Football techniques pertain to individual players as well as the team. Player techniques include footwork, ball handling, blocking and tackling. Team techniques include offensive and defensive schemes. Individual techniques are improved by working with your position coach. Offensive and defensive techniques are implemented and practiced in team scrimmages.
Fundamentals
Fundamentals are the basics of playing football. Everything begins with the correct stance. Typically, offensive linemen take a three-point stance at the line of scrimmage and defensive linemen take a four-point stance. Tailbacks and linebackers use a two-point stance with their feet a shoulder width apart and their head up for optimum vision. Defensive backs set with one foot back and their upper body leaning forward for balance when backpedaling into coverage. Blocking and tackling fundamentals emphasize balance, footwork and power. Running back fundamentals include securing a handoff or pitchout and getting to the point of attack quickly. Tacklers must close the distance quickly, collect their stride and hit ball carriers using a low center of gravity. With the fundamentals in place, players use techniques to perform their individual tasks effectively.
Players' Techniques
Offensive line coaches teach hand techniques that enable linemen to leverage and manipulate defenders away from the point of attack. Defenders employ hand techniques, such as a side-slap, in which they push off a blocker's body to tackle a ball carrier or rush the quarterback. Running back techniques include changing the ball to another hand to protect it from tacklers and using a stiff-arm to prevent a tackler from making full contact. Defensive backs use inside technique when they cover wide receivers who are set up near the sideline because the limited space between the receiver and the boundary limits the receiver to inside patterns. Outside technique is used to cover tight ends, backs or receivers in the slot.
Linebackers use lateral technique to sidestep over blockers at their feet as they move to close a running lane at one side of the offensive line. Quarterbacks and receivers employ various techniques designed for quick initial moves and carrying out backfield assignments and pass patters. Where individual techniques might be difficult for the average fan to spot, team techniques and schemes involve a number of players simultaneously.
Offensive Schemes
Offensive schemes are based on blocking assignments and pass protection packages. Man-on-man is the traditional offensive blocking scheme in which linemen take on the man directly across the line of scrimmage. In the 1970s, Washington Redskins head coach Joe Gibbs introduced zone blocking and the single back offense. Instead of linemen taking on the man directly in front, they move laterally along the line of scrimmage toward the point of attack and target the first defender they encounter, which might be a lineman or linebacker. The scheme is designed to outnumber the defensive players at the point of attack and provide running backs with optional running lanes. When engaging a defender during running and passing plays, linemen use the blocking techniques learned by working with their offensive line coach.
Defensive Schemes
Listening to a TV football analyst comment about defensive schemes, you'll hear terms such as five-technique, rolling the coverage and backside pursuit. The five-technique is one of many defensive rushing schemes that designate a particular lineman's gap assignment, such as between the offensive center and guard or the guard and tackle. Rolling the coverage is a defensive backfield technique that's designed to confuse the quarterback and receivers on passing plays. Instead of employing a more predictable man-to-man or zone coverage, the defensive backs rotate in one direction at the snap and change coverage assignments, freeing up a cornerback to blitz.
Backside pursuit is a technique used to confuse a blocking scheme and free a defender to chase a running back from behind and make the tackle in the offensive backfield. A typical backside scheme has the defensive end drop off the line of scrimmage into coverage at the snap and the cornerback on that side charge into the offensive backfield.
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