Jason Thier, DC at Dickinson State (North Dakota) breaks down two of their takeaway drills: mirror and high point. Dickinson State has led the NAIA in takeaways for two of the past five seasons.
You can see their entire takeaway practice circuit at Takeaway Drills on Glazier Drive.
Key "Takeaways" 😊from the full clinic.
🏈All position groups do all of the drills.
🏈They go after "takeaways" and not "turnovers." A turnover is an unforced fumble. A takeaway is a forced fumble or interception. Their mantra is to actively pursue the football.
🏈 In practice, Coach Their charts: how many times they scoop the ball off the ground, how many times there was an opportunity to scoop that they didn't take advantage of, how many forced fumbles, how many times the players went to force a fumble--but didn't get it, how many interceptions they had. They provide the feedback to the players.
🏈A fetal recovery is when the ball is on the ground in traffic and the defender dives and assumes a fetal position to secure the ball.
🏈When the ball is on the ground out in the open, the defender has one chance to scoop and score. If they miss on the scoop, then it automatically becomes a fetal recovery to assure that they get the ball.
🏈They stay in front of the ball on the scoop and score so that if they miss, they will hit it with their feet and can use the fetal recovery to complete the takeaway.
🏈On scoop and score, they teach their defensive players 5 points of contact when they pick up the football so that they don't turn the ball back over to the offense.