Coach ,

Edge rushers at every level have become something that every offense has to contend with.  These have become very athletic hybrids with a mix of size and speed.  

Training them is a combination of improving their understanding of their rush and improving their skills.  We share ideas for both today.

Understanding the Pass Rush Cage

Today’s edge rusher are not usually players you need to motivate to get off the ball and get to  the quarterback, but helping them understand where he will be and where they need to be will better prepare them for those big sacks.

Old Dominion OLB Coach Kevin Smith explains the “pass rush cage” in this video.

Video: Pass Rush Cage

Fight Line Drills

Video: Fight Line Drills

UCLA OLB Coach Ikaike Malloe wants his edge rushers to take the fight to the line.  It is a path that will allow them the most efficient way to the QB.  It is a skill that seems simple, but many young edge rushers make a mistake on. He demonstrates the fight line drill in this video.

Spin to Win

Arizona State OLB Coach AJ Cooper believes that spinning is an art.  That being said, there are specific movements that can allow your edge to turn that art into a masterpiece as he gets to the linebacker.  He explains the specific coaching points that make a better edge rusher in this video.

Video: Spinning Drills

Camp is for refining these skills so when those live opportunities come to bring the quarterback down in week one you Edge Rushers will be skillful in winning their match-up.

Good luck as you continue through camp!

Always be growing!

Coach Grabowski

Here is a great resource for training your Edge Rushers this season. Whether you watch and study every one of these 5 presentations over the next few weeks to sharpen your skill as a edges coach or keep it on the shelf as an important reference during the season, you can’t miss on improving as a Edges Coach with this incredible resource.