Youth football coaches "CUT BLOCKING" (1 Viewer)

[BigJohn]

Anybody watching those videos and thinking it should be ok and allowed really need to check yourselves. That stuff makes me sick. First of all, both of those are 'chop blocks', where the kid is getting hit high and low. They would both be flagged at the college and pro levels. And the fact that this is being allowed in leagues with kids this young is absolutely deplorable. Wake up.

 

[roadkill1292]

Adults still let their children play tackle football? A parent's most important responsibility is keeping their children safe. Irresponsible to let them play, in my opinion.

I doubt tackle football is even around in high-schools in 10-20 years.

In the five year period 200-2013, 37 states experienced a decline in the number of players participating in high school football and a lot of those were double digit percentage declines. (The decline was 2.3% nationally) The divide mostly follows partisan political patterns, with blue states' participation dropping and red states' increasing.

A recent RAND Corporation poll revealed that only 55% of parents want their kids to play football. And among college graduates who voted for Obama that number falls to 32%.

 

[Spanky267]

What is your take on "cut blocking" in youth football. I think that it is harmful and doesn't need to be allowed in youth football. But, for whatever reason it is legal in our organization. Here are a couple of videos I found on youth "cut blocking" take a look and give your thoughts. Thanks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7QwlvKhRg8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnxlxIrMABw

Both of those blocks were illegal as the defender was already engaged by another offensive lineman.

I coach youth football, 5 to 7 year olds, my son also plays and has since he was 8. He's now 13. Cut blocking is an important tool for an offense. It should never be taught as a means to injure the defensive player. It is simply a tool of the offensive line to disrupt the rush of the defensive line.

There are several offenses were a good cut or superman block is used by a tight end or tackle to cover the space vacated by a pulling guard or tackle. In many cases the intent is to obstruct the rushing lane of the defender rather than to actually make contact. When these techniques are taught they are usually done so with a warning not to make contact with a defensive player who is already engaged.

I dont personally teach it. But I have tuaght crab blocking as a means for a less athletic offensive lineman to disrupt the rush of a more athletic defensive lineman. Again the goal here is to obstruct, not to injure. Its to give the play the extra second or two it needs to develop.

We run a double tight, double wing offense. At my age we dont pull. But at the next age group we do. If we pull our backside guard on our power play we have to account for that gap in the line. In that case we would ask the Tackle to block down, superman or shoeshine block to the inside. This is done to close the gap between him and the center and to disrupt the rush of the defensive tackle who would usually be lined up near the A gap or over our pulling guard. But we tell the tackle not to go low if the DT is engaged by the center. If he is free rushing and not engaged then dive in front of him to cut off the rushing lane.

http://youtu.be/jLXPwrcapZM

http://youtu.be/qn0ItOYdmhw

Here is more on the Superman Block from one of the texts that I use to teach proper blocking.

http://footballcoachessymposium.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Dominant-Oline-Manual-2012.pdf

Page 7 of this manual explains the purpose and the intent of the "Superman" block.

If I have a mismatch on my o-line where my guy is getting savaged then I am going to do one of two things. I am going to have the lineman who is getting beat cut that d-lineman. Or if I can spare them I will have another lineman help with a double team. But that may not be possible. At the age I coach this isnt really a problem as we can usually run away from the hard charging D-lineman or we can confuse him with ball fakes.

 

[jonessed]

Chop and cut blocking should not be taught in Pee Wee football. The coach that's doing this needs to be removed.

 

[Jayded]

Like I said, the game can be played perfectly fine without it.

So?

So get rid of an unnecessary play that has a high chance of causing knee injuries.

High chance? You just gave me like 10 players out of the thousands that play in the NFL and college football.

Can't argue with that logic.

It's a violent sport. The fact that cut blocking is still legal in the current climate is indicative in itself as to how "high" the chances are that it causes knee injuries.

cstu noted a few Notre Dame injuries from one year. As a Notre Dame fan, we had two more this year: Jarron Jones (knee) and Joe Schmidt (broken ankle/leg, out for the year).

For Notre Dame, that makes six injuries in the past three years directly associated to cut blocking.

The one major point to include as well given your point around volume is that Notre Dame plays only one team a year that utilizes cut blocking: Navy. All of the injuries I noted were to playing Navy specifically.

 

[Guest]

Youth football I would think you should only be able to cut block someone lined up directly in front of you or someone engaged with you.

 

[Jayrod]

Cut blocking is a basic tenant of line play. In HS it is illegal to do outside of the free blocking zone and is basically limited to the time immediately following the snap.

in other words, OL can go low on a DL within range of one step at the snap. If there is another OL engaging that same player up high, that is a chop block and is illegal at all levels of football.

A DL fending off a cut block has less risk than a runner being tackled below the waist. It is not something that causes any more danger than a normal football play.

