Goal line period
Why it works
Inside the 5 the field shrinks, the defence stacks the box and every gap matters. Two plays from the 3 is short enough that every rep is a scoring play, which makes both sides compete and shows you quickly who fits his gap and who runs around blocks.
Run it
10 MINFour to six series of two plays each. Ten minutes at most, and count it as full contact time. Stop after a fumble or a pile with nobody finishing; reset and run it again clean.
Say this
“One cut and get your pads down.”
Near the goal line the back hits the hole he is given and falls forward.
“Two hands on the ball in traffic.”
The goal line is the most crowded ground on the field and the most expensive place to fumble.
“Win your gap, then find the ball.”
A defender who leaves his gap to chase the ball opens the gap the play was designed for.
Good looks like
- The back is through the line in one cut.
- Every defensive player can name his gap before the snap.
- The edge defender keeps contain on the play-action rep.
- The exchange is clean on every snap.
The mistakes
The back bouncing outside looking for a bigger hole that does not exist. Mark a cone a yard outside the tackle and stop any rep that goes past it.
Say: “One cut and get your pads down.”
Carrying it loose in one arm into a pile. Coaches stand at the goal line and punch at the ball on every rep.
Say: “Two hands on the ball in traffic.”
Linebackers flying to the first flash of the ball and leaving the inside open. Freeze it at the snap and point at the gap he owned.
Say: “Win your gap, then find the ball.”
Run it at walk-through speed with the defence on one knee and the back carrying into a hand shield, so the lesson is the gap and the exchange, not the collision.
Add a third play, let the offence call a pass, and give the defence a blitz. Keep it thud until the last series, then go live if your contact limits allow it.