Simply a deeper drop step 1
• IF THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND
CONCEPT DO NOT TEACH IT; THEY
CAN DO WITHOUT IT UNTIL LATER
 Run Blocking, Continued
• Punch • Punch Progression
• With first step, lineman should
“get their guns” by bringing hands
to hips with elbows bent
• On the second step bring punch
from hips to chest protector of the
defensive lineman
• Third Step climb the block and lift
and separate from defender
 Run Blocking, Continued
• Hips and Finish • Hips and Finish
• As feet move, hips should come
with. Players should have a good
demeanor meaning hips are
down, shoulders slightly forward
and feet underneath them.
• The finish may be the most
important part of the block.
Continue to accelerate feet and
lockout arms. Over lever the
defender and finish to the whistle
every time!
 Pass Protection
• Demeanor • Demeanor
• Stagger feet (like stance
progression)
• Bend knees, hips and ankles to sit
in chair
• Bring chest back
• Place hands in front of
chest/facemask ready to punch
 Pass Protection, Continued
• Feet: Kick/Power • Key Hints
• Kick step-lose a little ground and • Cannot stand up as you kick must
gain width stay in demeanor
• Slide-Second step should follow • Block with your feet not your
and get feet back under arm pits body!
• Power-Defensive player goes
inside must keep shoulders square
and move feet back inside
 Pass Protection, Continued
• Punch
• Aim for chest protector of defender
• Punch with thumbs up and elbows down
• Lock onto chest plate and continue to move feet
 Drill Progression
• The next section is our drill progression
• It is essential that you go in order to develop a base knowledge
• The Varsity level do a combination of these drills every day!
• If there an any questions please feel free to ask or we can set up a
time to demo all these drills as a coaching staff
 Run Blocking: Drill Progression
• Stance
• Must develop good stance before anything else
• Varsity guys do this everyday for the first week—revisit to fix small problems
• One Step
• Line the players up on a line; have them work out of a two point to start and
work towards a three point stance taking the first drop step; players feet
should move off of line at a forty-five
• Work both sides in rapid succession going three reps with “set-hit-reset” cadence
• Maximize reps to develop good habits
• Once they have mastered the first step work into two steps
 Run Blocking: Drill Progression
• Board Drills (AKA “Four to Five”)
• Work them out of a stance with no defender and chop feet to end of the
board while staying in a good demeanor
• Once a punch is developed, add a defender (Emphasize the players being a
good partner to give them their chest and give great resistance!)
• Can use in the place of using a sled with a partner on the board
6

4 5

2 3
0 0
1
 Run Blocking: Drill Progression
• Punch Progression (AKA “Get your Guns” and “Gun Fighter”)
• Have players partnered up on a line facing each other on their knees only a
few inches apart
• Decide which player is the offensive player; this player should start with his
hands at the face mask
• Using two commands have them get their guns (hands to outside of hips) and
then punch their partners chest plate
• They should sit on their hips initially and bring them once they bring their
punch
• Do this drill in quick succession and rotate
• Once they get a good punch, make it a competition of who’s got the fastest punch
 Run Blocking: Drill Progression
• Finish Drill
• Once they establish the footwork and punch you can move towards the finish
drill
• Have them partner up on a line and determine the offensive player
• Defensive partner must be in a good athletic two point and shade a
determined side of the offensive player
• First command the offensive player comes out of their stance and drives the
defensive player off the ball
• Second command the defensive player attempts to rip past the offensive
player forcing the OL to move his feet and maintain the block
 Run Blocking: Drill Progression
• Finish Drill Continued
• Once second command is given for defense the offensive player should over
lever by locking out the inside hand and running defender off the ball

DL

OL
 Run Blocking: Drill Progression
• Combo Blocks (“Boss and Mates”/ “Pin and Pull”)
• Once players have a good understanding of the full individual block add in
bosses and mates
• One defender and two offensive lineman
• Later add a linebacker to come off too
• Work the boss (One correct stepping and the other incorrect stepping; “Four
hands on four eyes up”) and the mate (Both correct stepping; “three hands
on four eyes up”)
• Emphasize getting hip to hip on the second step and continuing to move feet!
 Run Blocking: Drill Progression
• Boss (“Four hands on, Four Eyes up)
• Progress to where they need to go off to a LBer
 Run Blocking: Drill Progression
• Mate (“Three hands on, Four eyes up)
• Front side partner should open shoulder; Do not avoid DL work through them
• Backside partner should aim for the sternum of the DL and over take but keep
eyes up for backer
 Run Blocking: Drill Progression
• Pin and Pull
• Pin player down blocks and pins defensive player
• Eventually work where DL tries to fight over the top of pin
• Pull player pulls
• Can work in additional player to block
 Run Blocking: Drill Progression
• Half Line Drills
• Use half line to work in game situation
• Set up two halves and have rapid reps
• Can double the reps without doubling the toll on the players
• Decide a play to work on and work with backs and receivers as well
 Pass Protection: Drill Progression
• Two Point Kick and Power
• Have them start in their demeanor and kick or power on command
• Down the Line Punch
• Have three defenders
• Player will Kick step down a line and defenders will walk into him; as they
walk into him, OL will punch the chest protector
 Pass Protection: Drill Progression
• Set the Technique
• Players will partner up
• Have a DL line up as an inside shade, heads-up and outside shade (all
separate reps)
• OL will then work on setting each individual technique and the footwork it
takes to block them
• Inside/Out
• Groups of three
• OL will kick to outside partner and power to inside partner for a period of
time then rotate
 Pass Protection: Drill Progression
• Mirror Drill
• Have players partner up
• One on defense the other on offense
• DL will then move in a defined area and OL will mirror using kick/power
• Combo
• Work Pass Protection Double team (One OL Kick, One OL power)
• Add a blitzing LB later for 7th-8th graders to pick up off block
• Half Line
• Work Combos and one-vs-one blocks