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A Shout Out for Potters X Blocking

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mahonz
(@mahonz)
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Coach Gumby has been drooling all over himself all summer after attending the Potter University again. Im happy for him. Coach Potter convinced us years ago that a two point stance for the OL is a winner. He was spot on correct.  

But X Blocking?

Huh? 

I am hired to handle the Defense so I don't pay much attention to this X Blocking thing. 

Two games...probably 80 snaps total. No penalties. 3 Refs. 

Kudos Gentleman. 👍

 

What is beautiful, lives forever.


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Coach Kiff
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Huh... I'm one game in... we didn't have a penalty either. Or at least very few. 


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Coach Kiff
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You know what else though... the downfield blockers hate it. Ironically this is basically what I did when I played. Two fists in the gut, but upper cut and drive. Take half the man and destroy one side of him.


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mahonz
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Posted by: @coach-kyle

Huh... I'm one game in... we didn't have a penalty either. Or at least very few. 

Yep...Im thinking to get thru a game without a single holding penalty is a testament to this technique. 

What is beautiful, lives forever.


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CoachDP
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Posted by: @mahonz

Yep...Im thinking to get thru a game without a single holding penalty is a testament to this technique. 

Kinda hard to get called for a holding call when you're not allowed to use your hands.

--Dave

"The Greater the Teacher, the More Powerful the Player."

The Mission Statement: "I want to show any young man that he is far tougher than he thinks, that he can accomplish more than what he dreamed and that his work ethic will take him wherever he wants to go."

#BattleReady newhope


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gumby_in_co
(@gumby_in_co)
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Posted by: @coachdp
Posted by: @mahonz

Yep...Im thinking to get thru a game without a single holding penalty is a testament to this technique. 

Kinda hard to get called for a holding call when you're not allowed to use your hands.

--Dave

Our scrimmage partner team won 18-0 last week against a team they should have beaten by much more. He said they set a record for holding and blocks in the back. If I'm being honest, they have always been pretty bad at holding and blocking in the back. 

In 2 games, we've had 1 penalty, a 5 yard "Incidental" facemask on the defense.

We've had 1 bad snap, 1 dropped toss and 1 fumble on contact. The bad snap and fumble on contact have been addressed. Ball handling/ball security have replaced our mojo drills for EDDs. The dropped toss was one of those "it happens" moments. 

Lack of penalties, fumbles being few and far between and the DW have given us the ability to eat an entire quarter in one drive. This team has never had that capability before.

We had a pancake block from a WB on an OLB. It would have made great marketing material for the X-man fit. Tragically, our film guy did not pick it up. It was glorious, though.

Game plan? I got your game plan. We gonna run the bawl some. We gonna throw the bawl some. We gonna play some defense. We gonna run some special teams, but we better not run kick return but one time and we sure as heck better not punt.


Troy liked
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CoachDP
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Posted by: @gumby_in_co

We had a pancake block from a WB on an OLB. It would have made great marketing material for the X-man fit. 

Wouldn't have mattered.  Others won't use it for any number of their own reasons.  When I was at MCHS, we lost 2 Centers the day before our game.  We were trying various other linemen as they all floundered.  I was teaching another lineman the Jock Sutherland snap (with no problems) and the header said, "Coach, that's not the way we teach the snap."  So they switched him back to their way as he went back to struggling.  Unbelievable.

--Dave

"The Greater the Teacher, the More Powerful the Player."

The Mission Statement: "I want to show any young man that he is far tougher than he thinks, that he can accomplish more than what he dreamed and that his work ethic will take him wherever he wants to go."

#BattleReady newhope


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rpatric
(@rpatric)
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Great job Coach! It's great that you have all but eliminated the chance for a holding penalty.  Have the defensive linemen started running away from your blockers yet? Don't be surprised if that happens. Elbows in the gut don't feel very good 😁


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gumby_in_co
(@gumby_in_co)
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Posted by: @coachdp
Posted by: @gumby_in_co

We had a pancake block from a WB on an OLB. It would have made great marketing material for the X-man fit. 

Wouldn't have mattered.  Others won't use it for any number of their own reasons.  When I was at MCHS, we lost 2 Centers the day before our game.  We were trying various other linemen as they all floundered.  I was teaching another lineman the Jock Sutherland snap (with no problems) and the header said, "Coach, that's not the way we teach the snap."  So they switched him back to their way as he went back to struggling.  Unbelievable.

