How to Get Your Offensive Line Humming

Even if you are a “passing guy” you cannot forget the offensive line.

Without these guys, there is no offense.

And that’s not specific to the option.

That’s every team to ever exist.

So, here are two of the most important skills your offensive line need to work for your offense to hum.

Veer Drill

Purpose: This drill trains the play side guard and tackle to handle the defensive tackle and the play side linebacker.

Set Up: The set up includes the play side guard and tackle working against three defenders (the defensive tackle, defensive end, and play side linebacker).

Overview: The drill starts with the guard blocking the near defensive tackle and the offensive tackle releasing inside to the play side linebacker.

This drill trains the linemen to combat two different defensive scenarios. Scenario one: the linebacker stays home in the B-gap when the defensive end works up field to contain. This scenario is easier for the tackle to handle by working to the outside number of the linebacker.

The more difficult scenario is the squeeze scrap, or gap exchange defense. When this happens, the defensive end squeezes down to take the B-gap and the linebacker scrapes outside to play the C-gap. To combat this scenario the tackle must take a banana release to the scraping linebacker.

​

Combo Block Drill

Purpose: to teach the offensive linemen how to work together to the second level.

Set Up: To teach the combo block we set up a two on one drill with two offensive players working against one defender.

Overview: The offensive players begin by both stepping toward the defensive player. The goal is for the two blockers to get rear to rear so that defender cannot split them. Their intent is to get vertical movement toward the end zone. The inside blocker stays with the single defender when he slants to the inside. The outside player then comes off of the double team block and works to level two.

​