If you're tired of seeing your players trail behind a ball carrier because they took a bad line, it's time to dial in your angle of pursuit drill . It doesn't matter how fast your linebackers or safeties are if they're constantly running to where the runner was instead of where he's going to be . This really is one of those fundamental skills that separates a decent defense from one that's actually scary to play against.
Let's be real: we've all seen that one play where a fast running back hits the corner, and your defender starts chasing him in the literal "banana" curve. By the time the defender catches up, the runner is twenty yards downfield or, worse, in the end zone. That's why we hammer the pursuit angles in practice. It's about geometry, effort, and a little bit of instinct.
Why Pursuit Angles Would be the Secret Sauce
The whole point of an angle of pursuit drill is to teach your players to find the "intersection point. " Think of it such as this: the ball carrier is a car driving down a highway, and your defender is a car trying to merge and cut them off. If you drive toward where the other car is right now, you'll end up to their rear every single time. You have to strive for a spot further down the road.
In football, that "spot" changes based on the speed of the runner. If you're chasing a guy like Tyreek Hill, your angle must be much shallower—meaning you're running further downfield to cut him off. If it's a slower power back, you can take a steeper, more direct line. Getting kids to comprehend this in the heat of a game is tough, which is why you have to drill it until it's second nature.
Setting Up the Basic Pursuit Drill
You don't need fancy equipment for a solid angle of pursuit drill . A few cones and a football are plenty. I like to set up a simple box, maybe 20 yards wide and 30 yards long.
Put a "rabbit" (your fastest runner) on one corner plus a defender on the opposite corner. On the whistle, the rabbit sprints down the sideline. The defender has to have a line that intercepts the runner before they hit the conclusion of the box.
The key the following is watching the defender's first three steps. Could they be stepping toward the runner, or are they stepping toward the spot where the runner is going? If they're "following the tail, " you blow the whistle and make them do it again. You want to see them aiming for that "high hip" of the ball carrier.
The Common Mistake: The "Banana" Path
One of the biggest headaches for almost any coach is the "banana" path. This happens if a player starts running toward the ball carrier, realizes they're going to miss him, and then starts curving their run. It's inefficient, it's slow, and it's a recipe for a touchdown.
In your angle of pursuit drill , you have to emphasize utilizing a perfectly straight line to the intersection point. If a player realizes they took too steep of an angle, they shouldn't curve; they need to adjust their aim and pick a new, straight line. We always tell our guys: "Straight lines win games. " If you see a kid rounding off their turn, stop the drill. Show them the path they took compared to path they should took. Sometimes, drawing it out in the dirt right there on the field makes it click.
Adding the "High Hip" Concept
When you're running an angle of pursuit drill , you'll hear coaches screaming about the "high hip" all the time. If you're not familiar with the term, the high hip is the side of the ball carrier that's furthest downfield.
If a defender aims for the near hip (the one closest to them), they're more likely to get juked or outrun. By aiming for the high hip, they're essentially "over-pursuing" just enough to ensure the runner can't simply outspeed them to the edge. When the runner tries to reduce, the defender is in a perfect position to break down and make the tackle because they've already cut off the main escape route.
Making It Competitive
Let's face it, kids get bored with repetitive drills. To keep the energy up, you've got to make the angle of pursuit drill a competition. I like to split the team into two groups—the "Offense" as well as the "Defense"—and keep score.
If the runner gets beyond the final cone without having to be touched (or "tagged" if you're not in pads), the offense gets a point. If the defender cuts them off and "secures" the tackle, the defense gets a point. You'd be surprised how much faster players run when there are bragging rights (or a few extra sprints for the losers) on the line.
You can also vary the starting positions. Start the defender on their stomach, or have them start facing away from the runner and turn around on the whistle. This simulates the chaos of a genuine play where you might be coming off a block or recovering from a trip.
The Sideline Squeeze Variation
Another great version of the angle of pursuit drill is what I call the "Sideline Squeeze. " With this setup, you use the actual sideline of the field as an extra defender. The ball carrier starts 10 yards in from the sideline and tries to beat the defender to some cone placed 20 yards down the sideline.
This teaches the defender to utilize the boundary for their advantage. They don't just want to tackle the guy; they want to "squeeze" him toward the white line until he has nowhere left to go. It's a terrific way to teach players they don't always have to produce a highlight-reel hit—sometimes just forcing a guy out of bounds will be a major win for the defense.
Coaching the "Breakdown" Phase
The most dangerous part of any pursuit is the last three yards. This is where a lot of defenders lose their leverage. They've taken a great angle, they've closed the gap, and then they dive at the runner's ankles and miss.
During your angle of pursuit drill , pay close attention to the "breakdown. " Since the defender closes in, they need to shorten their strides, get their base wide, and keep their eyes on the runner's belt buckle. We call this "patter-ing the feet. " If they're sprinting full speed right into the contact, a quick-footed runner will make them look silly. The drill isn't over until the defender has successfully tracked the hip and "wrapped up" (or simulated the wrap-up).
Troubleshooting Your Players
If you notice a person consistently failing the angle of pursuit drill , it's usually one of two things: lack of speed or lack of vision.
If it's speed, well, that's a long-term fix in the weight room. But if it's vision, that's something you are able to coach right now. Ask the player, "What were you looking at? " Often, they'll say they were looking at the ball. That's the mistake. You don't chase the ball; you chase the man carrying it. Specifically, you chase his midsection. The ball can move around, and the head can fake, but the hips don't lie.
Keep It Part of the Routine
The angle of pursuit drill shouldn't be a "once a month" kind of thing. It needs to be a staple. We try to work it into our defensive individual periods at least twice a week. It's a great warm-up since it gets the heart rate up and reinforces the most crucial mindset of a defender: never give up on a play.
Even if a guy gets beat initially, a great pursuit angle from a teammate can save a touchdown. That's the "rally to the ball" culture you want to build. When every player on the field understands how to take a proper angle, the field suddenly feels much smaller for that opposing offense. And that, my friends, is the way you win games.
So, next time you're planning out your practice script, don't just throw in another generic tackling drill. Spend some quality time for the angle of pursuit drill . Your scoreboard will thank you on Friday night.