The summer is the most intense training period for college football players. It is a combination of conditioning, on-field drills and classroom instruction. As teams prepare for the start of their season in September, coaches use their August training sessions to get their teams peaking for the start of the season. The conditioning drills are tough, but coaches are more interested in skill building at this point of the year. Players who show mastery of their positions are likely to earn playing time during the regular season.
Step 1
Start each session with calisthenic drills and stretching. The point of these exercises is to get players ready for the physical demands of a practice that includes blocking and tackling. Hamstring stretches, lumbar stretching and bridges, push-ups, up-downs and sit-ups prepare a player for an intense and physical practice.
Step 2
Separate your team into groups: offensive linemen vs. defensive linemen, quarterback and receivers vs. defensive backs, and running backs vs. linebackers. Run drills that put each group to the test: blocking drills for the linemen, passing routes for the receivers and running plays for the running backs. Do this for 20 to 30 minutes. The coaching staff needs to be with each group, correcting mistakes as they occur and praising excellent execution.
Step 3
Run full-speed scrimmages between the offense and defense for 20 to 30 minutes at a times. There is only one way to get better at football, and that's to play the game. Receivers must run crisp routes, running backs must run with a purpose and quarterbacks must read defenses and execute plays. Defensive players must fight off blocks and make tackles.
Step 4
Study plays in the classroom and film room. Players will learn the nuances of their team's playbook and get a primer on their first two or three opponents. Coaches should present films of these opponents so the team can study their tendencies and see what plays they like to run and how they execute. This will prepare the team for the regular season.
Step 5
Get players in the weight room after late practices to do everything they can to get stronger. In football, the bigger and stronger player has an advantage over an opponent who is smaller and weaker. Often, that advantage will show up in the fourth quarter when the game is on the line. Strength training is a year-round practice, and it is not as intense in August since there are so many other things to accomplish before the start of the season.
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