Preseason drills are designed to improve the players' techniques and condition them for blocking and tackling. Conducting drills that accustom the players to move and hit wearing a helmet and pads is one of the primary purposes of preseason training. All drills should be conducted in full pads during the final two weeks of the preseason.
Leapfrog
The drill is a continuous rotation of three positions. It starts with three players on their hands and knees, side by side and 1 yard apart. On the whistle, the player on the right end crabs sideways and launches over the player in the middle, becoming the middle position. The player on the left immediately crabs sideways and launches over that player and now becomes the middle position. The player on the right end crabs sideways and launches over the middle position. Continue for one minute and change the players in the drill.
Circle Drill
Players form a circle 10 yards in diameter with one player in the center. The coach calls the number of a player and that player charges the center position. Player in the center must react to the charging player and both make full shoulder pad contact. The coach can elect to rotate players or leave one in the center for several hits to improve technique.
Gap Drill
The object is to carry the football from one end of the slalom to the other without being tackled. Set the drill up with three cones in a line and 5 yards apart. This makes a slalom course with two gaps. A ball carrier lines up 5 yards from one end of the slalom and 5 yards to one side. The defender lines up 5 yards from the opposite end of the slalom and 5 yards to the opposite side. At the whistle, the ball carrier runs straight ahead and makes a cut into the first gap, then straight ahead. The defender must intercept the ball carrier in the second gap and make the tackle.
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