We are now seeing more defensive backs removing the football off receivers. It’s now an entire football ability and requires cornerbacks as well as line backers, safeties and corners working out and doing drills to improve their football ball stripping skills.
Coaches are increasingly teaching the technique of stripping footballs and running drills for practice with defensive players and teaching players how stripping football takes place. A stripped football is a down that is used but with no benefit. If the defenders succeed in removing the football away from the player, it is thrown out. The defensive team is then given the chance to take advantage of a potential take-away.
Most of the time, D-backs aren’t in a position to hit the ball giving them two choices: make the tackle, or stripping the football.
Training the D-Back to strip the football is a two-step sets of football abilities. Physical and mental training are the fundamental football abilities required to succeed in stripping footballs.
Football Skills for Stripping the Football:
The football skills needed to strip the football are based on the correct mindset and mental attitude. The defender should be able to approach the receiver with a mindset that he is going to take the ball out of his hands. To be successful in removing the ball off the player, the back has to first master the basics of taking the pass.
The mechanics of passing catch are vital and can be accomplished through studying videos and DVDs specifically designed to teach passing catching football techniques.
The defensive player is taught the fundamental positions that the receiver can hold his hands before taking the shot. When the ball falls front of the receiver , are his hands on or below the shoulder pads? If behind him are his hands below or above his shoulder pads, then is the receiver’s back towards the defense. These are crucial football skills defensive backs have to learn.
The next step is to train the D-Backs. should teach them which arm to target. If the ball falls over the left shoulder of the receiver and the left shoulder is the target of attack exactly as if ball is placed over the receiver’s right shoulder, strike using the arm to the right. In all cases, if the ball gets caught through the shoulder on the left the defensive back utilizes his left arm for attacking and when the ball is on the right shoulder, he is able to attack with his right arm.
Practice Drills for Stripping the Football:
The first ball stripping drill should begin with the receiver, and the defense being in place. In certain dialects, this drill for back defense is referred to as a reach-and-pull.
The ” reach-and pull” technique involves the receiver sits back to the defensive back who holds the ball either side, and the defensive back moves out (left arm, left arm and left arm towards right) while pulling the arms that holds the ball down, taking the ball off the player.
The next step is to walk through a exercise and then running the football exercise.
Ball stripping drills for practice should be conducted at a 3/4 speed, and should not be used as an all-contact practice. The purpose of the drill is to provide the defensive back some instruction on how to effectively strip the football away from the receiver. Which arm should the defensive back attack , and what football techniques required to remove the ball from the hands of the player.
In this practice, the defensive back and the receiver generally are facing the sideline, with the defensive back is about 10 yards to the receiving sideline. When the coach signals, the receiver will begin running at 3/4 of a mile straight to the sideline. The defensive back then starts in the direction of the place at which livescore he will cross the receiver when the ball is brought to.
After the receiver has walked for a couple of yards, the coach then throws the ball. The defensive back, if has timed his run correctly and is at the right position should be facing the receiver at the same time the ball is thrown.
Utilizing his attack arm, the defensive back needs to reaching out, and then pull the ball-carrying arm down, pushing the ball away. Then, using his other arm he must be kicking the receiver in the back using his forearm and grasping the jersey with his hands. If the defensive back isn’t in a position to dislodge the ball the player is in a position to tackle.
Whoever throws an object to the receiver should throw it behind low, high to the left, or to right. This gives the defensive back training all angles that are intercepted.
In the end, removing the football of its ball requires physical and mental football abilities. Being able to determine which arm to attack and which one to strike with, and knowing which point the ball receiver are likely to cross paths while at the maximum speed.
A defensive player who excels at removing footballs does not happen by chance It requires dedication and a strong work discipline.