Releases against press coverage

Setup

1. Contact level: bags, then thud at the line. Hands and forearms only, nobody goes to the ground.
2. Helmets and shoulder pads on. A coach watches every rep and stops it if anyone grabs the face mask or neck.
3. Mark the line of scrimmage and a cone line 5 yards downfield; contact ends there.
4. The receiver lines up on the line near the sideline; the cornerback presses 1 yard off. A quarterback (or the coach) throws from the middle.

How it runs

1. Bags: the cornerback holds a hand shield and pokes it at the receiver's chest. The receiver releases at half speed, five reps each side.
2. Thud: the cornerback presses with open hands at three-quarter speed and the receiver works a full release.
3. Receiver jabs inside to move the cornerback's feet, then rips outside past the punch and stacks on top.
4. The quarterback throws the go ball once the receiver is past 5 yards. Swap roles after three reps.

Coaching points

• Start low, with the weight on the front foot, and keep the hands up and ready.
• Sell the jab with the shoulders as well as the foot.
• Rip the inside arm up through the cornerback's hands, like an uppercut, and get the shoulder past.
• Win inside 5 yards, then stack: get directly in front of the cornerback on the route line.
• Pushing off downfield is offensive pass interference; separate with the feet, not the hands.

Common mistakes

• Running straight into the punch with no move.
• Drifting wide towards the sideline instead of getting back on the route line.
• Several fake steps that waste time and spoil the quarterback's timing.
• The cornerback grabbing or holding past 5 yards; in a game that is a flag.