User:Offensivelinecoach

Introduction

When they're executing correctly, offensive linemen go unnoticed by the average fan. In fact, about the only time you will hear an offensive lineman singled out in the NFL is after he has committed a penalty and the referee announces his number. Recognition and fame on the offense usually starts with the quarterback, then goes on to the running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends. Then come offensive linemen. But the truth of the matter is that the others would have little success if the offensive linemen weren't doing their jobs. This anonymity is one of the reasons that good offensive linemen must have an enormous amount of self-esteem and self-confidence. They must believe they are good performers, capable of blocking anyone they may face. Without this inner confidence, an offensive lineman always will be thinking about being defeated and not focusing on what he must do every play. When you look at great offensive linemen in the National Football League, you see a common trait -- all of them possess a great amount of intelligence. While playing defense is more often that not reacting to a play, offensive linemen must be intelligent enough not only to know their assignment and those of the players line up next to them, but also to understand and anticipate the movement by the defense before the play ever begins. It is this complete knowledge of the offense that allows a good offensive lineman to know where the ball is being thrown from or where the ball will be run, thus making it possible for him to position himself between his assigned defensive player and his teammate with the ball. The execution of this assignment is referred to as maintaining a "relative position" for the duration of the play. Great offensive linemen constantly strive to maintain relative position on each offensive down. Mental toughness is another important characteristic of an offensive lineman. Often the success of the offense will not be determined by the first few series in a game. Instead, offensive successes will come later in the game as the offensive line begins to dominate and frustrate defensive players. Mental toughness allows an offensive lineman to take the field on series after series, knowing that each time he is winning little battles that ultimately will be rewarded with a team victory. With mental toughness comes a willingness and stubbornness to keep on trying, plus an enormous pride in individual performances on every down. Because offensive linemen play in the area referred to as the pit, they must by necessity be the biggest and strongest players on the offensive team. Their primary job is to block, play after play, the big linebackers and huge linemen on the defensive team. In the NFL, it is not uncommon for offensive linemen to be 6 feet 5 inches or taller and weigh close to or more than 300 pounds. Height is most important offensive tackles, but some of the most successful and most experienced NFL offensive guards and centres are in the 6-foot to 6-foot 2-inches range. While good weight and height are desirable, one of the most important physical characteristics needed by an offensive lineman is quickness. An offensive lineman may not be the fastest player in a 40-yard dash, but all good offensive linemen are extremely quick in their movement for the first 5 or 10 yards. Great quickness allows an offensive lineman to get into proper position on a defensive player, physically placing himself between the defensive man and the ball carrier, or between the pass rusher and the quarterback. Offensive linemen who do not totally understand the offense they are running or the defense they are facing, often will appear to lack good quickness, when in reality they often are slowed by indecision, not physical limitation. More often than not, intelligence and quickness go hand-in-hand, and both players and coaches must realize this. Top offensive linemen move immediately upon the snap of the ball. Quickness combines, along with size and strength, to give an offensive lineman the explosiveness to drive a defensive opponent off the line of scrimmage. Quickness can be developed by drills and by gaining a total understanding of each assignment. Strength can be developed by a well-supervised weightlifting program that focuses on the development of the big muscle groups. For younger players, it is essential that any weight work be done under qualified instruction and that there never be any use of weight-enhancing drugs such as steroids. These drugs not only can seriously damage certain organs in the body, but, especially in the case of young men, can cause severe mood swings that often result in aggressive behaviour off the field. It is far better for the young player to learn to stay away from the so-called "shortcuts" and realize he must work hard for his strength gains and muscle development. As a lineman grows naturally, as his strength is increased by proper weight training, and as drills and study increase his quickness, then he will begin to become the explosive block that coaches love. Like the other positions on the football team, success in the offensive line will only come with desire, dedication, and a great deal of hard work.

