Football Drills for Defense End

Probably the most important job of a defensive end in football is to rush the quarterback. It's important that the defensive ends get good pressure on the quarterback. Otherwise the quarterback will have time to stand back behind his offensive line and complete passes to his receivers. Football drills for defense end help a player develop strength and explosiveness so he can get to the quarterback quickly. There are also many drills that help a defensive end develop moves to get to the quarterback.

Firing Off the Ball

If a defensive lineman doesn't fire off the ball at the snap, then he will have a hard time rushing the quarterback and disrupting a running play. So, football drills for defense end always have to include working on firing off the ball.

The drill is very easy. Since a defensive linemen needs to look in and watch for the ball to be snapped (for them to fire forward) during a game, that's what they do for this drill. The defensive linemen get into their three point stance and a coach simulates the snapping of the ball. When the coach snaps the ball, the defensive linemen fire forward.

Specific Moves

There are a few different moves that defensive linemen can use to try to beat an offensive lineman and get to the quarterback. For each move there is a drill that helps the defensive lineman perfect the move. Two of the better football drills teach the Swim Move and the Bull Rush.

The Swim Move

The Swim Move involves a defensive end making a swimming move with his arm in order to knock the offensive lineman's hands down. What an offensive lineman wants to do is get his hands on the defensive lineman to shield him away from the quarterback. So, by raising his arm up and knocking the offensive lineman's hands away (using a Swim Move), the defensive linemen can get to the quarterback.

The Bull Rush

The Bull Rush is a move that has the defensive end running directly into the offensive lineman and trying to knock him off balance and then out of the way.

A great drill to work on the Bull Rush requires 2 players, one to be the defensive end and the other to provide resistance. The defensive lineman should place his helmet and his hands into the back of the player providing resistance. At the whistle, the defensive lineman will begin pushing the other players while that player provides resistance. Then, when a signal is given, the player providing the resistance will try to sit down. The defensive lineman must hold-up the offensive lineman and continue to drive the o-linemen back. This forces the defensive end to use his hips and his upper-body strength.

The Benefits of Football Drills for Defense End

Football drills for defense end are great because they teach a defensive end how to play the position the right way. The drills teach a defensive end how to fire off the ball and the drills also teach the defensive end specific moves to beat the offensive lineman and get to the quarterback. Two of these drills teach the Swim Move and the Bull Rush.