Press and mirror at the line

Setup

1. Contact level: thud, hands only. Open-hand punches to the chest, nobody goes to the ground.
2. Helmets and shoulder pads on. A coach watches every rep and stops it for any hand to the face mask or neck.
3. Mark a box 5 yards wide and 5 yards deep just past the line of scrimmage with four cones.
4. The receiver lines up on the line; the cornerback presses 1 yard off, square, with the eyes on the receiver's hips.

How it runs

1. Mirror only first: the receiver tries to get out of the box at half speed and the cornerback mirrors with no hands, five reps.
2. Then add the punch: the cornerback lands the off hand on the receiver's near breastplate as the release comes.
3. The receiver may change direction once inside the box. At the top of the box, the cornerback gets hands off and runs in the hip pocket.
4. The coach starts each rep by moving the ball and whistles at 10 yards. Swap roles after three reps.

Coaching points

• Feet first: short kick-steps, never crossing the feet, with the weight on the balls of the feet.
• Eyes on the hips, not on the head or shoulder fakes.
• Be patient. Punch late with the thumbs up, heels of the hands on the breastplate.
• Contact is legal only inside 5 yards. After that it is illegal contact, and grabbing is holding or pass interference.
• Head out of contact; the hands do the work.

Common mistakes

• Lunging with both hands and missing, which leaves the cornerback beaten.
• Opening the hips too early and giving up the slant.
• Grabbing the jersey after the receiver wins.
• Hands up near the face mask; the coach stops the rep.