 

[Jayrod]

Youth football I would think you should only be able to cut block someone lined up directly in front of you or someone engaged with you.

This is basically the rules in HS. They are bent a little more by some teams, but that is the gist of it.

 

[SHIZNITTTT]

Was speaking with some orthopedic surgeons today about this subject. Their take on the subject is that if you are taking a direct hit to the lateral aspect of the knee joint it should not be allowed.

 

[Jayrod]

Was speaking with some orthopedic surgeons today about this subject. Their take on the subject is that if you are taking a direct hit to the lateral aspect of the knee joint it should not be allowed.

Like tackling?

 

[SHIZNITTTT]

Was speaking with some orthopedic surgeons today about this subject. Their take on the subject is that if you are taking a direct hit to the lateral aspect of the knee joint it should not be allowed.

Like tackling?

You don't see a cut block happening all the time. And, at the youth level it is really hard to not have someone make contact high and low. Can you be tackled without seeing happening? Sure, but the odds are in youth football not going to happen.

 

[SHIZNITTTT]

Ok came to a head this weekend. Played in a football tournament in Muskogee, Oklahoma this weekend. During the tournament which is part of our league our team's center was getting hit in his knees on every snap. Was weird they had their biggest player just lineup and "shoot" into the center's knees on the snap. It took a very bad toll on the center (5th grader) because the other team did it every play. After the 3rd quarter I thought one of our coaches was going to go to jail. He walked out on the field and started cursing at the other sideline about how it was "BS" to keep cheap shooting our center.

I don't know what the center really could have done in hindsight to protect himself?

 

[Binky The Doormat]

Ok came to a head this weekend. Played in a football tournament in Muskogee, Oklahoma this weekend. During the tournament which is part of our league our team's center was getting hit in his knees on every snap. Was weird they had their biggest player just lineup and "shoot" into the center's knees on the snap. It took a very bad toll on the center (5th grader) because the other team did it every play. After the 3rd quarter I thought one of our coaches was going to go to jail. He walked out on the field and started cursing at the other sideline about how it was "BS" to keep cheap shooting our center.

I don't know what the center really could have done in hindsight to protect himself?

Bite that other ####er's finger off. - Conrad Dobler

 

[Quez]

Ok came to a head this weekend. Played in a football tournament in Muskogee, Oklahoma this weekend. During the tournament which is part of our league our team's center was getting hit in his knees on every snap. Was weird they had their biggest player just lineup and "shoot" into the center's knees on the snap. It took a very bad toll on the center (5th grader) because the other team did it every play. After the 3rd quarter I thought one of our coaches was going to go to jail. He walked out on the field and started cursing at the other sideline about how it was "BS" to keep cheap shooting our center.

I don't know what the center really could have done in hindsight to protect himself?

Where were the parents of the center? Getting drunk on the sidelines or something? Do they not care?

 

[SHIZNITTTT]

Ok came to a head this weekend. Played in a football tournament in Muskogee, Oklahoma this weekend. During the tournament which is part of our league our team's center was getting hit in his knees on every snap. Was weird they had their biggest player just lineup and "shoot" into the center's knees on the snap. It took a very bad toll on the center (5th grader) because the other team did it every play. After the 3rd quarter I thought one of our coaches was going to go to jail. He walked out on the field and started cursing at the other sideline about how it was "BS" to keep cheap shooting our center.

I don't know what the center really could have done in hindsight to protect himself?

Where were the parents of the center? Getting drunk on the sidelines or something? Do they not care?

They were watching the game, but what can you do? pull the kid out of the game I guess is an option.

 

[Tom Servo]

Ok came to a head this weekend. Played in a football tournament in Muskogee, Oklahoma this weekend. During the tournament which is part of our league our team's center was getting hit in his knees on every snap. Was weird they had their biggest player just lineup and "shoot" into the center's knees on the snap. It took a very bad toll on the center (5th grader) because the other team did it every play. After the 3rd quarter I thought one of our coaches was going to go to jail. He walked out on the field and started cursing at the other sideline about how it was "BS" to keep cheap shooting our center.

I don't know what the center really could have done in hindsight to protect himself?

A shot to the nuts works wonders.

 

[Cjw_55106]

5th grader?.....I cant remember enough to make an argument, but if i recall, when my son was in 5th grade, you couldnt even lineup directly in front of the center.

 

[pyite76]

Here is my argument for "CUT BLOCKING" if you don't allow your team to do it to each other in practice you shouldn't do it period.

We tackle full speed in practice

We hit full speed in practice

We block full speed in practice

We run our offense and defense full speed in practice

But, most coaches I would think do not allow their team to "cut block" their own teammates.

I teach it as a last resort as a tool for my guys to have in case they need it, and technically the technique I teach is called a "crab block". (Essentially they are slamming opposite forearm across into opposite leg of defender and bear crawling through the man). I don't allow my guys to do it in practice because bad things can happen if the defenders foot gets stuck in the ground, so we crab block on dummies only in practice. I've also taught a cut technique when we ran a short bubble screen to the slot man and I wanted to get a tall D-lineman's hands down.

