Chase Down Drill
Setup
Place three cones that signify the staggered starting location of the drills three participants. The first cone (for the ball carrier) is placed on the 25 yard line, five yards from the sideline. Each starting location after that is five more yards inside and two and a half yards further upfield.
Purpose
The Chase Down Drill has three participants with three purposes. The ball carrier works on his ability to navigate past the last defender on his way to the end zone. The blocker works on his ability to make an open field block in space. The defender practices the very tough situation of having to be the sole player in charge of making a touchdown-saving tackle.
Drill Description
Upon starting the drill, all three players begin sprinting downfield at an angle that helps them best play out their purpose. The defender will have to take an accurate angle downfield to cut off the ball carrier. Players can use their creativity to score, block, and tackle, but the ball carrier is not allowed to ever go backward, or go back too far across the field.
This drill truly is pitted in favor of the offense, but it helps all three participants with a very critical, often overlooked aspect of the game. There are a lot of yards at stake for the offense, and they need to learn how to maximize the space available to them. The defender needs to find out how to do whatever it takes to make a touchdown-saving tackle all alone, even if it means sacrificing up some yards to do so.
