Coach -

Speed rushers don’t waste time—they’re off the ball, dipping low, ripping through, and aiming straight for the quarterback.

For years, Joe Thomas made sure they didn’t get there. In this breakdown from the 2021 C.O.O.L. Clinic, he shares the real mechanics behind how he handled the edge.

When a rusher starts to turn the corner and lowers his pad level, Thomas doesn’t panic. He reads the angle, then targets the closest surface.

“I always kind of aim for that bicep area,” he said. “It gives you a margin of error. It gives you something to grab onto.”

But it’s not static. As the rusher keeps turning, Thomas adjusts. “Now you're aiming for that shoulder delt area,” he explained. His inside hand slides to the back plate. His outside hand shoots to the chest or belly. It’s less about striking—more about securing leverage and slowing momentum.

Sometimes, though, that’s not enough. When the edge rusher stays low and keeps ripping, Thomas shifts the inside hand even lower.

“That hand has got to drop a little bit to that hip,” he said. “If you're able to move the hip, it's easier than moving the shoulders. Where the hip goes, the body's going to go.”

These aren’t textbook answers. They’re from experience—the kind you can’t fake.

Video of Joe's breakdown of stopping edge rushers



This breakdown came straight from the 2021 C.O.O.L. Clinic. The 2025 C.O.O.L. Clinic is just around the corner, and registration is now open. Don’t miss your chance to learn from the best.

Register: https://cool2025.coachtube.com/

Always be growing!

Coach Grabowski