--Dave

Rant warning:

One of the "coaches" for the 3rd grade team has been very vocal against X-man. He's no longer a coach and no longer has any input, but he did communicate to his son that he "strongly disagrees" with it. I was told that he is a "high school coach" whatever that means. This is the same guy who "strongly disagreed" with the crossover pull.  Ironically, when Kent and I were coaching together, we ran the exact same pulling eval drill on day 1. There was another dad who was a "high school coach" who had all kinds of problems with the crossover pull. He said, "We teach the high school players to 'start the lawnmower'". I asked  him what the advantage was to the lawnmower pull. He said "It gets them facing the sideline." I asked, how that helps. He didn't have an answer. "It's just how pulling is taught, okay?". Whatever, "Coach". If this "high school coach" can't recognize that 2 kids are getting out of a stance, beating a RB to the point of attack and blocking linebackers at the 2nd level, then he's not much of a coach.

Back to the present, my comment to the 3rd grade header is that if this "high school coach" takes one look at our blocking and doesn't see greatness, then he's not much of a coach. These 3rd graders are so good at it, I'm considering having my 6th graders watch them in Fight Club as inspiration. It seems pretty obvious to me. 

Game plan? I got your game plan. We gonna run the bawl some. We gonna throw the bawl some. We gonna play some defense. We gonna run some special teams, but we better not run kick return but one time and we sure as heck better not punt.


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CoachDP
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Posted by: @gumby_in_co

He didn't have an answer. "It's just how pulling is taught, okay?"

Of course he didn't have an answer.  And most won't.  Why do you think so many coaches that I ask questions to, don't reply?

--Dave

"The Greater the Teacher, the More Powerful the Player."

The Mission Statement: "I want to show any young man that he is far tougher than he thinks, that he can accomplish more than what he dreamed and that his work ethic will take him wherever he wants to go."

#BattleReady newhope


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mahonz
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Posted by: @coachdp
Posted by: @mahonz

Yep...Im thinking to get thru a game without a single holding penalty is a testament to this technique. 

Kinda hard to get called for a holding call when you're not allowed to use your hands.

--Dave

True....but try and convince the Refs of this. 😎

If a Defensive player is getting whipped....then their must be something illegal going on. 

What is beautiful, lives forever.


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CoachDP
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Posted by: @mahonz

True....but try and convince the Refs of this. 😎

If a Defensive player is getting whipped....then their must be something illegal going on. 

Yes.  The striped jerks will always call a game to make it fit their desired scenario.

--Dave

"The Greater the Teacher, the More Powerful the Player."

The Mission Statement: "I want to show any young man that he is far tougher than he thinks, that he can accomplish more than what he dreamed and that his work ethic will take him wherever he wants to go."

#BattleReady newhope


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Coyote
(@coyote)
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I'm having a hard time getting a mental picture of X blocking...  got any film which could be shared here?  

Thanx

Umm.... why does that 6 ft tall 9 yr old have a goatee...?


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gumby_in_co
(@gumby_in_co)
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Posted by: @coachdp
Posted by: @mahonz

True....but try and convince the Refs of this. 😎

If a Defensive player is getting whipped....then their must be something illegal going on. 

Yes.  The striped jerks will always call a game to make it fit their desired scenario.

--Dave

Just watched film of Troy's last game. He hit the nail on the head. "Punish O-linemen for good blocking".

Game plan? I got your game plan. We gonna run the bawl some. We gonna throw the bawl some. We gonna play some defense. We gonna run some special teams, but we better not run kick return but one time and we sure as heck better not punt.


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gumby_in_co
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Posted by: @coyote

I'm having a hard time getting a mental picture of X blocking...  got any film which could be shared here?  

Thanx

Here's a pic. Not great, but it was an open field pancake block. My RW vs an OLB. 

Fists in the opposite armpit so your forearms make an "X". Elbows about eye level. That "X" makes sort of a reverse cow catcher. Explain that contact above the breast plate will hurt your elbows more than it hurts your opponent.

 

[edit]

Never mind. Can't seem to insert images.

This post was modified 1 year ago by gumby_in_co

Game plan? I got your game plan. We gonna run the bawl some. We gonna throw the bawl some. We gonna play some defense. We gonna run some special teams, but we better not run kick return but one time and we sure as heck better not punt.


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