January/February 2025 - 39

N
o other skill differentiates great wideouts from
average wideouts more than down-field blocking.
Developing a winning attitude among
wideouts begins with run plays. You can begin to change
your players' attitude with one simple phrase: " No block,
no rock. " I begin every practice in August by making a
statement telling wideouts they will not play if they do
not block.
Practice what you preach and show players the
importance of blocking by beginning your individual
practice periods with a blocking drill instead of running
routes or racking up catches. It doesn't have to take a lot
of your practice time to send a powerful message to your
players about the importance of blocking.
During the early part of the season, it is important to
indoctrinate your wideouts with two important ideas.
First, great wideouts view run plays as an opportunity,
not an off play.
Secondly, wideouts must believe that no big plays
happen without them. No big plays in the passing game
happen without the receivers blocking and catching
downfield and no runs of 15-plus yards or more happen
without wideouts blocking downfield.
Once your players buy into this philosophy it is amazing
how quickly their intensity and confidence level will
change. In order to put your athletes in a position to be
successful blocking in games, they must be given
opportunities to practice blocking techniques with gamelike
intensity.
Teach the players proper blocking form in drills. Work
on their balance, hand placement, and drive. Incorporating
drills that include live blocking helps to develop timing
and tenacity, as well as increases the level of competition
and intensity.
Coach their effort as much as their technique by
demanding that they block to the " echo of the whistle. "
Challenge them to lock on to the DB and drive him off of
the field onto the sideline - how demoralizing!
MAKING BELIEVERS
In a typical game where a team runs 60 plays a game, 15
passes might be called if the team throws 25 percent of the
time. Depending on the type of pass, coverage, number of
receiver options, and blocking in the line, a receiver may
only actually get the ball thrown to him one time a game.
This creates the ultimate " seize your opportunity "
situation. The fate of the play rests on the wideouts'
shoulders, or, more appropriately, in his hands. All of his
teammates and coaches are counting on him and every fan
is watching in anticipation of the catch. Great receivers are
comfortable with these pressure opportunities.
Catching a football is as much an issue of attitude and
confidence as it is of focus and repetition. Certainly, drills
must be set up to allow players to get as many catches a
day as possible. And drills should emphasize catching the
ball in a crowd, utilizing distractions, and teaching players
to catch the not-so-perfectly-thrown ball.
But when it comes to catching the ball, what you say as
a coach is as important as what drill you do. How many
complimentary comments or statements of praise do you
offer per catch? Conversely, how many opportunities to rip
a player for a dropped ball do you miss? There is no right
way to build a receiver's confidence to catch the ball but
there are two schools of thought discussed below. Your
personal preference, coaching style, and the ability level of
your players will dictate which will work best for you and
your players.
One method for building a player's confidence is
through praise. This isn't merely saying " good job " or
" nice catch " repetitively. For a less talented group of
players, the use of emphatic, specific, genuine praise for
catches, even those we take for granted will build a sense
of confidence in the player.
A different philosophy is required for a confident wideout.
We try to get him to believe that catching the ball is about
as tough as breathing. Something you are expected to do
on your own, not something worthy of praise.
Convince your players that they can catch every ball and
constantly remind them that they have great hands and
are expected to make every catch. When you offer praise,
especially when a player is down on himself, make it a big
deal. If you can make the players believe, they will!
YOU MADE THE CATCH, NOW WHAT?
The most important stats of great wide receivers are
yards after a catch and yards after contact. The play
doesn't end with the catch. We coach them to be
playmakers when the ball is in their hands. We often refer
to our running backs and wide receivers as " ball carriers. "
Utilize the running backs coach by having him teach the
receivers basics such as properly securing the ball, hand
preferences, and various cuts in the same terms used with
the backs.
Once they know the basics, combine the receiving drills
with running-back drills. Instead of working three-step
routes alone, use cones and the one-man sled to create a
running lane with a " defender " to juke.
Let your players know their ball-carrying opportunities
are limited so they need to take advantage of them.
Remind them that no big plays happen without them.
To stay consistent with the theme of creating a
winning attitude, set up drills that will force the
receivers to take a hit. Use the blaster, work on one-onone
open-field tackling with defensive backs, or set up
an American Gladiator-style scoring drill in which the
receiver must blast through two or three defenders with
shields in order to score from 10 yards away. Drills
become less mundane when players are put in a more
competitive situation.
The more comfortable the receivers become with
carrying the ball and establishing contact, the better they
will perform when called upon. Average receivers become
great when they can turn six-yard hitches into gamebreaking
touchdowns.
COACHAD.COM 39
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January/February 2025

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