Stance

The stance, the manner in which an offensive lineman positions himself prior to the beginning of the play, is very important. Because an offensive lineman is required to drive straight ahead, block at angles to the right and left, pull laterally in either direction, and move backward from the line of scrimmage, it is important that he assume a stance that will allow him to execute each of these maneuvers with the greatest ease. Offensive linemen generally find that it is most comfortable to use what is commonly termed a three-point stance, a stance with only one hand on the ground. Often, teams that run the ball a lot use only straight-ahead blocking. Those teams have their offensive linemen in a four-point stance, with both hands on the ground. At the other end of stance adjustment is the passing team, which often will have its linemen with both hands up in an upright body position on certain passing downs. Each of these variations in the offensive lineman's stance is assumed for a specific reason and is designed to put the offensive lineman in the best possible blocking position. While each of these positions differs in appearance, there are some very constant rules that should apply to any stance used by an offensive lineman for any of offense. The basic stance is what should be learned first; other adjustments that can be used for specific types of plays come later. To get into a proper stance, the lineman should stand in an upright position facing a coach. The lineman should have his feet no wider than his shoulders. Then the coach should have the player squat down, bending at the knees and rest both forearms on the inside of each of his inner thighs. With the player in this position, the player's back should be straight, with his head up, and his eyes focused straight ahead. The next step for the player is to reach forward with both hands, keeping them no wider than his shoulders, and place both hands on the ground. By initially placing both hands on the ground the player will learn to keep his shoulders even and his back straight. Most beginning offensive linemen, when asked to get into a three-point stance, have a tendency to place the hand that is on the ground more into the centre of the body, causing their shoulders to be tilted to one side or the other. In a four-point stance, this tendency is eliminated and the player should have no problem keeping his shoulders square. In the case of the offensive centre, this is the time to place the ball into either the right or left hand in preparation for snapping. Once the coach is satisfied that the player understands the proper hand placement, he can allow the lineman to remove one hand from the ground, allowing the hand and arm to rest on the inner thigh. This will leave the player in a proper three-point stance The distance the player reaches forward will differ with the offense being run and the typing of blocking being used, but, as a beginning point, the hand on the ground should be slightly in front of the shoulder pads. The player should have a small amount of weight on his down hand, but not enough so that if it were removed he would fall forward on his face. When the player is in a three-point stance, he naturally will want to move the foot on the side of the down hand back a few inches. It is best if this is a to-to-instep relationship with the other foot, although some linemen feel more comfortable with a toe-to-heel alignment. Both coach and player must realize that the greater the stagger of the feet in the stance, the greater the difficulty the player will have in moving in all directions. Also, a player who has a greater stagger in his feet often will narrow the distance between his feet and diminish his balance. Here are the basic rules to remember about the lineman's stance: First, the stance must be comfortable. This allows the player to focus on the target he is assigned to block and to move as the ball is snapped. The more times a player practices getting in and out of his stance, the sooner the player will feel relaxed and comfortable in it. Second, a player's stance must put him in the best possible position to execute the block that has assigned to him on the play being run. Third, the player's stance must be balanced and allow for quickness of movement. Fast, short, choppy steps enable the offensive lineman to generate power into the block. Fourth, offensive linemen should try to assume basically the same stance on every play so that the defensive player cannot tell prior to the snap of the ball whether the offensive lineman is blocking straight ahead, pulling to the left or right, or setting up in pass protection.

Centre Snap

On every down, guards and tackles must know the play, the snap count, and which defensive player they are responsible for blocking. The Centre has all these responsibilities, plus he has the added job of getting the ball to the quarterback. Teaching an offensive lineman to be a centre is not difficult. It does, however, require a great deal of practice in order for the centre-quarterback exchange to be successful every play. One of the easiest ways to introduce a young player to the centre position is to have him get into a basic four-point stance. In this stance, the player's weight should be distributed evenly on the balls of both feet, his feet need to be parallel and sprread about the width of his shoulders, and his back should be straight with his head up. The centre's hands should be placed o the ground slightly ahead and inside of the outside points of his shoulder. The coach should make certain that the player's shoulders are level and that the player's weight is distributed evenly on the balls of both feet and the fingers of both hands. Once the stance is correct, the coach should have the player charge straight ahead a few times, angle charge to his right and left a few plays, and set back as if he were pass protecting for the quarterback. The next step is to have the offensive lineman, in his four-point stance, lift one of his hands off the ground. The coach then can place the ball on the exact spot where the player's hand had been. The player replaces his hand, only now he will be grasping the ball, rather than touching his hand to the ground. Eventually, with practice, the centre will begin to feel comfortable with the ball as a normal part of his stance, an extension of his arm and hand. It is important that when the coach places the ball on the ground, he does so with the laces pointing to the side away from the snapping hand, at the exact spot where the centre's and previously had been resting. As the centre becomes more comfortable and proficient, the ball can be moved more into the centre of his body in a position directly in front of his nose. With the ball in this location, the centre can execute the snap with one or both hands on the ball. The other hand will merely rest comfortably on top of the ball to balance the centre, or his non-snapping arm may rest on the inside of his thigh. These adjustments can come later; in the beginning it is easier to have success from a four-point stance.

External links

• Official Website

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