Teach Proper Blocking Angles


By FirstDown PlayBook on Mar 29, 2022

One of the most common mistakes, at any level of football, is the failure of a player to recognize that the opponent is not going to stand still as a football play progresses. Defensive coaches are always talking about “poor angles” to the football. It is important for offensive coaches to talk about proper blocking angles as well.

On defense you see it all of the time. Players take a poor angle to the ball carrier and lose leverage on the football. That’s why defensive coaches at every level are going to, first coach their defensive players to bust their humps to the football. After that, the second lesson is going to be how to take a proper angle as they pursue the football.

Offensive coaches should teach the same with proper blocking angles. Blockers need to gauge the angle taken to execute a block on a second level defender. In it’s most basic form it is the exact same thing as on defense. If an offensive player fails to understand what the defensive is seeing, executing the block is nearly impossible.

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When receiver coaches teach blocks on defensive backs this comes up all the time. This is why the blocking receiver and the running back must be on the same page. The back must understand what he does behind the receiver will set up the receiver’s block. If the back freelances, it will make the receiver’s block darn near impossible to execute.

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Our video this morning explains that this coaching point is not exclusive to players who are blocking and tackling in space. Because the linebackers are keying the backs, the big guys up front also need to understand that this is going to dictate their angle to the block. Is the ball handed or is it tossed? They need to anticipate the defender’s reaction to the ball carrier and take a proper aiming point and angle to their block. As you will see, this can affect man and zone blocking schemes. Take a look.