Pass protection: kick slide

Setup

1. Contact level: air, then bags. Helmets and shoulder pads on, and a coach watches every rep.
2. Mark the line of scrimmage and put a cone 7 yards behind it for the quarterback's spot.
3. The blocker sets at tackle in a two-point stance. The rusher holds a hand shield and lines up wide, outside the blocker's shoulder.
4. The coach kneels at the line with a ball and starts the rep by moving it.

How it runs

1. Air first: five reps of kick-slide footwork against no one, down the line and back.
2. Then with the rusher: on ball movement, the rusher jogs the edge towards the quarterback cone at half speed.
3. The blocker kick-slides back and out, punches both hands inside on the shield, and rides the rusher deep past the cone.
4. The coach whistles when the rusher passes the cone's depth. Three reps, then swap roles.

Coaching points

• Kick with the outside foot back and out; the inside foot follows. Never cross the feet.
• Stay square to the line with the hips low and the chest up.
• Punch late and short: hands inside, thumbs up, on the shield's centre.
• Keep the head back and out of the punch.
• Keep the inside hip on the rusher so they can't cut back underneath.

Common mistakes

• Opening the hips to the sideline early, which hands the rusher an inside lane.
• Lunging or reaching with the hands before the rusher arrives.
• Hands outside the shoulders, which is holding in a game.
• Standing up tall as the slide goes on.