Five-yard shootout
Why it works
On the five there is no room to run past anyone, so the only things that work are a quick release, a sharp break and a ball on time. Two on two in a corner is small enough to give every player a rep every minute and real enough that the defence has to compete for the ball.
Run it
10 MINTen minutes, three or four series per group. First team to five touchdowns wins. Stop when the defence starts guessing instead of covering; that is the sign they are tired.
Say this
“Win your first step.”
With five yards of field, the break happens two steps after the snap, so a slow release is a covered route.
“Defence, on top and in front.”
The end line is behind you, so stay between the receiver and the goal line and make him catch it in front of you.
“Throw it where only he can catch it.”
In a tight space a ball to the receiver's body is a ball to the defender too.
Good looks like
- Receivers are past their release cone in two steps.
- Defenders keep the receiver in front of them until the throw.
- Throws go to the side away from the defender.
- Groups rotate without waiting.
The mistakes
Receivers jogging off the line and rounding the break. Put a cone a yard in front of each receiver; he must be past it on the second step.
Say: “Win your first step.”
Defenders trailing the receiver and getting beaten on the slant. Line them up a yard inside so the slant has to go round them.
Say: “Defence, on top and in front.”
Throwing at the receiver while he is covered. Score a point for the defence on every tipped ball, so the quarterback learns to throw away from the defender.
Say: “Throw it where only he can catch it.”
Play one on one with the coach as quarterback, so each receiver only has to beat one defender with one route.
Snap it from the ten with a three on three and let the defence choose man or zone, called out before each down, so the quarterback has to read which one he got.