DEVELOPING THE WING-T LINEMAN

This article came from Salisbury University, Salisbury, Maryland, author unknown

INTRODUCTION: A poor athlete with excellent techniques can become a good offensive linemen; a good athlete with excellent techniques can become a great offensive linemen-corollary: a good athlete with poor techniques can never become great

FOUR PRINCIPLES YOU MUST HAVE:

1. Know the offensive play
2. Know the snap count
3. Know who to block
4. Know proper line splits and defensive spacing

THE SUCESS OF THE WING-T DEPENDS ON:

1. Our desire to block
2. Our ability to block
3. Our willingness to work hard to develop our blocking techniques and skills

HOW TO BLOCK - MAJOR OBJECTIVES:

1. Good stance
2. Drive out with power
3. Make vicious contact
4. Maintain contact

STANCE:

• FUNDAMENTAL TO ALL GOOD BLOCKING MOVEMENTS:

1. Blocks reak down in two major areas: a. loss of balance b. lossof contact
2. Type of stance dictated by moves required of linemen: a. pulls b. cutoffs c. scrambles d. drive blocks

• FEET:

1. Feet parallel
2. As wide or slightly wider than shoulders
3. Toes and heels in straight line, perpendicular to the LOS
4. No more than heel-toe relationship between the up foot and the back foot
5. Heels slightly off ground so you can see daylight

• KNEES:

1. Flexed, reasonably square so that weight is over balls of feet
2. Knees should not point in or out

• ARMS AND HAND:

1. The hand corresponding to the back foot is placed on the ground with the fingers forming a tripod a. elbow extended and on line with the inside knee of the rear foot b. weight is slightly forward
2. The free hand a. "heel" of elbow resting comfortably above the knee b. Forearm parallel to the ground c. hand closed but fist not clenched

• TAIL:

1. Keep tail as high as shoulder line
2. Hold in a straight line perpendicular to the line of scrimmage

• HEAD:

1. Hold head up and straight
2. Should be able to see head five yards down the field

• HEELS:

1. Heel of near foot off ground 1"to 3"
2. Heel of forward foot off ground slightly

• WEIGHT:

1. Most weight on balls of the feet
2. some weight on ground hand - enough so that is that hand is pulled away you must fire forward to regain balance

DRIVING OUT OF STANCE WITH POWER:

1. Move Out With the Count - a. Anticipate the snap count so you get off the ball with explosiveness b. Repeat the starting count to yourself as you go to the line to eliminate off-side penalties
2. Drive off the ball
3. Move Out Not Up - Your Forward Knee Will Drop As You Drive Out - If You Are Driving Up, It Will Raise And Straighten
4. First Step Should Be No Longer Than One Foot
5. ThrustThe Opposite Arm Forward As You Drive Forward. Initially Exaggerate This Movement
6. Develop Short Driving Steps To Generate Maxium Power On Contact

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