Blocking & Defeating Blocks
Learn USA Football's effective fundamentals for blocking and defeating blocks.
Learn the principles of contact necessary to apply and resist force on the gridiron with the concepts from USA Football’s Contact System.
Key Features:
C.U.F.F. PROGRESSION
Develop key postures and movements to help all players generate maximum force with the greatest degree of control.
1
COIL
The foundational pre-contact posture that is necessary to move multi-directionally or mirror an opponent in space to deliver contact with optimal power and the greatest degree of body control.
2
UNCOIL
Energy is transferred from the uncoiling of the hips into the arms and focused out through the densest part of the palm and into the contact surface of the opponent.
3
FIT
Focuses on the strike or initial contact delivered onto an opponent. It touches on everything from hand placement to the optimal arm length required upon contact.
4
FINISH
The final element of the C.U.F.F. Prgoression is the finish, focuses on securing control of an opponent after initial impact in order to accomplish the situational objective.
B.L.A.S.T. PRINCIPLE
Teach applied leverage to safely generate maximum force, maintain body control, and protect the head out of contact.
Instead of trying the stop a defender on a horizontal plane, the bridge technique deflects the opposing player’s force and redirects it where the offense wants him to go.
Playing long takes the helmet out of contact, offers control of opponents with vision of the field.
"Low pad level” isn’t the key to leverage. It’s the level of the hips as they “ascend” or “uncoil.”
The ability for a player to remain balanced with a solid base in a proper position to make a play.
To engage or attack an opponent at an angle off the centerline.
BRIDGE, PILLAR & BUCKLE FITS
Teach your players the basic foundational knowledge for Blocking and Defeating Blocks.
Instead of trying the stop a defender on a horizontal plane, the bridge technique deflects the opposing player’s force and redirects it where the offense wants him to go.
The Pillar technique allows players to apply and resist forces on the field as well as defend and disrupt the block at arm’s length without giving up control or compromising position.
The Buckle technique provides offensive and defensive players sustainable power and control for high-speed contact when blocking and defeating blocks using the shoulders.
ENHANCED TECHNIQUE
How force deflection can create greater leverage, contact, and control compared to a horizontal push.
| FORCE DEFLECTION | HORIZONTAL PUSH |
|---|---|
| POWER Generates power by uncoiling the hips. |
POWER Relies on momentum and foot drive. |
| CONTACT Hands strike low to high. |
CONTACT Contact occurs on a horizontal plane. |
| FOOTWORK Small steps maintain a strong base. |
FOOTWORK Large steps can compromise the base. |
| HEAD POSITION Keeps the head farther from contact. |
HEAD POSITION Can bring the head closer to contact. |
| ADVANTAGE Uses leverage and hip-generated power. |
ADVANTAGE Relies more on size, strength and speed. |
UNLOCK MORE
Unlock more skill progression insights for Blocking & Defeating Blocks through USA Football's Coach Training Program.
The Coach Training Program gives you access to the Coaching Systems with hundreds of drills & videos, the Tackle & Flag Coach Course, Resource Library, Dashboards, Partner Discounts, Coach Planner App Access, and more tools—all in one package.