Deliberate Practice with co-host Andy Ryland is a weekly podcast which will run throughout the season. Activity does not always equal achievement. Deliberate Practice is focused on a specific topic for the week and then an explanation of how to drill the different aspects of those skills and schemes. Included in each week’s conversation are specific drills/practice considerations for offense, defense, and special teams.

Growth - building on strengths

This week is focused on a team’s growth between week one and two. This is a time where utilizing replication of game situations can help develop skill in a way that pays dividends over the course of the season. Grabowski and Ryland focus on the power scheme to show how focusing on a specific part of a scheme with multiple variations prepares players on both sides of the ball as well as in special teams.

Offense

01:10 Start to develop something we can hang our hat on

01:30 Helping the linemen understand the deuce block on power

02:16 Defend the line drill

02:40 Key is to be patient to let the backside linebacker threaten the vertical line

03:00 Progression for the drill

04:35 Problems with a “chip” block as compared to combo block

05:38 Vision, decision, and action incorporation into drill

06:12 Cumulative effect of reps to build proficiency

06:30 Brace and pop footwork; lazy forearm or single under (Bridge technique)

07:50 Variations of movement in the drill

08:48 Declaring the lane for the running back and VDA cycle cues

09:33 Putting drills into pods and adding the running back

10:27 Developing the running back’s vision

Defense

10:45 Defensive drills for defending power

11:24 Identifying a blocking threat

11:45 Pulling apart the double team

12:05 Determining best technique - rip the shoulder or stun the square with Pillar technique

13:15 Stalemate caused by defensive line

14:05 The “nest” for the linebacker

15:06 Different looks in the drill

16:02 Individual periods and pods

16:42 Growth in understanding roles to master the defense

17:00 Look at it within a progression and add VDA cycle

17:58 Thinking of different ways to use pods

18:29 Using different fronts and deployments

Special Teams

19:45 Using small groups for kick off return

20:00 Growth is caused by overload

20:15 The count for blocking threats with the front wall

20:30 Challenge them with speed and having to find their blocks with movement

20:55 Simulating the kick return where L4 & L5 would be to overload decision making cycle

22:07 Get depth, find threat

22:43 Break special teams out of the box of 11 vs. 11 reps

23:11 Focus on certain aspects - example left side and right side and two whistle drill

24:05 Growth of our players also comes from our growth as coaches

25:28 Our reps as coaches - coaches need variety to be able to develop and help players

26:19 Ability to see things happen in real time as a coach

26:56 Being over prescriptive doesn’t help us to be able to help our players on game day