Youth Football Offensive Line Calls
Coaching a youth football offensive line can be one of the biggest challenges for a coach teaching Pop Warner aged players. The techniques that are required to block and play offensive line are not natural. The mere notion of running your body into another kid’s body is likely different than anything a youth football player has ever considered doing at that age.
The challenges don’t stop there though. No other position group on the field requires as much communication as this position group. This is true at any level of football but a youth football offensive line requires following some very basic rules to give you any chance of succeeding.
It is your job as a youth football coach to teach and demand communication with your players. Today we want to give you three things that can help you get that done. As we review these three things to help your youth football offensive line communicate, keep in mind that they can be used for other position groups and defense too.
1. Repeat Your Calls At The Line of Scrimmage
Your youth football offensive line will need to make simple calls at the line of scrimmage to communicate the blocking scheme. Make your players repeat the calls that they hear at the line of scrimmage. This will help insure that your players are on the same page. If your tackle makes a “Tug” call then your guard needs to repeat that call. This will help your players play error free and it will also allow them to play full speed with confidence.
2. Keep Your Line Calls To 2 Syllables or Less
Make sure your calls are one or two syllables. Less is more when it comes to making youth football offensive line calls. If one of your calls is “Cincinnati, then a better call would be “Akron” and an even better call would be “Kent”.
If your calls are big long words then you are asking for mis-communication and that leads to trouble. This is when you get two defenders in the same gap on defense. It can also lead to your running backs heading the wrong direction on pass protection.
3. Make Sure Your Calls Do Not Sound The Same
Finally, make sure your calls do not sound the same. As cool as the two words “Ringo” and “Reno” might sound, they are too similar. They might mean completely different things that can lead to confusion. Once again, put yourself in the heat of the moment when you decide what your calls will be. Your players will be in a three point stance and at times exhausted. Don’t make it harder than it already is.
Thinking About Calling A Trick Play?
You have to remember that the defense is coached too. There will be multiple fronts to consider and your calls should allow quick and clear communication. These three tips are a good head start towards accomplishing that.
FirstDown PlayBook offers you 12 different formations just like this youth football Double Wing formation. You should consider one or two of these for your Pop Warner offense. Tap on any one of the tiles below to visit the article describing that formation. After reading the article then go join FirstDown PlayBook and get busy coaching your Pop Warner team with the best football playbook available!
