Football Drills for Defensive End

While most defensive linesmen have the desire to pursue and tackle the other team's offense, without the knowledge of the different types of plays and what each one calls for, sometimes all their hard work on the field can be for naught. When running football drills for defensive end, keep in mind that the goal of the drills is to teach the proper pursuit paths that defense linesmen should run in order to directly attack the opposing team's offense and successfully counter their plays.

The first of the football drills for defensive end called the "Lateral Tackle" builds quick-thinking reflex skills. For this drill, each defense player runs at half-speed laterally backwards down the line of scrimmage tracking the ball carrier. When running, make sure the defense stays a step behind the ball carrier and that his body faces directly up field without turning to the sideline. Before reaching the sideline, the ball carrier is to change his trajectory and attempt to run straight up the field. At this point, the defense is to bend his knees, shorten his stride and make the tackle. Give each defense linesman a chance to make the tackle from both sides of the field before switching positions.

When running football drills for defensive ends, it is crucial that your defense learn to turn and pursue the ball carrier once they realize that the play is a draw play, where a play begins by resembling a drop-back pass but becomes a run shortly after the defense team sets up as if it were a drop-back. This drill, the "Draw Play Chase" will teach your defensive end to do just that.

For this drill, have one team set up as offense and one as defense. As the quarterback starts the pass drop, the offensive linesmen drop back as per a pass play. However, instead of passing, the quarterback hands the ball off to one of the halfbacks who runs the ball up field. The defense must be quick on their toes in this situation where their job is to turn and chase the ball carrier in lieu of the passer who no longer has the ball.

If the defense end falls to the outside of the ball carrier, they must retreat back to the line of scrimmage and stay to the outside of the tackle. Conversely, if they have fallen to the inside of the tackle, they are to straighten their trajectory towards the inside of the line. Once the tackle is within reach, they are to go after the ball carrier. Perform this drill four times, having each halfback run towards the inside or the outside on either the left side of the field or the right before switching your offense and defense around.