Football preseason is a crucial time for players and coaches. Coaches evaluate their personnel and implement any system they would like to have the team run during games. For players, preseason is time to develop fundamental skills, build fitness and shake off off-season rust. Coaches run drills to get the players into shape and sharp for the regular season.
Route Tree
The route tree, an unopposed preseason football drill, allows quarterbacks and wide receivers to work on fundamental skills. This drill begins with the quarterback in the middle of the field and the wide receiver lined up out by the sideline in the position he would assume in a game. The ball is snapped to the quarterback, and the receiver runs an unopposed route while the quarterback throws and hits him in stride. NFL.com explains that this drill is used in the NFL preseason combine to evaluate quarterbacks and wide receivers. The typical routes ran are the wide receiver cutting in after five yards, cutting out after five yards and a straight line route called a go intended to beat defenders deep. To increase the difficulty of this drill, add a defensive player for the wide receiver to beat.
Sideline Running Drill
The sideline running preseason football drill develops the ability of running backs to successfully run the ball. The focus of the drill is sideline running and how to maintain balance and control after contact. This drill lines up three players with a blocking shield three yards away from the sideline and five yards apart. Your running back should receive a handoff at full speed and head toward the sideline and cutting up field. The three defenders will barge into him with the shields and try to force him out of bounds. The running back must stay balanced and lean into the contact while maintaining forward motion.
Step in the Hole Drill
Step in the hole helps defensive players develop tackling and the ability to read the flow of the game. Stand up six dummies straight and one yard apart. The linebacker stands three to four yards away facing the dummies with a running back directly opposite him on the other side of the dummies. On the coach's command, the running back runs down the line before choosing a hole and exploding through it. The linebacker must shuffle sideways before reacting to fill the hole and tackling the running back.
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