It was an honor to speak at the annual Vermont Football Coaches Association Spring Football Clinic and a great opportunity to share the skills and techniques of offensive line play that I’ll teach this year in New Jersey and Vermont at my Alercio OLine Clinics. One coach in attendance commented that his favorite part of the talk was the sharing of the Why and How of each block. A verse in Isaiah states, “Does the clay say to the potter, what are you making?” Of course not, but perhaps the potter should tell the clay before it asks. We never tell a player, “Just block him.” We always make sure our players understand the why and how to execute their job.
Offensive linemen who know the “why” and “how” are equipped with everything they need to make good decisions independently and collectively under ever-changing circumstances. Understanding “why,” enables decisions in the absence of a coach’s direction when it is just players between the lines who have to decide. We’ve often described the game of football as one of “time competitive decision making,” and how a good decision executed now is better than a perfect decision later (often thwarted by the referee’s whistle!) Providing the “why” helps both decentralize and expedite decisions, increasing both speed and frequency, and ultimately a competitive advantage.
With a little more than four weeks before our New Jersey Clinic at the Hun School on Sunday 24 April, the VFCA Clinic also provided me with a great opportunity to get in front of a room full of coaches to share the steps, visual, targets, strike points, and leverage associated with 1-on-1 run blocks, combination blocks, double teams, and pass blocks. All elements listed in an offensive lineman’s job description, complemented by the decision-making skills required to elevate their level of performance. Come learn more about “How” and “Why” at our NJ (24 April) and VT (12 June) clinics where we’ll teach, demonstrate, practice, and learn the physical and mental steps essential to OLine success!
Coach Rich Alercio is available to discuss coaching philosophy, X’s & O’s, or teach his O-Line “techniques in the trenches.” Contact Coach at richalercio@gmail.com and share http://www.olineskills.com with your colleagues and friends. Thanks for supporting this blog and joining our conversations, and as always, thanks for your time!
O Line Skills 