Coaching Youth Football – Offensive Line Play – Using Carpet
Coaching Youth Football – Offensive Line Play – Using Carpet
Youth Football Coaches Handbook – Offensive Line Play – Using Carpet
Coaching the offensive line in youth football is a skill that can make the difference between an average offense and a great offense. The offensive line has more information to learn than most any other position on the football field. Players need to be able to process the play, locate their blocking assignment and then execute the proper techniques to get the job done. If you have watched much youth football you know that this process fails on a regular basis. One of two circumstances occur on most every failed block, the player forgets his assignment and blocks the wrong person (or no person) or the player remembers his assignment but utilized so much brain power in remembering that he was incapable of executing a good technical block. This article covers a way that you can make blocking technique what it needs to be in order for youth athletes to succeed…and that is a “Reflex”.
There are certain things we know instinctively. Cover my mouth when I sneeze or to jam on the breaks when I see danger on the road. Blocking technique is definitely not instinctive and thus we must build it from the simplest and most basic steps, being sure to insist upon proper technique each step of the way. One secret I have discovered over the years is to use carpet strips that are 12″ in diameter between the players legs as we execute our individual lineman station every night of the season. The carpets strips are usually about 6′ or 7′ long and I have four strips on the ground each night. We have our players do their stance and starts (fit drill), fit and drive and running drive blocks each night while keeping the carpet between their legs. The players are not allowed to step on the carpet and thus they must keep a wide base during the exercise. This really helps to prevent the main killer of all blocks, which in my opinion is over striding. The player cannot over stride without stepping on the carpet because when they step too far ahead they have to narrow their stance. We also coach short choppy steps, proper back and head alignment and all the fundamentals needed to succeed as an offensive lineman every night in this manner.
The carpets really seem to make a difference and they are much easier than carry
1000
ing around a plank of wood or buying a specialty item from a football vendor. You can actually see this technique being practiced on YouTube by typing in Football Academy. There are many great videos for youth football and the coach that has created the materials actually is the author of “The Youth Football Coaches Handbook” and operates The Football Academy which instructs youth athletes in Charlotte NC.
By: Erik Saunders
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Erik Saunders operates the Football Training Academy in Charlotte NC and is the author of the Youth Football Coaches Handbook. Visit www.youthfootballhandbook.com to get a free access to many other valuable resources for coaches.
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2009 Fantasy Football Rankings – Running Backs
2009 Fantasy Football Rankings – Running Backs
Preview the upcoming fantasy football season with rankings and analysis on the top running backs for 2009.
As the second installment in our series of preseason fantasy football rankings, we’re going to take a look at the workhorses of your fantasy league: running backs. A good running back should form the backbone of your team providing consistent scoring each week. There is no shortage of backs in the league so let’s take a look at what we can expect when your draft date comes.
Top 10 Running Backs
No surprise here: Adrian Peterson leads the pack. His explosive potential over the past two years has been simply phenomenal. His offensive line is improved over last year which means that holes should open up a little more for Peterson this season. Defenses worry about Minnesota’s run game, but they have no fear of the passing game. If Brett Favre lands in Minnesota, Peterson should have even more breathing room. Bottom line: Expect a lot of 100+ yard games in 2009.
Number 2 goes to Michael Turner from Atlanta. He ended 2008 just 1 yard shy of 1,700 yards. The Falcons are bolstered by a talented QB and two solid receivers so the aerial threat exists, which is good for Turner the Burner. The concern with Turner is that he carries the ball an awful lot and his strength of schedule outlook for 2009 is not as easy as it was in ‘08.
Maurice Jones-Drew grabs our #3 spot. Jones-Drew’s value should increase significantly this year with the departure of Fred Taylor. No longer will he be sharing the workload. Instead he’s the featured back for the Jags and he’ll have many more opportunities to burn defenses. I wouldn’t be shocked to see him gain 1,400-1,500 yards this season along with 14-16 TD’s.
Chicago’s Matt Forte is currently ranked 4th in our consensus rankings as a sophmore. He was a great addition to the Bears last year. With Jay Cutler’s arrival, the Bears finally have a QB that can throw and that should work in Forte’s favor. The other thing to consider is weather. If you’ve ever been to Soldier Field in November and December, you know it gets very cold and windy, two factors that don’t bode well for quarterbacks. That’s when you’ll see the workload increase on Matt Forte.
The #5 ranking goes to the Ram’s Steven Jackson. He was a monster a few years ago, but injuries over the last two seasons have many fantasy owners scratching their heads. I’m one of those owners. I’ve had him on teams for the past two years and have been pretty disappointed. If he fell to me in my draft (especially a PPR league), I would still take him without hesitation. He’s big. He’s fast. He’s got great hands. He has the ability to be the best. There’s enough upside to quiet the injury concerns.
Carolina’s DeAngelo Williams comes in at #6 and fantasy owners should anticipate a great 2009 from him. He was a wonderful surprise for many last year and he’s poised to run wild this year.
Last year’s #1 pick has fallen all the way down to #7 this year. LaDainian Tomlinson is still a strong back, but he’s certainly not the same player he was just a few years ago. He’ll still easily break the 1,000 yard mark again and give you 10+ scores, so if he’s available – take him.
