Unfortunately, many players and coaches fail to realize the importance of this basic technique for defensive backs and will stop practicing backpedal drills once the season has begun. Backpedal drills must be incorporated into the individual drills that are executed every practice day by the defensive backs.
Drill: Backpedaling
During the backwards run, the player must keep his feet under and no wider than, his hips. His waist should be bent so that his shoulders remain slightly in front of his hips, with his head up, looking directly at the coach. The player's arms should swing naturally in a normal running motion. In this drill, speed in not important; what we are developing is proper backpedal technique.
Once a defensive back has mastered the technique of running backwards in a straight line, he must learn to change direction, or angle, without crossing his legs or being forced out of his normal backward-running motion. When running any type of pass pattern, a good receiver quickly will attempt to get the defensive back to leave his backpedal, forcing him to turn his body to one side or the other.
Winning points:
- The closer a defensive back is to the man he is to cover, the more disciplined he must be in his stance.
- Keep weight on front foot to help explode back out of stance, taking short first step with back foot.
- Allow shoulders to slowly come up, and stay in font of hips, when leaving stance; don't lean backwards.
- Backpedaling is running backwards, not pushing backwards and shuffling; keep feet under, and no wider than, hips; waist should be bent, shoulders slightly in front of hips.
- Do not cross legs when changing direction of backpedal.
The ability to run backwards, or backpedal, is a technique essential for a player to learn if he wants to play defensive back. All kids naturally learn the art of running forward at an early age, but the ability to run backwards is one that must be practiced, then perfected.
The focus of this drill is on teaching and practicing the proper techniques for a defensive back to use in his backpedal. The drill is run with the defensive backs lining up, one at a time, five yards away from the coach. After the coach sees that the player is in the proper stance, he will give the command "Hit!" The player then will push off his front foot, stepping backwards a full 15 yards.
The practice starts the same as the normal backpedal drill, with the defensive back line up five yards away from, and facing, the coach. At the command "Hit!" the defensive back starts straight back. After he has run for five yards, the coach will point in one direction or the other. The player then must change the angle of his backpedal, moving in the direction designated by the coach. The coach allows the player to continue in this new direction for five yards, then signals the player to go straight back for another five yards, and finally directs the player to angle for the final five yards back to the center of the drill. In order for the player to remain in his backpedal for the entire 20 yards, it is necessary for him to swing his leg around opposite from the direction he desires to go instead of crossing over with his legs. Again, remember, we are working on technique and not speeding this drill.
Certain elements in running backwards are necessary for the player to understand if he is to be proficient as a defensive back. Most important, the defensive back must understand that backpedaling truly meaning running backwards, and not pushing backwards and shuffling his feet to move his body. The defensive back must picture in his mind what he must do, actually lifting his feel and stepping backwards, pulling his body in the direction that he wishes to go.
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