Catchy Phrases

[Coach Bennett]

When you reflect on your practices and instruction, what catchy phrases come to mind to communicate concrete directives for your players?

For instance, I know "better wrong than long" is a Demeoism regarding the mesh between qb/fb.

I'm not looking to necessarily debate the message (e.g. I prefer a long mesh and therefore don't like "better wrong...") just hoping to pick up a couple of nuggets from you dudes.

[superpower]

"Run your feet!" We probably say this 100 times each week for both blocking and tackling.

[touchdownmaker]

I agree, "run your feet" or just "feet, feet, feet" when blocking.

LOAD, EXPLODE, GO = another blocking thing

HIT LIFT DRIVE= tackling

EYES INSIDE= blocking, double team post man must keep eyes inside for backer run through

TRAP RIGHT, HIT RIGHT
TRAP LEFT, HIT LEFT

"DOWN HILL DOWN HILL" FOR RBS AND LBERS.

"OUTSIDE ARM FREE/ INSIDE ARM FREE" OMG WE USE THAT CONSTANTLY

[coachbw]

"On Track or Cut Back" Used on inside zone to tell the RB to read his key and not bounce outside.

"One Cut" Used in a variety of settings, especially to return men.

"Marry the Hip" Used with 3 tech tackles to teach them to widen vs. Reach or step down if the guard goes inside. either way we want his inside hip on the guards outside hip.

[coachweav88]

"protect the jewels". Used when teaching defenders how to keep leverage during block destruction. Keeps the hips away from a blocker.

[bama]

ball away, home I stay

[newb]

"First get 4 then look to score". We constantly drill this one into our backs.

[mariner42]

"Once you're in, you're in" for LBs that bite too hard on play action. Rather have them continue to the QB and force the issue than try to get to their spots and be no factor at all in the play.

[coachguy83]

Low Man Wins

[playsmart]

"Slap the Dog, Punch the Chicken" It is a visualization that helps lineman stay low when they a pulling. It is kind of funny but it works.

[playsmart]

Sorry... Forgot about another one I use a lot.

"Make your own tackle"... I use this saying when trying to teach players to keep outside contain and squeezing a hole down on a kick out block... Don't want them to poke their heads inside so the RB can bounce it outside.

[jrarick]

Secure the first level. (Zone concept.)

Hands to your guns. (Hitting on the second step.)

Step on their toes. (Blocking in space down field and tackling.)

Hit on the rise. (Any kind of blocking.)

Jack Rarick
Holt Football
www.coachsvideoassistant.com

[John Knight]

no animal drills!

[coach4life]

#1 for everybody - See what you hit

Eyes to to the sky
First step ties, second step wins (3rd step dominates) - OL
One cut, head North - RBs
See the ball into the cradle - WRs
Rhythm-Read-Rush-Release - R4 for the Qbs
Deeper than the deepest man - Dbs back coverage

"If your feet aren't moving during the play (you ain't playin' or your doing something wrong)"

"If your gonna hunt worms (i.e. have your head down) you can do that behind me on the sideline"

"There's a difference between hurt and injured. If you can't put weight on a leg, or you cant move your arm, head or fingers right, you may be injured. Anything else is just a hurt."

"That ain't pain, it's weakness leavin' the body"

For the kid that doesn't put out the effort in practice:
"That boy's got a lot of quit in him."

For the dropped TD pass in practice:
Holler out a big ole "Arrgggghhhhhh..... You hear that sound son? That's the sound of the crowd with your mama and daddy and brothers and sisters and girlfriend and your other friends all groaning over the lost opportunity. Is that the sound we wanna hear or do we wanna hear the roar of the crowd when you make that play and it's 6 for the good guys? (Then a roar to simulate the noise of the crowd) Which one sounds better to you? All right, let's get it done next time..."


and my favorite when a player makes an error - "That dog ain't gonna hunt..."

[accodding]

Not a day goes by without me saying "pad level" to just about any position group in practice. Other common phrases include:
- hands inside (OL)
- Sell it. We are a fly team and rely a lot on deception and fakes. A good fake can be far more effective than a good block.
- See the butt, cut it up. See the side, take it wide. This is courtesy of Speckman and refers to a ball carrier running a sweep and the relationship his lead blocker has on his defender.
- Deep as the deepest (Deep guys in zone)
- BYOB Be Your Own Blocker. For when you just don't get enough help up front, or when your assistant coaches tend to burn through the tab too quick in post game meetings.

[airman]

on the inside zone to keep your oline from coming off to soon use
"dominate the down guy, push his ass into the backer"

also, 4 butt cheeks together are mightier then two butt checks"

[chadp56]

I'm big on the "run your feet" that coach said above and also use the saying "eyes in the armpit" to communicate keeping your head up on the tackle.

[mariner42]

Oh, "Hands above your eyes"-tells DL to keep low pad level in relation to OL.

[tiger46]

Being a youth coach, I may have too many. But, here are a few:
Block with your feet.
Hustle every play. It takes no talent to hustle.
It takes 11 tigers to make a tackle.
Win your own battle; then HELP your teammate win his.
You play how you practice.
Look back at any play. Ask yourself, “Was that the absolute best that I could do?”
A flat-footed defender is a dead defender.
Can’t whup me!
Only one person at a time can carry the football. The other 10 have to block. So, that’s why I (HC) coach the O-line.
If you can’t block; you can’t carry the rock.

EDIT:
Can't believe that I forgot about this one. I probably say it more than I say anything else.

"Hit 'em with your belt buckle." Teaching 10yr olds to thrust their hips when tackling.

[Coach Bennett]

"High and tight" for ball security.

[airtrafficcontrol]

kick the grass for o-line to focus on choppy steps.

[eaglemountie]

"Throw him open"

[airtrafficcontrol]

I like that one...

[reignman03]

"Work Downhill!"

"Run Your Feet"

Aside, to my coaches "We suck!"

[fishon37]

"Head in the hole"....trap and ct puller

show me your fit.....vertical and horizonal fit on run play

cloudy or clear....tackle pull on ct and dart to determine inside or outside track.

[formrbcbuc]

NO FALSE STEPS!
High and Tight
Bite through the ball
Play with controlled agression... basically you may want to rip the other player's head off but unless you methodically attack them you'll have wasted all that energy and emotion for nothing
Winners train losers complai- for weightroom and conditioning

[jpdaley25]

"Cram the A hole!"

"Wider is better than tighter...in a pitch relationship."

"Ball Away, check opposite A."

"Ride and decide."

"If you can't take it, you won't make it it."

"No block, no rock."

"Dip and rip."

"Get on the gas."

"Turn on the juice."

"Eyebrows in the numbers."

"Fatigue makes cowards of us all."

[hlb2]

"Never pitch in a mess, never pitch in distress..."
"Pitch the ball heart to heart..."
"Cocked, locked, and ready to rock..."

[coachkill22]

"Big Eyes" - RB's to look for a cutback lane

"Catch, Tuck, Run"- WR's

[olinecoach61]

"Pitch heart to heart not d#k to dirt"