Brian Derby's Offensive Linemen Camp

July 29, 2001
Section: Sports
Page: 5C

FOOTBALL

Kaneshiro Stacy
Staff
Advertiser Final

LINEMEN'S CLINIC: SPECIALIZED DRILLS MAKE THE DIFFERENCE

Derby's drills borrow from other sports

By Stacy Kaneshiro, ADVERTISER STAFF WRITER

Feet and hands: Using them properly should make one a better blocker on the football field.

The drills that Brian Derby preaches at his weekly clinics for offensive linemen emphasize feet and hands. And he'll borrow concepts from other sports.

Like the participants, from Hawaii Kai Pop Warner lineman Scott Kan to fourth-year Chicago Bears center Olin Kreutz, Derby said he learns something new all the time. He will tinker with drills and gadgets he has seen other use, some from other sports as well.

"Sometimes you're watching another sport on TV and say, `That's a good idea,' " Derby said.

The training sessions are rigorous. Midway through the drills, players are huffing. But they do get water breaks. To keep things realistic, Derby runs the drills like a coach. He will raise his voice. He will joke around. He demands maximum effort. Then again, he is doing this for free.

The drills

The days of being just huge just doesn't cut it for offensive linemen these days. Derby said as defensive linemen have become more athletic, offensive linemen need to do the same. That is one reason footwork is emphasized a lot during drills.

He borrowed this drill that he saw Kreutz doing with sports medicine specialist Pat Ariki:

Octagons

What they do: Linemen hop in and out of a PVC pipe laid out in an octagonal shape. The shape of the piping forces the players to hop in and out at different angles to improve foot quickness, Derby said. The drill looks simple, until you realize most of the people doing it weigh more than 250 pounds.

Why: To improve foot quickness.

Toe-taps

What they do: The linemen must get the tip of their cleats to touch the top of the ball without the ball rolling away from them. "If you get lazy (and can't lift your legs), you'll kick the ball," Derby said.

Why: To improve foot skills.

Rope drills

What they do: Ropes are blocked much like a hop scotch layout. Players step through each box with short, choppy steps.

Why: To improve foot skills.

Shackles

What they do: Make-shift left restraints are made of surgical tubing and Velcro straps, which are strapped around each ankle.

Why: They are designed to keep the players' legs at a proper width. If there is slack in the tubing, then the player knows his width is incorrect. The real workout, though, is on their hips. They feel the burn after several drills. Derby said he got the idea from boxing.

Slide-step

What they do: With shackles on, the players lineup facing each other about 5 to 8 yards apart. They then step-slide, or move laterally without crossing their feet, passing a 10-pound medicine ball at each other.

Why: The ball represents a defender rushing at them and the pushing of the ball back to the other player is the "punching" technique used in pass blocking.

Punching bag

What they do: Still wearing the shackles, the players now wear a rubber strip that is tied at the ends to keep their elbows locked in tight, the way it would simulate pass blocking techniques.

Why: To work on their punching technique.

Looks easy? After 30 seconds of repetitive punching, you see the arm movements slow down. Players grunt as they begin to feel the burn in their shoulders. They feel like a boxer trying to hold his gloves up in the late rounds of a match.

Blind-folds

What they do: With headbands covering their eyes, the linemen rely on their hands to feel the defender's movement.

"You have to visualize in your mind (the direction the defender is going)," Derby tells the players.

Why: Trains the linemen to constantly keep their hands on the defender, which helps anticipate their movements.

One-on-one

What they do: Removing the arm straps and blindfolds, now the players engage in true blocking drills. Defenders try to simulate what linemen would do in a game, like using spin and swim moves. Derby teaches the offensive linemen how to counteract techniques used by defensive linemen. He tells them how to anticipate a defender's next move.

Why: Best simulates live action.

Notes: The aformentioned drills were used by the advanced group of players.

The novice group do slightly different exercises.

Derby admits there are detractors. But he does not try to diminish what the players' coaches teach them.

He only exposes the players to different ideas. Besides, he said, he teaches only fundamentals, not blocking schemes. Whether they come from a passing team or a running team, he teaches techniques that will aid them in both areas.

hop in and out of an octagonal shape from different angles to improve foot quickness.