Pass rush counter moves

Setup

1. Contact level: bags, then thud. Both players stay up and nobody goes to the ground.
2. Full helmet and shoulder pads, and a coach watches every rep. Count the thud reps towards the week's full-contact time limit.
3. Pair rushers with blockers of a similar size. The rusher sets in a wide stance outside the blocker, who is in a pass set.
4. Put a cone 7 yards behind the line as the QB spot. There is no QB; rushers finish 2 yards short of the cone.
5. The coach stands beside the line with a ball and starts each rep by moving it.

How it runs

1. Bags first: the rusher works each move into a shield held by the blocker, 3 reps per move at half speed.
2. Then thud: the rusher picks a plan of two moves. The first sets up the blocker; the counter beats the blocker's answer.
3. Plan 1: speed rush up the arc. When the tackle oversets to the edge, plant the outside foot and spin or rip back inside.
4. Plan 2: long arm to the chest. When the tackle sits and leans to anchor, club the arm away and swim over.
5. Each rep lasts about 3 seconds, the time a QB holds the ball. The coach whistles the end and says who won.
6. 4 reps each, then swap roles. Short rest between reps so every rep is full speed.

Coaching points

• Get off on ball movement, not the count. The first two steps decide the rep.
• Have a plan before the snap; counter off what the blocker does, not at random.
• Sell the first move fully. A half-hearted speed rush gets no overset to counter.
• Hands are weapons: strike the blocker's hands or chest, never the head or face mask.
• Keep the head up and out of contact on every move, including the spin.
• Blockers: punch with hands inside, keep the outside hand ready and don't lunge.

Common mistakes

• Spinning too early, before the blocker has oversold the edge.
• Rushing straight upfield past the QB spot, too wide to affect a throw.
• Using hands to the face mask, a penalty and a safety risk.
• Throwing a counter with no plan, so the blocker never has to make a choice.