If you crack-back block in practice then that's just plain silly. Why lay out a teammate? Everything else "should" be full speed in practice but these techniques are plain dumb to use on teammates.

 

[pyite76]

Ok came to a head this weekend. Played in a football tournament in Muskogee, Oklahoma this weekend. During the tournament which is part of our league our team's center was getting hit in his knees on every snap. Was weird they had their biggest player just lineup and "shoot" into the center's knees on the snap. It took a very bad toll on the center (5th grader) because the other team did it every play. After the 3rd quarter I thought one of our coaches was going to go to jail. He walked out on the field and started cursing at the other sideline about how it was "BS" to keep cheap shooting our center.

I don't know what the center really could have done in hindsight to protect himself?

I had a buddy of mine tell me (also an O-line coach) that the entire D-line he was playing that week cut his entire O-line on every play. I didn't know what to suggest to combat that other than pulling lineman and running outside.

If I had a nose that continually cut my center, I would have my guards cheat down, and knock the snot out of him. If I had another center, I'd plug him in and move the starting center over to guard to get some payback. I'd also mix up the snap count. I would tell my guards to punish the kid, and get him to ease up. basically I'd block down on the front side, and pull my backside guard. Not much else I could do.

 

[Ignoramus]

http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2013/3/21/4068738/nfl-rules-cut-block

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/09/17/countering-cut-blocks-isnt-rocket-science/

So what should defenders do to deal with the tactic? The smart approach is to push to the ground the offensive lineman who is coming in low, and who is likely off balance. Since the guy engaging the defender high typically is looking to peel off and head to the next level, a defender who can deflect the cut block could end up being completely unblocked.

 

[SHIZNITTTT]

http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2014/11/23/dominic-raiola-dirty-player/19455201/

this happened today in the NFL and everyone is calling this guy a cheap shot / dirty player.

But, it is allowed in our league.

 

[Prince Myshkin]

http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2014/11/23/dominic-raiola-dirty-player/19455201/

this happened today in the NFL and everyone is calling this guy a cheap shot / dirty player.

But, it is allowed in our league.

There not calling him dirty because of a cut block. They are calling him dirty because of a cut block from the victory formation (from the losing team) when nobody was expecting any blocking.

 

[SHIZNITTTT]

http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2014/11/23/dominic-raiola-dirty-player/19455201/

this happened today in the NFL and everyone is calling this guy a cheap shot / dirty player.

But, it is allowed in our league.

There not calling him dirty because of a cut block. They are calling him dirty because of a cut block from the victory formation (from the losing team) when nobody was expecting any blocking.

I don't think it would get this attention if he hits him full speed in the shoulder pads.

 

[Officer Pete Malloy]

Shocked that a Lion would take a cheap shot. Shocked.

 

[Prince Myshkin]

http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2014/11/23/dominic-raiola-dirty-player/19455201/

this happened today in the NFL and everyone is calling this guy a cheap shot / dirty player.

But, it is allowed in our league.

There not calling him dirty because of a cut block. They are calling him dirty because of a cut block from the victory formation (from the losing team) when nobody was expecting any blocking.

I don't think it would get this attention if he hits him full speed in the shoulder pads.

umm...don't remember seeing any cutting during this and it raised quite a fuss

 

[Alonzo Mosely]

http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2014/11/23/dominic-raiola-dirty-player/19455201/

this happened today in the NFL and everyone is calling this guy a cheap shot / dirty player.

But, it is allowed in our league.

 

[Alonzo Mosely]

Ok came to a head this weekend. Played in a football tournament in Muskogee, Oklahoma this weekend. During the tournament which is part of our league our team's center was getting hit in his knees on every snap. Was weird they had their biggest player just lineup and "shoot" into the center's knees on the snap. It took a very bad toll on the center (5th grader) because the other team did it every play. After the 3rd quarter I thought one of our coaches was going to go to jail. He walked out on the field and started cursing at the other sideline about how it was "BS" to keep cheap shooting our center.

I don't know what the center really could have done in hindsight to protect himself?

I had a buddy of mine tell me (also an O-line coach) that the entire D-line he was playing that week cut his entire O-line on every play. I didn't know what to suggest to combat that other than pulling lineman and running outside.

If I had a nose that continually cut my center, I would have my guards cheat down, and knock the snot out of him. If I had another center, I'd plug him in and move the starting center over to guard to get some payback. I'd also mix up the snap count. I would tell my guards to punish the kid, and get him to ease up. basically I'd block down on the front side, and pull my backside guard. Not much else I could do.

Played O-line in HS. We had a T who would "accidentally" step on guys when cleaning up slop from the back side when teams did this.