How to run the TEAM PURSUIT DRILL defense and conditioning drill for YOUTH FOOTBALL

The key to a successful youth football season is all in the practice and preparation. This article will feature a drill that I like to incorporate at the end of practice that works on the team’s defense and also works on the teams conditioning. This drill is called the Team Pursuit Drill.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Team Defense
• QB, Center, RB
• Football

1. 
   BYF running plays

   When incorporating this drill into your practice schedule it can double as part of the conditioning portion of the practice.
   Set up:
   To set up the drill you will want to place a full defensive unit on the field. You will line up the defense on their own 20 yard line with their backs to their own end zone. You will also need a Quarterback, Center and Running Back. Any extra players should line up in an open offensive position.

2. 

   Starting the drill:
   You begin the drill by having your Middle Linebacker or whoever is your defensive captain, call out a defense. The defensive players will then line up in their respective positions on the field. Your team will then make their defensive calls.
   The Quarterback will now call a wide running play and when he receives the snap from the center he has the option to hand the ball off, pitch it to the running back or run the ball himself.

3. 

   Defensive reaction:
   The defense will react to the play as follows:
   
   The outside player that has contain comes up and forces the runner back to the middle of the field. The other players now must pursue down the line in the direction of the runner.
   No player is allowed to follow in the footsteps of the next man and each defensive player must take a deeper angle away for the line.
   
   The backside player, who has the reverse and bootleg responsibility, has to come up the field, get as deep as the ball, chase it down from behind and check for a possible reverse or bootleg.
   
   Any Defensive Backs (DB’s) with deep lane coverage must stay back until the runner has crossed the line of scrimmage.
   
   All players must keep running until they have touched the ball carrier and then continue running into the end zone.
   
   All players should run this drill at full speed and give 100 percent effort in this drill. This is a great drill to incorporate football skills with your teams conditioning drills.

Tips & Warnings

• This drill is a great team conditioning drill as well as a great way to reinforce defensive player assignments.

Resources

• How to Plan and Run an Effective Youth Football Practice
• How to properly take a snap as a Youth Football Quarterback
• How to run the FLASH PASSING QUARTERBACK DRILL for YOUTH FOOTBALL PLAYERS
• How to teach a proper THREE STEP DROP to your YOUTH FOOTBALL QUARTERBACK (3-STEP DROP)
• How to teach a YOUTH QUARTERBACK how to pass correctly
• How to choose the CORRECT SIZE FOOTBALL for your YOUTH FOOTBALL PLAYER

[frozenmocha]

on 8/11/2009 Great stuff! I like your photos too!