Alright folks, so today I finally got around to putting together those drills I promised for the St. Dom’s football hopefuls. Been meaning to do this since running into Coach Miller at the grocery store last week – guy looked exhausted, said the boys were enthusiastic but needed more focused work. Figured I’d dust off the old playbook and adapt some stuff.
Getting Started
First thing this morning, I grabbed my gear bag – cones, a few old footballs, my stopwatch – and headed straight for the high school field. Gotta beat the afternoon sun, you know? Aimed specifically for drills that isolate skills but feel a bit like actual play. No point in boring them to death.
Step one was warming up properly. Saw too many kids just stretch half-heartedly last season. Set up a simple cone grid, maybe 10 yards by 10 yards. Made myself jog through it, then side shuffle, then backpedal, adding in high knees and butt kicks. Focused on quick feet changes – way too many ankles get rolled early season.
The Core Drills
Wanted to hammer ball security first. Nothing kills a drive faster than a fumble. Found a shady spot near the endzone. Worked the Gauntlet Drill: placed six cones in a zig-zag line maybe 5 yards apart. Ran through carrying a ball high and tight in my outside arm, switching hands as I cut. Made myself really exaggerate the movement, arm clamped down hard. Messed up once – grip slipped. Remembered the humidity. Need those boys focusing on that grip every rep.
Next, quarterback fundamentals. Set up two trash cans about 15 yards out from where I stood as QB. Paced out a three-step drop. Worked on getting my feet set FAST. Didn’t even throw at first, just practiced planting that back foot solid and getting my shoulder aimed. Felt rusty, man. Then started throwing simple slants to hit the cans – low and away, where only my guy could get it. Accuracy faded quick without the footwork first.
For receivers, worked the Release Jam. Propped a tackling dummy vertically near the line. Pretended it was a cornerback trying to jam me at the line. Practiced quick hand swipes to knock the dummy’s hands down (it kinda wobbled, looked silly, but worked). Then exploded off the line on a five-yard slant. Key was that initial violent hand movement and burst.
Defense needed reaction time. Simple Mirror Drill. Set two cones 5 yards apart horizontally. Put myself on defense facing an imaginary RB. Side-shuffled laterally, forcing myself to stay low in a stance, feet chopping quick. Changed direction based on where I thought the runner would cut. Sucked the first few tries – balance was off, felt heavy.
Putting it Together
Finally, tried linking it all. Did a mini-scrimmage by myself. Ran QB drop & throw to a spot (trash can), then immediately transitioned to a DB backpedal and close on a slant route (towards another cone). Sounds simple, but the shift from offense to defense breathing hard? Brutal. Gassed me quicker than expected. Conditioning is key for fourth-quarter plays.
Lessons Learned?
- Footwork drills feel basic but are non-negotiable. Saw every mistake magnified when tired.
- Ball security drills need resistance – maybe next time tie a resistance band to the ball carrier during gauntlet.
- Drills got sloppy after 20 minutes. Shorter, sharper sessions beat long, lazy ones.
- Hydration breaks are mandatory, even solo. Forgot my water bottle once. Mistake.
Honestly? Felt good sweating it out again. These drills aren’t magic, but if Dom’s boys focus on the little things – gripping tighter, stepping quicker, reacting faster – they’ll see gains fast. Execution is everything. Gonna send Coach Miller these notes. Hope they help the team shake off that rust quicker than I did.