Chris “Every Coach’s Dream” Johnson (#8) exploded on the scene last year as one half of the dynamic duo with LenDale White. He may not possess the bulk that White does, but he’s much, much faster. It was fun to watch Johnson break one off and he wasn’t even on any of my teams. If your league gives points for TD’s or runs of varying yardage, you’ll like having him on your team.
#9 goes to Frank Gore of the 49′ers. Like Jackson, Gore left many owners wondering when he was going to start scoring. He was not the same guy who racked up monster stats just a few years ago. His last two seasons fell short of the collective expectations we all had. Perhaps his saving grace this year is Mike Singletary. The legend is a take-no-$!@# type of coach and knows the value that a solid run game can have. Gore is a workhorse capable of running and catching. Many are expecting a much better ‘09 out of him.
Rounding out the Top 10 is Steve Slaton. Houston’s backfield star was an absolute bargain for those who were paying attention last year. This year, you’ll most likely have to pay full price for him. That’s OK though because he has such upside to him, particularly in PPR formats. He’s been looking good in the offseason, so we’ll take another look come training camp. He deserves to be in the Top 10 and in your weekly lineups.
Beyond the Top 10
It wouldn’t be a good list if Brian Westbrook wasn’t mentioned. His ranking of #11 is a departure from last year’s Top 10 and that’s due primarily to his health. He’s a perennial favorite in PPR leagues and will go in either the 1st or 2nd round of your draft. If you can get his handcuff LeSean McCoy in the later rounds of your draft, grab him as insurance. If Westbrook can stay injury-free, he’ll score points.
One of the guys I really like this year is Ronnie Brown (#15) and I’m seeing him being taken in later rounds of mock drafts. Miami has upgraded their offensive line and that bodes well for Brown. If you see him, he’s a great value even at #15 among RB’s.
For those that follow the Fantasy Football Nerd blog, you know that I’m a big Packer fan living an hour away from Lambeau Field. Ryan Grant didn’t score a touchdown last season until I attended the Packers/Colts game. Coincidence? Yes, but this is fantasy football so allow me the self-delusion that my attendance had something to do with it. Grant under-delivered last year after a really strong finish in the ‘07 season. His #16 ranking is indicative of last year’s performance, but I’m confident he’ll have a better ‘09 than many expect.
Thomas Jones comes in ranked #20 among RB’s this year. He didn’t shine when having to share time in Chicago, nor did he shine when he first arrived in New York, but he made up for it last year, didn’t he? He cracked the 1K yard mark and added 15 TD’s for the Jets. He won’t have Brett Favre this year, so the Jets may look to Jones to offset the passing deficiencies that inevitably come from a rookie QB.
Reggie Bush falls in the rankings this year to # 21. That’s what happens when you get injured. He’s still a threat, especially in PPR leagues where Brees is sure to target him. Unfortunately (or fortunately) he’ll be splitting time with Pierre Thomas who comes in ahead of Bush at #17 this year. Thomas showed what he was capable of when Bush and McAllister were out. It’s tough to put that genie back in the bottle. If you’re in a PPR league, Bush is your man. If not, Pierre Thomas should be the guy you grab first.
The last guy I want to talk about is Knowshon Moreno from Denver who takes the #25 ranking. There’s a lot of hype around Knowshon right now, and some of it is warranted. He’s incredibly talented and the Broncos definitely need to fill that void in the backfield. My guess is that he’ll start off slow, but once he gets used to the NFL, I think he’ll really shine.
The fantasy football rankings above were derived from a consensus of 20 of the leading fantasy football websites.
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2008 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet Ppr – Wide Receivers
2008 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet Ppr – Wide Receivers
Hundreds of leagues are making the switch from standard scoring to points per reception (PPR) but there are very few sites that feature PPR Fantasy Football Cheat Sheets. If you’ve never done a PPR league the basics are the same but some possession receivers, Wes Welker for example, will jump way up the ranks. Lets take a look at how the 2008 Fantasy Football PPR rankings shake out. If you are looking for our standard take a look at our Wide Receiver Cheat Sheet.
1. Randy Moss, New England Patriots
2. Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis Colts
3. Terrell Owens, Dallas Cowboys
4. Braylon Edwards, Cleveland Browns
5. Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals
No surprise here, Randy Moss takes the top spot. He caught a record 23 touchdowns and is no slouch in the receptions department with 98 receptions. He should undoubtedly be the number one off your draft board. I had a tough time choosing between Reggie Wayne and Terrell Owens but in the end Wayne had close to 20 more receptions and in PPR fantasy football leagues, that should outweigh Owens’ touchdowns. Cleveland’s Braylon Edwards and Larry Fitzgerald round out our PPR cheat sheet top five.
6. Andre Johnson, Houston Texans
7. Marques Colston, New Orleans Saints
8. TJ Houshmandzadeh, Cincinnati Bengals
9. Wes Welker, New England Patriots
10. Plaxico Burress, New York Giants
Houston’s Andre Johnson barely misses the cut in our PPR cheat sheet, but a “tweaked” groin injury this early in training camp drops his stock. Wes Welker had the biggest leap from our regular scoring wide receiver rankings reaping the benefits of point per reception fantasy league scoring. The Bengals TJ Houshmandzadeh is also a pass catching machine and should be drafted earlier in PPR leagues.
